Salt and Light in New Braunfels

New Generations Fellowship

Pastor Joe Tostado of New Generations Fellowship, New Braunfels, takes Jesus' words seriously. And he encourages and regularly reminds the members of the 30 month old new church that Jesus said we are to be the salt of the earth and light of the world. "We teach our folks that wherever they are-at work, play, in the community-that is their mission field. We teach them that to be effective salt has to 'rub' off on those around them who don't know Jesus, and the light has to shine."

The members of New Generations, a bi-lingual Hispanic congregation, take those words seriously, and God has blessed with over 100 adult new believers following the Lord in Baptism in the church. In response to a questions, Tostado said 'easily over 50%' of New Generations members are actively, intentionally seeking to be salt and light to those around them.

A recent example was the experience of one New Generations member. She was buying BBQ plates at a benefit in her neighborhood, when she overheard a neighbor ask how much the plates were, and then turn away to leave unable to afford the plates. Moved by the Holy Spirit, remembering Jesus words, the church member quietly bought the plates for her neighbor and gave them to her. after some time of conversation, her neighbor prayed with her to invite Christ into her life.

The story is repeated often through the ministry of this new church start, and the church has grown from a core group of 30 to over 200 in average Sunday morning attendance in 30 months. New Church starts like New Generations Fellowship are made possible through gifts to the Mary Hill Davis Offering.

A Celebration of Service

On September 1, 2011, the Church Starting Team had the privilege of honoring two great women of missions for their faithful service to the Texas Baptists Missions Funding Group committee. Mrs. Anna Marie Edgemon and Mrs. Betty Jo Craig began their time of service in January 2006 and fulfilled their commitments in September 2011.

During this time, they played a fundamental role in creating the New Church Starting process. We are grateful for their contribution to Church Starting and we recognize their love for missions.


Paul Atkinson, Church Starting Director; Mrs. Anna Marie Edgemon, Committee Chairwoman



Paul Atkinson, Church Starting Director; Mrs. Betty Jo Craig, Committee Member

Letter from a member of Orange County Cowboy Church

June 7, 2011

I had walked away from an established church many years ago, due to incidents within the church which left my family outraged at a Baptist minister. My mother, father and sister joined the Methodist church. The incidents left me with mixed feelings, and questions regarding the people who attend and policies of the Baptist church. It didn’t lessen my faith in the Lord; it simply left me alone in this world to hold on to that faith. This became harder as the years went on. I found that the Baptist doctrine and the judgmental ways of the church suited me less and less every time I visited Baptist churches over the next 30 years. Eventually, I gave up trying to find a place where I fit in.

My wife encouraged me to accompany her to the Cowboy Church of Orange County a few years ago when the church was still being held in a barn.

That hot summer morning, as I approached the church, people came forth to shake my hand and say “howdy”. I took my seat and the band started to play, and Brother Dale gave his sermon. I was moved by the entire experience. As a kid, I would go to an old country church in east Texas with my grandparents. As I sat there in the Cowboy Church, for the first time in a long time, in my heart I felt like my grandparents were right next to me again. The doctrine that the Cowboy Church seemed to establish was one of “love for your fellow man, and not too many rules, or people judging others by their dress, social status, their past, or the fact that they are different.” These things were a blessing to my soul. They also seemed to portray the belief of the cowboy era, similar to the beliefs I grew up on, such as “right and wrong, live and let live, and work hard and play hard.” The same ethics that were so proudly displayed in childhood heroes like: “Hop Along Cassidy, Gene Autry, Randolph Scott, and John Wayne.” to me this was the code I tried to live by, and here was a group of people with the same ideas. This was what I had been looking for, for a very long time.

Now with the arena for the kids, wagon for all of us, rodeos, play days, trail rides, wild horse ministries, picnics on the ground, and the phenomenal growth of the church, there is something for everyone. I am so grateful to have found a church family in which I truly feel welcomed just for being me.

Thank you,
Bobby Bailey

Coaching List Updated

Please visit www.texasbaptists.org/churchstarting to view the updated coaching list. Coaching is a key part in the New Church Starting process. Please contact any one of the coaches listed to get more information. Thank You for your support.

CrossBridge Fellowship

Be sure to check out the story written by John Hall about CrossBridge Fellowship in Corpus Christi. This new church start is really reaching their community "A Lighthouse in the Darkness".

The Walk Ministries: 3 turns into 40+

In an area of Houston, TX a new church start is doing great work in sharing the gospel to those in the community. The Walk Ministries started the baptismal service with only expecting to baptize 3 but ended up with over 40 people being baptized that day... read more here.

Iglesia Vida, El Paso

On December 18, Iglesia Vida held a medical clinic to serve our community in the El Paso Northeast area. It was a wonderful occasion for us, and we’re not so quietly strutting a bit about the progress we’ve made.Yet we’re fully aware that our accomplishments are not simply attributable to “genius” leadership or hard-working members. We grew and prospered only because God sent to us some great brothers like you and the doctors, nurses and team members who gave us loyal support along the way.We had 68 registered visitors obtaining the benefits of this activity and four entire families who said they would like to comeback as visitors of our church services.So this is a thank-you note—for helping us, for putting up with occasional errors due to “growing pains,” and just for helping to put Iglesia Vida on the map. The future looks bright, and we want to acknowledge your contribution to this rosy outlook.May God almighty bless you and your family

Sincerely,
David Melendez
Iglesia Vida

Parker County Cowboy Church Welcome Service

Help Us Celebrate our new church building at:

5050 S. Hwy 5 Aledo, TX

Sunday December, 19 2010

10am

817-925-0910

http://www.pccowboychurch.org/

Give Online to Help start New Churches in Texas

Church Starting is a collective effort, but it is also the pursuit of a unique and personal experience with God. Church Staring is not just for traditional churches. Our mandate is to share God’s Word in Texas by planting new churches. Your gift helps us reach Texas by starting new churches. Click Here if you would like to give online... Thank You and God Bless

Ekklesia

What a wonderful, wonderful day it was Sunday on 10/10/10. A few photos are attached.

God was so gracious to us. Not only were we able to launch Ekklesia, butwe are already starting to multiply more churches. Here are the finalnumbers for our opening day:

Corpus Christi -

Ekklesia: 124 people

Kingsville: 24 people

Alice: 19 people

Sinton: 10 people
Total: 177 people

Please pray that our Corpus campus would multiply soon. It was completely packed. They say when a worship service hits 80% capacity we need to do something to create more space. We were right around the 80% the previous week and at about 99% this Sunday. We need to get it down to about 60-70%

So pray that at least one house church will begin meeting in another part of town soon.
We also have a few Huddles starting soon. One in Corpus, another in Taft, and a youth Huddle in Portland.

What a great way to start. Thank you for your prayers and to God be the glory.

Blessings,
Bob Gomez

Lead Pastor of Ekklesia &

President of The X Movement

Jacob's Well Christian Fellowship

My name is Ricardo Rivera, Jacob's Well Christian Fellowship Pastor. It is a great joy for me and the congregation to share the picture that you'll find in the attachment. We are celebrating our 2ND Anniversary and the Lord has bee awesome with us. (We had like 3 families missing that day).Well, before we took the picture I challenged our congregation this way: "I want to go out to our parking lot and take a picture with people that is going to be committed to bring people for Jesus." All our members went out to take the picture. Praise God. Our goal is to keep multiplying for next year. We've opened our third silo 4 weeks ago and has an attendance of 34 people. Most of them haven't been at the well yet. Obviously, this is a team work. I'm so grateful with God for our Pastoral Body, silo leaders, team leaders and every member. I'm highly honored to serve with this conregation as their pastor. Thanks for the support that we've received from BGCT and you this past 2 years. You and BGCT are part or our success!

In God's service "Connect and Serve"

Ricardo Rivera - Servant Leader
www.jacobswellcf.com

The Crossing has Launched

The Crossing has Launched. After 4 preview services (averaging 74 in attendance), last Sunday's launch service saw 101 folks gather at Bill Brown Elementary (68 in auditorium and 33 kids & adult leaders in Crossing Kids).

Praise the Lord for...

• 3 Baptisms during the pre-launch period
• 1 inquiry about what it means to follow Christ at the Launch
• 1 inquiry about baptism as the launch
• 8 new families that had not attended a preview service or connection group
• 2 famililes willing to help in areas of service
• positive responses from all in our follow up -they all enthusiastically say they will be back
• appears that better that 80% who have attended are unchurched
• Set Up, Take Down, Greeting, and Hospitality Teams beginning to take shape
• A start on Kids' Team and Tech Team
• 2 Connection Groups meeting weekly with an average of 20 folks-but 39 total who come at one time or another.

Prayer Needs...

• Still in Need of as many Music Missionaries for a Day as we can get (no worship team except Marty so far-we bring in help!)
• Still in need of a few Kids' Team and Tech Team Missionaries for a Day
• Stewardship -Since almost all are unchurched giving is still way behind the need -there were 3 regular budget offering checks Sunday and they were the pastors and outside guests who support. The rest was $42 in cash. We are praying for and believing God that folks will begin to give even this Sunday.
• Follow Up. We are in contact with all the folks who are new and praying that they would understand what it means to follow Jesus and receive him.

A Thank You Note to Church Starting

I would like to take this opportunity to Thank ya'll for all of the funding support ya'll have shared with Heaven Bound Cowboy Church.Ya'll have allowed us to heat and cool our facilities with your generous giving.I pray that our partnership will continue to grow In Our lord Jesus Christ.May the Lord Bless you and May the Lord Keep you.

-In His ServicePastor Chris Donaho

West of the Pecos Cowboy Church

GOD REALLY BLESSED US SUNDAY WITH A COMBINED WORSHIP WITH FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. DESERT REGIN LEAD THE PRAISE TEAM WORSHIP BOTH MORNING AND EVENING. WE HAD 135 IN MORNING AND 72 IN THE EVENING WORSHIP. PASTOR RICHARD RAY DID OPENING PRAYER AND BLESSING ON THE CHURCH. SATURDAY NIGHT MARO GONZALES , GREER WILLIS AND I WENT OUT TO CHURCH NEW SITE OF CHURCH. AT THIS TIME GREER GAVE A PRAYER OF BLESSING ON THE NEW CHURCH. THEY HAVE PUT THE DRIVE WAY ON THE LAND. LINDA AND I PLAN TO BUY A MOBILE HOME AND PUT OUT ON THE LAND TO LIVE IN. GOD HAS BLESSED US SO MUCH IN A SHORT TIME. WE ALSO HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH $600.00 MORE GIVING US $11,000.00 FOR NEW CHURCH BUILDING. THE CELBRATE RECOVERY GROUP IS GOING GREAT. WE HAVE ANOTHER LICENSED COUNSELOR JOING OUR GROUP GIVING US 2. I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO ALSO START A GROUP FOR WEIGHT LOSS. LINDA AND I ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE 7 PEOPLE WANTING TO GET INVOLVED AT THIS TIME. GOD IS BLESSING THIS MINISTRY SO MUCH. GOD HAS ALSO BLESSED US WITH THE GREATEST MOTHER CHURCH WE ARE ONE IN HIM LOVE RICK DERRICK PASTOR OF WEST OF THE PECOS COWBOY CHURCH

SOUTH TEXAS SCHOOL OF CHURCH STARTING
Success Story

The South Texas School of Church Stating has been a blessing to those attending. Since we began in March of 2010 the attendance has been an average of 14. Among those attending are church planters, sponsor church pastors, associational leaders, and core group members.

One of the church planters who has been attending is the pastor of Iglesia Bautista El Buen Pastor, Jaime Mata. Three of his core group members are also attending with him. God has moved in the hearts of two of these men through the training and they feel led to be church planters.

Librado Zavala has begun a home bible study and has a group of 14 meeting each week. He plans on launching a church start the first Sunday in October.

Victor Torres also has started a bible study in a Colonia with an attendance each week of 11, and will be launching a church start on 10-10-10 (Sept.10, 2010).

These are just two of the great things God is doing through the South Texas School of Church Starting.

Click on the link above if you would like more info about starting a church in your area.

1st Cowboy Church of Burnet

June 1, 2010

Throughout the first two months of 2010, old friends were supportive, new

friends were made, bonds were formed and new trails forged as prayers

and plans were put into motion and avenues were pursued to see a BGCT/

Western Heritage Cowboy Church established in Burnet County. Those many

prayers came to fruition on March 7, 2010, as the 1st Cowboy Church of

Burnet held her first service at the Burnet County Rodeo and Fairgrounds

Meeting Hall in Burnet, Texas, with a core group of 18.

Blessings continue to abound as the first three exciting months have

drawn to a close. May 22 and 23 was the official launch date of FCCB with

an attendance of 34 for Bar-B-Q and gospel music on both days. Area

musicians blessed the audience with their singing and musical talents.

Sincere appreciation goes to our church family and friends at FBC Weir,

the members of Travis County Cowboy Church, the staff of the BGCT/

Western Heritage/TFCC and the Burnet/Llano Baptist Association; as you

have each made this ministry possible through your prayers and generous

support. With grateful hearts the members of FCCB wish to say THANK

YOU!

For the Kingdom,

Glen Hickman, Pastor

Burnet County Rodeo and

Fair Grounds Meeting Room

1301 Houston Clinton Drive

silverspur.mag7@yahoo.com Burnet,

Texas 78611

512.966.5171

C3 Denton Baptisms

Hey Folks,
Above, you see Dustin Aguilar, one of our leaders, baptizing Domingo Rodriguez. This is from our Baptism service this last Sunday, May 2. We were privileged to baptize 7 people on the Courthouse Lawn in downtown Denton. It was an unbelievable day for everyone involved with us, and a huge milestone for our church. Please celebrate with us the new life of God in the lives of these 7 people.

New Generations Baptisms

Pictures from New Generations Fellowship New Braunfels baptism in the Guadalupe River. This wonderful new hispanic church baptized 26 people on Sunday May 2, 25 of them from professions of faith through their church, and 1 who is from Dallas, who was just floating the river, saw the baptism, and paddled over and asked 'May I be baptized?". After confirming that in fact the person has trusted Jesus Christ, Pastor Joe Tostado baptized her!

New Generations Fellowship is a year and a half old; they have just gone to two services and each of the last 2 Sundays their Sunday Worship attendance has exceeded 200. They have baptized over 60 new believers. They also have a dozen Life Groups (home cell groups) and a strong Kids' Club after school ministry to at risk children.

Comunidad Cristiana Peñitas

Hello Pray everyone had a great Resurrection service in their respective churches.

As promised here some pics from the Good Friday service we had Friday, APril 2 at 6 PM in Peñitas, in the Community Center. As mentioned previously, we had 32 present on Friday night with 16 children and youth and 16 adults. (The pics I am sending are of the adults; as soon as I receive the pics of the children I will send those along).
The exciting thing about Friday night was that the people of Peñitas took care of organizing the food and fellowship, the promotion and inviting their neighbors to Friday night's service. Additionally nine of those present asked to join the church offically, and I will also be speaking with 4 of them about baptism.

Please continue to lift up Comunidad Cristiana Peñitas in prayer as I believe we have reached a major milestone in the development of this new work. That the new members would continue in their excitement for the Lord and the "New thing" which God is doing in their midst, for a permanent location for worship services, in which we don't have to be concerned about having access as we currently do at the Community Center park, and for an enclosed trailer to house the chairs, tables, children's materials and supplies and sound system in the meantime.

In His grip,

Ruben Harrison Jr.

Church Planter/Pastor

Comunidad Cristiana Peñitas