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By HEITH MITCHELL Executive Director of Missions Oasis Church in Levelland reached the self-support milestone this month and celebrated it big. Your BMAT Missions office supports missions for 5 years as they prepare to step out on their own. Oasis has reached that moment. They celebrated with worship, a video looking back, testimonies from the congregation, presentations and encouragement in the word from Elvis Garcia and I. Then the church enjoyed a fellowship meal.
It is always exciting to see a church reach its first pastoral transition milestone. We have gotten to see this several times already among the 27 churches the Lord has established in Texas the last decade. This month, Lighthouse of Hope Baptist Church in Katy had this moment. Oluwatobi (Tobi) Ife Adediran was ordained and approved as the new pastor by the congregation. Aderemi Badru, their missionary pastor, officially stepped aside in the same service. Aderemi is your new BMA of America missionary to Athens, Georgia. The service was reverent and uplifting. It represented the seriousness of the moment well. A Baptist church is organized well when the congregation can navigate the selection of a pastor.
The theme of this Baptist Progress is women in ministry. We know and value the contribution of godly women in ministry. I think of the sacrifice and commitment from each of our missionary wives. They walk faithfully beside their husbands and support them in carrying out their overseer role. They engage in disciple-making beside all believers. They serve the body and share the gospel in important ways. My mind then goes to all the ladies who have been used by the Lord in critical ways in the formation of new churches. I have witnessed modern day “Lydias” in churches all over the state. Ladies of the BMA, you are daughters of God and important to His kingdom. It is an honor to serve beside you.
A WORD FROM YOUR MISSIONARIES
The mission is growing very fast and it demands a lot of attention. I ask for wisdom to move forward. Prayer Needs: Please pray for my wife and I so we can continue moving forward as a team serving God.
God continues to empower our people as they invest in the lives of others. One discipleship group has now moved to the second generation, and those being discipled are now discipling others. There are many stories of our people representing Christ in their workplace and neighborhoods, having many opportunities to share His name. Our Sunday evening group is now transitioning into a house church and should be welcoming new members by the start of the summer. Lives are being changed, God’s people are engaging His mission with His heart and we are growing as His body and His family. This month, we hosted an Easter lunch for the neighborhood. Many families we’ve built relationships with were able to join us, some with unchurched backgrounds, some with other religious backgrounds and some with a history of hurt from church experiences. They had a blast. We had three egg hunts for various age groups, shared fajitas, built and deepened friendships and our church members had spiritual conversations with love and respect. Three of the neighborhood women asked my wife to meet with them to share parenting tips and secrets. Later that month, they met at a local coffee shop (owned by a new friend we met at our neighborhood block party) to talk through life, faith and parenting. A second meeting in our home followed with deeper conversations about faith, past experiences and parenting with hope. Please pray for those women as my wife invites them to explore the scriptures together. As the Easter lunch was ending, my friend from the neighborhood stayed behind to hear my story of coming to know Jesus personally. He respectfully listened as God planted this seed in his heart. We have missed being able to meet each other a few times, so please pray that the Lord waters and nurtures that seed into blooming. He was the neighbor who hosted a block party earlier that month, so we anticipate the Lord using him to connect many people to Christ once he’s a follower of Him. Our Sunday evening Bible study is now transitioning into a house church. Excitement is growing to be Christ’s body together, to discover our gifts and to reach the world with the loving mercy, grace and truth of Christ. Prayer Needs: Please pray that the Lord continues to bless our people’s efforts in sharing Christ with their family, friends and coworkers. Please ask God to continue building a passion for being family together and to joyfully go beyond mission with Christ. Please pray for continued favor on our conversations with the lost in our community, for God to empower us to bless them so they see the love of Christ and for wisdom as we seek to engage more deeply and meaningfully in the lives of those we meet.
On April 19, I assisted FBC Conroe’s Executive Pastor Alan Armstrong with two baptisms: Valeria and Tania. What a blessing to witness these two sisters of the Spanish ministry taking this step. It is a true gift. Praise the Lord! For the very first time, we met in the sanctuary of FBC Conroe. Prayer Needs: A fruitful ministry in 2026 for God’s glory.
We have gotten approval to do a brief advertisement on our city’s Facebook page, which has gotten fairly good engagement. We are also starting to use a room in our city’s family life center for our Bible studies, at a very fair price. Prayer Needs: Pray that I stay encouraged and energized. I usually am, but it’s great to know people are praying.
This month we have seen some really meaningful moments. One member needed to find a new apartment quickly, and another jumped in to help with the search and the move. There is a great sense of community forming here. We are also seeing people be more open in the Bible study and discussion. We are very joyful to see what has happened lately. Thank you for your support and prayers. Prayer Needs: Please pray for God’s provision and protection for this mission.
We have coordinated multiple churches across the city to come together for a citywide revival. Prayer Needs: Pray that the Lord will use me for His glory!
SThe change we are seeing in brothers and sisters regarding their commitment to the gospel is remarkable; it speaks to the testimony they are giving in the way they now live. They are also seeking to begin guided discipleship with members of their families. Prayer Needs: Pray for the unification and non-separation of families by the government, pray for my daughter Karen since she will give birth to my first grandchild on June 16, also for the health of the baby that is forming in the womb of Sister Rudelys since the doctors informed them of a problem in the baby.
I believe that many of the planters and pastors who have come from other lands have done so to help the United States in its spiritual life, just as its missionaries planted the seed of salvation in our countries. Prayer Needs: Please pray for my ministry in San Antonio.
We had our first Brisket Sunday, at our new location. Our Church is back to having potlucks, the way it should be. Thank you for all your prayers. Prayer Needs: Please pray that we can get new people to come to our Church at this new location.
We have been studying in Genesis for the last several months and have almost finished the life of Joseph. It has been an encouraging reminder that God is sovereign over all things as we wait on Him to move in people’s lives. We have dropped in number again but continue steadfast. God is faithful! Prayer Needs: Pray for spiritual and physical protection for our family. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel. Growth in the lives of the couple we’re discipling.  Easter Outreach 2026 Comments are closed.
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