Hello, Texas Baptists. Let me begin with congratulations to Gary Dyer and Austin Baptist Church (www.austinbaptistchurch.com) for a dedication service of their facility. It was my honor to make a presentation on behalf of Texas Baptists. The building is beautiful, and they are experiencing growth and fellowship.
{mosimage}I had the privilege of speaking to the board of the Eunice Chambless Hospitality House near Abilene. This is a wonderful ministry of Texas Baptists to families of incarcerated individuals. Free room and board are provided for families who visit loved ones. But they receive much more! They are loved and served, and often the gospel is shared. I appreciate this good work and commend the associations and churches that help keep that ministry going. Tim and Yogi Christesson are the house directors. I hope you’ll remember them in your prayers.
Thanks to Bill Ellis, president of Howard Payne University (www.hputx.edu), for allowing me to speak at the fall commencement. I loved being on their beautiful campus and tried to give words of encouragement and challenge to the graduates. Texas Baptists are proud of our institutions, and HPU is a blessing. Again, as you read this, please pause and pray for this fine university.
Your Baptist Building was pleased to host the Conference of Texas Baptist Evangelists (www.cotbe.org) leaders for a planning meeting. They are led by Charles Massegee and share our Texas Baptist family goal of seeing Texans come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I appreciate our director of evangelism, Scott Willingham, for meeting and encouraging these folks.
I was back in West Texas to speak to a couple groups. I enjoyed a luncheon with Caprock-Plains Baptist Area (www.caprockplains.org) pastors and appreciate Director of Missions Les Griffin for the invitation and time. I was blessed. I also was able to meet with a number of church planters and pastors in the Lubbock area. Thanks to our BGCT church planting consultant, John Silva, along with Lubbock Baptist Association Interim Director of Missions Gene Hawkins, for putting together such a splendid Christmas gathering.
As 2012 comes to a close, I look forward to preaching in First Baptist Church of Port Neches (www.fbcpn.org), where David Mahfouz is pastor, Dallas County Cowboy Church (www.cowboychurchofdallascounty.com), where Mike McKinney is pastor, and Agape Baptist Church of Fort Worth (www.agapebaptist.org), where James Hassell is pastor.
This month marks an end and a beginning, but I’m not talking about the year! This is the last month for my executive assistant, Myla McClinton, before she joins her husband, Dan, in retirement. She has been a blessing! Elizabeth Biedryzcki started as my new executive assistant Dec. 1 and is doing a great job already. Another blessing!
Finally, God bless you all, and Merry Christmas!
David Hardage is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.
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