Howard Payne University will soon begin construction on a new $6 million tennis center. The new facility will replace the current clubhouse located at 301 Second St. by the McCulloch Athletic Center. The facility will include a 3,300-square-foot clubhouse with locker rooms, a team room, a coaches’ office and a study room. Eight tennis courts are included, along with additional stands for visitors and expanded parking areas.

Faculty from Houston Christian University’s School of Christian Thought and Houston Theological Seminary provided leadership at a recent International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature and the Evangelical Theological Society in Boston. Paul Sloan received the Paul J. Achtemeier Award for New Testament Scholarship for his paper, “Lawful Lawlessness: The Torah and Paul’s Authorized Mission in 1 Corinthians 9.” An international book launch was held for Five Views of the Gospel, co-edited by Jason Maston of HCU and Michael Bird.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will honor its 169th graduating class during a commencement ceremony at 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, in Crusader Stadium on the UMHB campus. An estimated 448 students will be awarded degrees for the fall 2025 ceremony, including 318 baccalaureate degrees, 94 master’s degrees and 36 doctoral degrees.

Anniversary

City Church Del Rio celebrates 10 years as a congregation. Larry Floyd, director of missions for El Paso Baptist Association, started the church in his living room in 2015.

Nigeria’s president responded to a surge in violence and abductions by declaring a nationwide security emergency, ordering the massive recruitment and deployment of law enforcement officers and armed forces personnel.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued the declaration Nov. 26, the same day the Anglican Communion of Nigeria confirmed Edwin Achi—a priest who was kidnapped by Fulani assailants Oct. 28—died in captivity.

Achi was abducted along with his wife and daughter from the village of Nissi in Kaduna State. Kidnappers demanded 600 million naira—more than $400,000—in ransom.

“We pray for the release of his wife and daughter still in the hands of kidnappers,” Anglican leaders said in a public statement.

Recruiting police and military personnel

As part of his declaration of a national security emergency, Tinubu ordered the police to recruit 20,000 officers, in addition to 30,000 he had authorized earlier, and to use National Youth Service Corps camps as training depots.

He also reiterated a previous order withdrawing officers from guarding VIPs and giving them “crash training” to prepare them for deployment to “security-challenged areas.”

Additionally, Tinubu authorized the Department of State Security to recruit and deploy specially trained forest guards to “flush out the terrorists and bandits” hiding in dense vegetation.

“My fellow Nigerians, this is a national emergency, and we are responding by deploying more boots on the ground, especially in security-challenged areas,” Tinubu stated. “The times require all hands on deck. As Nigerians, we should all get involved in securing our nation.”

Dramatic reversal for administration

The Nigerian president’s declaration of a “national emergency” represents a dramatic reversal for an administration that previously characterized violence as localized in a few isolated regions within the country, said Gideon Para-Mallam, an evangelical pastor and peace advocate in Nigeria.

While he welcomed the president’s acknowledgement of a national emergency, Para-Mallam insisted Tinubu should have issued the declaration on May 29, 2023, the day he was sworn into office.

For years, the federal government in Nigeria has followed a “policy of denial when it comes to the persecution and the killings of Christians in Nigeria,” Para-Mallam said.

He noted the pastor and his wife of Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ebija, a town in the Yagaba West local government area of Nigeria’s Kogi State, were kidnapped along with several other worshippers during a church service on Nov. 30.

Even with the presidential declaration of a national emergency, “the situation remains dicey and unpredictable,” Para-Mallam said.

‘Challenging moment’ for Nigeria

In his public declaration, Tinubu commended the security agencies who collaborated to secure the release of 24 kidnapped schoolgirls in Kebbi and 38 members of the Christ Apostolic Church in Kwara State.

The church members were abducted Nov. 18 during a thanksgiving service in Eruku. The worshippers were kept in an undisclosed hotel for several days undergoing medical examinations after their release.

“We will continue to sustain the efforts to rescue the remaining students of Catholic School in Niger State and other Nigerians still being held hostage,” he pledged.

Tinubu also commended armed forces personnel, acknowledging it is “a challenging moment for our nation and for the military institution itself.”

“I charge you to remain resolute, to restore peace across all theaters of operation, and to uphold the highest standards of discipline and integrity,” Tinubu stated. “There must be no compromise, no collusion and no negligence.”

The president pledged support both for the nation’s armed forces and for “state governments which have set up security outfits to safeguard their people from the terrorists bent on disrupting our national peace.”

He urged Nigeria’s National Assembly to review laws to “allow states that require state police to establish them.”

Instructions for schools and places of worship

Joseph John Hayab, a Baptist pastor and chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the northern states and Federal Capital territory, called the presidential declaration “a welcome development and a move in the right direction.”

Recruiting additional law enforcement and military personnel is appropriate—provided they are “well-trained, better equipped and motivated to do their work,” Hayab said.

In his declaration, Tinubu said: “States should rethink establishing boarding schools in remote areas without adequate security. Mosques and churches should constantly seek police and other security protection when they gather for prayers, especially in vulnerable areas.”

Churches are “helping to provide schools in many rural communities,” Hayab noted.

“It is not good for government to discourage the church from establishing schools in rural areas,” he said. “Instead, as the church provides schools, government should ensure those schools and the children enjoy the protection of the government.”

Pointing to the volatile Middle Belt of Nigeria and conflict between Fulani Muslim herdsmen and Christian farmers, Tinubu urged herders to “end open grazing and surrender illegal weapons.”

Regarding violence in that region, Para-Mallam said: “Today, the evil triumvirate of Boko Haram, bandits and armed Fulani herdsmen are killing Nigerians with reckless abandon. The armed Fulani herdsmen are engaging in what one might identify now as nomadic jihadism.”

Need to ‘win citizens’ trust’

The greatest challenge the federal government faces in combating violence in Nigeria is gaining the trust of the general population, Hayab said.

“Any security emergency that does not win citizens’ trust will not be effective,” he said. “The most important war to win first is the trust from citizens.”

Wissam al-Saliby, president of the 21Wilberforce human rights organization, reported several Christian sources in Nigeria independently shared a similar message.

Some Nigerians fear the military has been infiltrated by terrorist groups, he noted. Others wonder if politicians will use the recruiting of military personnel and law enforcement officers to reward “their people.”

Suggestions they offered included ensuring transparency in the screening of applicants and creating state police who are answerable to state governors rather than to centralized federal authority.

Ultimately, al-Saliby said, a security response never is “the solution” in itself. Rather, he said, “it needs to be part of a bigger effort that includes economic reforms and solutions, and community peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts.”

COPPELL (BP)—For one week each December, the fellowship hall at Valley Ranch Baptist Church in Coppell turns into a Christmas shopping destination through its annual “Christmas Store.”

Desiring to be the hands and feet of Jesus and provide tangible resources for families during the holidays, the church hosts the Christmas Store, which allows parents and guardians of children in need the opportunity to “shop” for Christmas gifts for free.

Valley Ranch Associate Pastor Arthur Mendes said he hopes everyone who participates in this ministry sees the gospel in action.

“This is so encouraging to our church,” Mendes said. “It’s definitely our biggest ministry and the church always responds so well to it, not only giving financially, but also serving during the Christmas Store season. It’s impressive to see commitment of our church towards this ministry, but also a blessing to have so many people who are willing to serve.”

The store features wrapped gifts, gift cards for groceries, toys and clothing families in need can pick up at a designated time.

Upon arrival at the Christmas Store, families are greeted by Valley Ranch Church members who take time to learn more about their story, share a meal together and build friendships.

The Christmas Store will be open the week of Dec. 7-13 this year, and preparations are underway to get everything set up and create an engaging experience for families to enjoy.

Opportunity to share the gospel

Each year, around 300 families participate in the Christmas Store, and organizers anticipate an even greater need this year amid lingering effects of the long federal government shutdown this fall.

Organizers recognize the tremendous opportunity the Christmas Store presents to share the gospel with their neighbors.

Families are referred to Christmas Store through church connections as well as local school counselors and nurses.

“These families receive an invitation letter and instructions about coming to register at our church for the Christmas Store,” Mendes said.

“Then, on designated dates, when they come up to the church, they have the opportunity to select two gifts for their children, and they also have the opportunity to hear about the gospel message and see the gospel in action through the love of Christ.

“At Valley Ranch Baptist Church, we consider it a privilege to serve our community and by providing tangible and physical needs for families, we hope to introduce them to Jesus, the one that can provide all of our needs.”

IRVING—For Debbie Fogg, a member of The Church at Quail Creek in Amarillo, the 5-hour drive to Irving is worth it when she thinks about the joy on the children’s faces as they receive their shoeboxes from Operation Christmas Child.

For the past five years, Fogg has made this an annual tradition as she travels to the Dallas-Fort Worth area to serve at the Operation Christmas Child drop-off location at Plymouth Park Baptist Church in Irving and spends time with her family.

“I love this part, but I love the shopping part because you start thinking about the age of each child and what they might enjoy and could use,” Fogg said.

“I love to give back and when I can, I do. A lot of these items like the shirts and pens, I was able to get donated from different places. My car was so loaded down that my husband had to air up my tires before I could take off.”

Spreading the love of Christ to children

During the National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child, Nov. 17-24, Plymouth Park Baptist Church was one of two churches in Irving serving as collection sites before the shoeboxes were taken to the processing center in Coppell to ensure safety and security before being shipped out.

Every year, National Collection Week takes place the third week in November when more than 4,500 drop-off locations are open across the United States.

Since its inception in 1993, Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, has sought to spread the love of Christ to impoverished children around the world through shoeboxes full of small gifts at Christmas.

Last year, more than 11.9 million shoeboxes were collected globally for this project and 1.2 million were collected at the processing center in Coppell from around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

The gift-filled boxes contain an assortment of fun items for children to enjoy such as soccer balls, coloring books, crayons and sensory toys, along with personal care items, washcloths, toiletries and school supplies.

All ages participate in Operation Christmas Child, and many people make it an annual tradition by packing boxes or volunteering at the distribution sites.

Local churches in more than 100 nations hand out these Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts at festive outreach events where the gospel is presented in a child-friendly way.

Making an impact globally

Through these efforts, participants and volunteers realize the opportunity to have a big impact around the world.

Pastor Brian Hale of North Irving Baptist Church said their location had 20 volunteers helping to receive boxes, and their location typically receives 700 boxes each year.

“Most of these kids that we’re sending these boxes to have never had a gift,” Hale said. “This is a ministry that I live for, and I absolutely love it. We try to do everything we can to help with it. These shoeboxes are trying to change kids’ lives for the better.”

At Plymouth Park Baptist Church, a team of volunteers greeted people as they drove up and dropped off their shoeboxes, while another team helped pack boxes with an assortment of items that had been donated. This location received more than 1,000 boxes.

‘It’s part of my Christmas tradition’

For volunteers like Justina Anni, who has been a member of Plymouth Park five years, participating in this project has allowed her to better connect with the church and community.

“This is my second year helping with Operation Christmas Child,” Anni said. “I enjoyed doing this last year and wanted to be involved again.

“I love volunteering, helping out and knowing that the kids will receive these gifts. Through volunteering, it’s helped me to get to know other people at the church.”

As a retired schoolteacher and a long-time member of Plymouth Park, Becky Christenberry has enjoyed the opportunity to help with this ministry for more than 10 years both at her home church and also at the Operation Christmas Child processing center in Coppell.

“There’s a special feeling at the distribution center when you see all these people gathering together from all over the nation and when you pray over these boxes,” Christenberry said.

“Your heart just gets so full knowing that what you’re doing matters, and it is going to change lives. My Christmas is not complete without Operation Christmas Child. It’s part of my Christmas tradition.”

Baptist Standard Managing Editor Ken Camp will retire Dec. 31, 2025, bringing to a close a decades-long era of reporting on Texas Baptists.

During the last 40-plus years, Camp has reported on every part of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He also has covered the Southern Baptist Convention, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Baptist World Alliance and other Baptist entities.

“Ken Camp has always been a torchbearer for the truth,” John Hall, chief mission officer for Texans on Mission, said. “He has always believed Christians will respond when they know about opportunities to share the gospel in their own communities, across their state and around the world.

“Over the years, I’ve seen time and again he is correct,” Hall continued, “and many, many people got involved in ministry because of the stories Ken shared clearly, concisely and compassionately. I know. I’m one of them.”

Reporting these stories has taken Camp all around Texas and to several places around the world. He has had a front-row seat to some of the most consequential events in Texas Baptist and Southern Baptist history.

“I’ve been in the same room with four United States presidents or former presidents,” though “some of the rooms were pretty big,” Camp noted.

“But the people who made the deepest impression were folks like a West Texas pastor who visited almost every patient in the local hospital every morning except Sunday for 40 years and a Central Texas pastor who has served the same small, rural congregation for 60 years and counting,” Camp recalled.

Early days in journalism

Camp’s name has appeared in bylines for more than 50 years, first as the editor of his high school newspaper and as the writer of a weekly column about school news for the Greenville Herald Banner. The summer after he graduated, he worked the evening sports desk part time for the local newspaper.

Despite his high school experience in journalism, Camp had other career plans. He began college with a double major in English and history, with plans to go to law school.

“My plans changed after I attended a free lunch at the Baptist Student Union at East Texas State University,” Camp wrote.

“A missions speaker was talking about how Christian vocational service involved more than preaching, and people with specialized skills—including journalism—were needed on the mission field,” he continued.

Though he didn’t feel called to foreign missions, he did have “a clear sense God was calling me to Christian service as a writer. I changed my second major from history to journalism.”

Becoming a Texas Baptist journalist

To prepare for Christian service, Camp attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Upon his arrival, he learned Southwestern was launching a communications program. The program required an internship, which he found with the Texas Baptist Public Relations Association, working at the BGCT during the summer of 1983.

When Camp graduated from seminary in 1984, he went to work for Tom Brannon and Orville Scott in the BGCT public relations (communications) office.

At the BGCT, Camp wrote news and feature stories on Texas Baptist Men, Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, the Christian Life Commission, River Ministry, Church Extension (church starting) and more for 19 and a half years.

“Our primary vehicle for communicating with Texas Baptists was through the Baptist Standard. So, I was in daily contact with Toby Druin,” Camp wrote, referring to the Standard’s managing editor at the time.

“Our office also served as the Dallas Bureau for Baptist Press. That meant I was in contact several times a week with Dan Martin and Marv Knox at BP,” he added. Knox later became editor of the Baptist Standard.

When Orville Scott retired, Camp became the news and information director for the BGCT. In his supervisory role, he worked with Baptist journalists John Hall, Ferrell Foster and Dan Martin. He also was in charge of the newsroom at BGCT annual meetings, which hosted religion reporters from newspapers around Texas.

When Tom Brannon retired, Camp served more than a year as the BGCT’s interim communications director.

Memorable experiences during his BGCT years

Camp described working the newsroom at the 1985 SBC annual meeting in Dallas as his “baptism by fire.” The meeting “drew 45,531 messengers,” he reported.

“Charles Stanley was elected president, defeating Winfred Moore [pastor of First Baptist Church in Amarillo] in a 24,453 to 19,795 vote marked by multiple irregularities. On the row in front of where my wife and I were seated, we saw a couple casting ballots for their children—including an infant,” Camp recalled.

A few months later, in the immediate aftermath of the Mexico City earthquake, Camp traveled there with the initial TBM disaster relief team at the request of the National Baptist Convention of Mexico.

“From the field kitchen set up outdoors in downtown Mexico City—where thousands of people were sheltered in a tent city—the TBM volunteers served about 2,000 meals an hour for the first four hours,” he wrote.

Camp also reported on Partnership Missions in Australia and Mexico, as well as River Ministry along the Texas/Mexico border. When the BGCT launched its Mission Texas initiative to start 2,000 new churches in Texas within five years, Camp made day trips to churches around the state for feature articles about church starting.

Reporting from Oklahoma City at the request of Associated Baptist Press in the days immediately following the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995, was a particularly moving experience for Camp.

“I saw a city sustained by their faith in God and by his grace,” Camp stated. “Over the course of several days, I was able to attend a prayer gathering at a local church, interview chaplains who served first responders at the bombsite, interview survivors of the blast, and attend the community-wide prayer service where Billy Graham and President Bill Clinton spoke.”

Working with giants

Of particular note to Camp during his years at the BGCT was “the rare privilege of working with and learning from giants: Phil Strickland and Weston Ware at the Christian Life Commission, Bob Dixon and John LaNoue at Texas Baptist Men, Joy Fenner at Texas WMU, Elmin Howell at River Ministry and many more. I’ve been blessed to tell their stories.”

Referring back to his trip to Mexico City, Camp recalled spending part of the trip there riding in a truck with John LaNoue.

“I remember asking him late at night what his motivation was for all the work he had done—creating the first disaster relief mobile unit and serving as on-site coordinator at disasters far and wide,” Camp recalled.

“He told me Jesus did two things throughout his public ministry—he met human needs where he found them, and he pointed people to God,” Camp continued.

“That’s what disaster relief ministry does, and reporting on God’s work through the volunteers the past four decades has been one of my great joys,” he concluded.

Joining the Baptist Standard

Camp was named managing editor of the Baptist Standard in December 2003, beginning work effective Jan. 1, 2004. He followed Mark Wingfield, who resigned to become associate pastor at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas.

The Baptist Building—as the BGCT office building at 333 N. Washington Avenue east of downtown Dallas was known—was a busy place in the 1980s and 1990s, “a constant stream of people in and out of our office,” Camp recalled.

Camp’s move from BGCT communications to the comparatively quiet Baptist Standard office at 2343 Lone Star Drive west of downtown Dallas enabled him “to concentrate on writing and editing, rather than having to attend all the meetings required at the Baptist Building.”

“Serving as managing editor at the Standard had been my dream job since I was in seminary,” Camp said, “and I was eager to have the opportunity to work on a daily basis with Marv Knox, who was a good friend and for whom I always have had the greatest respect.”

“Hiring Ken was one of the best day’s work I put in across almost two decades of editing the Standard,” Knox, retired editor of the Baptist Standard, noted.

“He always helped the Standard maintain its core mission—inform Texas Baptists about the opportunities, challenges, issues and developments that impact their churches, as well as the Baptist General Convention of Texas,” Knox added.

Reporting for the Baptist Standard

During his two decades as reporter and managing editor of the Baptist Standard, Camp had numerous interesting experiences, such as interviewing Texas Death Row inmates and ex-convicts.

Camp traveled to Ethiopia and Kenya with Buckner International and to Cuba and Uganda with Texas Baptist Men (now Texans on Mission) to report on their work in those countries.

He also reported on Baptist World Alliance Congresses in Birmingham, England; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Brisbane, Australia; and BWA annual meetings in Birmingham, Ala., and Stavanger, Norway.

Camp regularly reported on the work of the Christian Life Commission, “from public advocacy in the Texas Legislature to the support of human-need ministries around the state and the globe through the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering.”

“My greatest delight has been the people with whom I’ve worked and the wonderful folks I have met around the state,” Camp stated.

“It’s people like Jimmy and Janet Dorrell, who have lived among and served the poor in Waco for more than four and a half decades,” Camp recounted. “It’s volunteers who dig water wells, build churches, teach English-as-a-Second-Language classes, minister to children, and stock the shelves of food pantries.”

Challenges in reporting

Working in the BGCT’s public relations office came with some inherent tension.

To overcome the tension, “I leaned hard into the advice that the best public relations is to tell the truth and be as forthcoming as possible,” Camp said.

Having the Baptist Standard as a check also helped, Camp noted, saying if he didn’t report on a matter, the Standard could and probably would report on it.

At the Standard, reporting the investigation into a church-starting scandal involving phantom churches in the Rio Grande Valley was a particular challenge, Camp recalled.

“Texas Baptists sunk more than $1.3 million into start-up funding and monthly support for three pastors in the Valley who reported 258 church starts between 1999 and 2005,” he reported.

“Investigators said up to 98 percent of those churches no longer existed in 2006, and many of them never did—except on paper,” he added.

“It was not a good time for the BGCT, but it needed to be reported, and we did it,” Camp stated.

Given the Baptist Standard is a denominational news source, the decline of denominational loyalty and “a rapidly shrinking market for honest reporting” presented a continuous challenge during Camp’s tenure with the Standard.

Transitioning from the printed newspaper to an online-only publication was a personal challenge for Camp. In addition to learning new technology, “the news cycle changed drastically,” he noted.

“Instead of producing in-depth, long-form articles for a newspaper printed every other week or human-interest feature stories for a monthly magazine, we’re now providing relatively brief breaking news on a daily basis—actually, multiple times a day,” Camp wrote.

“Providing content for the internet is like trying to feed a ravenous beast always craving more. I won’t miss that part,” he concluded.

Camp as a mentor

Reflecting on his early career working with Camp, John Hall recalled: “I learned to write as a result of Ken’s editing and instruction. He didn’t just edit a piece and hand it back to you to correct. He made the editing marks and then went through each one of them with you. He educated me by walking beside me. He was a mentor in the best sense of the word.”

Camp is more than a reporter and writer, however, Hall noted. “It’s what he did beyond the written word that has most impacted me.

“When I moved to Dallas and knew few people, Ken would stay late, somehow knowing I needed a friend. I saw him get excited about ministry in his church, raising his sons and people coming to faith. In many ways, I didn’t just learn how to be a journalist from Ken. I learned what it truly means to be a Christian.”

“The first assignment Ken gave me when I was 23 was to cover a cutting-edge church in Houston. I remember it vividly,” Hall recalled.

“I was so excited to go on the trip by myself. I was a grown up, and he asked me to write an article and shoot photographs of the service. I was going to nail it.

“I did all the interviews. The quotes were fantastic. … I took photo after photo after photo of a highly visual service. There was so much to shoot, that I just kept shooting.

“I turned in the story shortly after and gave Ken back the camera. That’s when I realized I never put film in the camera. I had no photos, and I was standing before this man I’d read faithfully for years.

“I apologized profusely [and] braced myself for a severe talking to. Instead, Ken took a breath and sighed. Then, he let out a laugh that could only be Ken’s.

“‘Don’t worry,’ he told me. ‘I did it on my first assignment, too. We’ll figure out something.’”

Hall described Camp’s response in two words: “Grace. Kindness.”

“Then,” Hall continued, “Ken quickly followed it up with, ‘But you only do it once.’

“An opportunity to learn and grow. That’s Ken Camp,” Hall concluded.

Baseball and family

Camp is not shy about his love for his family and for Texas Rangers baseball.

“You can’t talk about Ken Camp without mentioning the grandkids and baseball. I’m pretty sure the grandkids come first, but baseball is a close second,” Scott Collins, retired vice president of communications for Buckner International, wrote.

“I remember sitting next to Ken for entire games and saying few words, because Ken was keeping score,” Marv Knox recalled.

“However, he could provide a perfect recitation of the turning points of the game and analysis of how his beloved Rangers were doing in any given year. This not only reflects Ken’s love of baseball, but also his meticulous attention to detail, which made him a splendid reporter,” Knox wrote.

Camp’s colleagues remember him bringing his family to BGCT annual meetings. However, his children remember it best.

“When my brothers and I were little, BGCT annual meeting happened to fall on or around Halloween,” Daniel Camp recalled. “So, Dad and Mom dressed us up in our costumes, and we trick-or-treated through the newsroom.

“Dad said he remembers going around to all the reporters beforehand, giving them all candy, so they’d have something to hand out, and telling them to put out their cigarettes for a minute,” Daniel continued.

Reflecting on a career

As Camp nears retirement, he reflected on his more than four decades reporting on Texas Baptists: “It’s been an honor to have worked for organizations committed to historic Baptist principles—the Lordship of Jesus Christ, biblical authority, soul competency, the priesthood of believers, religious liberty, and the separation of church and state.

“I have loved to tell the stories of how God is at work in and through Texas Baptists. I hope I’ve been able to bear witness faithfully to what the Lord has done and continues to do.

“In recent years, it’s been amazing how many opportunities we’ve had to report on international religious freedom issues, thanks to contacts with the Baptist World Alliance and the 21Wilberforce human rights organization.

“At times, those stories have attracted the attention of government officials—in the United States and in foreign countries. I never dreamed I’d be involved in something like that.”

Expressing his decades-long commitment to accurate, thorough and fair reporting, Camp said: “Texas Baptists need the Baptist Standard. Self-governing organizations like the BGCT need informed constituents to make wise decisions. That requires a credible, honest, independent source of information.”

*******

Family and colleagues describe Ken Camp

Daniel Camp, Ken’s son and pastor, South Garland Baptist Church

Praising Ken’s objectivity and fairness, Daniel said: “He is not an editorial writer and doesn’t try to be. You won’t catch him sneaking his own opinions into his reporting.

“He is there to report on what has happened, providing meaningful context where it’s helpful, but he is not there to convince or persuade. He’s a reporter first.”

Daniel noted Ken’s attention to detail: “I’ve seen him reporting and am always impressed by how fast his pen is moving when facts and figures are being thrown around. He’s not going to miss one.”

Daniel also noted Ken’s eye for a good story: “He knows what kind of stories he wants to read and what our churches need to hear, and he gravitates toward those.”

Toby Druin, editor emeritus, Baptist Standard

“I remember the first time I saw Ken Camp’s byline on a story I received at the Baptist Standard from the BGCT public relations office. It was tight and required little editing—just like the flood of stories Ken has written over the years.

“Ken has been an excellent presenter of the Texas Baptist story. Baptist Standard readers have always been able to depend on him to give them the information they need to be informed [and] to be better Baptist Christians.”

Marv Knox, retired editor, Baptist Standard

“Ken is full of integrity. … He’s also careful and conscientious.

“As a thoughtful, lifelong Texas Baptist, he always has been able to write articles in context, helping readers understand the setting and impact of the events he covered.”

His reporting “always put the Standard in a good light—even, or maybe especially, among people who didn’t particularly care for the Standard’s editorial positions.

“Because he is so disciplined and focused, he enabled the Standard to move easily into the era of digital news coverage. He would finish gathering information and immediately sit down and write an article. We often posted stories about Texas Baptist events before the people involved in those events even got home.”

John Hall, chief mission officer, Texans on Mission

“Watching Ken work is inspiring. He can turn a story in minutes, make any piece worthy of publishing through masterful editing and communicate complex topics in ways everyone can understand.”

“He was fair to everyone and everything he covered. He wanted people to hear all sides of a conversation.”

Scott Collins, retired vice president of communications, Buckner International

“When I think of Ken Camp as a reporter, the first word that comes to mind is ‘thoroughness.’ I’ve always known when I read a story with Ken’s byline that he covered the whole thing. There was no need to ask, ‘What else?’”

Like Daniel Camp, Collins also described Ken as accurate and fair: “Ken has always been driven by his ethics when it comes to reporting. So, I know when I read something he has written, he is reporting with fairness.

“Because of Ken’s experiences in Baptist life over the past four decades, he has provided a perspective for Standardreaders he is uniquely qualified to provide.”

“Ken is … probably the most reliable person in Baptist communications today.”

Wayland Baptist University congratulates sophomore Kendal Tucker on being named the Plainview Chamber of Commerce Student of the Month for Nov. 2025. Tucker, a native of Billings, Mont., is majoring in elementary education with a specialization in special education. She is also minoring in English and American Sign Language. After graduating from Wayland, she plans to teach in the field of special education.

Mission Able announced it has received a $7,500 grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation to support its Microcredit Program—a sustainable solution designed to help homeowners afford urgent repairs without falling into high-interest debt or risking displacement. Repairs funded through the Microcredit Program often include roof replacements, plumbing overhauls and accessibility modifications—each one preventing health risks, code violations or displacement. These repairs also protect the value of the home, helping preserve affordable housing and long-term ownership in the community. The program launched in 2021 and is connected to First Baptist Church in San Marcos. Learn more at www.missionablesmtx.org.

Dallas Baptist University will be hosting a NEXUS Ministry Leadership Conference Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. The theme is “Leading from Rest: Caring for your soul while serving.” The program will feature keynote speaker Barry Jones, senior pastor of Irving Bible Church, breakout sessions and round-table discussions over leadership conflicts, deadlines, priorities and emotional health. Early bird registration is $8 per person, and regular registration is $15. Online registration is available.

Anniversary

Shining Star Fellowship in Abilene and founding pastor Richard Darden celebrate 25 years. The church began as a mission of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church.

Cockrell Hill Baptist Church in Dallas celebrated 110 years as a congregation on Sunday, Nov. 23.

In 2011, Montague County Cowboy Church Pastor Joe Caballero took a camping trip with his family, along with two other families, to Carson National Forest in New Mexico.

While camping, they met the man who cares for the cattle grazing in that area.

“The [cattle owners] hire a guy they call a ‘rider’ to stay in the mountains with the cattle all summer, keep an eye out, ride fences and so forth. Well, we were camped right where he was because there’s some horse pens up there [and] we made friends with him,” explained Caballero.

The rider introduced Caballero to the cattle owners Jeff Martinez of Rio Vega Ranch and Jeff Larsen of Don Larsen Land & Cattle Co., both located in Alamosa, Colo.

Caballero learned that Martinez and Larsen “round [the cattle] up in October” when he and a friend were in Alamosa the next weekend to retrieve some misplaced equipment from their camp, and the two volunteered to help “drive [the cattle] out of the mountain.”

Caballero said this “turned into an annual thing.”

“Now I know why Jesus left and always went into the mountains to pray and get re-energized and then come back and start ministering again,” said Caballero.

Over the years of returning to Carson National Forest to help Martinez and Larsen drive cattle, God was laying it on Caballero’s heart that he could involve more men in the experience.

In 2020, he said the Lord “really started pushing” the idea for The Drive, a week of worship, discipleship and driving cattle for Montague County Cowboy Church men.”

“I was thinking, ‘No one’s going to want to do this’ … [but] God just kept on and on, and finally I said: ‘Okay I’ll bring it before the church. We’ll see if anybody’s interested,’ and when I made the announcement about ‘The Drive,’ [there was a great response],” said Caballero.

Caballero said God gave him an analogy for what would be the mission of “The Drive:” to help get men to Jesus “from wherever they are.”

“On the last day [of The Drive], we drive them like 20, 21 miles out of the mountains, all the way down to the shipping pens,” explained Caballero.

“The analogy of it is if we don’t get the cattle out before winter hits, the first snow, they’re going to be snowed in, and the cattle, they’re going to die. Same thing with our men today. Sometimes you don’t even realize you’re in a desolate area, but you need people to come and gather you up and move you to a better place [which] is being with Christ.”

In October 2023, men from Montague County Cowboy Church traveled to Carson National Forest for the inaugural trip of The Drive, which served as a training year for the Wranglers, men who care for the camp and horses, and also serve as ministers to the guests.

Caballero said he was encouraged by the change he saw in the men when they returned from The Drive.

“It set these guys on fire, the ones that were up there for the training. It created a camaraderie of men that now are friends and coming back after that week together, how they acted in church was totally different,” said Caballero.

Discipling while driving cattle

Every Oct. 1-6, 30 men are invited to participate in The Drive, 12 as guests and the rest come to serve as Wranglers, chuckwagon cooks or video crew for the week.

Guests arrive at the camp on the evening of Oct. 1 and are briefed on the week ahead. The next two days, participants will gather for their morning tent meeting, where they will hear a devotional “to reflect on throughout the day” and prepare for the evening tent meeting, which will be a worship service.

Between tent meetings, guests will pair up with a Wrangler and gather cattle into The Beaver, a 12,000-acre pasture where the cattle are contained on the mountain.

Caballero said pairing up guests with Wranglers is intentional for both safety and discipleship.

“Everybody has a partner, that way if something happens, somebody is there to help them. So, we always do two by two, just like Jesus sent his disciples out, we send the guys out two by two,” explained Caballero. “So, these Wranglers have the opportunity to minister to them all day long while they’re gathering cattle.”

After taking an “off day” on the third day, guests “do the big gathering where we go over into The Beaver [and] gather all the cattle that day that are in that pasture, and we put them in this trap. Then the next day, we’ll get up and we’re going to drive them all the way down the mountain.”

The Drive is concluded with “a big church service” to focus on how Caballero and the Wranglers “can help these guys get out of the [spiritual] predicaments that they’re in.”

Caballero said the powerful part of the week is hearing how God moved in the guests’ lives.

“We have a video crew that goes with us, and they interview every guest. The night [guests] get there, [the video crew will] interview and say: ‘What are you here for? What do you expect?’ Those are your two main questions. Then on the last day, they’ll interview [guests] again and say, ‘So, did you get what you were looking for?’ … That’s where the power is,” said Caballero.

Becoming a ‘night-and-day different man’

Dewey Hill’s was a particularly powerful testimony from The Drive for Caballero.

Hill went on the first Drive in 2023 after reconnecting with Caballero and beginning to attend Montague County Cowboy Church.

“I’ve known him since he was a kid [and] I hadn’t seen him in years, and then all of a sudden, Dewey pops up again and [was] living a life that was taking him nowhere … [So] I said, ‘Well, if I get him on this Drive, maybe it’ll grab a hold of him [spiritually],’” explained Caballero.

Caballero said the first year he “just walked around with a cup of coffee in his hand” and didn’t participate. But he decided not to give up on Hill and invited him to attend The Drive again in 2024.

“The second year, [Hill was doing] the same thing, and I told the guys, I said: ‘I’m going to have to [not invite] him [back] because as much money as this costs us, I need guys that are serious and who are going to be all in,” explained Caballero.

Caballero said the next night, Hill returned from taking a call after the tent meeting was over and said, “You’re going to have to preach that sermon again. … I’ve got to know what y’all talked about.”

“I preached that sermon all over again and he surrendered himself right there, gave himself to the Lord [and] got baptized the next day,” said Caballero. “It’s been the most miraculous thing to see the power of God change the men that you think are a hopeless case, but the Lord says, ‘No, I’ve got him.’”

Hill asked Doug White, a chuckwagon cook on The Drive, to baptize him. He said over his two years of attending The Drive, White became a “father figure” to him.

“I don’t think that Doug and I had ever even shaken hands or exchanged conversation at church before we got up [to New Mexico]. But from that year to the following year, we did develop a relationship,” explained Hill. “[He’s had] an amazing impact on my life.”

Hill said since accepting Christ, he’s a “night-and-day different man.”

“I totally said: ‘Here you go. I’m done. I want to live for you … and I’ve never looked back,’” said Hill. “I hope the way I live is evident to those around me.”

Caballero said he witnessed Hill go through a transformation he doesn’t see often.

“[Hill’s] on fire. I’m so excited about him, because I’ve seen him grow up and the lifestyle that he lived, and what he’s doing now, this transformation, I’m telling you, doesn’t happen like this very often,” said Caballero. “He said: ‘The Lord says now. So, I’m in,’ and he has changed everything. It’s just unbelievable.”

Making more men of God

Caballero said, “It’s been a blessing to see the change in the men that have come up here.”

“[God] just keeps sending the right guys every time,” said Caballero. “Most of the guys come from our church, so it’s been a real pleasure seeing them when they come back. Now, they’re involved in church, and they’re getting involved in different parts of the ministries within the church. They’ve got this tight brotherhood now [and] are just having the best time of their life.”

Caballero said he’s looking forward to The Drive 2026 looking a little different.

“So, this year, we’re going to send out to the cowboy churches, and we’re going to try to get the churches that maybe sponsor two guys from each church,” explained Caballero. “I’m hoping it’s going to be a good mission outreach for their men, because we need to get our men back in the game.”

Caballero said he’s excited to get other churches involved in The Drive.

“I’ve seen [men] change, and that’s been the blessing about it. So, what I look forward to is the next change,” said Caballero.

Caballero said cowboys are “tough, set in their ways,” but are looking to stand up for the truth.

“They’re going to tear everything down to make sure that whatever you tell them is the truth,” said Caballero. “Once they get a hold of the truth, the Bible, they’ll fight for it, they’ll stand up.”

“They don’t care what anybody thinks. That’s what I’m looking forward to: making more men of God.”

You can learn more about The Drive and hear stories of life change on YouTube.

LaVern Plett, minister of education and denominational worker, died Nov. 11 in Dallas. He was 89. He was born to Jacob and Elizabeth Plett in Cimarron, Kan., on March 7, 1936. He graduated from Baylor University in 1959, having earned his Bachelor of Arts degree and developed a lifelong devotion and enthusiasm for the Baylor Bears. After he graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and was ordained to the gospel ministry, he served as minister of education at churches in Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arizona, Hong Kong and Texas. He went on to serve on the Sunday School Division staff at the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He was a longtime Sunday school teacher at First Baptist Church in Richardson. He was preceded in death by his brother, Eugene Plett of Los Angeles, Calif., and his sister, Sharon Bell of Carrollton. He is survived by his wife, Myra Plett of Dallas; son Greg Plett and his wife, Kimberly of Broken Arrow, Okla.; daughter, Melissa Hancock and her husband, Clayton of Ovilla; the mother of their two children, Julie Plett of Red Oak; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. His blended family includes two children through marriage, John Beasley and Jennifer Beasley Skinner; and six grandchildren. A celebration of life service, followed by a reception, will be held at 2 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2026, at First Baptist Church of Richardson. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Dallas Chapter, 5000 Quorum Dr., Suite 530, Dallas, TX 75254.

Ten athletes on the Baylor Bears football team publicly expressed their faith commitments to Christ by being baptized in the university athletic facility’s hydrotherapy pool in early November.

Some recently accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. Others made a past faith commitment to Christ but never had been baptized. Some had been baptized at an early age but wanted to be baptized as believers as a reaffirmation of their faith.

All of the newly baptized believers participate in a Tuesday evening player-led Bible study in the Baylor University football team meeting room.

“We meet at 6:30, share a meal together and then dive into the word [of God], splitting up into small groups,” said safety Michael Allen, one of the small-group leaders who baptized three of his teammates.

Other small-group Bible study leaders are starting quarterback Sawyer Robertson, wide receiver Josh Cameron, outside linebacker Kyler Jordan, safety Jacob Redding, defensive lineman Dylan Shaub, tight end Matthew Klopfenstein and quarterback Walker White.

In addition to the Tuesday evening meetings, some players—particularly new believers—also get together for regular one-to-one discipleship times with their small group leaders and participate in an online group chat, Allen added.

“I’m getting the chance to walk through Proverbs with two of the guys right now,” he said.

At least one-third of players involved in Bible study

Allen and former teammate Garrison Grimes, who later transferred to Brigham Young University, started the Bible study in spring 2024 with about a half-dozen other players.

The group now numbers 35 to 40 on a typical Tuesday evening—at least one-third of the players on the Baylor football team roster.

Landrie Walsh, director of football operations at Baylor, helps secure food for the weekly gatherings, Allen noted.

“One of the biggest ways to incentivize 300-pound linemen is to have food at the Bible study,” he quipped.

The small groups recently completed a character study of Joseph from the book of Genesis, focusing on themes of forgiveness, patience, perspective and leaving a legacy of faith.

While the Bible study is not sponsored by a specific congregation, several players worship together regularly at Harris Creek Baptist Church, and the congregation provided some curriculum initially, Allen noted.

Baptisms mark significant step

“We have baptisms offered at the end of every study every semester,” he said.

Kevin Washington, associate athletics director for mission impact and enrichment at Baylor, presents a devotional about baptism the week before each scheduled baptism, explaining its significance, Allen said.

The 10 most-recent baptisms account for about half of all those performed since the Bible study launched.

Allen maintains contact with some of the players involved in the Bible study who have graduated and moved on to their careers. He specifically noted Treven Ma’ae, now a defensive tackle with the Las Vegas Raiders.

“He got baptized here, and it was kind of his first introduction to Christianity,” Allen said.  “I text him every once in a while, just to see how he’s doing. It’s cool to have relationships that are way beyond football. Those are the things that are going to last.”

Bible study creates connections

The ongoing weekly Bible studies have affected the culture of the Baylor Bears football team positively, Allen said.

“I can’t say enough about the small-group discussions,” he said, particularly for players who live in a culture “where everything is judged by how you perform on a football field.”

The Bible study offers players the opportunity “to dive into our faith and understand that whatever happened that past Saturday does not define us as individuals,” Allen said.

Without minimizing the importance of doing their best in competition, players gain perspective and learn football “isn’t the end-all and be-all,” he said.

“We understand that football is going to end at some point, and very soon for a lot of us. So, it’s who are we going to be—as Christ followers, as men, as husbands and fathers. An opportunity to talk about those things in a group that you’re really, really close with fosters a ton of connection among the team.”

Allen particularly noted a deeper personal and spiritual connection between Robertson and a member of his small group—tight end Michael Trigg.

“I’ve seen their relationship flourish and connect on a deeper level,” he said. “They dive into the word [of God] together every Tuesday evening, and then then go out there [on the gridiron] and have a connection on Saturday.”

Honest and vulnerable discussions

The honesty expressed in the small-group discussions has built trust and developed deeper bonds between teammates, he said.

“We’ve had a lot of guys open up in those small groups. It’s a pretty vulnerable space,” Allen said.

Players come from varied backgrounds, and many did not grow up in strong Christian homes, he noted. They freely discuss their upbringing, as well as “sin struggles” common to young men, he added.

“We’ve all had different walks to faith,” Allen said. “For some guys, this may be the first time they’ve heard a real explanation of the gospel.”

Players also “talk a lot about who we want to be—as men and as leaders,” he added.

Helped clarify calling

Allen, who completed his undergraduate degree in finance and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree, said taking a leadership role in the team Bible study has helped him find direction beyond school.

“I’m probably not going to use my major, to be completely honest. I’m thinking about going into coaching,” he said. “I see an incredible opportunity for building relationships.

“This is a great ministry opportunity, having the ability to mold people, to see the best in somebody and challenge them to be the best they can be.”

In a sense, that’s what the player-led Bible study does—meeting student-athletes where they are in their faith journey and helping them grow spiritually, Allen said.

“Honestly, through this Bible study, I feel like it has helped clarify my calling to coach,” he said. “That’s what coaching is. It’s servant leadership.”

A federal judge blocked 14 Texas school districts from displaying a state-prescribed version of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, citing constitutional concerns.

In a Nov. 18 action, U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia granted a preliminary injunction to block the classroom displays in the Arlington, Azle, Comal, Conroe, Fort Worth, Flour Bluff, Frisco, Georgetown, Lovejoy, Mansfield, McAllen, McKinney, Northwest and Rockwall school districts.

With the latest court ruling, the Ten Commandments classroom displays—mandated by S.B. 10, a bill passed in the most recent Texas Legislature—are blocked in more than two-dozen school districts.

In August, U.S. District Court Judge Fred Biery issued a preliminary injunction in Rabbi Mara Nathan, et al, v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, et al, blocking classroom Ten Commandments displays in 11 school districts.

Violation of First Amendment rights asserted

In the case in which Garcia ruled, more than a dozen families of public-school children—Christian, Jewish, Baha’i, Hindu, atheist and agnostic—sought the preliminary injunction. They asserted the classroom displays would violate their rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Plaintiffs in Cribbs Ringer v. Comal Independent School District asked the court to declare the state-mandated Ten Commandments classroom displays a violation of the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.

 “The displays will pressure students, including the minor-child Plantiffs, into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state’s favored religious scripture,” the lawsuit stated.

“The displays will also send the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments—or, more precisely, the specific version of the Ten Commandments that SB 10 requires—do not belong in their own school community, pressuring them to refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state’s religious preferences.”

In ruling on behalf of the plaintiffs, Garcia cited Stone v. Graham, a 1980 case in which the U.S. Supreme Court said displaying the Ten Commandments on the wall of a public-school classroom, “in the absence of any legitimate educational purpose,” violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Garcia agreed with the plaintiffs assertion that “displaying the Ten Commandments on the wall of a public-school classroom as set forth in S.B. 10 violates the Establishment Clause.”

“It plainly serves the public interest to protect First Amendment freedoms,” Garcia wrote.

Paxton sues noncompliant districts

Garcia issued his ruling the same day Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he filed suit against the Round Rock and Leander school districts for refusing to comply with the mandated Ten Commandments displays.

“These rogue ISD officials and board members blatantly disregarded the will of Texas voters who expect the legal and moral heritage of our state to be displayed in accordance with the law,” said Attorney General Paxton.

“Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD chose to defy a clear statutory mandate, and this lawsuit makes clear that no district may ignore Texas law without consequence.”

Previously, Paxton sued the Galveston Independent School District after its board refused to display donated copies of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

In August, Paxton issued an order to all school districts not enjoined by ongoing lawsuits to display the Ten Commandments in all classrooms.

‘Their goal is political chaos’

Charles Foster Johnson, founding executive director of Pastors for Texas Children, expressed little surprise that two federal judges ruled in favor of blocking the state-mandated religious displays.

“Such establishment of religion violates our United States Constitution and God’s moral law,” Johnson said. “The legislature knew from the get-go that this statute would be contested, which is why the extremists filed the bill in the first place. Their goal is political chaos— not moral order or character.

“Texas public school teachers live out lessons of decency and integrity all day long every day for our children. They don’t need loud and loony rightwing legislators telling them how to act in front of our kids. Instead of bloviating about Ten Commandments on classroom walls, Texas legislators would do well simply to keep them.”

SB 10—signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 21—requires a donated poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments at least 16 by 20 inches to be displayed in every Texas elementary and secondary school classroom.

The state-approved language of the Ten Commandments as stipulated in S.B. 10 is an abridged version of Exodus 20:2-17 from the King James Version of the Bible.

Parents who have objected to the classroom displays pointed out Jews, Catholics and Protestants number the commandments differently, and their wording varies.

So, they asserted, the required language favors the Protestant approach as the state-sanctioned version.

(RNS)—The Council on American-Islamic Relations has sued Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton for labeling the Muslim civil rights group as a foreign terrorist organization.

On Nov. 18, Abbott filed a “proclamation designating the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as Foreign Terrorists and Transnational Criminal Organizations under the Texas Penal and Texas Property Codes.”

In doing so, Abbott asserted he could allow the state to shut down CAIR’s Texas chapters and ban them from purchasing land in the state.

The federal lawsuit filed Nov. 20 argues Abbott improperly used his office to target the domestic nonprofit without due process and in violation of federal law.

Attorneys representing the Texas chapters also allege Abbott’s designation is retaliatory, meant to silence CAIR after the group won three lawsuits against the governor in recent months.

“This attempt to punish the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization simply because Governor Abbott disagrees with its views is not only contrary to the United States Constitution, but finds no support in any Texas law,” lawyers wrote in the suit filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.

In recent years, several bills have been proposed in Congress to designate CAIR as a terrorist group, but none have passed. The U.S. State Department, under federal law, alone has the power to designate foreign terrorist organizations.

States do not have the authority to make such a designation at a federal level, and Abbott appears to be the first governor to attempt to do so at a state level.

“Governor Abbott decided to appropriate that power to himself to retaliate against CAIR,” said attorney Charlie Swift of the Muslim Legal Fund of America, one of the groups suing Abbott and Paxton.

Links to Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood alleged

In Abbott’s proclamation, he alleged CAIR had ties to Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist group by the State Department. CAIR denies any such connection.

“Despite all the conspiracy theories, CAIR has always been an American organization,” said Edward Mitchell, CAIR deputy director. “We’ve never been an offshoot, a partner, an agent, a pen pal of any foreign organizations.”

Abbott also claimed CAIR wanted to advance Sharia—Islamic religious law—in the country and called on local district attorneys to investigate alleged Sharia “courts” in Texas.

“The Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world,’” Abbott said in a press release.

Mitchell called Abbott’s allegation about Sharia courts “unhinged,” saying private arbitration courts are legally allowed to resolve civil cases.

“No one is trying to impose Islamic law on America,” Mitchell said. “This conspiracy theory is used by anti-Muslim extremists to whip up fear of Muslims, and in Governor Abbott’s case, he is whipping up this fear because he wants to silence Muslims because so many American Muslims have been critical of the Israeli government.”

Abbott’s designation amassed condemnation from elected officials. The Texas Democratic Party called on Abbott to reverse the designation.

In a joint statement signed by 28 Texas Democratic state representatives, state Rep. Salman Bhojani wrote that the governor’s action singles out Muslim Texans and treats them with suspicion.

“​​The governor’s action will only further fuel hostility toward Muslim families, business owners, and educators who strengthen our communities every day,” wrote Bhojani, one of the first Muslims to serve in the Texas Legislature.

WASHINGTON (BP)—Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela form a Latin American “authoritarian triad” where leaders exert religious persecution to maintain governmental control, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reported Nov. 18.

“In line with the authoritarian governance models of the three regimes, religious entities face persecution for any activity deemed to undermine state power and influence,” the commission wrote in an update on persecution there.

“In all three countries, the ruling party fully controls government functions and violates human rights to subdue opposition.”

Nicaragua and Cuba are the leading aggressors in the region, the commission report said, citing among many transgressions Nicaragua’s July arrest of evangelical Pastor Rudy Palacios Vargas and seven of his friends and family, one of whom died of unknown causes while in custody; and both nations’ weaponization of citizenship in stripping certain religious leaders of such status.

Citizenship revoked

Nicaragua has stripped at least 450 perceived opponents of citizenship since early 2023, the commission said. That includes people affiliated with the evangelical Mountain Gateway ministry based in Texas, several Catholic laypeople and others.

Cuba was inspired by Nicaragua, the commission report said, in passing the 2024 Citizenship Law that allows Cuba to revoke the citizenship of those who engage in acts “contrary to the political, economic, or social interest” of the nation.

In Venezuela, the commission reported governmental threats to religious leaders not deemed supportive of President Nicolas Maduro, whose latest election the international community widely considers fraudulent.

In January, hooded Venezuelan state security members captured Carlos José Correa Barros, a Christian journalist and director of the human rights group Espacio Público, and held him in a hidden location for a week before releasing him after a nine-day confinement, the commission update said.

The commission also noted Maduro’s launch of a refurbishment program called “My Well Equipped Church.” The report described it as “an aggressive strategy to secure evangelical support,” complete with cash stipends to 13,000 pastors.

The move copied Cuba’s mode of cultivating relationships with religious leaders willing to support the government, the commission report noted.

Surveillance, detention and control of messages

Broadly, the three nations persistently harass religious communities through surveillance, threats of imprisonment, arbitrary detentions and arrests, control of religious messages including sermons and public attacks.

The nations enact laws that unjustly restrict the activities and legal status of religious groups; practice favoritism in attempts to control messaging and deny religious freedom to prisoners.

The U.S. State Department in 2022 designated Cuba and Nicaragua Countries of Particular Concern for “engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended U.S. governmental responses in its 2025 Annual Report, including sanctions of those culpable in violations.

The 2025 annual report does not address Venezuela, but violations there and in Nicaragua are so widespread many consider them crimes against humanity, the commission said in its update.