All mission posts can be found here. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, use the search box.
This includes missionary salaries & benefits, non-salary financial support, encouragement gifts, emergency assistance.
This includes church planter assessment, training, ministry grants, missionary housing, church planting funds distributed to partners such as state conventions and associations.
This includes training, resources, and events in partnership with state conventions, churches, and associations.
Annie Armstrong was born in Baltimore at a time when women were not expected to lead. She served, challenged churches to action and rallied support for missionaries. Ultimately, Annie was recognized as a national Southern Baptist trailblazer renowned for visionary missions leadership.
Today, over $1 billion has been given through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering®. All gifts—100%—support thousands of missionaries in church planting and compassion ministries across the U.S. and Canada.
At this time of the year, our church gives to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Each year, the North American Mission Board chooses a theme for this significant offering, and this year it is The Mission Moves Forward. One way our church can help move the mission forward is by praying for our Southern
Baptist missionaries, giving to support their critical work and learning more about them.
Missionaries like Jacob and Francine Zailian in Sanger, California. Jacob is the church planter of Set Free Church and he and his wife serve their community in a heartfelt way.
Their ministry is specifically to those on the margins of society—the homeless, impoverished and addicted, to help set them free through Christ. Everyday, they work beyond the four walls of the church building to care for those in need. During the COVID health crisis, they began serving more than 300 people a week through community meals where they also asked about their needs, prayed with them and invited them to the church worship services.
One of the greatest disservices we have done to the Church, the Body of Christ, is allowing the Church to become identified as a place to go to instead of a people who go out.
It was never intended to be that way. We know this by the Greek word used for “Church” in Matthew 16:18. That passage says,
“And I also say to you that you are Peter [which means ‘rock’], and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (CSB)
The Greek word for “church” in this passage is “ekklesia.” This word means “those who are called out.” It’s not a term that describes a destination, as in a building, but rather one of “movement”—the calling out of those who are compelled to live out their lives in Christ in a public way. It’s a word that should set an image of a group of people assembling to start a revolution rather than sitting still and docile in a congregation.
Movement and mobility are indeed at the very heart and spirit of what the first-century church was all about. And if those first-century believers ever got a little too comfortable or if it became too easy for them to be stagnant and rest on their laurels, God would allow something to happen to get the church moving again.
Our Church Goal is $8000
During 14 weeks of the COVID-19 we have provided 6,041 meals. For the fiscal year of 2019-20, we have provided 11,249 meals at a cost of $11,591.43. That means we are providing meals and just over a dollar.
God blessed me with you! Thank you for being a part of a beautiful body of believers. Thank you for the joy I feel in this fellowship. Thank you for loving me and allowing me to love you. God is at work…Here are this week’s updates:
1) We continue to strive to make wise decisions in regard to the “RE-OPENING” of the church. We are well ahead of some sister congregations, while we are well behind others. We will continue to evaluate the situation and re-open safely and slowly.
2) We welcomed 2 MORE NEW CHURCH MEMBERS on Sunday! Welcome to Ted and Mary Snyder! Please join me and show this couple the love of our church family.
3) NURSERY CARE resumes this Sunday, June 14 at our 10:30am service only. We pray this is a help and support to our young families.
4) Last Sunday was another high-water mark for us. Let me share with you our growth. We re-opened 5 Sundays ago with a total attendance across the board of 201. This last Sunday we had grown to 282 in attendance from all worship services. I am THANKFUL more and more people are coming home! We are working hard to ensure safety, comfort, but most importantly a Christ-centered worship experience. Hope to see you back as soon as you can.
5) I’m also pleased that we continue to offer ONLINE WORSHIP for those who still need to be careful. Services start at 10:30am on Facebook and YouTube. Pre-service announcements begin at 10am.
6) Last WEDNESDAY NIGHT we began new Adult Bible Studies in English and Spanish and our youth were on the parking lot. We had more than 50 people participate in person in the Philippians study and an additional 10-15 participate online. We hope you might join us in the weeks to come at 6pm in the sanctuary. (Live feed will be available.)
7) Come this Sunday night for CHURCH CONFERENCE in the chapel. We have a very important decision to make, so please attend.
8) Our church motto is: BRING THEM IN! BUILD THEM UP! SEND THEM OUT! Ask God if He would have you go on one of these mission trips.
9) BIG STUDENT MINISTRY ANNOUNCEMENT: Youth Camp is set for July 16-19 at Latham Springs Baptist Encampment! REGISTER NOW.
10) Also, we continue to prepare for our hybrid (at home/at church) VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL! You can volunteer to HELP. The dates are June
21-25, REGISTER NOW.
He is Lord,
When Helping Hurts is a paradigm-forming contemporary classic on the subject of poverty alleviation and has sold over 225,000 copies. Now there is a stand-alone resource to introduce this paradigm in an accessible way. Rather than simply looking at the economics, it looks at the poverty of relationships between man and God, man and man, man and creation, and man and self. Utilizing free, online video lessons set both in Africa and the United States, the Small Group Experience is the ideal resource for small groups, Sunday school classes, parachurch and non-profit ministries, ministry training, and even individuals.
In six lessons, the concepts of When Helping Hurts are brought to the reader in a format that is perfect for training, discussion, and application. It is in ideal introduction to life-changing and offers the perfect context for engagement. The video provides expert instruction and the Small Group Experience provides questions and prompts for conversation, deeper learning, and taking action.
Time keeps marching on, and another week has gone by. I see things that pain me, and I see things that encourage me. Let’s touch base on several key points for the week:
1) First of all, I simply want to ask you to PRAY! How our country needs the PEACE of God. How we need to pray for PERSPECTIVE in these days. How we need to pray for PATIENCE in a time like this. And how we desperately need an OUTPOURING of God’s Holy Spirit. Let’s ask God to change hearts and heal the divide in our nation.
2) Now to last Sunday’s worship…it was wonderful! We had the BEST ATTENDANCE we have had to date. We were up to 76 in the 8:30am service (mask required) and up to 140 in the 10:30am service. We had several members come back for the first time, and we had several guests. I would assume our sanctuary is about as safe as any place in town. Disinfecting and distancing protocols are going well.
3) If you need to stay home, I continue to invite you to join us for ONLINE WORSHIP. Worship begins at 10:30am online. Pre-service announcements begin at 10am.
4) We welcomed 3 NEW CHURCH MEMBERS on Sunday! Gloria Tipton joined on profession of faith and will be baptized soon. Tom and Kathe Miles joined by transferring their membership from Mildred Baptist Church. Join me in welcoming each of them!
5) I also remind you that NURSERY CARE will resume on Sunday, June 14 at our 10:30am service only. Be in prayer for Marjorie Bentz and our incredible nursery team as they prepare to take care of our babies and young families. I am proud that we have some of the best nursery care workers in Texas! Please encourage them when you can.
6) Tonight, we will begin our new Summer plan for WEDNESDAY NIGHTS! At 6pm I will be teaching a Bible Study on Philippians (the “joy” book) in the Sanctuary. (Live feed will be available.) Steve Martinez will be teaching in Spanish on Romans in the Chapel.
7) Videoing and production are at a fever pitch this week at the church as we prepare for our hybrid (at home/at church) VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL! You too can be a part of VBS by picking up posters and flyers at the church office to post in your business or around town! The dates are June 21-25, and registration is open now. Don’t wait!
8) We are an ACTS 1:8 church! Please consider being a part of these mission opportunities.
Simply Trusting Jesus Every Day,
Summer is here, and I’m so overjoyed to see more and more of you coming back to worship with us at the church building! Let me update you on some upcoming things in FBC’s ministry:
1) We are now 3 weeks into re-opening SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP! I was so happy to see some we haven’t seen yet, and we had several guests and several decisions that were made online. I want you to know that “church is safe!” Our protocols and safety measures are all being carried out seamlessly. Last week in the 10:30am service, we grew to 126. Our Spanish-speaking service grew to 48. Masks are required at 8:30am but not at 10:30am.
2) If you don’t quite feel safe yet, please continue to join us ONLINE FOR WORSHIP. Worship begins at 10:30am online. Pre-service announcements begin at 10am.
3) I am happy to announce that NURSERY CARE FOR PRE-K & UNDER will resume on Sunday, June 14 at our 10:30am service only. We will have detailed nursery protocols in place to ensure your safety.
4) In addition, we will begin two WEDNESDAY NIGHT OPTIONS beginning on June 3 at 6:00pm. I will be teaching a Bible Study in the Sanctuary. Steve Martinez will be teaching in the Chapel. (Online opportunities will be available.)
5) A hybrid (at home/at church) VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL is coming June 21-25. Registration is open, so don’t delay!
6) CHURCH CONFERENCE has been set for Sunday, June 14 at 6:00pm in the chapel.
7) Please continue to GIVE! I am so pleased and proud of the church’s initial response, but we must continue to be faithful. If you have somehow not given due to the stay-at-home, I encourage you to catch up. We need everyone giving to meet our needs.
8) MISSIONS OPPORTUNITIES: We are making plans for some mission activity this summer. You can find updated information on our website.
Simply Trusting Jesus Every Day,
We have made plans to help For the Nations Refugee Outreach this summer. This trip is scheduled for July 5-10. We will serve as a missions team.
A mission team stays onsite for a whole week, working both sessions of programs with children each day and attending the Friday field trip. Also, a mission team mitigates the risk of COVID exposure, because Missions groups contain exposure better because they are onsite for the whole week and are the same consistent group throughout the week. Sometimes, teams can form a relationship with the new family that extends beyond an initial four-week commitment.
Read about the mission, vision and goals of FTNRO.
If you would like to participate, contact the Church Office.
If you are going on a mission trip outside the country, you will need to purchase a passport. The files below are the forms that need to be filled out to obtain a passport.
Refugees are our neighbors.
Will you help them?
We have made plans for a Rio Grande Valley Mission Trip this summer. It is scheduled for June 28 thru July 3. It will involve vacation bible school, construction, and outreach.
If you are interested in participating, contact Steve Martinez.
If you are going on a mission trip outside the country, you will need to purchase a passport. The files below are the forms that need to be filled out to obtain a passport.