The Online Newsletter for Texas Free Will Baptists
The Simmons wrote, “The expansion of the airstrip is going well! The guys are making good progress. We hope to be finished by our next flight to Nairobi, Lord willing. The best part? Suruai is meeting with them, before and after their work, and they are having great spiritual discussions. Pray that the Lord will bring about much spiritual fruit in hearts as these men come to do hard physical work.”
“Randall House & D6 Family Ministry to release War in the Wilderness: Fight For Your Family When Life Isn’t As It Should Be.
(Nashville, Tennessee) On March 7, 2023, Randall House & D6 Family Ministry and Brian Haynes will release War in the Wilderness: Fight For Your Family When Life Isn’t As It Should Be.
About the book: This book dares to win, equipping people of faith to fight victoriously, especially for family, when life is not as it should be.
Features include: Readers will gain an understanding of the reality of the spiritual wilderness in which they live, love, and lead their families, while overcoming fears about the warfare their family will face.
About the author: Brian Haynes, D.Min., has served the church locally and globally as a ministry leader and pastor for over 25 years. His work focuses on family, parenting, and discipleship. As a husband and father, Brian has led his family through the spiritual warfare, and he shares his experience of fighting for family when life isn’t as it should be.”
Contact: Lena Wooten
Director of Marketing
(615) 361-1221 ext. 308
lena.wooten@randallhouse.com
The Edgmons shared an update. “This past Sunday (February 5), Anthony had the privilege of preaching in our sister church in Galapagar, Spain. This church (which will always be the Villalba church in my heart) is so special to us. Every time we return it is a joy to catch up with some members of the congregation who have known us 20-plus years. We will always be grateful for their encouragement and patience with us when we were young missionaries. It’s also wonderful to meet all the people God is adding to this congregation too. Please pray for this group of believers as they impact their community for Christ.”
Randall House & D6 Family Ministry to release Rest. Overcoming Spiritual Fatigue.
(Nashville, Tennessee) “On March 31, 2023, Randall House & D6 Family Ministry and Marianne Howard will release Rest. Overcoming Spiritual Fatigue.
About the book: This book will lead readers on a journey to understanding genuine soul rest and how to achieve this rest while examining and modifying spiritual, personal, and professional priorities, in order to move to abundant living and leading and developing an aggressive attentiveness to the presence of God.
Features include: Foreword by Ron Hunter Jr., Ph.D., D6 Conference director. The author offers reflection and discussion questions at the end of each chapter. Section one reveals areas where leaders resist rest. Section two focuses on God’s rest, as seen in Scripture, and how to lead from that rest.
About the author: Marianne Howard has been involved in ministry for over 20 years. Her experience as a minister’s wife allowed her to recognize the toll spiritual fatigue takes on leaders. She disciples students and women, co-hosts the D6 Family Podcast, contributes to the D6 Family blog, and is a passionate teacher of God’s Word.”
Contact: Lena Wooten
Director of Marketing
(615) 361-1221 ext. 308
lena.wooten@randallhouse.com
“Josh Provow shared some incredible news after two short-term trip teams served on the field for many Operation Christmas Child events. “Praising God for the miracles we have seen in the last few weeks! At this moment, all four of our intrepid team members are traveling back to their respective homes. We are all looking forward to some good rest, but our hearts are overflowing. Here is the trip by the numbers…450 presents, 600+ heard the gospel, 12 Operation Christmas Child parties, 11 villages and towns, 1 new Bible club launched, 3 more villages interested in regular Bible clubs, 4 amazing team members, 5 incredible Provow kids that helped a ton in countless ways that God’s hand was upon us the entire time. I am still processing some of the big emotions. God is good!” ‘
January 31, 2023
Greetings from the State Office and the Executive Board!
I hope your year is off to a good start. We have just wrapped up our annual All Boards Meeting, and in addition to the details of the State Meeting provided later in this update, we have several other dates and events that you need to be aware of:
As announced previously, this year’s Men’s Conference is February 23-25. This event will be at Messiah’s Ranch outside of Bryan and has a theme of “Regenerate”. The registration fee is $150 per person. Speakers will be Roy Harris and Aaron Harris (father and son, and longtime FWB ministers). More details (and a registration link) are available in the flyer sent out last week from the CE Board.
The Ministry Expo (aka CTS Youth Competition) is scheduled for May 6 at Connect Church in Montgomery. Entry forms for all entries need to be received by March 31. Contact Teressa Voltz to submit entry forms and to ask any competition-related questions.
The State Youth Retreat is scheduled for June 15-17 also at Messiah’s Ranch outside of Bryan. More details will be sent out in the near future with information on registration, speakers, activities, and other arrangements.
TWAC has planned a Ladies’ Retreat for September 29-30. The theme for the retreat is “Broken Vessels”. More details will be released as they are finalized.
TWAC has agreed to help sponsor our Texas students who are attending E-TEAM (Katelyn Ferguson) and Truth & Peace (Elizabeth Dickey). If you have students in one of these programs that are not listed above, please contact the boards as soon as possible to include them in the support. If you would like to add your financial support to any of these students, you can also contact TWAC for more information.
The CE Board is also making plans and considering options for the Youth Retreat, the Men’s Conference, a Couple’s Conference, and other possible activities for 2024. Details on those events will be announced as they are finalized.
This year’s State Meeting, the 109th Annual Session, will be June 7-8 (Wednesday-Thursday) at Connect Church in Montgomery. Our keynote speaker will be Cory Thompson, an Oklahoma FWB pastor who will be speaking on the theme of “Preaching for Everyone”. Preliminary lodging arrangements are still being made, so we’ll be sharing information on how to make reservations, along with the specific schedule, as we confirm the details, but we are looking forward to a great event and a time of fellowship, worship, and business at Connect Church on June 7-8.
We continue to see a variety of news items, announcements, and thoughtful articles coming through the Texas Challenge blog site (https://texaschallenge.net/), and we are appreciative of Kyle and Beth Howell keeping us informed. New posts appear on the blog site, in your e-mail inbox (if you subscribe to the updates), and on the Texas State Association of Free Will Baptists Facebook page. You can also visit the blog site at any time to see stories that have been posted previously and to sign up for e-mail updates. If you have news items to share, please contact Kyle at fwbtexaschallenge@gmail.com.
While many of you are aware, it is useful to periodically remind our districts, churches, and people that the State Office operates on giving that is specifically designated to the State Office. The annual treasurer’s report shows all of the giving by our churches through the State Office to a wide variety of missionaries, colleges, and ministries across our denomination, and we are grateful for the nearly $233,000 in funds that were given through the State Association in 2022, but most of that giving is pass-through; that is, only the funds that are designated for the State Office stay at the State Office. The State Office has a 2023 annual budget of only $25,200, and that includes nearly $7,000 in national association dues that are also pass-through from the districts. The State Office ended 2022 about $500 in the black compared to the beginning of 2022, and we appreciate all those who give to support the State Office as well as our other state and national ministries in the denomination. We also appreciate your continued help in beginning or renewing your churches’ and districts’ support of the State Office in your giving, either through the state cooperative giving plan or direct designations to the State Office. Please contact us if you have questions or need more information.
We offer our typical closing reminder to please visit the State Association website at http://www.texasfwb.org and review your district’s and church’s information in the directory. We want to make sure that the contact information is all up to date. If you see any information that needs to be changed, please send updates and corrections to me at the State Office. Also, we send these quarterly updates to everyone on the State Office e-mail list, but there are surely some who would be interested in receiving the information that we do not have on our list. Pastors, please share these dates, events, and details with your congregation so that everyone can be informed and involved. If someone has forwarded this information to you and you would like to be on the mailing list in the future, please contact us at the e-mail address below.
We appreciate all that you do for Texas Free Will Baptists and for the work of God. As always, you can contact us with any questions at stateoffice@texasfwb.org.
“The Voltz, IM missionaries to Bulgaria, are currently raising funds and support to get to the field for the first time! They recently shared a fundraising update of being at 33% funded. They said “Each month we have increased! God is SO good!! Thank you all for joining us on our journey to Bulgaria! We would LOVE to be on the field in 2023! If you have any questions about monthly donations, please let us know!” You can email them or become a partner by visiting their IM webpage here: https://bit.ly/37QsFo2 “
“We would like to share the following story from the Edgmons, IM Missionaries in Spain!
This past June, we prayer walked around the town of Villanueva de la Torre with our co-workers the Morgans, their OA Bayley Floyd, and ETEAM Spain (Photo attached of Mandi leading ETeam Spain 22 in prayer) One of the big prayer requests was for God to provide a meeting place for the Esperanza Church in a strategic place in town. Today we had the joy of worshipping with this congregation in their new location in a busy shopping center just across the street from the elementary school. How exciting to walk through the doors of an answer to prayer that was even more than we asked or thought back on that June day. To God be the glory for the church He is building in this town with no other gospel witness.”
In the photo (L to R): Mandi Morgan, Carmen (pastor’s wife), Lea Edgmon, Anthony Edgmon, Jose Manuel (pastor), and Neil Morgan.
“Hello everyone! This is a friendly reminder that the Regenerate Men’s Conference is just about a month away! Early registration ends on January 29, which is right around the corner! REGISTER TODAY to get the lower price!! You can use the QR code at the top or the link at the bottom of the flyer. Also, a brief introduction is provided of our father/son team of speakers for the event. More detailed information will be shared at the conference.
Remember, there will be target practice, clay shooting, and fishing available. Your own equipment is required. It will be your responsibility to safely manage and secure your firearms.
Please let us know if you have any questions.”
Teressa Voltz on behalf of the CE Board
“Harvest FWB Child Care Ministries is asking all churches, Women’s Ministries, & Master’s Men groups to consider receiving a special offering Sunday February 12th 2023 for Harvest. Our goal this year is to pay off the mortgage for our Virginia campus. Oklahoma, & Arkansas Free Will Baptist’s have had a huge part in the children’s home in Virginia since the beginning. In 2000 Rev. James & Linda Stepps came to Oklahoma to see how OK & AR FWB’s would respond, and they were not disappointed. Not long after, Bro. George & Sis. Judy Hyatt moved to Oklahoma to be the Advancement Representatives in Oklahoma & Arkansas. While here, they raised monthly funds for the Virginia Children’s Home & not long after our Mexico work was born. After the Hyatt’s retirement, Bro. Charles Barnard stepped in to carry on the mission of Harvest Mexico in Oklahoma & Arkansas. In July of 2019, I took the plow and started breaking ground in Texas! Through our combined efforts, Oklahoma, Arkansas, & now Texas FWB’s have deep roots in a small piece of property in Virginia & Mexico.
While I continue to primarily represent our home in Mexico, I am asking on behalf of Harvest in Virginia for you to consider helping in a big way one more time. We are hoping this will be our last Have a Heart Sunday. On August 5th 2023, Harvest Free Will Baptist Child Care Ministries will celebrate 30 years of ministering to children, and there we pray we are able to burn the note!
Thank you so much for your years of faithful generosity to Harvest Free Will Baptist Child Care Ministries both in Virginia and Mexico.”
Serving Christ Through Kids
Steven Shotzman
Advancement Representative
texaschallenge.net 