‘North Dallas’ changes, as does church’s role_102003

Posted: 10/17/03

'North Dallas' changes, as does church's role

By George Henson

Staff Writer

DALLAS–The words “North Dallas” carry a connotation of affluence, but North Dallas Baptist Church is anything but affluent. But then again, it isn't located in what most locals today would call North Dallas either.

When the church began its ministry 101 years ago, this was North Dallas. With rapid development further north, the church now sits in the middle of an impoverished, multi-cultural neighborhood just north of downtown and southeast of Love Field.

Like many inner-city churches that had glory years when attendance topped 500, a change in the culture of the community in the 1980s signaled a change in ministry. By the early 1990s, the congregation was down to 20 members. The church had opened its doors to a Hispanic congregation and a Vietnamese mission but still couldn't afford the upkeep on the sprawling building.

By deeding the facilities to Dallas Baptist Association, the church and association, with direct help from several Dallas-area churches, created Crossover Ministries. Now the property has become a point of ministry for all the congregations located there as well as for Mi Escuelita, a preschool for neighborhood children. (For more on Mi Escuelita, see the Standard's June 17, 2002, issue.)

“The vision was the whole facility becoming a ministry center, rather than just North Dallas Baptist Church,” recalled Joe Mosley of Dallas Baptist Association. “It was all very intentional with an eye to developing ministries for the people living in the area.”

That desire to minister to the community has stayed strong, Pastor Kevin Holt said.

The church continues to reach out to the community, especially through its food pantry that feeds from 75 to 100 people weekly. Since many of those are homeless, volunteers are careful to provide things that don't require cooking and that don't require a can opener.

The Spanish-speaking congregation that meets at the facility, Iglesia Bautista Ebenezer, has grown to almost three times the size of the North Dallas Baptist Church congregation. Crossover Vietnamese Mission draws about 40 to 50 people each week, almost matching the size of the mother congregation. Denis Abaunza is pastor of the Hispanic congregation, and Quyen Le is the Vietnamese pastor.

To accommodate the larger Hispanic congregation, the now multi-cultural but English-speaking North Dallas Baptist congregation relinquished the church sanctuary several years ago and moved to the dining room on the bottom floor of the building.

On Aug. 10, the church celebrated its 101st anniversary with a grand opening of a newly remodeled youth building that will house the founding congregation.

While the vision of the facility being a ministry site is being realized, Holt sees many other needs in the community waiting to be met.

“We have all of mankind's worst enemies, but not the resources to combat these things like we would like to,” he explained.

From the outside looking in, the future doesn't appear bright. The 10 to 15 North Dallas members who have persevered and provide most of the church's financial resources are aging, and a savings account left from the church's more prosperous years is dwindling. Within a year, the church's bank accounts may be empty, Holt predicted.

But he's not discouraged.

“I don't think it depends on the money,” he said. “That's God's concern, and if he has a plan for us, he's going to make it happen.”