Area Minister Report: February, 2011
North Texas Area Officers: Moderator: Maria Garza of Rosemont Christian Center, Moderator-elect Les Massey of Casa View Christian Church in Dallas, Treasurer: Susan Kirby of First, Rowlett, Secretary: Deborah Jones of First, Irving, and Parliamentarian Tommy Cole of Warren Avenue Christian, Dallas.
The North Texas Area exists to serve its churches – to help them do more together than they could do apart, to resource them in times of need, to pastor its pastors, and to speak a prophetic word of challenge, encouragement and direction. Part of that effort is to help churches secure pastoral leadership. Churches in Search and Call include Creekwood, Flower Mound, Waxahachie and Highlands Christian of Dallas, which itself launched a Hispanic ministry led by Francisco Oquendo. We must report that Mira Lago Christian Church, a new church start, has ceased operations.
Acts 2:42-47 reveal at least five areas of church life in which the Area seeks to strengthen congregational life:
FELLOWSHIP: through assemblies and meetings, the Area provides regular opportunities for church folk from all its churches to sense the larger Church by fellowship. The 2011 Leader Event was led by Ron Allen of CTS, with another 20 workshops on various aspects of Disciple-making. Much of the content was filmed or recorded and will be placed on the ntaccsw.org website. We are planning to share in a Pastor’s Retreat after Easter led by the NEA.
EVANGELISM: with the help of the Disciples Foundation of Dallas, the new NTA website gives every NTA church a mini-site. New churches are key to an Area’s evangelistic spirit: the Area’s plan for a new church in Prosper is UNDERWAY! Doug Kriz, formerly of Speedway Christian Church of Indianapolis, began work Jan 11. IF YOU KNOW OF A DISCIPLE OR A CHILD OF A DISCIPLE WHO NOW LIVES IN THE PROSPER AREA PLEASE FORWARD THEIR NAME TO MY OFFICE. There are other new churches under care as well.
I continue to offer Evangelism workshops and Church Growth workshops to churches. We have secured The Engaging Church webinar for use by NTA church folk on a protected area of the NTA website.
EDUCATION: The Licensed Ministry program helps train nearly 40 licensed ministers for the NTA and TBA each year; this year’s program features video from Dr. Mark Toulouse in a modified distance-learning concept.
WORSHIP: worship at Area Assemblies and Advent and Ash Wednesday services for clergy seek to model excellence in worship as well as meet spiritual hunger. The keynote speaker for the 2011 Area Assembly at FCC Plano will be Rev. Doug Kriz, introducing the new church plant to the larger Area.
OUTREACH: the Area serves as the information hub for church responses to disasters. We maintain a comprehensive listing of NTA church outreach projects. The Area currently shares its Mission Center with a Refugee language ministry as well as a Disciples Hispanic congregation.
Area Ministers Larry Ross and Irie Session enjoy the work of pastoring the pastors of NTA. Anti-racism/pro-reconciliation work continues, with another Anti-Racism training day “TRUTH day” being planned for this summer.
