ABOUT TARRANT BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

Our Staff

David Bowman

Executive Director
(817) 927-1911 x 217
(682) 207-7337 (cell)

Anita Perez

Finance Manager
(817) 927-1911 x 213
(210) 687-2313 (cell)

Becky Biser

Director of Leadership Development
(817) 927-1911 x 222
(817) 269-0842 (cell)

Victoria Rivas

Ministry Assistant
(817) 927-1911 x 201

Eric Darjean

Church Starting Residency Coordinator
(817) 927-1911 x 201

OUR MISSION

Connecting Catalysts

Tarrant Baptist Association connects catalysts who ignite community transformation.

Our Values

Servant Leadership

Because our authority comes through influence, not position.

Demonstrated by developing leaders who connect with Christ, multiply disciples, engage their domains, and reach the world

  • Developing leaders in next-level discipleship where each leader knows and names his or her personal calling
  • Turning disciple-makers into disciple-multipliers
  • Training leaders to place their leadership mantle on the emerging heroes in their congregations
  • Connecting leaders and heroes with community leaders for Christ-centered engagement

Strategic Engagement

Because meaningful change is fueled by intentional investment.

Demonstrated by Kingdom-directed connections resulting in missional advancement

  • Knowing and serving community leaders
  • Partnering with community organizations
  • Blessing our cities to make Tarrant County a little more heaven on earth
  • Launching our leaders to serve and partner with leaders around the world toward gospel saturation

Radical Generosity

Because being connected to the Source frees us to fearlessly invest every available resource.

Demonstrated by investing in church starters and their teams, collaborating in ministry at all levels of faith relationships, and providing financial education for individuals and entities

  • Investing in assessments and residencies to equip church starters and their teams to enhance their opportunities for success
  • Serving to bless our communities alongside our cooperating churches and denominational partners, other evangelical churches and denominations, and other faith tribes
  • Providing strategic resources to facilitate giant-killing activities
  • Delivering stewardship education for individuals and churches

Prayerful Encouragement

(Jas. 5:16; Phil. 4:6, 7) as demonstrated by supportive intercession, concerned coaching, and heartfelt communication.

  • Strategically praying for and serving church leaders in crisis
  • Speaking the truth in love for hope and healing
  • Providing an affordable and professional counseling network
  • Coaching leaders for clarity and performance

Our Strategy

Catalyzing Heroes

through Leadership Development

Illuminating Hearts

through Gospel Saturation

Community Transformation

by Killing Giants

Our Measures

Creating Catalysts

  • Pastors and leaders have deeply dependent relationships with God.
  • Pastors and leaders have a focused process for helping others know and experience God.
  • Pastors and leaders trust God for all things at all times and immediately obey what he tells them to do.

Energizing Movement

  • Churches regularly give birth to new congregations.
  • Churches help languishing churches experience revitalization.
  • Churches provide pathways for transformative service.

Maximizing Resources

  • Churches invest in church starting and revitalization ministries within the association.
  • Churches give toward community ministry within our denominational structures.
  • Churches collaborate with and resource community ministry partners outside our denominational structures.

Transforming Community

  • Churches take on the giant social issues of our day.
  • Churches saturate the domains of community life.
  • Churches transform homes and families through direct assistance and training.

Vision

Creating a culture of Christ-centered catalysts

Denominee TBA Story

Fort Worth was the Wild West. Hell’s Half Acre was full of saloons and their denizens. Alcohol and other drugs saturated the community. Butch and Sundance hid out for a while and posed for their most famous photograph. The local native Americans named a tent city on the west side of town White Settlement. The Indian fighting fort of heavily armed dragoons gave way to the lightly-armed and speedier horsemen of the Texas Rangers. Lonesome Dove Baptist Church, First Baptist Church, and Broadway Baptist Church worked together with their Disciples of Christ and Methodist friends to bring civilization and a sober populace to build a city on a hill.

Soon enough Baptist churches filled the area that one, and then two, different associations were formed to start more churches, address more community needs, and develop the leaders necessary to take the Gospel far, wide, and deep.

The two associations became one in 1886. More churches started. A seminary moved from Waco into Fort Worth on Seminary Hill. Fort Worth became the launching place of explorers and adventurers and circuit-riding preachers. Because of that, Comancheria was finally tamed and the land toward the sunset became livable and lovable. Futures were as wide and high and wonderful as the land itself.

Because of that, Southwestern Seminary became the crown jewel of Southern Baptist institutions formed to deliver the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth including Mexico, California, Colorado, and the Great Plains.

Because of that, Manifest Destiny took on a distinctly Christian character. When the pioneers pushed the boundaries ever farther, the gospel penetrated the land with salt, light, and salvation.

Finally, Texas was the Buckle of the Bible Belt, and Fort Worth was where the belts, boots, and ball gloves were made. Churchmen, theologians, and statesmen worked together with businessmen, railroaders, and cowboys to turn Cowtown into a big city with the heart of a small town.

Fort Worth still has that heart even as it grows well beyond a million citizens and suburbs become cities of great size alongside it. Even so, Hell’s Half Acre longs to return. Evil is on the move. Systems are deteriorating and broken. Churches and an association once again are bringing the gospel to bear on problems like recidivism, substance abuse, human trafficking, hunger, and infant mortality.

There will be no return to the Good Ol’ Days. Better and Best lie ahead as men, women, students, and community organizations stand together to make Fort Worth and Tarrant County a little more heaven on earth. Tarrant Association is connecting catalysts who are pursuing pathways for community transformation.

Demographic Study Request