Josh Ellis
An Interview with Josh Ellis and Loving Houston

Loving Houston's Marilyn Lee talks with UBA's Executive Director, Dr. Josh Ellis about UBA churches and the impact a church-school partnership can have on the community. For those of you who'd heard the interview with Tom Billings, you know that UBA played a huge role in starting Loving Houston, and now we hear a bit of Josh's vision for the churches of UBA as they go and make disciples of all nations.

An Interview with Josh Ellis and Loving Houston
UBA Staff
November Prayer Guide

Every month, we feature people, events, and ministries we want our people to pray for. This November, we want to focus in on gratitude and thankfulness. So, join us as we pray to and praise God for what He's done, because we're always better together.

November Prayer Guide
UBA Staff
Make It Matter—How Collaborative Innovation ...

Over 20 years ago, Lynette Francois had the vision to be a blessing over houses and lands spread out across the world. At the time, she wasn't really sure what that meant or even where to start. Over the years, however, God brought the right situations and the right people to work together to impact Haiti. Now, Make It Matter Inc is demonstrating God's love by building durable and safe homes for those in need.

Make It Matter—How Collaborative Innovation Helped Provide Durable, Safe Homes
Dian Kidd
Does Your Team Fail Well?

Teams are going to fail. That failure can be devastating, disheartening, or frightening. It is also inevitable. If you are committed to innovation and take on God-sized tasks, you are sometimes going to fail in a particular initiative. As painful as it may be, the failure in itself is unimportant in the grand scheme of things. God’s purposes will not be ultimately thwarted. What you learn from that failure is what is important. Here are some important considerations.

Does Your Team Fail Well?
Keelan Cook
"Howdy Modi!" and Missions in North America

Something happened a few weeks ago that slipped through the news cycle for most Americans. In a historic move, the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, joined Donald Trump for a massive political event here in Houston called, "Howdy Modi!" Over 50,000 people attended the packed stadium for a celebration of Indian culture married to a political rally. For those of us paying attention, this event signals something of great significance that is occurring globally. In fact, it underlines important shifts that we in the church need to notice.

"Howdy Modi!" and Missions in North America

ministry

5 Lessons I've Learned from Missionaries

5 Lessons I've Learned from Missionaries

5 years ago, I took the role of Minister of Missionary Care at Houston's First. It has been one of the most rewarding and stretching positions I have ever experienced in my short ministry career. Our team has seen and heard it all—from religious persecution to church planting movements, hidden depression to unexplainable joy through trials. Whether it comes through a screen or across the table, we have learned some life lessons from our missionary partners, and we would love to share some with you.

3 Ways to Do Kingdom Sowing in our City

3 Ways to Do Kingdom Sowing in our City

One of the things I like about working at Union Baptist Association is the kingdom mentality. I have the privilege of serving outside our institutional boundaries on occasion to serve a broader community. UBA believes we are better together not only at the local level but also as we share the gospel and sow seeds for the Kingdom throughout the world. Here are just three of the many opportunities I have to make a kingdom impact in our city.

R.I.P. "Back to the City" Movement?

R.I.P. "Back to the City" Movement?

It's official. The "back to the city" movement seems to be winding down, at least for the foreseeable future. For years now in North American ministry circles, much discussion has occurred over the rise of city populations. However, trends seem to be shifting once again toward the suburbs. While the particulars of strategy are most often confined to the specific local context, there are at least three high-level insights that merit a mention.

One Great Tool to Explain the Bible in Real Life

One Great Tool to Explain the Bible in Real Life

Missionaries working in countries where there is no printed gospel available in the heart language of the people use a method called storying to share their faith. Story sets have been created that create bridges (beliefs and views we share) and address barriers (beliefs that make it difficult for someone to believe) to the gospel. One such example is “Creation to Christ.” It is a crafted presentation that presents the whole gospel story of the Bible beginning with creation and all the way to Christ.

Meet the Summer Missionaries

Meet the Summer Missionaries

Every summer, the Mission Centers of Houston welcomes summer missionaries who come to Houston to serve the Near Northside community through the Mission Centers’ ministries. The summer missionary intern program started at the Mission Centers approximately 39 years ago under the leadership of Mildred McWhorter. Get to know our summer missionaries, and learn how you can pray for, feed, and encourage them this summer.

Outreach When the "Going" Gets Hard

Outreach When the "Going" Gets Hard

It feels like another life since I was a missionary in West Africa. Now as a work-from-home mom of two under two, going to the post office seems nearly impossible—nonetheless going to the nations. I wonder how I'm supposed to invest in people outside our home when just keeping everyone alive feels hard enough. But that's where the things I learned in West Africa come back into play. Turns out, these skills are valuable for all seasons of life.

Ministering in New Territory: The Shifting Nature of the American Suburb

Ministering in New Territory: The Shifting Nature of the American Suburb

For churches that find themselves in the suburbs, the rapidly changing demographics of these neighborhoods matter. It is no secret that the majority of evangelical churches are located in the suburbs of metropolitan areas. We must ask ourselves, however, if our churches are prepared to minister to new territory. Churches located on the same plot of ground where they started 3 or 4 decades ago may not have moved, but the communities around them have shifted.

The Best Work/Life Balance

The Best Work/Life Balance

Recently, I was told that I have the best work/life balance of anyone on the team. We were joking because I never leave vacation on the table at the end of the year, and I fuss at the other staff if they do. UBA doesn’t hire slackers, so it is not uncommon for one of the staff to get a little wrapped up in work, the to-do list, and unexpected challenges that arise. Before you know it, things are out of balance.

Over the years, however, I’ve come to believe that holding all the areas of my life in balance before God brings honor to him. My theology about balance involves the belief that all the aspects of my life are meant to be lived fully to the glory of God. Here's what that has looked like for me.

7 Reasons Your Church Needs Senior Adults

7 Reasons Your Church Needs Senior Adults

Senior adults are vital to the health and ministry of the church. A thriving senior adult ministry has very little to do with health fairs, trips to Branson, or games of forty-two and backgammon. Rather, a thriving senior adult ministry facilitates an atmosphere where older men and women can be intentional about reproducing themselves in the lives of younger church members. Senior adults are not the church of yesterday. Until the day God calls them home, they are the church of today, and there's a lot we can learn from them.