HEWITT, Texas (BP) — For Michael Visy, senior pastor of Grace Church Hewitt, connections make the difference. Through a series of divine connections, he has found friendship, encouragement and accountability via the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s (SBTC) Young Pastors Network (YPN).

The Maryland native was on staff at Grace Church Waco when a non-denominational church in Hewitt, its attendance declining, closed its doors. The cornfields once surrounding that church, nine miles south of Waco, had given way to neighborhoods full of families, with many adults commuting to Waco or nearby Temple for work. The members of the former church didn’t want to sell the property and see it become just another development.

Instead, they gifted 6.5 acres and buildings to Grace Church Waco to start a new work. Grace Church Hewitt was born in 2018.

“They said they didn’t want a school or park or another apartment complex to go in. They wanted the gospel preached in that location. They wanted a church,” Visy said, adding that representatives of the closing church found Grace Church Waco through connections with the SBTC. Dick Wooten, pastor of the former church, is the father of Bryan Wooten, teaching pastor of Remedy Church in Waxahachie. Bryan and fellow Remedy teaching pastor Aaron Clayton contacted Grace Waco about the Hewitt opportunity.

Dick Wooten has since become a friend and encourager to Visy. In addition to some 30 from Grace Waco who came south to help the new church plant, around eight to nine from the elder Wooten’s former congregation ended up joining Grace Hewitt. Wooten himself stayed. He preaches from time to time at Visy’s invitation.

“He has been really encouraging to me, especially seeing us through a very rough first year,” Visy said of Wooten. “He said, ‘Michael, I’m retired. I just want to love on people, invest in them, care for them.’”

Visy added that “having a seasoned guy in his 70s” to walk alongside him in ministry has been a blessing. Visy asked Wooten to share recollections of the church at Grace Hewitt’s fifth anniversary.

“I wanted the congregation to see that God was faithful to His people and His church long before we were in this building,” Visy said. Now in his 30s, Visy was only 26 when he became pastor at Grace Hewitt.

“I was fresh out of seminary, newly married. Why in the world would you want to follow a 26-year-old?” he recalled mentioning to the congregation back then.

“We’re not following you. We’re following the Lord,” members replied.

Today, Grace Hewitt is thriving, running around 150 with members and regular attenders, children and visitors, demonstrating steady growth despite population mobility in its “suburban-rural” setting.

“Hewitt is a family-centered community,” said Visy. He and his wife, Michelle, have become parents to Harper, 4, and Gus, 2, during their time at the church.

“There are a lot of kids running around our church,” Visy said. “And there’s only one full-time staff person: me,” he added with a chuckle.

Finding a pastoral community

Visy has likewise found encouragement and friendships through YPN, an organization of pastors 40 years old or younger and mentors. Visy said he has been involved in YPN since its founding by Spencer Plumlee, pastor of First Baptist Mansfield.

Within the YPN, Visy has developed a core group of four fellow pastors in his region with whom he meets regularly. Among these is Drake Osborn, Grace Waco pastor of teaching and liturgy. Bracken Arnhart, pastor of Hope Church in Robinson, is another YPN member with whom Visy is close, as is Matt Byrd, pastor of Wellspring Church in China Spring.

“We’re all kind of young, all in the same theological world,” Visy said. “[We thought], ‘Let’s hang out and encourage one another.’ …We get together once a month.” 

Visy also serves on the YPN leadership team. “It consists of a dozen of us from all over the state, representing churches of different sizes and dynamics from West Texas, DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth), Houston, Austin, South Texas,” he said.

He credits YPN connections for assisting him in his role as pastor. “Guys in the state have helped me with logistical pieces of ministry: bylaws, member care things, church discipline matters. … How do we do this?  Having other friends in other churches in other parts of the state in other contexts is invaluable,” Visy said, adding, “They help with everything.”

Of YPN support, Visy said, “They see me as a person, not a pastor. A friend. And they are great guys to hang out with. They help you press into Christ. … They are true friends who take you to the feet of Jesus.”