The priority of church starting in Texas and beyond

Monica and I had the privilege of attending the Texas Baptists Church Starter’s retreat in Galveston last week. It was a very encouraging time. A group of 82 church planters and spouses attended. In addition, staff and special guests gathered for worship, fellowship and encouragement.

Thirty-two church starts and replants were represented from West Texas, Southeast Texas, Northeast Texas, Central Texas, Michigan, Indiana and New York. The ethnic representation was 40% Anglo, 39% Hispanic, 20% African American and 1% Asian, closely representing the current population of Texas. 

Worship leaders and most presenters were from church starts. Tiana (Harlem), Kyle and Kacee Jackson (Texas City), Larry and Lindsey Mayberry (Queens), Louis and Tammy Crooks (Killeen) and Fermin Sifuentez (Lubbock). In addition, nationally known speakers Mike Satterfield (Arlington) and Sammy Lopez (Orlando) brought powerful messages and challenges. Tom Howe and the Center for Missional Engagement support team provided excellent leadership in organizing the event. We are very grateful for Dr. Howe and his experienced leadership.

As church starters worshiped, fellowshipped, shared their struggles and offered each other encouragement, it was good to see their hearts, hear of their commitment and learn about how God is using them to reach people who are broken, far away from God and in difficult areas. There is hope! The kingdom of God is advancing! The Great Commandment and the Great Commission are being lived out! Praise God!

The financial investment that Texas Baptists churches are making in church starts in Texas and beyond is huge. Ward Hayes, our CFO, reported at our September executive board meeting that Texas Baptists invests approximately $10 million annually in church starts. Over half of this giving is church directed or designated; some of it comes from individual donors and endowments and the rest comes from the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions and our Cooperative Program budget.

To be clear, this figure does not represent the budget available to our Church Starting team. It does, however, reflect what members of the Texas Baptists family invest in church starting directly as churches and individuals and cooperatively through the Baptist General Convention of Texas. 

This multi-million dollar investment by Texas Baptists in church starting includes what our churches give to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and the portion NAMB receives from churches’ contributions to the SBC Cooperative Program. These two add up to over $5 million.

Texas Baptists churches and individuals also support church starting around the world through the Missionary Adoption Program (MAP) and through River Ministry/Mexico Missions. The dollar amount is higher when you consider what churches contribute directly to the churches they sponsor.

As you know, BGCT does not start churches. Churches start churches. Texas Baptists comes alongside churches to provide assessment, training, support and other resources. Together, we can do more!

We pray that this commitment to starting new churches in Texas and beyond continues to grow. We will not reach Texas for Christ, and from Texas, the world, unless we continue and increase our church starting efforts.

Every year, 900 SBC churches close their doors nationwide. Texas has grown by 43.3% over the last 12 years. If the Texas population growth rate continues, we will double our population by 2050. Currently, there is one Baptist church for every 3,668 people in Texas. Jonathan Smith, our director of church health and growth, estimates that if trends continue, by 2050 there will be one church for every 16,357 people in Texas!

We must keep church starting a priority in Texas. We need churches with a vision and a commitment to start churches. We need to develop new partnerships. We need to increase our support. We need to see people come to Christ in Texas and beyond. We need to see the Great Commandment and the Great Commission lived out!