Texas Baptists Committed Convocation, Houston, Texas, July 9–10, 2004

GAP Ministries
By Joan Parmer Barrett

Founder, Philosophy, Focus, and Future

I. The Founder:

As many of you know, we lost our father, Billy Ray Parmer, Sr., in an automobile accident on February 28 of this year. Since his untimely death, we have felt a call to carry on this worthy ministry and to work to complete the projects in progress. We know that the support of many churches and individuals through the years have been due to Dad’s passion for’this’ministry. He encouraged others to identify their own talents and to minister accordingly. I count myself lucky to have been a part of his early experiences in mission work in South Texas and Mexico. We have heard today the challenge to be “missional” churches. Well, I grew up with a “missional” father! He ministered in several different countries as well as with local football teams and community groups. That early missions experience and influence in Spanish directed my career choice to learn and then teach Spanish. I am grateful for the wonderful Christian heritage passed down by Billy Ray Parmer.

A call came to Texas Baptists in 1963 shortly after Hurricane Beulah. The devastation of the natural disaster led Texas Baptists to send a disaster team to assess the needs. Dad was part of that first team, and because of that first-hand glimpse of the needs in that part of the world, he was forever hooked. Thus began the lifelong dedication to project ministries first through the local church where he pastored, and then as a “retiree” who spent about 20 weeks a year carrying out mission projects. He believed firmly that a church with a focus beyond the four walls was a church hot on the trail of the Great Commission. He was also a firm believer in equipping the saints to minister. When a body of believers focuses on helping others, the inside discord becomes trivial and pales in comparison to a world in need of Jesus.

The founder of GAP Ministries was a humble though direct man who answered God’s call to minister to the lost. You were never confused about his position on a cur- rent topic. He was not a fence-rider. He often talked about his ministry as “standing in the gap” in a way similar to the man in Ezekiel 22:29-30.

Ezekiel 22

29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice. 30 “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.

The “GAP” was GOD AND PARMER…Gloria al Padre in Spanish means “Glory to the Father”. He wanted to be counted as one who fulfilled a need— who was ready to minister in a way that required total dedication to the Father. GAP is a faith-based ministry. Bill Parmer worked as a pastor in Texas Baptist Churches for 42 years, but began his involvement in Mexico as week long projects for his church which seemed to point church members to look outside the church to addresses others’ needs and not focus on inward conflicts. He was a servant who had a contagious PASSION for ministry to the lost in Mexico.

II. Philosophy

GAP sets as its foremost goal the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost. We are a mission support organization which links churches and other volunteers with current project needs. The gospel is shared via various avenues.

When volunteers come to work with GAP Ministries, they receive an orientation presentation which marks the four principles of attitude for the duration of their ministry in Mexico. They are to be FAITHFUL, FOCUSED, FRIENDLY, AND FLEXIBLE.

Be Faithful to the call.

Carry through to completion the task at hand. Use God-given talents to match needs with abilities. Some have described GAP Ministries as a “missions broker”. A need is proposed on the field and we try to match those needs with a group with skills to help. GAP coordinates efforts with the local, state, and national Baptist Associations.

Be Focused on the missions project.

Have a strong work ethic. Time on the field is limited especially with short-term volunteers, so keep the nose to the grindstone to maximize resources and production.

Be Friendly to everyone.

Attempt to fit in culturally to dispel that arrogant stereotype of Americans. Mutual respect is so important when working with other cultures. A key concept is to listen to local assessments of needs—not to go with a preset agenda.

Be Flexible--because even the most detailed plans will change. Ministry in Mexico and in any other location is not about what WE want, it’s about what is needed in that culture and that place. Prayerfully asking God’s guidance to be flexible is a productive way to minister in an ever-changing situation on the field.

III. Focus on Project Ministries

GAP Ministries works with local churches, and we are often called upon to offer consultation in a variety of areas and to provide funding to carry the projects to completion. Current efforts focus on agricultural support, medical help, construction of medical and ministerial facilities, and educational opportunities such as ESL, health issues, church leadership, family support, youth training, and music training. Numerous individuals and churches have joined efforts to carry through the following project categories.

Agriculture: The Christ is Our Savior organization supports GAP in its efforts to provide rural dwellers a more varied diet by raising chickens, pigs, and rabbits. The participants receive a pair of animals to start their own production and return two of the first babies to replenish the GAP stock in order to help others. Medical support is provided to keep the animals healthy, as well. Roadmax of Clovis, NM and Billy and Rhonda Parmer of Slaton have donated vehicles to this ministry.

Medical Ministry: Dr. Hugo Irigoyen, a professor at UNACH in Chihuahua, and in private practice, is the director for GAP Mexico Ministries. He has been essential in establishing two clinics that offer medical services at a reduced rate for needy citizens. Three more medical facilities are in the planning stages. He lived in the mountains for one year where he and his family ministered to the Tarahumara Indian group. He has returned to the city to live, but goes once a month to many small villages to help meet medical needs and to share the gospel. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Torn have been generous in their support of Dr. Hugo and his work in Mexico. The cost for medicines to minister to the remote regions has also been provided by this devoted couple. Medical staff salaries and maintenance on the Aldama clinic have been provided by a couple of Okies, Mr. and Mrs. Gail Heibert. We are grateful for their dedication to support this worthy ministry.

Drs. Steve Alley and Jody Yarbro have made dozens of trips over the last two to three decades offering medical services to the very needy in the Chihuahua desert region. GAP has been blessed with their willingness to coordinate pharmacists, nurses, optometry care, and other medical services to attend to dire medical needs in those remote villages.

Dr. Hugo has received groups of medical students from Baylor Medical School and from UT Med School for rotations in the local clinics under his supervision.

Construction: Over the years, many groups working with GAP have been essential in the construction efforts in small villages and in the large city of Chihuahua. Emmanuel Baptist Church in Paris, Texas is one church that helped with the construction of an orphanage in Aldama. FBC in Muskogee, OK and Gladewater, Texas have focused recently on the church and complex in Aldama. Williams Trace in Sugarland, and their vivacious pastor, Phil Lineberger along with the organizational skills of Jimmie Carroll, have paved the new work in Guachochi along with FBC Sweeney by building a home and helping to provide salary for the pastor who serves with GAP Ministries in the mountains. The land in Guachochi was provided by a BGCT donation in November of 2003. CIOS has recently donated funds for a medical clinic in northern Chihuahua in memory of Paul Piper and Billy Ray Parmer. Funds for the land for the clinic were donated by Mr. and Mrs. Sam Torn. An Arkansas church led by Lane Northcutt, South Main in Houston led by Kirk Hatcher, FBC Valley Mills, FBC Lorenzo, Jersey Village in Houston, Meadowbrook in Robinson, The Lacy family, Dr. and Mrs. Paul Powell, and many others have ministered through GAP in various projects coordinated with the local Christians through Hugo Irigoyen’s able direction. The generous contributions of resources and time have allowed a Christian presence in an area otherwise void of ministry.

Education: Several wonderful ministers and other Christian leaders have volunteered to edify the body of believers by offering training to the churches and community. Dean Dickens of CBF, Rudy Camacho,Jerry Carlisle, Phil Lineberger, John Cates, Don Jones, Dr. Donna Stauber, Joan Barrett, Shelley Dennis of FBC, Temple, Billy Parmer, and others have offered training opportunities to open the doors of the church to the community, and to offer new information to help the churches minister more effectively in their world. This year, we included in the budget two training sessions for JOBAAC—-an associational body of youth that is learning how to minister to the indigenous of their area. There is a great need for educational materials—books/ training to aid pastors in their study and preparation.

IV. Future of Gap Ministries

We are grateful for the wonderful Christian heritage passed on by Billy Ray Parmer. We have accepted the torch and are open to answer God’s call for this new day. In order to carry forth GAP’s vision to minister to a lost world, we want to support our man on the field, Dr. Hugo Irigoyen. We have worked together with Dr. Hugo for about fifteen years, and have a great deal of respect for the way he connects with his community and with the volunteers. We are at different stages of construction on four community/medical/spiritual facilities to reach out to various communities. We are balancing many projects, volunteers, and ongoing mission efforts. With the continued support of dedicated individuals and organizations, GAP will continue to stand in the gap and witness to a lost world.

August 2004