Month: April 2012

Criswell College offering “Great Doctrines” class

DALLAS—Criswell College is offering the first session of the Great Doctrines of the Bible beginning May 14 at a discounted price of $99. 

Students research the doctrine of Scripture—known as bibliology—for eight weeks, participating in online forums and interacting with students and professors after accessing wacriswell.com for materials, sermons, writings and videos of W.A. Criswell, the long-time pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas.

Both the Great Doctrines of the Bible Certificate and the Advanced Certificate are designed to provide students with a firm foundation in the major points of theology as well as prepare them for further study.

“Dr. Criswell’s extensive preparation, memorable illustrations, and rich insights make the Great Doctrines of the Bible series an invaluable resource for pastors, Bible teachers, seminary students and lay people,” said senior professor James Bryant, professor of record for the course.

For more information call 214-818-1392 or email admissions@criswell.edu. Students who enroll now and take the courses in sequence as they are offered will secure the introductory rate for each of the eight courses. 

Criswell College taps enrollment VP, long-range planning committee

 

DALLAS—Trustees of Criswell College, meeting April 5, gave increased attention to enrollment with the election of Russell Marriott as associate vice president for enrollment services, and named a long-range planning and development committee to consider future needs.

Since 2008 Marriott has directed admission and recruiting at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, during which time the school grew 10-12 percent per year, said Criswell College President Jerry Johnson, who praised the recommendation from the student services committee.

In his new assignment, Marriott will supervise recruitment, assimilation and retention of students, coordinating tours and visits to churches, conferences and schools to recruit students. Admissions will be separated from the Student Life Department, which continues to be led by Joe Thomas.

Board chairman Jimmy Pritchard of Forney tapped Tom Hatley, Keet Lewis, Susie Hawkins, Ed Rawls and Calvin Whittman to serve on the long-range planning committee, in addition to ex-officio members Jack Pogue and Jim Richards representing the Criswell Foundation. Consideration will be given to expanding the curriculum beyond the focus of a Bible school, and weighing the merits of relocating the campus.

Trustees approved a slightly larger budget of $6,078,000 for 2012-2013 and promoted two professors—Alan Streett to senior research professor of biblical exegesis and Betty Smith to professor of English and composition. An honorary doctor of divinity degree was approved for commencement speaker Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans.

As part of his report to the board, Johnson pointed to the lives changed through the ministry of Criswell students, including a man that one student met at the Dallas Life homeless shelter. “He came to Dallas to become a wrestler, got saved, went back home and came back to Criswell College years later,” Johnson said.

Forty-seven people are now attending a Hispanic congregation meeting in the school’s chapel, he added. The church was planted as an outgrowth of ministry to the surrounding neighborhood last November. The annual outreach day and an upcoming job fair in May provide additional opportunities to witness to the community, Johnson said.

On the international level, the school has accepted the challenge of the International Mission Board to embrace an unengaged, unreached people group, with plans to develop a strategy for ministry among the Arabic-speaking population in Turkey. Students will also be involved in sharing the gospel with the Basque people group in northern Spain.

IMB President Tom Elliff, North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell, and Criswell College missions professor Scott Bridger kept the priority of the Great Commission before students during a two-week chapel emphasis in mid-April that brought representatives of 14 mission organizations to campus.

Whitten to nominate Texas pastor for SBC 1st VP

HUMBLE – Texas pastor Nathan Lino will be nominated to the office of first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the annual meeting in New Orleans this summer. Ken Whitten, pastor of Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, Fla., told Florida Baptist Witness of his intention to nominate Lino, stating, “I believe Nathan’s vision and leadership are exactly what we need in Southern Baptist life.”

Lino, 35, has served as senior pastor of Northeast Houston Baptist Church in Humble, for 10 years and has formerly served as first vice president of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.

Whitten, who served with Lino as a trustee of the International Mission Board, said he has “witnessed a man who has a deep commitment to Southern Baptists, and an even deeper commitment to the Lord and to the gospel being taken to all the peoples of the world, beginning in his Jerusalem – Houston.”

According to Whitten, Lino will be nominated as IMB trustee chairman at its May meeting. Previously he served as moderator of the South Texas Baptist Association.

“He has proven he can lead,” Whitten said.

“Nathan would describe Northeast Houston Baptist as a church of 1,000 people with a heart for the city and the nations,” Whitten said. “They are a giving church both in possessions and people.”

Whitten also noted that Lino’s congregation has planted seven churches in Houston and overseas. The church has baptized 46 people over the past year.

“The church’s desire, through Nathan’s leadership, is to give away 2,000 people in the next ten years through church plants and struggling local churches in the Houston area,” Whitten said, noting that Lino’s goal of sending 2,000 members to other congregations is equivalent of a megachurch.

Born in South Africa, Lino's family immigrated to the United States when he was 11, settling in Texas where he attended Humble schools. He received his B.A. from Texas A&M University. After completing his M.Div. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lino returned to Texas and pastored Union Baptist Church in Normandy before planting the church he currently serves.  He is completing a D.Min. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

Lino serves on the editorial board for www.baptisttheology.org, a department of The Center for Theological Research at Southwestern Seminary. He has traveled to 26 countries for mission trips and preaching engagements.

According to church sources, a fourth of the $1.8 million budget of Northeast Houston Baptist is allocated to missions. In addition to Cooperative Program contributions, the church gives directly to Southwestern Seminary and IMB causes such as Baptist Global Relief. SBTC reports receiving $116,881.99 from Northeast Houston Baptist in 2011, which amounts to 6.49 percent of the church's budget.

“With the joy and excitement of the possibility of electing Fred Luter as our first African-American president of the Southern Baptist Convention, I am delighted to add to that team of officers the name of Nathan Lino,” Whitten said.

Lino and his wife, Nicole, have been married 13 years and have four children.

Mesquite church sponsors AAU track club

MESQUITE—As high school track programs are finishing out the year, the Mesquite Friendship Striders are just beginning to practice. Starting their 15th season, the faith-based track program is a ministry of Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church, having reached out to thousands of young people throughout the Dallas area.

On average there will be 45 to 50 kids participating, ranging in age from 5 to 18. About a fourth of the athletes are members of the Mesquite congregation, but each year the program prompts participants to get involved in other ministries of the church.

“We have many families join the church simply because of what they see at our practice,” explained Coach Sharon Ellis. Some of the athletes accepted Jesus as their personal Savior.

Ellis spoke of the added value that all participants receive. “Our children are taught respect for themselves and for others.”

That’s what appealed to Tanya Carter when her son began practicing with the Striders at the age of 7. “His coach is a very respectful man in the church and he really looks up to him, listens and respects him,” she said, praising the commitment of Erick Boger who got involved seven years ago.

Boger has three sons of his own participating with the Striders. “Once you get out there as a parent to participate, you sometimes get drafted,” he told the TEXAN, describing the three-day a week commitment to coach the boys from 6–8 a.m. “I love it,” he said.

With other sports programs, Boger noticed that coaches didn’t give the same amount of time to those who didn’t perform as well, pushing them off to the side.

“With the Striders everybody is treated the same regardless of their talent,” he said. “If a kid doesn’t make the race, he’s still encouraged to run hard the next week.”

In 2010 the Striders had 69 competitors from Mesquite and surrounding cities compete in the AAU Junior Olympics Southwestern division trials and then on to the regional track meet. Fiftteen advanced to the National Junior Olympics held in Norfork, Va. Ten participants in the program advanced to the national competition last year.

“For the past few years, we have qualified for the Junior Olympics in the 4×800-, 4×400-, and 4×100-meter relays, as well as the 100-, 200-, 400-, 800-, and 1,500-meter runs,” Ellis recalled. “We also have had hurdlers, long jumpers and high jumpers qualify.”

“They’re not only teaching them track, but also helping them to learn responsibility and respect” as well as directing the attention of athletes to God, Carter said

“At the end of each practice, we all get together in a circle and if anyone needs prayer, there is usually a minister out there who prays for the group,” she said. “I like that we’re not just up and leaving and everybody going their separate ways. We always end our practice with our group meeting as a whole, holding hands and ending in prayer.”

Pastor Terry Turner is often the one leading that effort. “They’re letting the kids know it’s OK to pray wherever you are.”

“Prayer is an important element of practice and competition,” Ellis said. “We teach our children to ask for strength to finish each race.”

And when the Striders athletes finish in the top three places, Ellis hears teammates yell, “One, two, three, praise the Lord!”

Leaders and followers

Everybody has a head. Maybe not two kidneys or hands, maybe not a spleen or appendix but everyone has that center of knowing and doing that usually rests atop the shoulders. That’s why Paul’s description of Jesus as the head of the church in Colossians 1 and Ephesians 1 works as a picturesque and universal portrayal of our place of submission under our Lord.

Groups of humans have a head also. A football team has a quarterback and devotes a lot of manpower to guarding him, and to attacking the quarterback of the other team. Armies have generals, countries have kings or presidents, churches have pastors, companies have CEOs, and so forth. All of those entities devote a lot of effort to the nurture and protection of their respective heads. Without those individuals the corporate body will not function well, or long. I suppose that’s one reason you can’t turn around without stumbling over a pile of leadership books or a cluster of people taking a leadership seminar. The importance of leadership implies something that many Americans have trouble grasping. In fact, I think the frantic emphasis on leadership we’ve seen for 20 years or so reflects a problem more subtle than ignorance about how to lead people.

Our culture has too little respect for authority. And the necessity of a leader means that he must have authority over those he leads. Disrespect is reflected in the way we speak of and to our leaders, in the way we complain and express our expectations, and in the way we honor our own feelings above any established ethical code. I think our people struggle to be leaders because we have never learned to be followers. We can train, clone, or rear effective leaders forever and they will still fail if placed before a group of people who will not follow.

I confess to being part of the problem. Something as simple as how we address people can reflect inadequate respect for necessary roles. I grew up addressing those older than myself (aunts, uncles, and family friends) by their first names, as if we were peers. My teachers were “Mr.” or “Mrs.” and clearly not my peers. As a high school student, my pastor was called by his first name, as were my Sunday School teachers and youth leaders. We did that to flatten our social or generational differences, to our detriment—it made those people less effective leaders. My gaggle of high school and college students had plenty of buddies. What we needed was experienced people to be respected role models and leaders. A trend toward irreverence is not self-correcting. The problem has grown as we self-absorbed baby boomers took charge.

A whole generation of Americans now cannot remember television shows or movies where kids did not crack wise and treat their parents horribly. I remember “Father Knows Best” and I remember “All in the Family.” The former program (notice “Father”) portrayed Dad as wise, kind, winsome, and appropriately stern. He usually wore a suit to work and a tie to dinner. The latter program portrayed Dad as a bigoted wiseacre who drank a lot of beer and ridiculed his wife. Since that day, portrayals of families have become increasingly toxic. Because we scorned the old “square” model of family and were amused by the new “hip” model, we got what we wanted in entertainment and in reality.

In politics we’ve gone in my lifetime from “President Eisenhower” and “JFK” or “President Kennedy” to “Tricky Dick,” “Slick Willy,” “W” and “Barack.” Even if some of those monikers are intended affectionately, and some are, it is a slide in respect for a necessary role and for the authority required to fill that role.

And I certainly, as a part of the problem, understand why this is tempting. We are a democratic, congregational, egalitarian culture. No kings here. A person is not superior in essence just because he’s lived longer or attained a higher standing. What seemed more evident to me then than now is that older people are not necessarily smart or right. Why respect an accident of birth order or the compromises that a long life accumulates? I like the idea of respecting people who deserve it and treating the rest in whatever way I think they deserve. That’s the problem. I thought it was a fine idea that I would decide who deserves my respect and who does not. It’s not only a modern idea or an American idea; it is a very human and ungodly one.

About the time I received the right to vote I was introduced to a passage of Scripture I’d never seen before. First Samuel 24 tells the story of an unrighteous king of Israel who sought to kill the righteous future king. As Saul (the bad king) found himself at (good future king) David’s mercy, David stayed his hand because Saul was his “master” and “God’s anointed,” even in the midst of his decline and sin. Saul did not deserve respect in my view, but he did in the view his Master (and mine), the Lord who appointed him king. This view of authority as derived from God was revolutionary to me at the time. Who else has God appointed over me? He’s appointed pastors, presidents, parents, board members, supervisors, congressmen and a host of people with authority delegated by one of the above for one purpose or another. It is not for me to judge their worthiness for the role.

This should be a no-brainer for God’s people. Clearly we have people at every stage of life who have been set in place by God for the common good. Nearly all of us find also ourselves in the role of leader to at least one other person. The respect we need is the respect those in authority over us need also. In fact, we must occasionally cordon ourselves off from familiarity and fellowship so as to better fulfill a vital role in the lives of others. This too is a decidedly un-baby boomer instinct. There is a time to be “Gary” and a time to be “Dad” or “Mr. Ledbetter” or even on rare occasions “Rev. Ledbetter.” As I say, it goes against the grain to give or receive the trappings of office. Part of being a leader requires sometimes going against the grain.

Maybe we should dial back the wit and arrogance so popular in our public and private dialog. Could we even stop letting Hollywood script writers set the tone for our families? It is appropriate that we spend less time deciding how much respect to give those God has already appointed over us. A counter-cultural move toward what used to be called common respect will benefit our communities and churches more than we can imagine. I believe it would also solve part of our leadership vacuum. The real problem may have been a followship vacuum all along.

CP: A sacred ‘how’ for the Great Commission

April 22 is Cooperative Program Day in the Southern Baptist Convention. This is an excellent time to share with your congregation about how we work together through combining our financial resources. Let me share with you some of the personal involvement you have through the Cooperative Program.

Over 100,000 evangelistic packets were delivered to homes in the McAllen area. The packets had the gospel in Spanish and English. More than 2,300 people attended a special outreach effort in the State Farm Arena. Four-hundred-three precious people filled out cards saying they prayed to receive Christ. There were many adults and entire families who came to Christ. Pastor Loui Canchola of Cornerstone Church reports that existing churches are following up on those who made decisions. Plans are being made to start new churches as well. You have a part in all that God is doing through the Cooperative Program.

Texas is a multi-cultural mosaic. Extreme Teams are going into the major cities of Texas to reach ethno-linguistic people groups. Over 100,000 East Indians live in the Lone Star State. Refugees from around the world resettle here. For security reasons, I can’t give you the names of some of the SBTC missionaries working among the Muslim, Hindu and Buddhists here. But you are having a part in their work through the Cooperative Program.

Churches like North Euless Baptist Church want to move from a plateau to a growth trajectory. They are beginning to see God’s blessings again because of the workable plan they receive through the Ezekiel Project. Scores of churches come back strong to reach their communities with the gospel when they get evaluation and direction. The Cooperative Program makes this possible.

Students at Criswell College, like Bethany, get a portion of their education paid through the SBTC. She is learning on-the-job training through an internship with the convention. Young men and women are ready to contribute in ministry. Your church has a part in preparing people for ministry through the Cooperative Program.

The churches of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention send their Cooperative Program gifts with a desire to see the Kingdom of God advance. Forty-five percent of the SBTC Cooperative Program is invested in Texas. Your SBTC staff is doing more with less in Texas so others in North America and around the world may hear the name of Jesus.

Fifty-five percent of Cooperative Program giving goes to the Southern Baptist Convention. About 5,000 international missionaries are penetrating lostness around the world. Southern Baptist missions have been the envy of other denominations and para-church organizations for decades.

David and Peggy are reaching the unreached and engaging the unengaged in South Asia. They are on the field because of our funding system, the Cooperative Program. They have a safety net most independent missionaries do not have. You are holding the rope while they go over the edge.

The North American Mission Board is transitioning to a major focus on church planting. The areas with the least evangelical presence are the places where the efforts are focused. Chuy and Maria Avila have shown what working together can accomplish. They are SBTC/NAMB missionaries in Laredo. New churches have been started and existing churches have been strengthened. You make their ministry possible through the Cooperative Program.

Fifteen thousand seminary students receive a quality biblical education at a reduced cost because of the CP. Every church that gives through the Cooperative Program is investing in the lives of God-called servants.

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission speaks to Southern Baptists and for Southern Baptists on social, moral and first amendment issues. We desperately need this voice for the life of the unborn and for marriage between a man and woman. Freedom to practice our beliefs in the public square is a major assignment funded through the Cooperative Program.

The Executive Committee is the administrative arm of the SBC. It operates on a minimal part of CP contributions. All of these SBC ministries are a part of the Cooperative Program story. Real people make up those stories.

Percentage giving in the local church budget through the Cooperative Program is the best way to participate. The local church decides how much should be forwarded to Texas and Southern Baptist causes. I ask you to consider the genius of the Cooperative Program, which is undesignated giving.

Giving and Going is the balance. Local churches are doing more “hands-on” missions than ever before. It is commendable to involve church staff and members in direct missions. Funds should be directed to underwrite these efforts. I would encourage churches to continue to send their gifts through the Cooperative Program. Reducing CP giving will have an unintended consequence on SBTC/SBC missionaries and ministries. Hands-on missions and hands-on giving through the CP are complementary, not in competition.

You have heard how the Cooperative Program can be personalized by the stories in my column. These are real live people who minister because of your gifts through the CP. There are literally thousands of stories that could be told about how the Cooperative Program is a tool that advances the Kingdom of God. No church is so large that it can reach Texas or touch the world by itself. No church is too small that it can’t have a part in a great work for God that impacts millions of lives.

Your church recently received a packet of information about Cooperative Program Day, April 22. I ask you to share with your church how we can Reach Texas and Touch the World together. It is important that the people in the pew understand the Cooperative Program. Years ago someone said that denominational leaders made a “sacred cow” out of the Cooperative Program. It is not a sacred cow but it is a “sacred how.” God has used the CP to build a platform like no other for the furtherance of the gospel. Please share with your congregation the most unique networking tool available for carrying out the Great Commission. Tell them the stories of the Cooperative Program. Join with others through the CP in Reaching Texas and Touching the World.

In sports ministry, fruit follows intentionality

Some churches offer competitive kids’ sports leagues such as Upward. Others have a gymnasium and are hoping the recreation space can somehow translate into more and better disciples of Jesus. Still others are using sports and recreation in creative ways beyond the church property, drawing together people of like interests to hike, golf, run or hunt.    

But despite the method, Paul Stutz is sure of one thing: the church recreational programs that are “planned and implemented with the intention of introducing Christ through known leisure pursuits” are typically the ones that bear spiritual fruit.

Changed lives must be the goal, added Stutz, assistant professor of administration and church recreation at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

“The leisure lives of people are far more difficult to corral because of the diverse nature of recreation,” Stutz said. Drawing on over 30 years of church and seminary experience in the field of recreation and youth ministry, he said effective evaluation of such programs requires a plan before they are developed and implemented.

“Many churches construct a gym thinking that it will fend for itself in changing lives,” he explained. “Not so,” he answered, encouraging church leaders to start by asking why they want to offer the program, what spiritual outcomes are expected, and whether the program or activity is conducive to ministry.
The next step is to determine whether it’s an activity people want to do, Stutz said.

At Houston’s First Baptist Church, an online interest survey allows people an opportunity to express whether they’re interested in new opportunities for outdoor recreation as diverse as backpacking, road and mountain biking, canoe/kayak and rafting, rock climbing, running, skateboarding, skeet/trap shooting, surfing, triathlons, and motorcycle trips, and a variety of hunting and fishing sports.

Development of that ministry begins when volunteer leadership emerges, explained Dave Budrick, recreation minister. “As people step forward to say I want to lead this ministry, I spend time getting to know them and making sure it’s a good fit.”

“Parks and rec folks are masters at assessing the leisure needs of the populations they serve,” Stutz said. “They do not offer programs that are not substantiated by intentions of potential participants.”

Once the value of a program is affirmed and a convenient schedule selected, Stutz said leaders should consider whether the spiritual emphasis is on evangelism, discipleship or fellowship and how that will be integrated into the activity. “Programs that do not lend themselves to ministry should be avoided.”

“Our members use these opportunities to reach out and find their neighbors, co-workers, and friends, inviting them to a duck hunt or skeet shoot,” Bundrick said in evaluating the new ministry tagged “Outdoors Unlimited.”

“With a church our size, it’s helping members connect with other members who have similar outdoor interests. Then they use those opportunities to find neighbors, co-workers, and friends and say, ‘We’re going to go do a duck hunt or shoot skeet. Why don’t you come with me?’”

It comes down to building relationships and looking for ways to share Christ, he explained. “We challenge our folks to go into that event praying and looking for an opportunity by being sensitive to the Holy Spirit.”

Bundrick said, “Most of our success right now has been in helping church members who were on the fringe. They would show up Sunday for one hour and that was the level of their commitment. Then after meeting up with other folks, meeting once or twice a week to ride together and join up in races, you start seeing them there on Wednesday nights for Bible study, getting plugged in and connected.”

First Baptist Church of Maypearl has had success attracting new families to the church through Upward Basketball, according to Paul Bowman, recreation minister. “In each season we have seen several children saved,” he noted, reporting five conversions this year.

“Our key has been our people seeing Upward as an opportunity to build relationships with unchurched families,” Bowman said.

Leaders can use various measurement devices to gauge success, Stutz said, such as professions of faith, an increase in Sunday School attendance or enhanced social relationships among church members.

When an ongoing sports ministry no longer achieves evangelistic or discipleship goals, church leaders must re-evaluate continuation. Several years ago Sherwood Baptist Church in Odessa decided its Upward sports ministry did not merit the investment of volunteer time and expense.

“We saw very little result and tons of effort,” explained Pastor Ivy Shelton. “We switched to AWANA because we knew we didn’t have the manpower to do both well,” he said, referring to the discipleship program for children. “We have found that we have become much more effective evangelistically by concentrating our efforts through other means of outreach.”

That decision didn’t end its recreation ministry, however. Now the family life center serves a ministry purpose nearly year round for a Christian school as well as a home school association. “They do those programs better than we ever could,” Shelton said, “and so we enable them to do what they do well.”

The AWANA program uses the gym for the recreation time while members continue to make use of workout facilities, racquetball courts and the gymnasium. A ladies aerobics class meets every Tuesday and Thursday for exercise and prayer.

“I’m certainly not knocking sports evangelism. It was just good for us as a church to drop the version of it in which we were engaged,” Shelton said.

Bowman said he is trying to balance ministry with the competitive atmosphere that comes with sports. “I am seeing a huge swing from adult emphasis to kids’ sports,” he said, pointing to the need to reach entire families instead of only attracting children.

“One of our best successes has been in doing Family Fun Nights with an evening of games designed to involve the whole family,” placing an emphasis on family events instead of individual group sports, Bowman added.

Changed lives and intentionality are concepts unique to church-based recreation and sports ministries, Stutz said. “All leisure service folks want their programs to change lives,” he said, referring to the common municipal mission statement of enhancing the quality of life for citizens.

“That doesn’t come close to carrying the weight of providing recreation and sports programs that introduce participants to Christ and how their lives can be eternally transformed by him,” Stutz said. Every ministry should be evaluated by that standard, he insisted.

Teams from the Church at the Cross in Grapevine have offered soccer camps as an entry point when ministering in Laredo. From 30 to 50 members participate each year with teenagers making up about a fourth of the mission team.

“Soccer is something that a lot of parents played when they were younger so they easily connect with bringing their kids to a camp,” explained Taylor Brooks, a member of the Grapevine church who just completed his fourth year of leading a group on mission in South Texas. “Most of the kids already know how to play and those that don’t are easy to teach.

Brooks said the investment is very inexpensive as the group begins with basic drills and moves on to play games. “We take a couple of $50-dollar nets and a couple of soccer balls and start playing.”

Water breaks provide the perfect opportunity to share testimonies of faith in Christ. “We get to know the kids and they play against us. Then they’re tired and come back to hear our story.” Brooks estimated that nearly half of the camp participants attended a block party designed to attract families.

Teenagers from Grapevine maintain relationships with many of the young people they work with each year. “When I went back with our youth I found out they had been texting and messaging on Facebook with kids we met last year, telling them we’d be headed back down and some of them showed up again,” he recalled.

“All of this was organized to build momentum for Saturday nights when families were able to meet the pastor of the church,” Brooks said. “We saw three families come from soccer camp to connect the dots all the way through to the church where they really opened up about the needs they have.”  

That kind of intentionality in ministry distinguishes sports and recreation offered by churches from secular programs, Stutz explained. “Other leisure service agencies have other intentions, but the church is unique to the spiritual application.”

He encouraged churches to give the Holy Spirit opportunity to work within sports and recreation programs through intentional times of biblical teaching, spiritual reflection, and prayer.”

Upward Football was bridge to faith

DENISON—Athena Sanders remembers the day her 5-year-old son asked, “Mom, why don’t we ever go to church?”

She didn’t have a response for him at the time, but his interest in playing football eventually led her to a church-based sports ministry where God provided the answer she needed.

“A couple of weeks later I talked with someone at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club about their tackle football,” Sanders recalled, “but instead she told me about sign-ups for Upward Football at Parkside Baptist.” Alex began playing football coached by David Reed and showed no hesitation when asked during the Bible lesson if he had ever done something for which he was not proud.

Sanders recalled that Alex answered, “’No, but my mom has.’” While her son didn’t have anything specific in mind when he answered the question, she knew he was right, she told the TEXAN. “I wasn’t proud of the fact that I had not allowed Jesus to be a part of my life, but more importantly, I had not allowed him to be a part of Alex’s life,” she said.

Having stayed away from church for many years, Sanders explained, “Over time I had developed misconceptions about what it meant to be a Christian, but all of that changed through Upward,” she said. “We met so many wonderful people—true Christians and amazing witnesses for Christ.”

When the season concluded, Sanders attended the Upward celebration and professed faith in Christ. Visitors from Parkside Baptist talked with the family in their home and encouraged them to come to church the following week.

Standing before the church in February to share her experience, she told the congregation, “The welcome I received was nothing short of the same experience I had with Upward. You all greeted me with warm smiles, hugs and handshakes. I knew this was where I wanted to be.”

Building relationships by visiting the families of athletes is a vital element of Parkside’s evangelistic sports ministry, explained Tria Heaton, preschool and children’s director. Upward programs offered at Parkside include flag football, basketball, soccer and cheerleading.

Halfway through each hour-long practice, coaches share a devotional, while every game provides an opportunity for a testimony at halftime, Heaton explained. “We challenge the kids to learn Scripture during the week and they get awards,” she added, describing their excitement at displaying stars that are added to their uniforms.

“After we finish out the season, they’ll have an in-home visit based on whether they’ve received Christ, are a prospect for our church, or if we need to work with another church to follow-up,” she said, explaining that ministers from other churches are involved in the community outreach.

“We’re not about trying to build Parkside,” Heaton said, “but helping people find the Lord.”

After being baptized, Sanders became a member of Parkside, and most recently, joined the choir.

“Upward has had a tremendous impact on our lives,” she shared, recalling the lyrics of a song she heard while taking communion. “’May we never forget how it felt to be lost and how it feels to be free,’” she quoted. “That song really hit home for me. I can’t imagine a life without Christ today. I’ll never forget how it felt to be lost and I’ll never forget all of the people involved in my journey, from the coaches, referees, the folks that came to our home, and all of the others who helped me find my way.”

Sanders said the Upward sports ministry provides an opportunity to reach out to families who otherwise might not come to church. “We should never underestimate the power we have through Christ to make a difference in the lives of others.”

DR responds to North Texas tornadoes; one church reports damage

Disaster relief teams from the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention were responding April 4 to tornado damage in three North Texas cities.

Clean-up and recovery teams from SBTC churches were working in Arlington, which sits in the south central Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Forney, just east of Dallas, and in Joshua, southwest of Fort Worth, said Jim Richardson, SBTC director of disaster relief.

A mammoth swath of afternoon thunderstorms spawned perhaps a dozen tornadoes, the National Weather Service reported, ripping through as many as 650 houses and businesses across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. No deaths were reported from the storms that moved over a metropolitan area of 6.5 million residents.

Reports were preliminary, but at least one Southern Baptist church was damaged. A Methodist church in Arlington reported significant damage but no injuries after its preschool building, with 82 children inside, lost part of its roof. A preschool worker told a local television news crew she and the children sang “Jesus Loves Me!” as the storm passed over.

The website at Tate Springs Baptist Church in Arlington, the base for DR volunteers there, included a message that the property was OK, but that those concerned should call because the church’s email was down.

A church receptionist remarked to the TEXAN, “It jumped over us.” A few church members had damaged homes, but none of the Tate Springs flock was seriously injured.

On April 4, several neighborhoods were secured so residents and authorities could assess damage and conduct any necessary searches.

Arlington’s Grace Baptist Church had visible roof and water damage to its mission house across the street from the church. A basketball goal in the parking lot—just 50 feet from the church building—displayed the tornado’s selective torque, with a steel pole contorted downward and sideways, the backboard and goal in tact.

But the church building only had moderate roof damage. No broken windows, no structural damage, said Pastor Jimmy Hallford. No one was at the church as the tornado hit, he said.

“We are very fortunate,” Hallford added, explaining that next door to the church, the Green Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center saw an entire wing crumble. Only two people inside the nursing home were injured, according to news reports.

“It’s going to open up ministry doors like all disasters do,” Hallford said. He said the day of the storm he and his neighbors were working side by side. He changed a flat tire for one neighbor who was physically unable to do it—a need he happened by, he said. Consequently, the man and his family accepted an invitation from Hallford to attend church on Sunday.

“God works all things to his glory,” Hallford said. “If it opens doors for the gospel that’s fine by me.”

Students from Grace Baptist were planning to help with clean-up in area neighborhoods on April 4, Hallford noted.

In Forney, the First Baptist Church was spared damage, but more than 70 homes were hit and 24 were reported destroyed, said Charles Treadway, executive pastor at First Baptist of Forney. Treadway said he knew of no churches damaged there.

One blessing in the storm was that no school children were injured inside a local elementary school as a tornado passed over, tossing cars from their parking spaces, Treadway said.

“It’s not as bad as it could have been. It could have been much worse.”

Treadway said SBTC DR teams would begin working in Forney on April 5, removing downed trees and limbs and other clean-up tasks.

The storms added an additional deployment for the SBTC’s DR force; volunteers began working in the Rio Grande Valley near McAllen the last week of March after flash floods soaked the area. Richardson said the McAllen teams would continue working there for another week or longer.

400+ respond at McAllen evangelistic event

MCALLEN—Cheers and applause arose from the crowd of 2,348 people who gathered in McAllen's State Farm Arena to watch the elite athletes of Team Impact perform feats of strength, but the response of 403 youngsters and adults to a gospel invitation provided the greatest demonstration of power.

“There were many adults and entire families who came forward,” reported Jack Harris, SBTC associate for personal and event evangelism. He met with pastors from participating churches on April 2 to distribute decision cards so they can follow-up on those who responded to the gospel.

Area Southern Baptist churches and volunteers from Laredo, Brownsville, Farmersville and Dallas laid the groundwork weeks earlier, distributing evangelistic materials and tickets to the April 1 evangelistic rally to 108,000 homes, more than double the goal.

One woman who received the material on her door knob told her daughter about the event, after being unable to persuade her to attend church with her. Her daughter and son-in-law took their five children with them to see Team Impact, and then walked forward in response to the invitation.

Michelle Canchola of McAllen prayed with the family as the woman’s daughter and three of her children professed faith in Christ.

Team Impact athletes also spoke in 25 schools prior to the event, presenting Positive Behavior Support (PBS) assemblies on bullying and respecting authority. Canchola's husband, Loui, pastor of Cornerstone Church in McAllen, spoke with two teenage boys who made professions of faith at the rally after hearing the team's presentation at their school.

“They were blown away by the feats of strength,” Canchola told the TEXAN. “I spoke with them to make sure of what they had done and they were very sincere. I'm just overwhelmed at what God has been doing.”