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| Greetings! |
The March 2015 edition of Christianity Today has an infographic in their Gleanings section that is enlightening (christianitytoday.com/gleanings). It says that "A third of US Protestant pastors (34%) are now obese--but not because of church potlucks. According to research by Baylor University sociologists, it's because pastors are stressed and need to take a Sabbath."
This is especially true for bivocational pastors. The more hours a pastor works per week, the more likely he is to become obese.
What can we do about this? First, we can observe the Sabbath. Pastors who take off at least one day each week are 92% less likely to become obese.
Second, we can take sabbatic leave when it is offered. "Odds of obesity are two times lower for those who have been on a sabbatical within the past ten years."
Third, we can join a support group. "Odds of obesity are 75% lower for pastors in a support group."
This hit home for me, not so much because of weight issues, but because of the importance of Sabbath. The first six weeks of this year have been a blur. Christmas wasn't nearly restful enough since I experienced the lovefest that is the flu. Last weekend I had a long discussion with our daughter that reminded me that I don't need to fill every moment with activity. I need to slow down, perhaps even stop, from time to time.
Fortunately, my bride and I scheduled a ski trip to Park City, Utah for our 30th anniversary this week. Then I will take some time off for our daughter's surgery and our son's pre-deployment leave. I should be well rested a couple of weeks from now. I should be refreshed with my love tanks filled to running over.
Late winter is an odd time for a vacation. However, it is the perfect time to nurse our Baby Girl back to health after having her tonsils removed. It is the perfect time to drive her to the University of Oklahoma to visit their law school. It is the perfect time to bond with our son and his soon-to-be fiancee. It is the perfect time to get away with the most wonderful woman in the world.
Rick Warren says we should divert daily, withdraw weekly, and abandon annually. What do you do each day to refocus your life? How do you practice and protect your Sabbath? When and where will you go on vacation this year?
We need you, the Kingdom of God needs you, to live at your highest and best. How may we assist you in developing a well-ordered life? We don't have all the answers, but we do have some good questions. Let's talk.
When will you get out of here?
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Pastors' Conference and Executive Board
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Pastors' Conference and Executive Board Schedule
March 9- Ron Danley, Meadow Lane Baptist Church
March 16- Executive Board Meeting
March 23 - Kevin Barke, Fellowship Baptist Church
March 30 - Tom Echols, Eagle's Wing Baptist Church
April 6 - No PC - Easter Holiday
All Meetings, unless otherwise noted, will be held at Cornerstone Assistance Network in the Creation Cafe (3500 Noble Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76111). Lunch is $7.00 at the door.
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Professional Coach Training
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What do you want more of or less of?
What's stopping you?
What one action can you take in the next seven days that will get you at least 50% closer to your goal?
Powerful questions change perspectives. Changed perspectives lead to changed lives.  Coaching combines deep listening and powerful questions in confidential settings to create clarity. This is an invaluable tool in all leadership contexts, and especially in ministry. What prevents you from becoming more focused as a leader and as a listener? What steps can you take to remove those obstacles so that you can attend this powerful leadership training?
Make plans now to attend Modules 1 & 2 of the Professional Coach Training on March 23-27. The training will be from 9:00am-5:00pm daily at the Tarrant Baptist Association office. The cost of the training (both modules included) is $750 plus a $249 material fee. Tarrant Baptist Association leaders will receive an additional scholarship of $125 per module or $250 for both modules.
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Hearing God Retreat
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Hearing God Retreats have been planned throughout the year to help make space for you to spend with God. The next retreat is April 23-24 at Riverbend Retreat Center. The retreat will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday and end at noon on Friday. The cost is $50 and includes a private room, dinner and breakfast. This is a retreat. You will have two large blocks of time to spend with the Lord, sleeping and/or taking a walk. You will be guided through some Bible readings and other readings to help you connect with the Lord. If you are interested, please contact Becky Biser at becky@tarrantbaptist.org or sign up online here.
Hearing God Retreat Testimony In the late summer of 2014, I was getting a bit confused and stressed on various issues that were showing up in life. I felt weary and I was feeling the pressure from Sunday to Sunday. It was in Oct 2014 that I saw an email from Jay inviting all pastors and planters to join him and the TBA staff on a Hearing God Retreat. I signed up, and it was the best experience/investment I have ever made.
I went from weary, emotionally drained, and fatigued to refreshed and strengthened. The retreat it self was a very simple, nothing extravagant - just me and God, and this was the best thing that could've happened. We were encouraged to slow down, pause, and just hear from HIM. I truly believe that it was the answer to my prayers. During that time alone with God - meditating on His word and hearing from Him, I was able to take a look at my life and rearrange areas. I understood that in order to have a healthy church, I needed to make sure it had a healthy leader - this meant consistent and uninterrupted time with God.
This short retreat sparked a whole new path for me, my family, and our church. I created a weekly rhythm in my personal life by spending an extended amount of time with the Lord on Monday and then 30-60min daily intervals Tues-Friday. I've shared with my wife the practice of hearing from God through reading and meditating on Scripture as presented to us at the retreat. In addition, the Hearing God Retreat sparked our DETOX series this past January... purifying the soul through prayer and fasting. The stories that came from our people through this time in prayer and fasting were incredible...stories of God's faithfulness and goodness.
The Hearing God Retreat is something that has made a lasting impact in my own life. I would encourage every church planter to begin with this retreat before planting and then making it a yearly event. It will refresh the soul and align your heart to God's. I am Thankful to God for Jay, Becky, Gary, and the whole TBA staff for not only partnering, but also walking along side of planters like me!
Joel Soto The Rock Church
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Associational Bible Drill
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Why Should I Consider re:FOCUS?
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Why should I consider re:FOCUS?
Focus Retreat #1 - Re:Connect : Bring together or into contact so that a real or notional link is established.
 Ever feel that you are on a treadmill that never stops and people keep putting more and more weight on your back? You are exhausted. You are working hard, and no one around you seems happy. Especially you, you are just going through the motions and the joy is gone. God seems far away. You have given your life for Him, but you can't feel or hear Him. The first Focus Retreat places participants into a position where they reconnect with God and others. If you feel that God seems far way, or that you really don't have any friends where you can just be yourself, you might want to consider signing up for Focus Retreat #1 on March 19-21. The retreat will take place at Riverbend Retreat Center and begin with dinner at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and end at noon on Saturday, March 21. You will focus on three areas: Abiding in Christ, Obedience to Christ and Walking in the Light. You will be given scriptures to read and questions to ponder. Our prayer is that these will position you for personal transformation and renewal. Sound interesting? Sign up today!
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Missions Fair
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Tarrant Baptist Association's Mission Fair will be Saturday, March 7, from 10-12, at University Baptist Church, 2720 Wabash, Fort Worth. Everyone is invited to attend. There will be no speaker or program. This is an event that allows all the people in all our churches to walk through at their leisure and talk to these missionaries and directors.
- Julie Forrester, Christian Women's Job Corps, Arlington
- Emilee Goff, Venezuela
- Wanda Helms, Christian Women's Job Corps, Ft. Worth
- Lester Meriwether, Literacy Connexus
- Loren and Kaylee Holland, Ecuador
- Sherry Slater, Wedgewood Quilters
- Eric Armstrong, Woods Chapel Baptist Church, Philippine Partnership
- Dewayne Williams, Baptist Men Disaster Relief
- Gloria Mills, WMU of Texas
- Pam Poole, WMU Change Bus/ World Crafts
- Bryans Fitzhugh, Cambodia
- Margaret Johnson, Brazil
- Jeremy and Jo Scales, Kenya
- Cheryl Duffy, Arlington/Mansfield Pregnancy Center
- Dan and Melanie Morgan, Canada
- Johnny and Lahoma Loar, Vermont and Annie Armstrong Offering Emphasis
- Celia Marsh, Vietnam
- Landen and Nelda Jones, Brazil
- David and Marcia McQuitty, Hawaii
- Tom Echols, Bi-vocational Pastors
- William Pherigo, West Aid
- Gary Crowell and David Bowman, Tarrant Baptist Association
- Steve Seaberry, Texas Urban Missions
- Mary Bacy, Tarrant WMU Outreach
- International Mission Board bulletins and pamphlets (free to take)
- Harry Wilson, Hope Literacy
- Tamera Steere, Operation Christmas Child
You will enjoy tasting foods from different areas and countries.
You will watch TBA-WMU making hygiene bags for the homeless.
You will see items you may never have seen before.
You will learn about mission efforts here in Ft. Worth, in Texas, in the United States, and around the world.
You are invited to bring canned foods for Tarrant Country Food Bank and large (size 40 and up) new or gently used bras for the Resource Center. These items will be collected in boxes at the door.
Welcome to the Fair! We'll see you there!!!
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Bookmarks
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Elmer Towns has done it again. He has written another book that makes my heart beat a little faster as I read it. I'll never forget how I felt when I read his Ten Largest Sunday Schools not long after I committed my life to vocational ministry. It fueled my mind with possibilities.
The Ten Most Influential Churches of the Past Century: How They Impact You Today is Dr. Towns' latest release. There are three parts to the book. Part One is composed of chapters about the ten most influential churches. These include Apostolic Faith Mission of Los Angeles where the Azusa Street Revival began; Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. started his non-violent revolution that led to racial integration; and Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea where home cells are used for ministry and outreach. Others in this group include First Baptist Church of Dallas, Scofield Memorial Church in Dallas, Willow Creek Community Church, and Calvary Chapel.
Part Two of the book is Other Churches and Trends. Among the standouts in this second group of ten churches is Northwood Church in Keller where Bob Roberts serves as pastor. Dr. Towns writes about how Northwood implements a church-planting strategy of evangelism.
The third part of the book includes three appendices. The first of these details the research techniques used to find the ten churches of greatest influence. The second appendix lists the ten greatest leadership-influencers in Christian ministry in the past 100 years. The third appendix lists the fifteen greatest influencers of Christian thought in the past 100 years. Each of these two lists would make interesting books as well.
Take this book, read it, and learn the lessons of these great churches and their leaders.
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Annual Church Profile Results
|  Thank you to the churches who have completed their 2014 Annual Church Profile. If your church is not on this list of completed ACPs, it is not too late!
Please click here to fill out your 2014 ACP. |
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Legacy Giving
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What is Legacy Giving?
Perhaps a simple way to answer this question is to reflect on the poem "Trees We Did Not Plant." It highlights the reality that all of us have the potential to impact tomorrow. We benefit today from those who have gone before us. In turn, others that follow in our footsteps will be the beneficiaries of wise legacy decisions that we make today.
Trees We Did Not Plant
We build on foundations we did not lay.
We warm ourselves by fires we did not light.
We sit in the shade of trees we did not plant.
We drink from wells we did not dig.
We profit from persons we did not know.
We are ever bound in community.
As Christians we understand that giving is something that a steward does. You only become a steward when you realize who owns the apple tree. Too many Christians build fences around God's apple trees. We must ask: "How much is enough?"
God's economy is one of circulation, not accumulation. 85% of Christians do not have a spiritual estate plan. This means an intentional process for distribution of the wealth that God has allowed you to accumulate during your earthly pilgrimage. Decisions on these matters usually require more planning, negotiation and counsel than an outright gift. There are multiple estate and tax-advantaged ways that legacy giving can be done.
Please contact Gary Crowell at 817-927-1911, ext. 213 or gary@tarrantbaptist.org if you would like to get questions answered that can move you along this path. Tomorrow for the Lord's Kingdom and other people will be better because we make critical decisions today. Don't delay!
Gary L. Crowell, CPA, CCA
CFO, Tarrant Baptist Association
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Vacation Bible School
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Associational VBS Training
Pastors, VBS Directors, Teachers, and Leaders are invited to attend our VBS training. We will have break out conferences for Crafts, Music, Missions, Recreation, Bible Study, Preschool, and more!
April 18 9:00am - 12:30pm, Southcliff Baptist Church, Free of Charge
Materiales de EBV (Spanish VBS Materials)
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TBA Church Starting
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TBA Church Starting
Vision: Establishing reproducing churches of significance among every people group in Tarrant County
Goals:
Starting Churches for the Unchurched, Unattached and the Unclaimed
Starting churches in High-Growth and Future High-Growth Areas
Starting churches targeting Emerging Populations
Starting churches among People Groups
Starting churches in Abandoned Areas
Starting churches in Shared Facilities
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App of the Month - Swipes
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Of the making of to-do apps, there is no end. What is important is to find one you enjoy enough to use regularly.
Into this crowded space marches Swipes. This app has all the bells and whistles you've come to expect from top-notch apps. It also links with Evernote. Make a list in Evernote and check off the items in Swipes. The list is updated in both apps.
This is an attractive, easy-to-use app that I enjoy more than I expected. It makes me feel a little like I'm cheating on Nozbe when I use it.
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Disaster Relief Opportunities
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7 Habits of Highly Effective People
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TCU BSM Ministry Update
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This Spring semester has gotten off to a great start! We took a group of 15 students to the Passion Conference in Houston a few weeks ago and experienced the Lord move in powerful ways among our group. Below is a word of testimony from one of our students, Andrew. I hope that you are encouraged by his experience. We appreciate your partnership in campus ministry at TCU!
Remey Terrell
BSM Director
Passion 2015. It is hard to describe how incredibly moving of an experience it was for me because I feel words will not do it justice...but I will try. Going into Passion, I had been wandering in my faith; I had not been to church consistently in over two years, I had not trusted God with my life in who knows how long, and I had been trying all different sorts of earthly things to make myself feel as if I belonged. I've been a Christian my whole life and I
know that my relationship with Christ is not dependent on going to church because He is with me always, but I had completely cast God aside. Now going to Passion really wasn't my choice, my two friends basically dragged me along with them and I could not be more thankful for that.
So what did I think of Passion? If I had to describe it in one word it would be joyful. Never in my life have I ever experienced so much undisputed joy. From the moment I arrived in Houston to the moment I left, my heart was filled with joy. Through the combination of the BSM group I came with, the speakers and my community group, I felt an uncontrollable love that I haven't felt in years, the love of God. After reflecting on my experience, I have realized I have seen a shift in my view of God. Prior to Passion, I saw God as just someone I can vent my problems to; I just saw Him as a problem solver. Now, I see God as much more than that. He is my creator, my savior, and my partner in life. I trust Him and know that all my actions are part of His plan and everything I do has a purpose. One thing that hit me hardest at Passion was that we cannot scrutinize God. I remember sophomore year of high school I tried out for the JV baseball team  and I did not make it. In the moment I was upset and felt betrayed by God because I had worked my whole life to play high school baseball. However, looking back on it, I now realize how many other doors He opened for me, including the ability to join student council (student council is where I experienced the most growth and maturity and its where I found home in high school). I was mad at God because in my mind "He didn't let me make the team" (or some dumb reasoning like that), but in reality He had bigger plans for me. I scrutinized God when I should have just trusted Him. Now, thanks to Passion, I have the trust in God to be joyful and prayerful in the tough times.
To finish, Passion set me straight. After wandering for so long, God finally said, "enough is enough" and brought me back. There is no more incredible feeling than the love of God and I truly experienced that at Passion. My goal from here on out is to not let this flame die out; I need to continue to feed it through studying the Bible, prayer and surrounding myself with other Christ-filled people while reaching out to those who are not. |
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Tarrant Baptist Student Camp 2015
|  We would like to extend an invitation for you to join us at Tarrant Baptist Student Camp 2015. The youth camp, for ages finishing7th grade through 12th, is held in Glen Rose, Texas at Riverbend Retreat Center the week of June 16th-20th. More information about this camp can be found on our website at Tarrant Student Camp 2015
Contract and deposit deadlines have been extended. If you would like further information about the camp please contact our camp director, Luke Riley at Ash Creek Baptist Church 817-444-3219.
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BGCT Upcoming Events
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Other Upcoming Opportunities/Events
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2015 NAMB Sponsored Vancouver Vision Tour: April 20-22; July 27-29
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News from the Churches
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First Baptist Colleyville is selling pews that will seat around 950 people. They are in excellent shape and were purchased new in 1997. White colonial ends with a teal fabric on the pew. A church could purchase a lesser number as needed. The pews will be available for removal in February 2015. All interested parties could contact David Sylvester at 817.281.4158. Click for a listing of pew lengths.
To God be the glory! The Eagles Nest Missionary Baptist Church, 3445 S. Grove St., is rebuilding their church after the ice storm damage of 2010. They held a "Groundbreaking Ceremony" on Saturday February 21, 2015 at 10:00am. The church celebrated their 20th "Church Anniversary" on Sunday February 22, 2015 at 10:30am at their temporary location Suite 1815 La Gran Plaza Mall.
First Baptist Grand Prairie, has 97 choir robes and 23 orchestra robes to give away. They also are selling a George Steck & Company piano for $150 (or best offer). Contact Sandra  Hutto: shutto@fbcgp.org or 972-457-3587
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Becky Biser
Tarrant Baptist Association
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