Driven by Paul's example of "concern for all the churches" (2 Corinthians 11:28), Indian Hills Baptist Church loves brothers and sisters in Christ through partnerships with other congregations in southwest New Mexico:
Tyrone Community Fellowship
In 1996, Indian Hills Baptist Church member Don Kejr and his wife Barbara began the Lord’s work in Tyrone at the encouragement of I.H.B.C. Pastor Dan Grindstaff. The first annual Easter Sunrise Service was held at the Tyrone Community Center in the Spring of 1997, and every year since.
Don was ordained a deacon of I.H.B.C. in 1997 and licensed to preach the Gospel. In 2000, an outreach from Tyrone Community Fellowship was started at Burro Mountain Homestead, an R.V. park.
Don and Barbara’s lifelong commitment to the Word of God and His Church, along with their involvement in the community, make them ideal servants of the Lord in this successful Mission.
They have been faithfully assisted in this Mission by long-term I.H.B.C. members Dennis Theis (also an I.H.B.C. deacon) and his wife Donna.
Pray for this Mission in Tyrone, New Mexico.
Hachita Baptist Church
In October 2007, Indian Hills Baptist Church gave Pastor Michael Head permission to temporarily preach in Hachita, assisting a fellow Southwestern Baptist Association Church and keeping a Gospel witness present in this small town in New Mexico’s “Bootheel.”
Over the next months, the Pastor and numerous I.H.B.C. members made the Sunday afternoon journey to Hachita to worship with the saints of that Church, culminating in a joint effort by the two Churches to feed the entire town of Hachita in March 2008.
In September 2008 the saints of I.H.B.C. voted to officially extend their service to the saints of Hachita indefinitely, affirming that this work is “an outreach and mission of I.H.B.C.”
The Pastor and other members of I.H.B.C. make the trip to Hachita every Sunday afternoon, immediately following the I.H.B.C. morning service, arriving at Hachita Baptist Church for the 2:30 p.m. service. Following this service, the team returns to I.H.B.C. for the evening service.
Pray for this continued service and outreach to Hachita Baptist Church.
From the front cover of the December 12 issue of the Baptist New Mexican:
Michael Head, pastor of First Baptist Church, Hachita, and Bob and Ann Sheppard (from left), charter members of Hachita, present State Director of Missions Stan Albright a book on the church’s history, considered “a labor of love” for the couple, during Southwestern Association’s recent annual meeting. Albright took the book to the New Mexico Baptist Historical Archives, which is located in the Baptist Building in Albuquerque.
Playas Community Ministries
In January 2009, Indian Hills Baptist Church member Don Turnage began the work of resurrecting this long-closed Church. Having served as Moderator for the Southwestern Baptist Association and Pastor of a local Church, Don’s organizational abilities, building and electrical expertise, and creative use of media in worship and sermons make him equipped of God for this Kingdom restoration effort.
Commissioned as a Missionary by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Pastor Don and his wife Barbara make several trips a week down to Playas to make new contacts, in addition to the Thursday evening Bible Study and Sunday morning worship.
As a training base for Homeland Security, this Mission has a unique opportunity to spread the Gospel to both trainees who are in Playas for temporary time periods and to residents of Playas itself and the surrounding small communities.
Pray for this Mission to Playas, New Mexico.
Redrock Community Church
Don and Barbara Turnage re-established this Church in Redrock after a 30-year dormancy on Sunday, June 27, 2010. They are currently holding a service there on the last Sunday of every month at 3:00 p.m.
Pray for Don and Barbara Turnage and the citizens of Redrock.
White Signal Community Church
A V.B.S. team made up of volunteers in the Southwest Baptist Association held a Vacation Bible School in the White Signal Community Hall June 28 - July 2, 2010. A Bible Study will be held there on the 1st and 3rd Monday evening of every month (6:00 p.m.), led by Pastor Michael Head.
Pray for this Church plant in White Signal.
Moreno Valley Baptist Church, Eagle Nest
Mike & Becky Rice, members of Indian Hills Baptist Church, are in Eagle Nest helping Mike's father Carl re-start the Moreno Baptist Church.
Pray for them as they work to get the facility and parsonage ready. They have a workday scheduled for December 5, and an Open House for the community on December 13. Their prayer is to begin services on Sunday, January 3, 2010.
