Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial

TX pastor plants church in rural area, sees God work in ‘these little towns’

  • November 6, 2022
  • Southern Baptist Texan
  • Church Life, Featured, Latest News, Texas
(Photo courtesy of the Southern Baptist Texan)

TX pastor plants church in rural area, sees God work in ‘these little towns’

In the midst of planning his retirement and trips to enjoy with his family, Jose Luis Hernandez never imagined he would receive a call from God that would change the course of his life.

God began to prepare the way for this change when Hernandez and his family decided to move to a small, rural town in Texas — taking him from a life in the city that he loved to living and ministering in a rural setting for the first time in his life.

“I always liked to be surrounded by people and the hustle and bustle of the city,” Hernandez said, “but today I love this place.”

Small population

Hernandez and his family moved to Itasca and are planting a church about an hour’s drive away in Mexia, a town with a population just shy of 7,000 people located about 40 miles east of Waco.

Before planting in Mexia, Hernandez received an offer to pastor a church in Fort Worth. That same day, he sought direction in prayer to find God’s plan for his family and him.

An hour after praying, Hernandez received a call from the leader of an association of churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention expressing interest in starting a Mexia church plant.

That phone call led Hernandez to plant Iglesia Bautista Alcance Hispano (Hispanic Outreach Baptist Church). The church plant is part of a larger vision that aims to plant more Hispanic churches among the 22 Anglo churches in the small towns bordering Mexia.

Hernandez says he had never worked in a rural area before, but after discussing the idea with his wife and their children (who range in age from adults to teenagers) and continuing to pray about the opportunity, he felt God’s call and accepted the challenge.

New interactions

Chuy Avila, SBTC en Español’s lead associate, encouraged the Hernandez family to look for intentional ways to meet and interact with the people of Mexia.

“We didn’t know anyone,” he said. “We were just told to start working and get to know the people in the area.”

They started in January 2022 and for two months dedicated themselves to driving around the streets of Mexia, praying and declaring the Word of God around town.

Every Sunday, they visited different churches in the city and surrounding towns to make connections and let them know about the new church they would be planting.

“At first it was hard for me, but looking at the life of the apostle Paul, we see that he intentionally went and talked with the people and stayed with them,” Hernandez said. “The people got to know him until he could teach them the gospel, they accepted Jesus, and then they did what Paul had taught them.”

Beginning in March, Hernandez and his family handed out evangelism tracts at gas stations, laundromats and outside stores for several months. On other occasions, the family would play music in parking lots where people were gathered and offer to pray for those who passed by.

It wasn’t long before they began to see God move.

Provision

“People began to accept Jesus and were asking where our church is, but we still had no place to meet,” he said.

They began to pray for God to provide a place while they continued to do evangelistic work, until one day they had a special meeting with four young men at a Walmart parking lot. As he had been doing for months, Hernandez approached the young men to give them a tract and to pray for them.

This time, something different happened.

One of the young men asked Hernandez if he would be willing to lead a Bible study at his apartment. Hernandez happily agreed, and in that apartment, the seeds of what could be known as Iglesia Bautista Alcance Hispano were planted.

Later, already in urgent need of a place to congregate before holding a block party, Hernandez established contact with Nic Collins, the minister of youth and education at First Baptist Church Mexia. Through that contact, and a subsequent meeting with the church’s missions ministry, FBC Mexia provided a house that could be used as a meeting location for the church plant.

Alcance Hispano holds prayer meetings on Fridays and worship services on Sundays. The church already has about 25 people, many from different countries, who have gone from death to life by accepting Christ, meeting every week, growing in faith, and reaching other Hispanics.

“This is not easy. There is a lot of work, tears and joys,” Hernandez said, “but we are very excited about what God is doing. I know that God has great things for these little towns.”


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Arlene Sanabria and originally published by the Southern Baptist Texan. 

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Evangelism gives life to dying KY church that dwindled to 9 members
    Evangelism gives life to dying KY church that dwindled to 9 members
    March 27, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Artificial intelligence and Baptist associations
    Artificial intelligence and Baptist associations
    March 27, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for April 2
    Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for April 2
    March 27, 2023/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Evangelism gives life to dying KY church that dwindled to 9 members

Williams Memorial Baptist Church Ravenna, Kentucky, was down to nine members following COVID–19’s devastating surge. The doors weren’t yet closed, but the sound of creaking

a computer keyboard with a green logo on it

Artificial intelligence and Baptist associations

Artificial intelligence applications such as ChatGPT are growing rapidly. The creators themselves are surprised by the fast-growing interest in this resource. Part of their surprise

Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for April 2

Jesus Died for Me John 19:16–19, 28–30, 38–42 There is a small community in southern Mississippi by the name of It — yes, It. There

Nashville tragedy: Shooter kills 6 people at Christian school

Police are investigating a deadly shooting reported Monday morning (March 27) at a private, Christian school in Nashville. According to authorities, an armed 28-year-old transgender

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2023 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel