Mission Caught the Vision to Bring Hope to Its Community

MISSION, TEX. – Mission Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church embarked on a remarkable journey into uncharted territory.
In 2011, the city of Mission did not have an English Seventh-day Adventist Church in the area. Seeing the need, 32 Edinburg Seventh-day Adventist Church members stepped out in faith with a vision.
A five-week evangelistic series with Jim Reinking was organized at the Border Theater in Mission from Oct. 8 to Dec. 12, 2011. This laid the foundation as two individuals gave their hearts to Christ.
Next, a location was secured for weekly services. After several unsuccessful attempts, we learned of a church building that had been vacated by its members three weeks prior. We received access to the building on Thursday, had our first Friday vespers and then our first Sabbath service two days after being handed the keys! God prepared this fully-operational building with classrooms, bathrooms, showers and a spacious kitchen and dining area.
To connect with the community, Mission Hope church members held cooking classes, visited homes, distributed literature, shared surveys and began hosting student colporteurs from Ouachita Hills College in Amity, Ark.
With half the members being youth, the church became a ripe training ground for them to participate in all aspects of church life. They were placed in various leadership positions; they ran the audiovisual department and organized an orchestra that played every Sabbath. On Nov. 8, 2014, we obtained church status.
The church board voted to purchase our current property on May 16, 2015. The building was renovated and officially dedicated on Dec. 5, 2015.
Since its inception, church members have actively shared their faith by inviting people to church services/events and hosting biannual series, resulting in 76 baptisms over 12 years.
Mission Hope church members established a biweekly food pantry on April 27, 2017, recognizing the community’s physical needs. Thanks to our faithful volunteers, over 300 families are served each session.
The church is planning a Center of Influence, following Christ’s method. A 24-hour digital radio station, ShareHopeRadio.com, was launched on March 2, 2024, and dedicated on Sabbath, March 16, 2024.
The journey of Mission Hope has been one of resilience, faith and growth. As the church advances into new frontiers, it remains steadfast in its mission to make a difference in the lives of its members and the wider community and to be the answer to the prayers of many who seek direction.

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By Encile Brown

Pastor