When I became the pastor at FBC Killeen in 2000, I inherited a great group of believers operating out of a decaying building. Things like roof leaks, old air conditioning units, inefficient utility usage, and aged plumbing were costing the church $100,000 a year. The location of the church campus was not ideal, either, as the city had grown away from downtown Killeen. The long-range committee did some cost-projections on a full campus renovation and the price tag at that time was a stunning six million dollars (that was projected to grow to 11 million in 2003). I remember the moment that someone in the committee said, "for that amount of money we could relocate." Up to that moment, I had assumed that relocation was "off the table."

It took nine years and great sacrificial giving, but in 2009 we moved into our new building. Please know that the new building was not limited by the church's lack of vision. The building committee knew that we needed to build a more developed campus than we built. The construction budget did not allow for the entire campus to be built at one time. The Sunday morning functions of worship and Sunday School were all that the budget would accommodate. Fellowship space, recreation space, and children's play areas had to wait until later.

But the promises of God are timeless. Philippians 1:6 says, "being confident of this, that He Who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (NIV)

While Paul was speaking of the salvation of the Philippians, I believe that this passage can also apply to our church. God established us as a church in 1873. He has grown and sustained the eternal parts of our church for 150 years. I believe that heaven will be fuller because God has used First Baptist Church Killeen to build His kingdom. God has also sustained and expanded the physical structures used to build His kingdom in the hearts and lives of Killeen residents.

I also believe the relocation that was started in this generation of the church needs to be completed. We need to build the next phase of the campus and expand the ministries of our church beyond the Sunday morning experience. So I say, let us carry it forward! Let us carry the Gospel forward to the next generation. Let us carry hospitality forward to the next generation. Let us carry eternal friendships, strengthened through fellowship in the new family life center, forward into the future. May those who come behind us find us faithful!