Pastor Launches Family and Community Initiative in Texas

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, housing nearly 8.5 million people, faces some significant social challenges, despite being in one of the most conservative states in the U.S. Issues like divorce, single parenthood, drug addiction, and poverty—both spiritual and material—are rampant. In response, a Dallas pastor, who is rapidly gaining recognition in the Christian community, has unveiled a new initiative aimed at strengthening families and communities, both in Texas and across the globe.

Josh Howerton, the pastor at Lakepointe Church and the host of the “Live Free” podcast, shared his vision with the congregation during a multi-campus event on Thursday.

He referenced a powerful passage from Isaiah 58:12, emphasizing the need to be “the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.”

According to a press release from Lakepointe, this initiative is inspired by that biblical calling and aims to address critical gaps within families and communities for the next two years.

Outlined in the press release, the program’s five main goals include:

• Enhancing family resilience through deeper discipleship
• Providing support for children, students, and families with special needs
• Serving local cities in North Texas
• Translating the Bible into new languages in collaboration with overseas partners
• Distributing the gospel within American prisons

Earlier this month, Howerton joined Blaze Media to bring his “Live Free” podcast to a broader audience.

“Sometimes we say we’re like a kite caught in a hurricane of grace,” commented Tim Smith, the senior executive pastor. “North Texas is growing rapidly, and this growth presents opportunities for us to make significant differences in our neighborhoods, schools, and families.”

The initiative targets delivering Scripture to 1.5 million people in northern India who have never had access to it in their native languages. It’s noteworthy that this region has seen a significant increase in immigration to North Texas.

This effort also seeks to reach approximately 1.2 million incarcerated individuals across every U.S. prison through a partnership with the God Behind Bars Ministry.

A sermon series centered on this initiative is set to launch on October 17-18, complete with 21 days of prayer, culminating on Commitment Weekend scheduled for November 14 and 15. During that time, Pastor Howerton will encourage the congregation to join him in “The Breach.”