Melissa Baxter becomes the first female Deacon Chair of Baptist Temple

After serving a year as Deacon Chair Elect, Melissa Baxter became the first female Deacon Chair in the 109 year history of Baptist Temple. Ordained a deacon in 2018 at Baptist Temple, she is the third of five generations whose faith was formed at Baptist Temple. Melissa has been active in Baptist Temple life for many years and currently serves as an adult Sunday school teacher and has completed 50 hours of Stephen Ministry training.

She is relieving Ernest Cruz, who had served multiple terms as Deacon Chair. Ernest was raised in a Christian home and was ordained a deacon at Baptist Temple in 2010 and has competed 50 hours of Stephen Ministry training. He will serve for a year as Past Deacon Chair on the Deacon Leadership Team.

Steven Grinnell has been elected as Deacon Chair Elect. He, too, has completed 50 hours of Stephen Ministry training and will serve on the Deacon Leadership Team. He will take over as Deacon Chair in 2021.

The Deacon Leadership Team helps to coordinate Baptist Temple's deacon ministry.

Baptist Temple Expands Care Through Stephen Ministry

Eighteen members of Baptist Temple Church, San Antonio were commissioned as Stephen Ministers this Sunday, January 19. A Stephen Minister provides one-on-one distinctively Christian care to hurting people in and around the congregation. While they are not therapists nor lay counselors, they do receive 50 hours of initial training followed by peer supervision and continuing education.

Stephen Ministry will strengthen our church by providing direct care to people going through a difficult time. I have heard too many stories of hurting people who felt abandoned by their church.

A Stephen Minister would meet with this hurting person for an hour a week; providing a listening ear and shoulder to cry on for as long as it takes.

Furthermore, our church is strengthened by training and deploying church members to apply their spiritual gifts in service to our Lord. Both the care giver and the care receiver grow in faith as a result.

Stephen Minister Rosalinda Acosta said, “The Stephen Ministry training was so incredibly intense while, at the same time moving. The presence of God was so strong at times. I could feel the Lord impressing into my spirit that the main element, the main purpose of a Stephen Minister is to show the love of God to those in a dark and lonely place, a place of despair, confusion and perhaps helplessness.”

A phrase often heard in Stephen Ministry is, “We are the care givers, God is the cure giver.”

Stephen Ministers do not “fix” people. They listen without judgment and maintain strict confidentiality. Even the fact that someone has a Stephen Minister is confidential. Their training includes listening, feelings and confidentiality. Through reading, lectures, case studies and role playing, Stephen Ministers learn how to help people in specific situations. These include divorce, terminal illness, grief, and childbirth.

Newly commissioned Stephen Ministers (L to R) Tracy Zayasbazan, Lin Leeth, Ernest Cruz, Ernest Alvarez, Charlotte Cruz, Bertha Alvarez, Dan Cruz, Steve Grinnell, Clinton Blumberg, Melissa Baxter, Linda Grinnell, Muriel Persky, Vernon Liverette, Rosalinda Acosta, Richard Good, Karen Newman, Armando Acosta and Robert Newman.

Stephen Ministers are found in over 13,000 churches representing 183 denominations. Texas, at 1042, is the state with the largest number of Stephen Ministry churches.

Baptist Temple is part of a family of seven churches and twelve service organizations sharing a campus to meet the physical and spiritual needs of our community.

Deacon Spotlight: Ernest Alvarez

Guest Blog: Robert Newman

Born and raised in San Antonio, Ernest Alvarez showed an early interest in music, singing in his middle and high school choirs. He studied electronics at San Antonio College, served a tour in the Army, and worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone from 1974 until his retirement in March 2009.

On June 17, 1976 Ernest committed his life Jesus Christ at Lakeview Baptist Church under the ministry of Pastor Johnny Hutchins and later joined First Mexican Fundamental Baptist Church, where met met Bertha. They were married in 1979.

His early ministry involved driving the church bus and teaching children's Sunday School. Later, he would lead worship at Pyron Avenue Baptist and Hot Wells Baptist Church. In 2008 he joined Baptist Temple where he was ordained a deacon and is currently attending Stephen Ministry Training. At BT Ernest has sung in the choir, played in the praise band and worked the sound board among other ministries.

Recently, Ernest was elected chairman of the board of directors of KBIB, a-Spanish-language Christian Radio Station in San Antonio. This reflects an entrepreneurial spirit that has led Ernest to start a graphic arts business and a Spanish language Christian book store.

Ernest believes that being a deacon fulfills his desire to help people in times of need and appreciates how Baptist Temple encourages and empowers people to serve. "I like the fact that there are so many opportunities to join in different ministries to serve the church and the community,” he said.