IN TOUCH: Marshall, Victoria & other Texas towns

Hello, Texas Baptists. As a former associational director of missions, I truly appreciate the ministry of our DOMs around the state. Therefore, I particularly am pleased when I have an opportunity to visit associational gatherings and talk about our cooperative ventures. Thank you to Randy Babin of Soda Lake Baptist Association (www.sodalake.org) for allowing me the opportunity to speak at one of their recent meetings held at Grange Hall Baptist Church in Marshall.

And thank you to new DOM Walter Jackson of Guadalupe Baptist Association (www.guadalupeba.com) in Victoria for opening their beautiful facility for a recent pastors' meeting. Walter has now been on the field two months and has really hit the ground running. Oh, and as I was driving with BGCT Congregational Strategist Fred Ater from San Antonio to Victoria, I was able to hear about and see the incredible oil boom taking place in South Texas. You'll be pleased to know special materials and strategies have been developed by your convention staff to reach oilfield workers.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the African-American Fellowship, held at Westside Baptist Church in Lewisville (www.wbcchurch.org), where Kenneth Blake is pastor. How blessed we were to hear both Neville Callam, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, and Fred Luter, president of the Southern Baptist Convention. My friend Michael Evans, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield (www.bethlehemmansfield.org) is president of the African-American Fellowship.

Thank you to Dennis Wiles, pastor of First Baptist Church in Arlington (www.fbca.org), for allowing me to preach in their Sunday morning services. And, yes, former Executive Director Charles Wade and wife, Rosemary, were in their usual seats!

Thanks also to Dallas Baptist University and President Gary Cook for hosting our BGCT Baptist Student Ministries leaders. They are preparing for a great fall as they seek to share the gospel with 1.5 million students on our Texas campuses. I so enjoyed being with them. Bruce McGowan continues to provide excellent leadership to our campus ministers. Oh, and magical entertainer and keynote speaker David Hira was great (www.davidhira.com).

Thanks to my fiend Craig Curry, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dripping Springs (www.fbcds.com), for allowing me to speak at their Mission Drippin' service. Great church doing great things.

One of our BGCT successful church starts is 11-year-old Gateway Community Church in Wylie (www.gatewayonline.org). I attended services there last Sunday, and Pastor Blake Switzer delivered an excellent message, and my cousin Jud Hardage is the worship leader! First Baptist Church in Garland was their sponsor.

That's it for now. More next time.

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