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Pastors face stresses, challenges of corporate CEOâs

Posted: 11/17/06

Pastors face stresses,
challenges of corporate CEO’s

By Greg Garrison

Religion News Service

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) —New Hope Baptist Church Pastor Gregory Clarke sometimes feels like the CEO of a major corporation—or more than one.

“I’m president of three corporations, superintendent of the school and pastor of the church,” Clarke said. Make that two campuses, with a combined membership of 3,000 people.

The business side of religion:
• Pastors face stresses, challenges of corporate CEOs
• Congregations embrace the business side of religion
• Endowments provide churches a financial safety net

Gregory Clarke is pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., and has many of the same duties as a CEO. (RNS photo by Steve Barnette/The Birmingham News)

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Congregations embrace the business side of religion

Posted: 11/17/06

Congregations embrace
the business side of religion

By Greg Garrison

Religion News Service

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS)—Generating as much as $25 million a year through 105 ministries, Briarwood Presbyterian Church touches the world like a multinational corporation.

“Fifty cents of every dollar goes outside the church—whether it’s Campus Outreach or Bangladesh,” said Bruce Stallings, Briarwood’s executive pastor. “We are able to support missions all around the world.”

The business side of religion:
• Pastors face stresses, challenges of corporate CEOs
• Congregations embrace the business side of religion
• Endowments provide churches a financial safety net

Bryan Gunn, minister of administration at Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., is a former accountant. He said, “There’s a need to step up to a higher level of professionalism and accountability within churches.” (RNS photo by Mark Almond/The Birmingham News)

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Cartoon

Posted: 11/17/06 News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

African-American rally focuses on worship & thanksgiving

Posted: 11/17/06

A choir sings during the worship service at a BGCT-sponsored rally for African-American Baptists. (Photo by Jenny Pope)

African-American rally focuses
on worship & thanksgiving

By Jenny Pope

Buckner International

LEWISVILLE—Hundreds of African-American Texas Baptists gathered at Westside Baptist Church to worship God and give thanks for the growth of African-American churches in the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

“We haven’t gotten to where we want to be, but we’re further than we used to be,” said Oscar Epps, founding pastor of Community Baptist Church in DeSoto.

• See complete list of convention articles

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Battle of the Bands winner

Posted: 11/17/06

Battle of the Bands winner

The Jonathan Stege Band won the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ first Battle of the Bands competition, held in conjunction with the BGCT annual meeting.

The band, which leads worship for the college group at First Baptist Church in Lubbock, beat out 11 other competitors.

• See complete list of convention articles

Trae Castles Band won second place. Iconoclast won third. The Jonathan Stege Band will receive studio recording time and a spot on the BGCT Youth Evangelism Conference fx band lineup in July. Trae Castles Band and Iconoclast both won Guitar Center gift certificates.

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Trust in God in turbulent times, president tells BGCT

Posted: 11/17/06

Trust in God in turbulent
times, president tells BGCT

By Sara Hawkins

Houston Baptist University

DALLAS—In turbulent times, Texas Baptists can rest in the promise: “God will take care of you,” Michael Bell of Fort Worth told the Baptist General Convention of Texas in his president’s address.

“As I prepare to exit stage left, I am compelled to call your attention to the importance of your participation and your increased involvement in the life of our convention,” Bell said.

Michael Bell, pastor of Greater St. Stephen First Baptist Church in Fort Worth, delivers the president’s message to the Baptist General Convention of Texas. (Photo by Robin Kenagy)

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Texas Baptists challenged to âshare the lightâ

Posted: 11/17/06

Texas Baptists challenged to ‘share the light’

By Craig Bird

Baptist Child & Family Services

DALLAS—The question for Texas Baptists is “how do we do more together this century to tell the world about Jesus Christ,” Duane Brooks, pastor of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, told the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting.

“God is calling us, not to perpetuate the past, but to be a light to all the people of the earth,” Brooks said during the annual meeting sermon. “If we have more memories of a glorious past than dreams of the future, we are dying.”

Duane Brooks

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Church starting policies designed to ensure accountability

Posted: 11/17/06

Executive Board staff members Tim Randolph and Ron Gunter explain proposed church starting policies.

Church starting policies
designed to ensure accountability

By Barbara Bedrick

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS—A workshop during the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting provided a peek into new, strengthened church starting guidelines that include more accountability and frequent assessment meetings.

• See complete list of convention articles

The session—originally billed as a discussion of the BGCT Valley investigation but changed when the Executive Board called a special meeting at the same time—provided pastors and associational directors details of the strategic church starting guidelines, which will roll out officially next February as proposed policy.

Jimmie Auten, director of missions for Greater Forthood Baptist Association, looks at proposed BGCT church starting policies.

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

City Reach meets needs

Posted: 11/17/06

City Reach meets needs

By Barbara Bedrick

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS—Sharing an 18-wheeler of donated chicken and Christian love, the Baptist General Convention of Texas City Reach 2006 missions project connected with hundreds of families across the Dallas-Fort Worth area during a “Day of Sharing” partnership with Lift Up America.

The BGCT City Reach collaboration with Lift Up America—a corporate partnership that included Tyson, Interstate Batteries, FC Dallas and Ty Beanie Babies—was the first initiative of its kind for the Texas Baptist convention.

Pastors from 23 North Texas churches received early Thanks-giving gifts from BGCT City Reach to aid the less fortunate.

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Fellowship of Cowboy Churches points to continued growth

Posted: 11/17/06

Fellowship of Cowboy Churches
points to continued growth

By Barbara Bedrick

Texas Baptist Communications

WAXAHACHIE—Pastors and western-heritage church leaders who believe God must be a cowboy at heart voted to ramp up the growth of the cowboy church movement at the Texas Fellowship of Cowboy Churches 2006 Annual Cowboy Gathering, prior to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting.

Fellowship members voted to increase their current budget of $120,000 to $290,500, hire two staff members, double church planting school funds from $4,800 to $10,000, double ranch house school funding to $8,000 and quadruple event funding.

• See complete list of convention articles

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

DaVinci Code DVD dialogue a starting place

Posted: 11/17/06

DaVinci Code DVD dialogue a starting place

By Jenny Pope

Buckner International

DALLAS—With the upcoming release of the DaVinci Code on DVD, Dallas pastor Jim Denison believes the best-selling book remains relevant because “it’s an opportunity to have a conversation with culture.”

“The DaVinci Code is so popular because it reinforces what this culture already wants to believe,” said Denison, pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church, noting more than 50 million people claim to have read the book and 10 million say it has influenced their faith.

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

Steps already taken to implement recommendations

Posted: 11/17/06

Steps already taken to
implement recommendations

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

DALLAS—All of the recommendations made by an investigative team regarding misuse of church starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley will be implemented—and some were initiated long before the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board mandated them, Executive Director Charles Wade said.

At a closed-door meeting Nov. 13, the board voted to implement the recommendations “expeditiously and in full.” The board also instructed Chairman Bob Fowler to name an ad hoc committee to monitor implementation and report to the Executive Board at its February meeting.

Executive Board Chairman Bob Fowler speaks at the BGCT annual meeting. (Photo by Jim Jackson)

11/17/2006 - By John Rutledge

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Pastors face stresses, challenges of corporate CEOâs

Pastors face stresses, challenges of corporate CEO’s

Congregations embrace the business side of religion

Congregations embrace the business side of religion

Cartoon

African-American rally focuses on worship & thanksgiving

African-American rally focuses on worship & thanksgiving

Battle of the Bands winner

Battle of the Bands winner

Trust in God in turbulent times, president tells BGCT

Trust in God in turbulent times, president tells BGCT

Texas Baptists challenged to âshare the lightâ

Texas Baptists challenged to ‘share the light’

Church starting policies designed to ensure accountability

Church starting policies designed to ensure accountability

City Reach meets needs

City Reach meets needs

Fellowship of Cowboy Churches points to continued growth

Fellowship of Cowboy Churches points to continued growth

DaVinci Code DVD dialogue a starting place

DaVinci Code DVD dialogue a starting place

Steps already taken to implement recommendations

Steps already taken to implement recommendations

Pastors face stresses, challenges of corporate CEOâs

Pastors face stresses,
challenges of corporate CEO’s

Congregations embrace
the business side of religion

African-American rally focuses
on worship & thanksgiving

Trust in God in turbulent
times, president tells BGCT

Texas Baptists challenged to âshare the lightâ

Church starting policies
designed to ensure accountability

Fellowship of Cowboy Churches
points to continued growth

Steps already taken to
implement recommendations