It may just be called divine intervention — Texas style.
Two pastors were confronting vastly different challenges. One had too much space, the other was bursting at the seams. The answer was to trade spaces.
And that is just what Kirby Hill, pastor of Southside Baptist Church, and Senior Pastor David Baze of Faith Assembly of God did.
Southside Baptist Church (SBC) in Carthage, Texas, had about 50 members in a 46,000-square-foot building. The large building was draining the church’s resources as well as the congregation’s energy.
Hill approached Baze in October 2024 about swapping churches.
Baze, 64, who has pastored Faith Assembly for 24 years, said his initial reaction to the proposal was “shock and disbelief.”
“For my church board, it was even more so because of the insurance, increased utilities, repairs and updates needed,” he explained. “Would our congregation of 100 be swallowed up in a sanctuary that size?”
“I believe it was God’s direction and timing for both churches,” Baze added. “We spent four months walking through the process seeking God’s direction and plan. God began to place a plan in our leadership for how we would put our DNA on the new building and how it would open the possibilities for ministry that we did not have room for.”
In the end both boards and congregations voted in favor of the trade.
Gaylan Claunch, superintendent for the North Texas District of the Assemblies of God (NTDAG), compared the swap to something rooted in Psalm 118:23, which says “this is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our sight.”
Baze “encountered a God moment” at a time when they needed more room for growth and ministry, according to Claunch.
“At the same time, Kirby Hill was praying along with his congregation about the need for different facilities,” Claunch said. “Probably the least likely answer to prayer was that the two congregations swapped their churches, resulting in growth for both, a vibrant witness to the local community, and a remarkable season of unity and ministry expansion. We rejoice with both Faith Assembly and Southside Baptist as two godly pastors led this incredible story.”
Faith Assembly’s new building needed some renovations, but prayers were answered when random strangers asked to hook up their recreational vehicle outside the church.
The couple then donated their RV, valued at almost $80,000, to Faith Assembly. Faith Assembly then received a nearly two-thirds discounted rate on the congregation’s property insurance.
Throughout all of this, no money was exchanged.
Gayla Wilson, a resident of Carthage, which has a population of around about 6,600, remembers her first reaction to the trade was “just wow.”
“Every time we had driven past Faith Assembly before, that body of believers looked like they were bursting at the seams,” she said. “The parking lot was always full and you could just see the growth. When I learned that one congregation needed more space while the other needed to downsize, it just seemed like such a perfect fit.
“To me, it felt like one of those situations where everyone wins,” Wilson, 70, added. “It’s practical, it makes sense, and more than that, I truly believe God is blessing both churches through it. It’s encouraging to see two congregations work together in a way that strengthens them both and continues the work of the kingdom.”
Both congregations have flourished.
Since moving into the new location in 2025, Faith Assembly has started three new ministries. The congregation now draws 135 attendees, a 30% increase in the past nine months.
“It was and still is the talk of the town in many places,” Baze said. “Nobody thought it was possible and many did not understand what or why it was being done. Kirby and I went on the local radio program to be interviewed to clear up any rumors. We received great feedback and many thanked us for clearing everything up. It has been a great picture of two congregations in the body of Christ working together to see His kingdom being built. We have shared services together.”
Hill, 65, who has pastored SBC for 19 years, said his congregation now averages about 15 or 20 more attendees Sunday mornings. This is also about a 30% increase.
“The most common thing I heard expressed about the trade was that’s the way things ought to be done,” Hill said. “If this move would have been a box, when you opened the lid and looked inside you would have found Christian love, compassion, cooperation, trust and the good Golden Rule. This was inspiring to the Christian community, but it shouted loudly to the non-Christian community. They understand property and value. To them, this was tangible proof that Christian brotherhood is real.”
