Texas Baptists missions endeavors to expand to Brazil and Mexico

Texas Baptists Missions announced the beginning of a new partnership between Texas Baptists and the Brazilian Baptist Convention during the Texas Baptist Missions Banquet, on the evening of Nov. 14 at Annual Meeting.

“When I was 14-years-old, I heard the Gospel at a Baptist church and I was baptized by a missionary from Texas,” Brazilian National Mission Board Executive Director Fernando Brandão said. “I am here tonight because you sent missionaries to my country. Myself and my family are fruit of your prayers and your work.”

Brazilian Baptists have more than 1,000 missionaries serving internationally, and hundreds serving and evangelizing within the country, Brandão said.

The partnership agreement joins Texas Baptists churches with Brazilian Baptist churches, in support of national missionaries taking the Gospel to 147 unreached people groups living along the Amazon. The Missionary Adoption Program will be coordinated by Texas Baptists staffer Jair Campos.

“We are a missions people,” Texas Baptists Executive Director Dr. David Hardage said. “You want to talk about effect efficient missions. This seems, to me, to be a great way to go about doing it. I think this could spread all over the world, but our first partnership will start with our long-time, dear friends in Brazil.”

Texas Baptists River Ministry Director Daniel Rangel concluded the event, introducing attendees to two missionaries who will begin ministry with River Ministry to Northern and Central Mexico this year—Arturo Robles and Abraham Cervantes.

“The priority is for Mexico to be evangelized and to strengthen relationships between churches in Mexico and Texas,” Robles said. “The Bible says our mission is collaborative and that this work is for everyone.”

Last year, Texas Baptists commissioned four national missionaries to work with River Ministry along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Cervantes, who directs church planting in 46 regions of Mexico Baptists said he wants to motivate and equip laity to lead churches and faith communities of their own on both sides of the border.

“I am called to coordinate with Texas Baptists with respect to baptists living on the border,” he said. “The Church is called to plant churches. We want to spread the Gospel and transform our communities together.”

This year, Texas Baptists Missions demonstrated several endeavors in a collaborative missions approach. Whether through empowering missionaries to the unreached in the Amazon or the Rio Grande Valley, Texas Baptists’ work of sharing the Gospel will reflect relationships and partnerships among our churches.

Jordan Corona is a freelance writer for the 131st Texas Baptists Annual Meeting.