Ellis Baptist Association Marks 119th Annual Celebration

MAYPEARL, TX — Sunday, October 12, 2025 — The Ellis Baptist Association gathered at First Baptist Church Maypearl for its 119th Annual Celebration, which officially marked the Association’s 120th meeting. The evening brought together pastors, church leaders, and ministry partners from across Ellis County and beyond.

Messengers Meeting

The evening began with the Messengers Meeting at 5:15 p.m., where the association’s business was conducted:

• Leadership Team Elections – Messengers elected Lynda Haskins and Glen Jones to serve three-year at-large positions on the Leadership Team.
• Update on Next Steps – Last year, messengers approved the 15-month study and assessment from the Future Team, commissioned by the Leadership Team. That study identified six initiatives, organized into three focus areas: Church Multiplication, Bridging Communities, and Church Health.
  
  • Church Multiplication – Tabernacle Español in Ennis launched on Easter Sunday and is now averaging about 50 people in attendance. Conversations are also underway with two additional church planters.
  • Bridging Communities – This year saw the launch of EBA’s new website and logo, along with the formation of an African American Ministry Fellowship led by Pastor Demetrius McClendon of One Church in Midlothian. We also saw the association with strong support from Primera Waxahachie establish the Ellis Christian Men’s Job Corp.  
  • Church Health – This broad category encompasses four initiatives: Sacrificial Stewardship, Cultivating Leadership, Strategic Prayer, and Assessing Vitality.
• Navarro County Ministry Opportunities – After much prayer, fasting, and discussion, the Leadership Team recommended beginning a new partnership with the Navarro College Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) as the first step in building relationships with Navarro County churches. Messengers unanimously approved the recommendation, with the work officially beginning in January.
• Budget Approval – A 2026 supplemental budget was adopted to fund the formation of a Navarro Ministry Team, which will oversee this new BSM partnership and support JT Norcross, BSM Director. This initiative marks a significant step in cultivating relationships and ministry in Navarro County.

Annual Celebration

The celebration began at 6:00 p.m. and was hosted by FBC Maypearl, with Ace Alexander leading worship and welcoming guests. More than 15 exhibit displays from ministries, mission organizations, and state conventions provided opportunities for connection and collaboration.

The highlight of the evening was the series of E-Talks (TED-style presentations), emceed by Michael Clayton:

• Alberto Mares shared on the rapid growth of Ellis County, noting that projections show the county reaching 750,000 residents by 2050 and crossing the 250,000 mark this month.
• Eddie Lopez spoke on the importance of reaching and ministering to the Hispanic community.
• Kevin Cross highlighted opportunities in discipling and reaching Generation Z, pointing to the strong movement toward Christ already taking shape in this generation.
• Matt Shelton called the church to rise up in confronting the crisis of human trafficking, urging action and advocacy.

A Spirit of Partnership

The Annual Celebration once again reflected EBA’s mission of “Networking churches to cultivate kingdom advancement.” From worship to vision casting, from new partnerships in Navarro County to the inspiring E-Talks, the evening was a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and the opportunities ahead for the churches of Ellis County.

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