It is with a heavy heart that we announce that we are ceasing all efforts to establish the Clearview Church in Princeton. 

As the Texas Missions Board, we hold a position as the go-between for Great Commission-minded churches and people who are called to go and plant new mission works. We know that the decisions we oversee matter greatly both to those who send and those who start mission churches. Because of this, we try to make and oversee decisions regarding church plants with as much grace, wisdom, and God’s direction as possible. We all know that it is hard work and the stakes are high! 

In mid-June, the Texas Mission Board was approached by our missionary at Clearview (also known as CV) Church, Chris Willhite. Chris informed us that both he and his wife, while working through several difficulties and setbacks, had became more aware that moving forward could seriously harm their family and their marriage. Because of this, the Willhites have chosen to step down as the pastors of CV Church effective at the end of August 2023.

According to Barna Statistics, roughly half of pastors (48%) believe that being in the pastoral ministry takes a heavy toll on their family. Most ministers also understand that we often struggle to find the time and emotional energy that we need to give our marriages and our families the focus they demand. In the case of the mission work at CV Church, unfortunately, we were recently faced with how this stark statistic plays out in the real world.  

The Texas Mission Board understands the Willhites’ concerns and, knowing that God has ordained the family as our highest priority, supports their decision. As a Board, we extend our thanks to the Willhites for taking on the tough challenge of trying to rally a church that was faced with a pastoral leadership change while just shy of self-supporting status, all while grappling with the added pressures of the pandemic. Starting a church from scratch is very hard work, and we appreciate the way the Willhites stepped into the challenge that faced their church! We appreciate them, are honored to have served with them, and wish them the best wherever their next phase of ministry takes them. 

After Willhites approached the Texas Mission Board with their concerns, we evaluated the mission church’s current situation, spoke to people associated with or involved in the church, and most importantly, spent time in prayer asking the Lord to guide our next steps. Due to a lack of full-time pastoral leadership at the church and the current and future state of meeting venue(s) in doubt, the Texas Mission Board has unanimously voted that we discontinue our efforts to establish the CV Church.

This decision is not one we come to lightly, and there are many factors at play. We want to assure all Texas Free Will Baptists that this church planting effort may simply be a delay or a refocusing of the work of God, rather than a full undoing of efforts made up until this point. We have seen this to be the case in other mission church plants, where one seemingly failed effort provided what was needed for the next man to come and succeed in what God has called him and his family to do! 

Those familiar with the founding of the CV church may have questions about efforts and funds expended in the establishment of the church.  While Brother Randall Wright was the pastor, CV Church purchased property in the McKinney area and renovated it with manpower, grants, and gifts donated by other FWB churches and other churches in Texas. They also have taken a loan from North American Missions CELF Fund for that project. Later in his time of leadership of CV Church, Brother Wright made a decision to move the congregation from McKinney to the Princeton area, closer to the leading edge of the population growth. However, despite the move to another city, CV Church retained ownership of the property in McKinney, and began to rent that property to a church still ministering in McKinney. The CV Church continues to own the building, with the current renters covering the mortgage and other expenses with the monthly rental payment. With the decision to close CV Church, the Texas Mission Board will assume the oversight and responsibility for the property and assets from CV Church. All assets current and future will be used for current and future mission works in (or from) the state of Texas. This change should take full effect within the next 2-3 months. We will keep you updated as things progress. 

As members of the Texas Mission Board, we are saddened to bring you this news. But we know that God is in control, and sometimes what seem to be monumental setbacks in the short-term can become a crucial stepping stone for God’s Kingdom work in the long run! We feel we must be patient and wait upon His timing and leadership for what He would have us do next. Please pray for us as we do our best to discern the Lord’s leading in every part of our work going forward, both as a Board and also as a State Association, and know that we are readily available to answer any questions or hear any concerns that you may have regarding this situation. 

For The Kingdom Work, 

The Members of the Texas Mission Board 

Jeff Cates, Doug Dickey, Jeremy Lightsey, Randy Puckett, David Rudd