Laredo Association starting church in Encinal

Texas Hope

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Some Texas communities have churches on every corner. But in Encinal, people have no church building where they can worship regularly.

That soon will change.

Laredo Baptist Association is attempting to start a new church in a town where the largest congregation meets once a month and serves 10 people. Laredo Baptist Association Director of Missions Mario Garcia believes that will change if a congregation with a daily presence is started in the community.

As he ministers in the town and builds relationships with people there, he hears a familiar refrain. People want to hear the gospel, they want to worship God, but there is nowhere to do it regularly.

“There is no active church,” Garcia said. “There are a lot of people who are lost. The people are desperate to hear something.”

Garcia envisions the new congregation will be a rallying point for the community. The mayor already has been involved. Garcia hopes that congregation one day will partner with a local school.

Although still in its infancy, Garcia believes the congregation will be key in sharing the hope of Christ with Encinal. The effort is part of the association’s participation in Texas Hope 2010, a Baptist General Convention of Texas initiative to share the gospel with every Texan by Easter 2010.

“Our goal is to reach people for Christ and share the gospel with every person we can,” Garcia said. “This is our field. This is our responsibility—to share the gospel with our community.”

 


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