High Pointe responds to community

Posted: 4/28/06

High Pointe responds to community

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

CEDAR HILL—The neighborhood around High Pointe Baptist Church is 43 percent African-American, but the church was nearly all Anglo.

The church unsuccessfully tried multiple times to minister to its neighbors, but families simply were not interested in coming to the church.

So High Pointe started an African-American church, The Fellowship at High Pointe, and the community has responded. More than 50 people attend the new church’s services. Because they see High Pointe cares about its community, African-American families also have started attending High Pointe Baptist Church.

The growth has convinced Keith Thompson, High Pointe’s minister of missions, that church starting is key to expanding God’s kingdom.

“That’s what we see as the most strategic and effective way to grow the kingdom,” Thompson said.

Church starting has become an integral part of High Pointe Baptist Church, said Pastor Toby Snowden. Members see people professing Christ as Lord, and they see lives changing.

The church believes in church starting so much that it is looking to create a resource and training center for church planters called the Southwest Center for Church Planting. Through this new entity, Thompson hopes to help start congregations across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

High Pointe Baptist Church has joined the Baptist General Convention of Texas in its effort to start 1,500 churches by the end of 2010. High Pointe has voted to start 15 churches by the end of 2010.

Snowden believes the goal of 1,500 churches could revolutionize the spiritual landscape.

“If churches took it seriously, I think it’s touching the hem of the garment of revival.”

Church starting already has changed High Pointe.

“We’re excited about it,” Thompson said. “We think church starting is the way to go.”