tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87161124968283379602011-08-09T14:08:57.578-05:00Dallas Baptist Association exists to assist our churches individually and cooperatively in fulfilling the Great Commission of making disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:18-20Dallas Baptist Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00199775559283557236noreply@blogger.comBlogger211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8716112496828337960.post-11974254821000448722011-02-16T14:00:00.001-06:002011-02-16T14:01:59.473-06:00

AN INVITATION AND A QUESTION..... I invite you to watch the following brief video from our Annual Meeting in October. View video What are your thoughts about the changes in our mission field and what it will take for the next 10 years to be different than the last 30 years in the advance of God’s Kingdom in Dallas and Rockwall counties?  Please comment.

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In previous posts, we began a dialogue on envisioning the future of our work here in Dallas. In Part 4, I included these two charts which summarize what we have discussed in the prior articles. The first chart represents the population growth of our mission field, and the second represents the combined membership, attendance, and baptisms of our churches. While our mission field has

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Dallas and Rockwall counties have grown dramatically in the last 30 years. Our population has grown by 61%. The greatest growth has been in diversity. We are now a minority majority city with no ethnicity representing more than 50%. We know of at least 170 different languages that are spoken in the homes of our residents. How have we kept pace these last 30 years with this growth? The

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Among the major cities of our country, DFW exceeds national averages in population growth and diversity. Let me describe more specifically how Dallas and Rockwall counties are changing. In the last 30 years, we have become a minority majority city with no ethnicity representing more than 50%. Here is a summary of the changes from 1980 and 2010. • Anglo population has decreased from

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TEXAS FAITH FORUM QUESTION: In their new book, America’s Four Gods, Baylor professors Paul Froese and Christopher Bader claim that America’s cultural diversity goes back to our competing views of God. There is the engaged, judging Authoritative God; the loving, supportive Benevolent God; the observant but not punishing Critical God; and the stand-apart Distant God. In essence, we are at war over

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Since 1980, an important ratio in our mission field is now fourteen times higher. What is that ratio and why is it important to joining God in His mission to reach the growing population of Dallas and Rockwall counties?A recent Brookings Institute report, “The State of Metropolitan America,” revealed that DFW exceeds national averages in population growth and diversity. In my last article, I

Dallas Baptist Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00199775559283557236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8716112496828337960.post-44525026602409584332010-10-27T15:51:00.005-05:002010-10-27T16:03:44.667-05:00

Over the next couple of months, I will be writing some articles concerning a vision of the future for our work together to reach our mission field of Dallas and Rockwall counties. These articles will give an opportunity for dialogue and shared insight as we travel on this journey together. I invite you to join in this discussion and my prayer is that God will continue to clarify and guide us

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The current issue of Leadership Journal gives a link to a parody video of the “typical” contemporary worship service produced by the media team of North Point Community Church. Leadership Journal states, “It’s a good natured reminder of how easily we fall into patterns of behavior.” You can watch the video at: http://vimeo.com/11501569.One of the blessings that Ellen and I experience is the

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The current recession is being widely called The Great Recession. Most churches, ministries, and associations of churches have felt the impact of this recession. But how can a recession really be great? This recession is great in the number of people impacted. Robert Samuelson of Newsweek states that this recession “has touched every social class through job loss, pay cuts, depressed home

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This weeks’ question: In the context of your own religious faith, where do you stand today on the issue of same sex marriages? If you favor them, please explain why. If you don’t, please explain why. In the creation account in Genesis, the Bible teaches that God established the marriage relationship. Genesis 2:24 states, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to

Dallas Baptist Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00199775559283557236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8716112496828337960.post-28633865099386142592010-04-27T07:53:00.002-05:002010-04-27T07:58:20.177-05:00

Texas Faith Forum Question:Did the Pentagon do the right thing – or wrong thing – in withdrawing its invitation to Graham?Actions speak louder than words. Through Operation Christmas Child, Franklin Graham is bringing joy and hope to millions of children in desperate situations worldwide including many countries where there are significant Muslim populations. A Graham quote that is not getting

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Texas Faith Forum Question:Given that Justice John Paul Stevens is retiring and is the last Protestant on the Supreme Court - in a country that's majority Protestant – should President Barack Obama appoint a Protestant as his successor?SUPREME COURTThe Constitution is clear that there should be “no religious test” for public office. The nature of the responsibility of a Supreme Court Justice

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Tax exemption for churches is rooted in the First Amendment of the Constitution. The pillars of our free society include individual freedoms, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion. A free church within a free state means that neither institution is over the other. For the government to tax churches would assert control over churches which destroys religious freedom. The government

Dallas Baptist Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00199775559283557236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8716112496828337960.post-1148304671054332542010-01-12T07:45:00.000-06:002010-01-12T07:47:09.071-06:00

Question: Was Brit Hume out of bounds in trying to persuade Tiger — and others — to convert to Christianity? If so, why? If not, why not?The statements by Brit Hume were within the boundaries of all principles that matter in our free society. He is within the boundaries of religious freedom to believe and practice openly the Christian faith. He is within the boundaries of freedom of speech to

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Texas Faith Forum Question: How can we have an interfaith dialogue without it diluting the essentials of each faith and without it ending up in a Dallas Cowboys/ Washington Redskins-type standoff? There are many qualities that will facilitate meaningful interfaith dialogue including: humility, respect, love, self-control, and honesty. Peter taught, “Always be prepared to give an answer to

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Faith Forum Question: The situation in Afghanistan involves two competing realities. One is that more Americans believe we should get out of that war, and the other is that there’s a real possibility the Taliban could provide a safe haven for terrorists if we simply left. The president is weighing these realities and trying to come up with a strategy. And here’s another reality: His decision

Dallas Baptist Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00199775559283557236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8716112496828337960.post-53260159488845715832009-08-18T08:59:00.001-05:002009-08-18T09:01:03.453-05:00

Texas Faith Forum Question – Prominent atheists have spoken out against other scientists participating in dialogue with religious leaders and believers. Their view is that religion has nothing to teach science. How would you make a case for mutual engagement between science and religion?From a Christian perspective, science and faith are not enemies that should avoid any mutual engagement.

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Texas Faith Forum Question: We live in society where so much attention is devoted to work. But we’re headed into August, the vacation month. What do your spiritual paths say about the role of play?In our faith tradition, the importance of rest is rooted in the creation story. Genesis 2:2 states, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested

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Craig Groeschel is pastor of LifeChurch, a multi-site congregation with a ministry that reaches many unchurched seekers. When asked how his preaching has changed, Craig “indicated that he has taken it deeper to reach seekers and teach believers alike.” Sometimes in a desire to reach the unchurched, depth in preaching is avoided. However, new research by Ed Stetzer and his associates on

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The Dallas Morning News hosts the Texas Faith Forum on their website. Each week, the newspaper will ask a question to approximately 25 religious leaders of various faiths. The question this week was asked by editorial columnist William McKenzie. He stated, “Politicians think about demographics when it comes to projecting who will be around to vote for them and their party in a decade. . .

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Most of us are aware of the significant growth in the Hispanic population in Dallas and Rockwall counties. Are you aware of the growing Hispanic opportunity? In a recent survey, George Barna documents how the faith of America’s Hispanics has changed. The research concluded that “Hispanics are assimilating the faith of the Caucasian population faster than anyone would have predicted.” In the last

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