138 new believers and a new generation of gospel workers

Spring is in the air! Winds across Texas are fierce! Some parts of our state have been affected by wildfires. We are praying for protection, for fires to be controlled, for rain and for wind conditions to die down. We are also praying for churches that are ministering during this crisis.

Last week, I traveled to Houston, South Padre Island, McAllen/Edinburg and the San Antonio area, visiting ministries and pastors. The breadth and depth of ministry by our Texas Baptists churches, pastors and staff continues to amaze me.

Beach Reach was definitely one of the highlights for us last week. Monica and I had the opportunity to attend an evening worship session with 700 students and BSM workers from across our state and even from other states like Alaska and New York. The South Padre Island Convention Center was filled with exuberant praises from this army of volunteers.

As we sang, heard a message from Beach Reach Coordinator Joe Osteen, and read Scripture, the sense of anticipation was evident. These students were eager to go out and share their faith with spring breakers. What an incredible blessing to be in the midst of it!

After worship, we drove to Island Baptist Church, who gave up their entire building during Beach Reach to our Texas BSM, where the worship center is turned into a prayer room. Students were spread out with open Bibles interceding for those to whom their schoolmates were ministering. Screens on the walls showed messages in real-time from social media where the names and interactions were posted for prayer.

Upstairs, a team of volunteers tended to the call center. They received calls from spring breakers requesting a free ride and quickly connected them with the nearest church van. Vans would report back, using a sophisticated software application designed specifically for this purpose by a former Beach Reacher who is now an Apple developer. Those at the call center could see which vans were ready to give rides and which were currently giving rides.

While we stood there, we heard the cheers from the prayer room and the call center as one of the social media posts on the screen reported that a young man in a van had just prayed to receive Christ as Savior and Lord!

Next, we drove to the busy area where the Texans on Mission tent was set up to serve free pancakes to spring breakers. We chatted with the senior adult volunteers who were making the pancake batter and pouring it on the giant griddles. They were filled with excitement, anticipating the 10:30 PM hour when the serving line would open. The face of the man in charge glowed as he talked about students coming to Christ.

We stayed around to watch the distribution of pancakes. We saw how our BSM students quickly interacted with spring breakers, established conversations and prayer huddles began to form. It was quite a moving experience. Loud music from the bars, some people in revelry on the street, and yet God moving through our BSMers in small and big ways in the midst of it all.

Week one of Beach Reach provided 7,204 safe van rides, allowed for 5,848 spiritual conversations and prayer with 4,790 spring breakers and resulted in 138 new believers in Christ! What a joy to be a part of the Holy Spirit’s movement as BSMs, churches, Texans on Mission and others partner to live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

Week two is going on right now. Please pause for a moment and pray. Beyond Spring Break, these students have been invited and challenged to join God’s mission through their vocation, either as professionals, pastors or missionaries. God is raising up a new generation of gospel workers, y’all! And we get to be a part of it!

Thank you for your support through the Cooperative Program! We count on you!