Leadership Posts
Revisioning – The Governance Model
We have been enacting the strategy adopted by the Executive Board and are now moving toward the final steps of implementing the report recommendations. One recommendation addressed revisioning the present Governance Model of the TEBA: Recommendation 8: For the Governance Model of the TEBA to be reviewed and revised, with the recommendations being presented to the Executive Board for final approval
To Include or Consider the following
Clergy Appreciation Month 2025
October is Clergy Appreciation Month. How will your congregation demonstrate its appreciation this year? Serving as a minister is no small task—especially in today’s world. Even in the best of times, ministry demands deep emotional, physical, and spiritual reserves.
Church Spotlight – Cleveland’s First Baptist Church
In this month’s Church and Pastor spotlight, we spoke with Ed Seay, current pastor of FBC Cleveland. Prior to this, he served as pastor of Magnolia’s First BC for 30 years. Called to ministry at 14 years old, he received his education first at Houston Baptist College, then SWBTS and Luther Rice Seminary, where he received his Master’s and DMin, respectively. He and his wife, Cindy, have been married for almost 53 years. They have 5 grown children and 20 grandchildren.
AI and the Church
Does AI (Artificial Intelligence) have a place in the ministry of the local church? Over the last several years, there has been an increasing awareness and use of AI in fields including medicine, education, journalism, call centers, and online chatbots. It’s even found its way into the local church. Churches have used AI for Outreach, Administrative Tasks, Content Creation, Data Analysis, Volunteer Management, and Multilingual Support. There are reports of some pastors using AI in writing their sermons – not recommended.
Church Spotlight – Crossroads Baptist Church
In this month’s Church and Pastor spotlight, we spoke with Marcus Hayes, pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in The Woodlands, where he began pastoring five years ago at the very beginning of Covid. He and his wife have been married for 16 years and have 3 daughters. Marcus did his undergrad work at Moody Bible Institute, received a Master’s degree from SWBTS, and is presently wrapping up his doctoral studies in Twenty-First Century Leadership at Anderson University in South Carolina.
Cross TEBA 2025
As we find ourselves fighting the heat of another Texas summer, we want to report on something remarkable that has been happening in our area. Several churches within the TEBA have voluntarily partnered together in an effort to get the gospel deeper into their local communities. Two churches in particular have been leading this charge within our association for several years: West Conroe Baptist Church and First Montgomery Baptist Church. Each summer, they recruit scores of volunteers from within their congregations to love loudly in their respective communities by performing various acts of random kindness – all with the intention of being the hands and feet of Jesus and sparking gospel conversations with people who may never darken the doors of their churches. I have personally participated in some of these events with my family and have always been in awe of watching regular people with no formal theological training being used by God to advance his kingdom. And a funny thing happens when they step out in faith: it emboldens them to want to do more.
Church Spotlight – Riverside Baptist Church
In this month’s Church and Pastor spotlight, we spoke with Jim Newton, pastor of Riverside Baptist Church in Riverside, TX, where he has pastored for 29 years. Jim received his education from Hiles Anderson College in Indiana and finished up at Liberty University. Having been married for 54 years, he has three grown children, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Jim is the author of a new book, Through the Storm, which he will be discussing at the TEBA’s next Leadership Connect meeting on Monday, August 11 at noon.
READY…SET…GO!
As we transition from June to July, church camps and VBS programs are in full swing across the TEBA. During the first week of June, many churches were reporting lower than normal numbers of children attending VBS; however, that trend quickly evaporated as many churches are now reporting record numbers of attendees.
Church Spotlight – Grace Village Church
In this month’s Church and Pastor spotlight, we spoke with Alan Hale, pastor of a new church plant, Forest View Church, located in Roman Forest within New Caney, where he has pastored for almost one year. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Lee University (Cleveland, TN) and has completed two years of seminary with DTS in Houston. He and Elizabeth have been married almost 13 years and have 4 children, Rosalyn, Brannen, Ingrid, and Emmett.
Summer Reading 2025
One of the best parts of the summer months is the books I can look forward to reading. Allow me to share a portion of the books that I think you might find of interest as well. Whether you read one of these books or others on your own list, allow your summer to be one for personal growth.
Church Spotlight – ForestView Church
In this month’s Church and Pastor spotlight, we spoke with Jon Canterbury, pastor of a new church plant, Forest View Church, located between Conroe and Willis, where he has pastored for the past year. He received his MDiv from Baylor University, where he met his wife, Myka, and his PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. They have been married for fifteen years with two children, Grayson (14) and Reece (13).
100 Years of Impact
Our family became a part of an SBC church before I was 6 years old. My parents left a strong Independent Baptist Church because they sensed God’s leadership to move to a church context with a larger vision of ministry that shared their high commitment to the Scripture.