May 12, 2003
Mineral Wells church challenges others
with gift to new Hispanic publication
___MINERAL WELLS--The first step in a small-town church's strategic vision could impact Hispanic Baptists across the state for decades.
___First Baptist Church in Mineral Wells recently ratified its long-range strategy for ministry in the 21st century. Out of 67 action plans, the first to be completed allocated $5,000 to help the Baptist Standard launch a periodical by and for Hispanics.
___Jimmy Seay, a member of the church's finance committee, presented the check to the Baptist Standard's board of directors at itsspring meeting April 24. First Baptist Pastor Mark Bumpus is chairman of the Standard's board.
___The gift for the Standard's Hispanic publication addressed one of the key goals of First Baptist's strategy--to help evangelize Hispanics in Mineral Wells and across the state.
___Texas is becoming increasingly Hispanic, and reaching its Hispanic population is vital for the state's future, Seay said, pointing to research conducted to shape the church's strategic plan.
___The population of Mineral Wells is about 15 percent Hispanic, and the state's population is more than 30 percent Hispanic. Soon, Texas' Anglo population will cease to be a majority, and within 25 years, Hispanics will become the state's majority.
___Consequently, initiatives to present the gospel to Hispanics are imperative, Bumpus said.
___"I have hardly been more proud of a church in its enthusiasm to look beyond the walls of our church to touch Hispanics in Mineral Wells and in our state," he said. "There are high concentrations of Hispanic preschoolers, children and youth in our city and Hispanic adults in our local prison. "
___Those sentiments mirror the Standard's reasons for starting a publication--perhaps a newspaper, but maybe a magazine--by and for Hispanic Baptists, noted Editor Marv Knox.
___"One of the greatest tasks the Standard can accomplish is to reach out and provide a publication for Hispanic Texas Baptists," Knox said. "Our goal is to create a publication that will strengthen Hispanic families, build up Hispanic churches and help Hispanics to become fully involved in the life and ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas."
___The Standard's business plan for the start-up calls for creating a prototype of the publication to be distributed statewide for six months. Then the Standard will publish four quarterly issues of the publication during the course of a year, circulating them among partner churches that will provide feedback to help define and refine the publication.
___Cost for the first 18 months is estimated at $80,000 to $100,000. The Standard board of directors has voted to implement the plans when $80,000 has been raised.
___To date, $30,000--including the $5,000 from Mineral Wells--has been raised. The potential for some matching funds could increase the total significantly, but the Standard plans to raise more money.
___"If 16 to 20 churches would provide support at $5,000 at a pop, we could get this going," said Seay, retired president of City National Bank in Mineral Wells and past chairman of the nationwide Pulse automated banking network.
___"We want to throw out a challenge to other churches to help us do this," he added, encouraging other churches to put the Standard's Hispanic publication in their budgets or to contribute to the cause.
___In addition to the Hispanic publication, First Baptist in Mineral Wells also voted to provide a $5,000 annual contribution to Hispanic Baptist Theological School, Seay noted. That gift comes on top of the 15 percent of its budget the church allocates to the Baptist General Convention of Texas Cooperative Program.
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