In Touch: Easter at FBC Gainesville

Hello, Texas Baptists! I hope you all were able to spend some quality time with your friends, family and church this Easter. My family and I were thoroughly blessed to spend time together reflecting on the magnificent gift the Lord gave us through the resurrection of Christ.

David HardageKathleen, Rebekah and I spent Easter Sunday at First Baptist Church of Gainesville. It was a wonderful experience, and I was happy to preach and worship alongside that great church.

Later, I made a visit to West Texas and was able to meet with pastors and directors of missions around Lubbock and Midland. It was a great trip, filled with wonderful conversations and hopeful anticipation for the work in that area. Thanks to all of the Baptist leaders who made time to visit.

Houston Baptist University has been named the sixth most diverse U.S. college. Four racial groups—Asian, black/African-American, Hispanic/Latino and white—each comprise double-digit percentages of Houston Baptist University’s student body. That means a very diverse group of students is learning to view all life from a distinctively Christian worldview as they prepare for success on the job and in life at HBU.

Your Baptist Building is being decked with photos from our Baptist institutions around the state. All of these beautiful Texas Baptist faces are bringing a lot of life to the halls and offices. I hope you will stop by sometime and see them for yourself. Thanks to Baylor University, Buckner International, Children at Heart Ministries, East Texas Baptist University, Houston Baptist University, Howard Payne University, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor  and Wayland Baptist University for sending us photos. If you didn’t see your Baptist institution’s name in this list, please contact them and ask them to send us photos to represent them here in your building. We would love to have their photos up on the walls!

David Hardage is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.