The GBA Connection: Summer Edition
- Grayson Baptist Association
- Aug 1
- 7 min read
June - July Newsletter
The GBA Connection
Strengthening cooperation and celebrating God's work across Grayson County.
June and July have been filled with ministry across Grayson County. From Vacation Bible Schools and mission trips to camps, restoration projects, and outreach opportunities, our churches have faithfully proclaimed the Gospel and served their communities all summer long!
Hagerman Baptist Church prays over Sean Hively, Student Minister, and Dave Tuley, Worship Minister, as they begin this new season of ministry.
The Association in Action
Creativity in Cooperation
One of the greatest joys of serving the Grayson Baptist Association is celebrating the many ways our churches are reaching their communities with the Gospel.
Just two of the many stories we could share from this summer come from Forest Avenue Baptist Church, where Pastor Brian Taylor and a faithful team of church members developed a new way to reach their community through their Skillz Camp, using practical life skills to point children to the truth of God’s Word.
First Baptist Church Collinsville also demonstrated incredible creativity when its camp plans unexpectedly changed. Rather than canceling, Pastor Tar Henderson and a dedicated team of volunteers created their own “Surprise Camp.” Joined by ministers from both Hagerman and Georgetown Baptist Church, they provided children with an unforgettable week of worship, biblical teaching, and fun!
From Pulpits to the Partnerships
One of the greatest privileges of serving on the GBA staff, for both the BSM Director and Associational Mission Strategist, is coming alongside our churches wherever the need arises.
Throughout the summer, we have had the opportunity to fill in many Pulpits while also enjoying Worship at so many places! It has been a joy to worship with and serve churches including FBC Bells, FBC Gunter, FBC Collinsville, FBC Tom Bean, Cherry Mound, Trinity, Cannon, Hagerman, Sherwood Shores and Bones Chapel just to name a few...
Beyond the pulpit, it has also been a joy to welcome new pastors to our Association, lead Pastor Search Committee Trainings, and to see our Ministry Supply list continue to grow through new volunteers and additional training like the Interim Pastor Training through the SBTC.
Collectively, these opportunities allow our staff to better serve our churches and strengthen Gospel ministry across our county. Thank you to all of our Faithful Pastors who entrust our staff with these opportunities!
2026 GBA Teams
Teamwork that Makes a Difference
One of the great strengths of the Grayson Baptist Association is the network of pastors and ministry leaders who serve through our GBA Ministry Teams. The 2026 teams include:
Church Planting Team – Chair: Mike Flanagan, Pastor, FBC Whitesboro
Care Team – Chair: Steve Suffron, Pastor, FBC Denison
Crisis / Strike Team – Chair: Ricky Hargrave, Interim Pastor, West Sherman
Properties Team – Chair: Brian Taylor, Pastor, Forest Avenue Baptist
Student Ministry Team / Network – Chair: Tana Bates, Student Minister, Trinity Baptist
Worship Ministry Team – Chair: Austin Estes, Worship Minister, The Bridge Tioga
Team Spotlight: Care Team
Healthy churches begin with healthy leaders. That is the heart behind the Grayson Baptist Association’s Pastor Care Team, a group of pastors and ministry leaders dedicated to encouraging, equipping, and supporting those who faithfully serve our churches.
The team’s mission is to promote healthy churches by investing in the spiritual and emotional well-being of pastors and church leaders. This is accomplished by encouraging leaders in their own walk with Christ, equipping churches to better care for their pastors and ministry staff, and fostering genuine friendships among pastors and church leaders throughout our Association.
Throughout the summer, this team has been laying the groundwork for new ideas, strategies, and ministry initiatives designed to strengthen the health of pastors, church leaders, and churches across Grayson County. We look forward to sharing these opportunities as they begin to take shape and are excited about the impact they will have on our churches for years to come!
BSM Roof
Restoration Project
Raising a Roof. Reaching the Next Generation.
Just a few months ago, we shared an urgent need regarding the roof at our Baptist Student Ministry building. Today, we are excited to share that the project is COMPLETE!
Throughout the month of July, a brand-new roof was installed, ensuring the BSM is ready to welcome students as the fall semester begins as soon as access is granted! What once seemed like a significant challenge has become a testimony of God’s faithfulness through His people.
To every church, individual, and ministry partner who prayed, gave, and encouraged this effort, we say THANK YOU! Your generosity made this project possible, and your investment will continue impacting college students for years to come. Friend, this is what answered prayer looks like!
God not only provided for this urgent need, but He provided beyond it. Any gifts received above the amount needed for the BSM Roof Restoration Project will now be invested in other GBA strategic restoration projects, helping strengthen ministry spaces across our Association.
The last picture above tells an even bigger story. In front of the worker standing on the newly completed roof is the massive student health science building being built right beside our BSM. That new colossal structure represent an the colossal opportunity we have to reach the generation of students with the Gospel!
We want you to know while the roof is complete, the mission is just beginning for this Fall!
Be sure to follow our social media channels as we continue sharing stories of what God is doing through the BSM!
For a video update, click the button below:
Our Strategic Remodel is about to Begin!
For more than 20 years, our Loy Lake Property has served as a home base for strengthening churches, equipping leaders, and advancing Gospel ministry across Grayson County.
With the BSM Roof Restoration Project now complete, we are excited to begin the next phase of restoration. Our vision remains to transform existing office space into a future Christian Counseling Center while updating our conference area into a modern training hub for seminary classes, church planting cohorts, leadership gatherings, and ministry training events.
We are excited to share that our newly formed GBA Restoration Team is actively making plans, and construction on the first phase of this project is expected to begin soon. This marks another exciting step in preparing our facilities to better serve churches, pastors, and ministry leaders for years to come.
This is more than a renovation; it is an investment in pastors, churches, and the future of Gospel ministry throughout our region. Every gift toward this project helps strengthen churches, equip leaders, and expand Kingdom impact across Grayson County.
Stay tuned… construction is about to begin, and we look forward to sharing the transformation with you every step of the way!
Baptist Student Ministry
Fun Summer with a Great Future
From worship in the park to a Texas Rangers Game, this summer has been one for the books! We had the awesome opportunity to meet new and returning students as they sought community and fun at our BSM Summer events. Thank you to everyone who helped us by ministering to students and providing fun places for them to go.
Through these events, students have grown eager anticipation for the new school year and so have we. In preparation for the Fall 2026 semester, a project was begun to replace the old and damaged BSM roof. We are super excited that the ROOF HAS BEEN REPLACED thanks to our loving church and generous donors. Words cannot express how much we appreciate each and every one of you!
Now that we are ready and prepared to kick off this school year, we want to invite you to this semester's Sweets and Greets on August 15th at 6:00 p.m. This incredible event is an awesome opportunity for you to meet and minister to incoming and returning students. We want to invite you to join us by bringing desserts and prizes for students to win through giveaways. If you would like to sign up or get more information, sign up below!
If you know any high school graduates or college students coming to Grayson College this Fall, we would love for you to send them our way! We can't wait to welcome them at the BSM and show them the amazing love of Jesus!
Be sure to follow our page online to stay up to date with what God is doing on & off the College Campus!
Lake Retreat & Campground
The Perfect Place for Your Summer Getaway!
If we’re going to start one project, why not start them all?
While construction preparations continue at the GBA Office, we’re also making exciting improvements at our Lake Retreat & Campground. A special thank you goes to the team from Kentucky Town Baptist Church, who recently volunteered their time to completely repaint the walls of our dormitory.
As you’ll notice in the pictures, there are still more projects ahead! If your church has a skilled work team that would enjoy serving through painting, construction, landscaping, or other improvement projects, we would love to partner with you.
Even with these improvements underway, the campground remains open and ready to welcome guests.
The process is simple:
Book online (including Beach Day Passes).
Receive your confirmation email with a link to the Waiver.
Complete the online waiver.
Receive your gate access code and enjoy your stay!
Learn more or book your stay by clicking the button below.
Follow us on Social Media for More!
Upcoming GBA events
Upcoming Prayer Breakfasts
GBA Pastors & Ministers are welcome to join us each Monday @9:30am in the GBA Office. Our next Meeting dates are:
Aug. 10 | 9:30 AM
Aug. 17 | 9:30 AM
Aug. 24 | 9:30 AM
Aug. 31 | 9:30 AM
Executive Board Meetings
GBA Pastors, Ministry staff and elected messengers are welcome to join us for our Monthly gatherings! The next meetings are at 10 AM on the following dates:
Aug 3 - Parkside Baptist
Sept 14 - Forest Avenue
Oct 11 - Annual Meeting
Georgetown Baptist Church
Our Next Executive Board
Welcome
to the association
We are grateful to celebrate several new ministry leaders whom God has brought to churches across Grayson County this summer.
Please join us in welcoming Pastor Brent Masters and his family to Cannon Baptist Church, where he was called as pastor on June 28.
We are excited to see how God will use Brent as he begins this new chapter of ministry.
We also celebrate JD Youngblood, who was called as Student Minister at First Baptist Church Sherman on May 31. We are thankful for JD’s heart for students and look forward to seeing God use him to impact the next generation.
Finally, Hagerman Baptist Church welcomed two new staff members on June 14. Sean Hively will serve as Student Minister, and Dave Tuley joins the church as Worship Minister.
We are grateful for these leaders and look forward to the ministry they will have at Hagerman.
Upcoming Across the county
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