Dr. John Roach – Green Acres Baptist Church

As we turn the page from a season of gratitude to a season of great expectation, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the last two years. This is our second Thanksgiving in Tyler, and we are approaching our second Christmas. It was around this time in 2021 that the Lord revealed to our family that we were indeed called to serve in East Texas, specifically at Green Acres Baptist Church. The Lord had revealed to us the great opportunities for incredible impact across the world by serving at a church with such a deep legacy of mission-mindedness.

Our family has been so blessed by Green Acres, and in two short years we have fallen more and more in love with our church and our community. I should be transparent here and tell you that the transition was very difficult for our family. We moved our daughter in her sophomore year, and our sons were in their freshman, seventh, and sixth-grade years. While we knew God was moving us, sadness quickly set in as our family had forged incredible relationships while replanting a church during COVID. As many know, serving together as a church with other brothers and sisters quickly strengthens, molds, and fortifies relationships in a unique way. Our family had experienced this.

At the same time, God had been moving and forming a deep burden and conviction on my hear to plant churches in Texas, North America, and around the world. My wife Emily and I had multiple conversations about the desire to be part of a church-planting movement. I remember so vividly the conversation in our kitchen where we discussed our future. We quickly arrived at what we believed was God’s new call on our lives. We knew that God had placed a weight on our hearts to impact the world through strengthening and starting churches. As we discussed this calling with our family, we again felt great sadness, for we knew we would have to say goodbye to an incredible church family, but we also knew the best was yet to come.

The early months of 2022 felt like years as we transitioned. Our GABC family and staff proved to be a huge blessing as we trusted the Lord in the move. There were special blessings and interactions with families in our church, our Executive Staff, the Missions team, and so many others as we began to assimilate into our new post. While it has not all been puppy dogs and sunshine (as one friend says), it has been incredible. GABC was and is a constant reminder of what Paul challenged the church in Galatia with in Galatians 6:2, “Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Paul adds later in Galatians 6:10, “As we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.”

GABC family, you have taken the opportunity to work for the good of the Roach family. You continue to love us well. From our family to yours, thank you. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the Lord and His provision for our family in every way. We are especially grateful for you. So many of you continue to pray for us, encourage us, care for us, and so much more.

Your love and care for us has only emboldened our desire to plant churches around the world like Green Acres. Can you imagine the impact of a church that loves Jesus and its community the way our church does in every city around the world? This is our motivation. The truth of Jesus is the only thing that can transform lives, and the Lord Jesus has graciously set apart the church to be the beacon of hope and life so the world may know Him. This truth, His gospel, is “The power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Roman 1:16). Luke reminds us, “There is salvation is no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). And it is us, the church, whom Jesus has “sent into the world” (John 17:18) to be “sanctified by the truth” (John 17:17) so the world may know that God sent Jesus to show the world God loves them the way He loves His son (John 17:23).

I am grateful to be part of a church that seeks to be a beacon of hope both here in our own community and around the world. It is a blessing to call Green Acres our church home and an honor to serve alongside you.

A Note from John Roach

hannahs — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 20:47:54 +0000

World Mission Offering (Pray, Give, Go)

God is moving in incredible ways in our city, across our country, and around the world! This time of year allows us to remember and celebrate what the Lord is doing and how He is using our church to make a difference around the world. GABC has a robust legacy of supporting church planters and missionaries. Many of you have participated in mission endeavors through praying, giving, and going, and I want you to know that God is using you!

Pray. So many of you pray regularly for our missionaries, pastors, planters, workers, staff, and laborers. One pastor said, “Nothing of eternal significance ever happens apart from prayer.” The book of Acts is replete with this truth in action. In Acts 1:15-26, believers prayed for guidance in decisions. Acts 2:42-47 records that believers prayed regularly for their daily ministry. In Acts 4:23-31, believers prayed for courage to witness for Jesus. Acts 7:55-60 records Stephen praying as he was being stoned. Peter and John prayed for the Samaritans in Acts 8:14-17. In Acts 9:36-43, Peter prayed before he raised Dorcas from the dead. Cornelius prayed that God would show him how to be saved in Acts 10:1-4. Believers prayed for Peter while in prison, and God delivered him from prison and death in Acts 12:1-11. The church at Antioch prayed, and the Holy Spirit sent out Paul and Barnabas to plant churches in Acts 13:1-5 and 14:21-23. I could go on and on, but I think you get it. Prayer is critical for Kingdom work.

Give. Consider this: Jesus appears to the disciples (Acts 1:3), He tells them they will become His witnesses (Acts 1:8), Peter preaches the first sermon (Acts 1:16-2:40), people accepted his message, were saved and baptized, and the church was born (Acts 2:41). Acts 2:42-47 then describes how the first saints (Christians) met together. They devoted themselves to the Word of God and the leadership of the Apostles (Acts 2:42), they were in awe of God’s power (2:43), they sold their possessions and met each other’s needs financially (Acts 2:45), they devoted themselves to meeting together regularly (2:46), they remembered the gospel as they broke bread together (Acts 2:46), and they worshipped (Acts 2:47). Focus with me on Acts 2:45, which says, “Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.”

Clearly, a unique generosity emerged among the first believers in the first church. I am grateful that a unique generosity is also present in our own church. Over the last two years, you have given over $2.5 million to the World Mission Offering. You also responded to disasters with your generosity, like the need in the Ukraine and the war between Israel and Hamas. Your generosity is abundant, and God continues to use it in tremendous ways—from ministry efforts right here in our own city to supporting church planters and missionaries around the world. Thank you for faithfully supporting the ministries of our church and worldwide efforts to bring the gospel of Jesus to people, make disciples, and plant churches.

Go. Jesus told the disciples in Acts 1:8, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 2-12 records the efforts of the early church to reach Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. Then, in Acts 13:2-3 Luke writes, “The Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.” This is the moment the Holy Spirit turned the church’s efforts to the ends of the earth. They were “sent” by their church and “set apart” by the Spirit.

Since January 2022…GABC has sent almost 50 short-term mission teams to work with local churches and ministries in Hawaii, Washington (state), Colorado, Texas, Massachusetts, Maine, Florida, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Costa Rica, Mexico, Scotland, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Brazil, Colombia, and Pakistan. We have sent three missionaries to Southeast Asia. We have relaunched the Flint Campus, and we launched the Espanol Campus. We have hosted 45 block parties distributing over ten thousand 3-Circles gospel tracts. Our Connect Groups continue to serve our city in incredible ways, partnering with Bethesda Health Clinic, Breckenridge Village, Disaster Relief, Hope Haven, Prison Ministry, Refuge of Light, School Outreach, the Fostering Collective, Triumph Village, and more. We have trained eight residents in our School of Ministry. One of the residents will be the campus pastor to our next campus (prayerfully in 2024).

Our church is taking the idea of “going” seriously! God is using our church in incredible ways!

WHAT’S NEXT?
As you continue to pray, give, and go, here are some opportunities we would ask you to consider and pray for:
Our next GABC campus launch in 2024

Church planting efforts in Southeast Asia
Church plants in Scotland, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Mexico, Colombia, Italy, Hawaii, Washington, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, and Brazil
Crusade in Zambia to plant five churches in one summer
Summer missionaries, semester missionaries, year-long missionaries, and long-term missionaries sent out from our church
Church planters and teams sent out from our church
More short-term teams

GET EQUIPPED!
Sharing the Gospel with those from a Catholic Background

GABC Missions invites your Connect Group to listen as Local Missions Director Samuel Sadler interviews a former Catholic on how we can effectively share the gospel with those from a Catholic background. Click HERE to register for this free evangelism training event (Childcare available) on Wednesday, November 8th at 6 PM in Crosswalk!

Wisdom With Words | Wisdom

connorn — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 16:07:42 +0000

CONNECT AT GREEN ACRES

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Dr. John Roach – Green Acres Baptist Church

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