Baptist Progress
Jacksonville College and Central Baptist College Unite to Expand Christ-Centered Educational PathwaysBy JESSICA FAULKNER
Assistant Vice President for Communications & Marketing 
United by a shared mission to prepare students for lives of faith and service, Central Baptist College (CBC) in Conway, Arkansas, and Jacksonville College in Jacksonville, Texas, have entered into a new partnership that makes continuing a Christ-centered education easier than ever before. Leaders from both institutions met on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, at the Arkansas–Texas state line in downtown Texarkana to officially sign a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agreement creates a seamless pathway for students completing associate degrees at Jacksonville College to transfer directly into bachelor’s degree programs at CBC—whether on campus or through CBC’s online programs.
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Pastor Appreciation Month: It is Never Too Late - 7 Meaningful Ways to Show You CareBy WHITNEY SPARKS
Baptist Progress Writer 
Pastors work extremely hard to shepherd the flock God has entrusted to them. An excellent way for the church to express its gratitude is to show love and support for him each Sunday in October during Pastor Appreciation Month, or on the second Sunday in October, which is known as Pastor Appreciation Day.
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A Word from Your Missions OfficeBy HEITH MITCHELL
Executive Director of Missions 
It is BMA of Texas Annual Meeting time! I look forward to seeing so many of you and reporting on all that God is doing in Texas Missions. Your missionaries saw 30 saved this month. Your missionaries are faithful, and God is building His churches. We get to celebrate the 125th birthday of the BMA of Texas, Texas Missions, and the WMA at the meeting. God has been so good to us!
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Prayer at TBHC: A Vital Part of Our MissionBy JASON CURRY
President, TBHC 
Prayer continues to guide everything we do at TBHC. Our faith in God’s leading isn’t just important—it’s essential to how we care for children. As we courageously change for the sake of those we serve, one conviction God has laid on my heart is this: public prayer must be understood as vital, not optional. It’s part of our testimony. It’s part of our mission.
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Courageous for the KidsBy CHRIS DRIVER
Baptist Progress Writer 
Writing your first book is a very intimidating and scary ordeal for most people. Like all creative endeavors, publishing a book for the whole world to see (and critique) requires writers to be vulnerable with their most intimate thoughts. In fact, it is such a dauntingly intimate process that most people with a desire to write a book never actually muster the courage to make it happen.
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Jaguar Athletics Fall RecapBy JACOB ROWLAND, DANIEL LEATHERMAN,
& TOM WAIT Jacksonville College Coaching Staff 
The cross-country team had a lot of success this season. In early November, they traveled to Fort Dodge, Iowa, to compete in the NJCAA Division II national championship. At race time, about four inches of snow had fallen and continued to fall during the race. For a team of Texans, this was very different from what they were accustomed. Despite the rough conditions, they ran an amazing race and represented Jacksonville College well. The men’s team had a record-setting day, coming in 11th in the nation, the highest finish in the team’s history.
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The Gospel Changes EverythingBy DR. JOHN DAVID SMITH
President, bmaglobal.org 
Every generation of believers must rediscover the power of the gospel. It is not simply a message to be preached but a force that transforms every part of life. When the gospel enters a heart, a home, or a community, everything changes. This new series, The Gospel Changes Everything, will highlight stories from the field and principles that remind us why we exist as BMA Global, to make disciples of all nations through the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
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How God Turned My Doubt into FaithMANAR'S STORY, MIDDLE EAST
My name is Manar. I’m a pastry chef, a mother of three–ages 10, 11, and 12–and a widow for eight years. When my youngest was still a toddler, my husband became a believer in Christ. I, however, wanted nothing to do with it. In fact, the more he talked about his faith, the more resistant I became. I dug in my heels and eventually declared myself an atheist.
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Once a Wizard, Now a WitnessAKEEM'S STORY, NIGERIA
My name is Akeem Ayuba. I am 29 years old and from the Republic of Benin. For many years, I lived as a wizard, bound by the powers of darkness, until I encountered the gospel of Jesus Christ on January 2, 2021, at Word Alive Missionary Baptist Church in Ibadan, Nigeria, through Brother Joseph Eniowo. That day, my life was forever changed. I lost my father when I was still a baby and my mother when I was only two years old.
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The Gospel Changes Everything: Soki’s StoryBy EMILY BRANTLEY
Lifeword, lifeword.org 
In the heart of Tabora, Tanzania, the sound of the gospel drifts softly through open windows every Sunday morning. From Radio Uhai, voices rise in worship, Scripture is read aloud, and the message of Jesus Christ is spoken with clarity and love. For many, this broadcast is more than just a radio program—it’s a lifeline. Among those forever changed by it is a man named Soki.
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Builders Building BunksBy NELDA MALONE
Master’s Builders Reporter 
In September, Master’s Builders began work at Daniel Springs Camp in Gary. Jason Prewitt, camp director, asked the Builders to come and do modifications on 200 bunk beds in one of the camps largest cabins. They needed to change each bunk bed from 28 inch bunks to a more standard 36 inch bunk. All the bunkbeds had to be disassembled, widened, and then reassembled. The men did all this in eight workdays. They also repurposed a lot of the removed wood to add storage areas between the bunks for each bunk to access. In addition, the Builders added a general storage area at the end of the cabin along the back wall.
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WMA Local News and Updates
The annual meeting of the Texas WMA will be Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Pathway, Waxahachie. It begins at 9 a.m. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. You are encouraged to attend as we celebrate the 125th anniversary of the BMA of Texas and the WMA.
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In Loving Memory
Annabelle Anderson
Annabelle Anderson, 91, of Jacksonville, passed away October 23, 2025. She was a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church and the wife of Barnwell Anderson. Mrs. Anderson served at Jacksonville College from 1959-1998, where she left a lasting impression. A visitation was held on Oct. 27 at Autry Funeral Home in Jacksonville. Memorials can be made in C. Barnwell and Annabelle’s memory to the Texas Southern Gospel School of Music (TSGSM) by mail, 305 Trailwood Drive, Crockett, Texas 75835.
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2026 BMA OF AMERICA MEETING
WHEN: April 21-22, 2026 WHERE: Antioch Baptist Church, Conway 5th ANNUAL PREACHING CONFERENCE WHEN: February 23-24, 2026 WHERE: Round Prairie Baptist Church, Fairfield THE TABLE: A BAPTIST PROGRESS LEADERSHIP GATHERING WHEN: February 28, 2026 WHERE: Jacksonville College, Jacksonville 2026 SOAR YOUTH CONFERENCE WHEN: July 1-3, 2026 WHERE: Norman, Oklahoma |
PASTOR—First Missionary, Terrell is seeking a bivocational pastor. Contact Bro. Buddy Sadler at 469- 410-0468. TFN
PASTOR—Soda Baptist Church, Livingston is seeking a full-time pastor. Send resume to Soda Baptist Search Committee, 8135 US Hwy 190 E, Livingston, TX 77351 or to [email protected]. Call 936-328-0802 for more information. TFN PASTOR—Calvary, Ennis is seeking a bi-vocational pastor. Send resume to Calvary Search Committee, PO Box 1402, Ennis, TX 75120 or to [email protected]. Call 903-593-2123. TFN PASTOR—Davis Street, Sulphur Springs is seeking a full time pastor. Resumes can be sent to [email protected] or to 427 Gilmer St, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. TFN PASTOR—Oaklawn, Vicksburg, is seeking a pastor. Send resume to David Beard at [email protected] or call 601-415-8330. TFN PASTOR—Zion Hill, Jasper is seeking full-time pastor. Send resume to Gayl Smith, PO Box 1723, Jasper TX 75951 or [email protected] call 409-289-4510 for more information. TFN PASTOR—Cross Roads, Winnsboro is seeking a pastor. Send resume to Mack Jordan, 1314 CR 4970 Winnsboro, Tx 75494 or call 903-629-3609. TFN PASTOR—Caney, Streetman is seeking a full-time/bi-vocational pastor to serve our church and community. Send resume to Bobby Bonner, PO Box 25, Fairfield, TX 75840 or email to [email protected]. The church is located at 438 FM 833W, Streetman, TX 75859. Call Bobby Bonner at 903-390-3372 for more information. YOUTH MINISTRY LEADER—First, Palmer is seeking a full-time youth ministry leader. For more information, email Pastor Gary Southard at [email protected]. TFN |
SAM MARTIN is the new youth & outreach minister at Lakeridge, Lubbock.
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Baptist Missionary Association of Texas
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USPS: 043120 • ISSN: 005-5751
Published every third week of the month by the Baptist Missionary Association of Texas Morgan Standifer, Team Lead [email protected] P.O. Box 2085 • Waxahachie, Texas 75168 972-923-0756 (office) • 972-923-3534 (fax) www.baptistprogress.org Periodical postage paid at Waxahachie, Texas 75165 and at additional mailing offices SUBSCRIPTION RATE: Mail Church Plan: $2.00 per month E-Mail Church Plan: $1.50 per month Mail Subscription: $27.00 per year E-mail Subscription: $21.00 per year (Advertising Rates Available on Request) |
