Resurrection Sunday is less than three months away. We have prayed, planned and worked hard for almost two years to share the hope of Christ with every person in Texas. Some amazing things already have happened. Our Texas Baptist family has been united around a common mission to share the hope of Christ with every person in Texas within their own language and context.
Now is the time when we must pray and work harder than ever. These final few weeks are the most important part of the mission. We should give it our best effort. Each church is the most important link in the Baptist General Convention of Texas to some individuals and neighborhoods. Many of our associations and churches already have begun to implement the strategies for their communities. It is not too late for others to begin.
The three components of Texas Hope 2010 are prayer, care and share:
• Prayer: How can you encourage those in your Bible study classes, committee meetings, worship services and other gatherings to pray for the hungry and the lost in Texas?
• Care: Have you considered a food ministry project for your community? Will you participate in the 5th Sunday Offering for Texas Baptist World Hunger?
• Share: Are you involved in an ongoing evangelistic ministry that encourages and equips believers to share their faith? Will you encourage individuals to purchase the Texas Hope 2010 gospel presentation multimedia CD to give to friends, neighbors and others in their circles of acquaintance?
Each church is unique, and every neighborhood is different. The strategy must fit the community. The multimedia CD has been useful because it is multilingual and inexpensive—$1 each. All of the information on the CD is in English and Spanish. It also can be used to download the New Testament for free in more than 400 languages.
Most of El Paso County—around 250,000 households—has received one of these CDs. We have learned from them that the more personal the delivery, the greater the impact will be. Door-to-door distribution is more successful than mass mailings. Handing the CD to a friend in a conversation is even more effective. Perhaps you can challenge the members of your congregation to buy 10 each and prayerfully give them to unchurched friends.
Some people groups may need special attention. Who will share the hope of Christ with students, internationals, the poor, prisoners and the homeless in your community?
Texas Baptists are people of prayer, and it is significant for us to join in a unified voice for our efforts to follow Christ’s example in mission and ministry. Sunday, Jan. 31, is the Day of Hope and Prayer, a time to focus attention of Texas Baptists on prayer for the hungry and the lost in our state and the efforts of Texas Hope 2010.
We all are busy, but what should take precedence over this? It is exciting to be part of something that will make a difference in so many lives throughout our state.
Randel Everett is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.
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