Hello, Texas Baptists! Easter was great! Kathleen and I enjoyed Easter Sunday at First Baptist Church of Waxahachie (www.fbcwax.org), and I trust you and your church had a wonderful celebration of our Risen Lord, as well. However, we commented to each other on our way to church how so many others were on the road with no thought about the significance of the day. Texas Baptists, we have a story to tell, and we need to stay focused on the commission we've been given.
It was a real blessing to share a "greeting" to the 5,000-plus students and sponsors gathered at Baylor University's Ferrell Center for this year's Congreso. Wow, the energy and excitement in that arena was contagious. This is such a special gathering each year, and so many spiritual victories are won during these three days. A special thank you to Frank Palos, Baptist General Convention of Texas director of Hispanic evangelism, and his team for making this event so successful. Also, I was so impressed to learn that 80 Baylor employees volunteer their time to make Congreso happen so smoothly. Seeing and hearing Baptists work together for the good of the Kingdom is a beautiful thing.
I was so appreciative of the invitation to speak recently at the pastors' conference of the Dallas Baptist Association (www.dba.net). Bob Dean has been serving this association as director of missions for the past five and a half years. The gathering is held every Monday at Lakeside Baptist Church in Dallas. The BGCT's own Roy Cotton, church-starting strategist for Area 8, led the music and did a great job. If your association has a gathering like this weekly or monthly, I encourage you to attend. The fellowship is sweet, and the encouragement is needed.
And speaking of directors of missions, I enjoyed gathering with many of them from around the state at their gathering at Mount Lebanon Baptist Encampment (www.mtlebanoncamp.com). Lorenzo Pena, the BGCT's associations and camps team director, relates to the associations for us. This group means a lot to me, since I formerly was one of them when I served the Waco Regional Baptist Association. I would ask that you take a moment, when you read this, and pray for your association's DOM. And our Baptist encampments are important to me, as well. Prior to coming to serve as your executive director, I was on the board of Latham Springs (www.lathamsprings.com). Texas Baptists are touching the lives of people in so many different ways, in and through associations, as well as our encampments.
Please make plans to attend our annual meeting in Corpus Christi next Oct. 28-31. Also, you can now follow me on Twitter: @dwhardage.
Serving Texas Baptists is a privilege, and I'm grateful. Blessings to you all.
–David Hardage is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.
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