Baptist Mission Association is now our official denomination affiliation. Not many people that I talk to about the BMA have heard of us. I like to think of us as the David to the rest of the Baptist Goliaths out there. Of course, there’s a story behind how we landed BMA. Let’s get into it!
So when I looked at church planting networks I had a top 2-3 list of banners I’d like to plant with, but I have to admit, the BMA was not on the short list. I looked at the big planting networks in Texas. I had narrowed it down to my top 2 and went through many interviews and assessments. The crazy thing is I nailed it! I was preapproved by both of my top picks!
This is where God stepped in and asked me to take a step back. Preapproved for funding and support is not as clear-cut as it sounds. When I got the pre-approval letters, I thought that meant they would be helping me to plant a church that plants churches throughout all the small towns in west Texas. But oddly nothing ever panned out.
All the while I was developing a friendship with a pastor with a similar vision and kindred heart. He finally cornered me and said something along the lines of “Bro, let me support you. I believe in you and want to make sure you can keep working and feeding your kids!” Wow! That’s about the best endorsement statement I may have ever heard! So I was invited to come to a BMA assessment. Actually, we were invited. My wife came with me. Also, I had a friend named Trevor Cowan who had been helping me plant from before day one, and he came with me too!
BMA said they believed in supporting missionary teams! The assessment was one long stressful interview after another. It was tough. After a pretty long day of interviews, we were preapproved! But this time it was different. The BMA put their money where their mouth is! They believed in us and were offering their help, support, and accountability. It’s a pretty unbelievable feeling. They are supporting Trevor and I as we plant churches that plant churches throughout west Texas! We are starting in Tahoka. It’s our goal that every person in Tahoka has a chance to hear and respond to the Gospel.
You will get to hear more from Trev in the upcoming blogs.