Mary's House: A Place to Inspire the Next Generation

"We are so thankful to have gotten to live in Mary’s House on the campus of SWBTS for a few short months. Grateful for WMU and SWBTS’s partnership to provide this housing option." 

- The Baker Family, Missionaries in Residence, Mary's House

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While WMU’s Annual Meeting and Missions Celebration inspired us to “Speak Jesus” to the nations, it is often in quiet, domestic spaces like Mary’s House that those words take root in the next generation.

In 2023, after nearly four years of planning, the dream of “Mary’s House”, a partnership between Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) and WMU of Texas, became a reality as it welcomed its first missionaries-in-residence (MIRs) serving with the International Mission Board (IMB).

Today, what was once an empty building has become a bridge between the global mission field and the local classroom, proving that the most impactful ministry can also happen in cozy living rooms.

A PLACE FOR RESPITE AND RENEWAL

For the MIRs who call this house home, Mary’s House provides more than just two apartments; it offers an essential season of respite and renewal.

Families like Joe and Susan, Jonathan and Wendy, and missionaries such as Hannah, Marci, and Becky find Mary’s House to be a place of safety and renewal for their children and themselves. It is here, in the midst of the SWBTS community, that these seasoned missionaries find the peace needed to prepare for their next assignment.

DISCIPLING THE NEXT GENERATION

What makes Mary’s House truly unique is its role as a “living classroom” for SWBTS students. The missionaries-in-residence do not simply live in the community; they actively pour into it.

• Frequent Interaction: MIRs frequently host students and small groups in their homes and around campus, providing a rare and personal glimpse into the life of a missionary.
• Practical Insights: These interactions offer students invaluable insights into the journey of missional disciple-making, helping them discern their own callings.
• Mentorship: By sharing their testimonies and current struggles, residents like Hannah and Becky help bridge the gap between theological study and the practical realities of the mission field for students.

A CONTINUED REQUEST FOR PRAYER

As these families move through their season at Mary’s House, the partnership with WMU of Texas ensures a relationship that extends far beyond housing. We invite our supporters to pray for these residents as they seek daily opportunities to “Speak Jesus” into the lives of the students they encounter.

Your gifts to the Mary Hill Davis Offering® for Texas Missions directly sustain this home, ensuring that while missionaries are stateside, they have a place that truly feels like home.

Pray for the Residents: Pray for deep physical and spiritual renewal for the missionaries and the families currently in residence.

Pray for the Children: Pray for a sense of security and belonging as they navigate life in a new environment.

Pray for the SWBTS Students: Pray that the time spent in these missionaries’ living rooms would clarify God’s call on their lives.

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To learn more about Mary's House, visit wmutx.org/about/missionary-housing