Enlarging the tent, expanding the kingdom

Recent news headlines and social media content have ranged from interesting to unusual to outright heart-breaking. While these sources can be challenging, I continue to be excited about is what God is doing through Texas Baptists churches and institutions this summer. 

God’s kingdom is advancing as his people serve in VBS, summer camps and mission trips. Through the prophet Isaiah, God told his people that when he is at work, they are to prepare for growth. Enlarging the place of our tent means preparing to participate in the extension of his kingdom.

Today, I would like to share with you a way in which we are preparing for growth in participation and partnerships for God’s mission through Texas Baptists. Sergio A. Ramos has been hired as the first director of the GC2 network.

Since its inception, the GC2 initiative has been a way to express our dual emphasis on the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, or the two GCs, hence GC2. During that time, like-minded churches and ministries have expressed a desire to join this movement.

At our May executive board meeting, I asked the board to affirm our intention to give this initiative a clearer definition and structure. As part of this process, an executive director’s appointed task force was affirmed by the board to engage in giving shape to the network. Additionally, the board affirmed the hiring of a staff member to direct this process.

Sergio A. Ramos comes to the Texas Baptists team from our ministry partner, Buckner International. As director of the GC2 network, Ramos will develop and implement a plan for building a network of churches in North America to collaborate on various kingdom projects.

The director will serve as a liaison from the BGCT to pastors and church leaders, both inside and outside of Texas, who are interested in collaborating on mission projects, such as church starting, in North America and around the world. The director will engage pastors and church leaders in the various ministry and mission opportunities offered by the BGCT and encourage them to financially support the work of the BGCT and/or specific GC2 projects.

Sergio will report to the executive director, as he initially works closely with the task force to give clarity to the relationship we have with over 70 churches outside of Texas, develop a user-friendly onramp for other churches to join, determine the best way for the GC2 network to relate to BGCT and explore, in collaboration with the Center for Missional Engagement, strategic mission partnerships.

Brother Ramos brings a wealth of experience as a local church pastor having served multiple churches in various pastoral roles. He also served in a strategic way on staff with Tarrant Baptist Association, as a key personnel member for Worldconnex, and most recently as Church Engagement, Denominations & Institutions Leader with Buckner International. 

Sergio possesses natural gifts and skills in interpersonal relationships, networking and developing strategic partnerships. Having worked internationally and cross-culturally, Sergio Ramos is competent in relating to leaders and churches of various cultural backgrounds and with national leaders in various countries.

Sergio is a product of Texas Baptists schools. He graduated from the Valley Baptist Academy in Harlingen, obtained his Bachelor’s degree from East Texas Baptist University, received a Master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a second Master’s from Dallas Baptist University.

We are excited about the future. We are enlarging the place of the Texas Baptists tent and counting on God to do the work he has purposed to do to extend his kingdom.

Thank you for your faithful support and cooperation through prayer and finances.