Missions and ministry the focus of Texas CBF gathering

HOUSTON—Texas members of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship focused on missions and ministry as well as doing business when they gathered during the national CBF annual general assembly in Houston.

“The main thing we are interested in is: ‘How can we spread the kingdom of God in this world?’” Rick McClatchey, the CBF Texas coordinator, told participants in the statewide gathering July 2.

CBF Texas has focused on three priorities in the past year, McClatchey said. They include involving laypeople in ministry to children and their families along the Texas/Mexico border, partnering with ethnic Texas Baptist churches and connecting with young Texas Baptist leaders.

McClatchey reported on a roster of ministries CBF Texas has undertaken. They included:

• KidsHeart, a partnership with Buckner International to minister to children and their families up and down the Rio Grande.

This summer, CBF Texas and Buckner are sponsoring three “blitz weeks,” which will involve 30 CBF churches and other congregations in the ministry, McClatchey said. KidsHeart also sponsored two blitz weeks during Spring Break in March, and churches can minister through the program at any time, he said.

In the past year, teams have worked in South Texas, Eagle Pass, Presidio and El Paso, and Laredo will be added in 2010, he said.

KidsHeart usually results in 300 to 500 professions of faith in Christ each year, he reported.

• Micro-enterprise loans, which provide small amounts of cash to Third World families to help them support themselves by starting home-based businesses.

CBF Texas has invested $10,000 from its reserves in these loans and has challenged churches and other CBF state affiliates to invest 10 percent of their endowments in the cause.

• A missional resource booklet, which will help churches develop and focus their missions programs. McClatchey announced he is looking for “guinea pig churches” to use the workbook and provide feedback to help improve it.

• A network has continued its ministry of prayer for church mission trips and projects, concerns from mission fields and “personal concerns that impact the CBF Texas family.”

• Increased collaboration with the national CBF organization, including cooperative use of undesignated gifts, collaboration on business activities and goals, and shared use of the state coordinator’s time.

McClatchey also appealed for expanded involvement in two other CBF Texas endeavors:

• A project conducted by First Baptist Churches in Garland and Del Rio to collect money for new Bibles to be distributed by the Angola Baptist Convention in Africa.

For more information, contact Charla Greenhaw, (972) 358-8813, [email protected]; or Jeff Johnson, (830) 775-7463, [email protected].

• Assistance for the 44 Baptist congregations in Juarez, Mexico, where drug-related violence has escalated. To volunteer, contact Dick Hurst at [email protected].

In its annual business session, CBF Texas elected JoAnn Hopper of San Antonio as moderator-elect and Alcides Guajardo of Mineral as recorder.

Previously elected officers for the coming year are Moderator Tony Gruben of Uvalde and Ken Hugghins of Huntsville.

Other elections included members selected for:

• National Coordinating Council—Mike Bergman, Belton; Kelly Burkhart, Houston; Lucy Floyd, Weatherford.

• CBF Texas Coordinating Council—David Russell, Amarillo; Nelson Rodriguez, Fort Worth; John Moore, Abilene; Sabrina Pinales, Mesquite; Gary Patterson, San Antonio; Gaynor Yancy, Waco; Nathan Porter, Waco; Charla Greenlaw, Garland; Matt Homeyer, Marble Falls; Kyle Streun, Hereford; and Kristen Richardson, Waco.

• National nominating committee—Rodney McGlothlin, College Station.