In the beginning, this issue's cover story had nothing to do with Dallas. Now it has everything to do with the Big D.
Among CT's most popular (and most labor-intensive) covers from the past decade were such "list" articles as "100 Things the Church Is Doing Right" (Nov. 17, 1997) and "Up & Comers: 50 Evangelical Leaders under 40" (Nov. 11, 1996).
Last year I urged associate editor Ed Gilbreath to create a top-25 list of groundbreaking urban ministries. As Ed mulled over that project, he paid several visits to Dallas. There he discovered many fascinating urban ministries. Neurons fired and synapses crackled in Ed's brain. Why not create a cover package on the wide variety of ministry going on in Dallas?
"The New Capital of Evangelicalism" is a fitting finish for Ed's current tour of duty at Christianity Today. As he put the final touches on this issue, Ed took a new assignment with two of CT's sister magazines: Christian Reader and Christian Parenting Today. Both periodicals will benefit from the magazine savvy Ed brings them as their new managing editor. We congratulate Ed on his new responsibilities and with the next issue we will list Ed as an editor at large.
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Christianity Today has a long connection with Dallas through Clayton Bell, who served on CTI's board of directors from 1974 until his death in 2000. For much of that time, he functioned as vice chairman and executive chairman. But Clayton was also pastor of Dallas's Highland Park Presbyterian Church and a key force for evangelical renewal in the mainline.
One difficult time for Highland Park occurred in the late '80s and early '90s as church members debated whether to stay in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) or to join a more theologically conservative denomination. Highland Park ended up losing several thousand members who formed the nucleus of a new church.
I recently asked retired investment banker Dick Dzina, clerk of Highland Park's session, how the congregation had recovered from the 1991 exodus. "The two senior pastors are getting along famously," Dzina said, referring to Clayton's successor and his counterpart at Park Cities Presbyterian.
Although Highland Park's membership dropped by several thousand, the combined memberships of the two churches now exceed the church's 1991 membership by almost 3,000. "We now have over 10,000 people who have a similar theology, but who had differences about constitutional provisions," Dzina told me.
Giving at Highland Park has also grown greatly—both total and per member. "I consider it a miraculous work of the Lord in our midst," Dzina says. Interestingly, the congregation's leaders no longer ask for individual annual pledge commitments. Instead, they teach biblical stewardship and ask the members to give prayerful consideration to their giving. And giving has grown tremendously.
Two other innovative highlights from Highland Park Presbyterian:
The church has created a position for a theologian in residence, who "develops topics of great substance and then presents a series of sessions on those topics."
Pastor Ron Scates has instituted a Wednesday pre-sermon Bible study with selected elders. After he does preparatory work on his sermon text, the elders offer their insights, which Scates often incorporates into Sunday's sermon. We wish Highland Park Presbyterian continued blessings.
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In our next issue: How Habitat for Humanity strives to remain Christian; an interview with Leon Kass, Bush's bioethics point man; and Robert Bellah in retrospect.
The New Capital of EvangelicalismMove over, Wheaton and Colorado Springs—Dallas, Texas, has more megachurches, megaseminaries and mega-Christian activity than any other American city.
Recent Christianity Today articles by Gilbreath include:
Farther In and Deeper DownEvangelicals of all stripes are reviving the neglected art of expository preaching. (April 1, 2002)
The Forgotten FounderThe man who altered the course of black Baptist history finally has his say. (March 8, 2002)
Still SomebodyDespite an embarrassing scandal and widespread irritation with his methods, Jesse Jackson continues to be an influential voice in the church. Should evangelicals listen? (Feb. 4, 2002)
Previous Christianity Today articles on Clayton Bell include:
Exhilarated by GraceClayton Bell was aware of doing the Lord's work, and exhilarated over God's forgiveness and grace. (August 7, 2000)
Clayton Bell Dead of a Heart Attack at Age 67Long-time Dallas pastor and chairman of Christianity Today International's Board of Directors stricken at Montreat, North Carolina. (July 10, 2000)
Remembering Clayton BellChristianity Today's CEO eulogizes the organization's chairman. (July 10, 2000)
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