This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. (January 2017) |
Dr. David O. Dykes (born January 16, 1953) is Pastor Emeritus and the former Senior Pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas.[1] He is also the author of several Christian books. Under his leadership Green Acres became "one of the leading churches in America," according to president of the SBC Executive Committee Morris Chapman.[3]
David O. Dykes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | January 16, 1953 |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Samford University[1] |
| Occupation | Clergyman |
| Spouse | Cynthia "Cindy" Dykes[2] |
| Children | Two daughters[1] |
| Religion | Southern Baptist |
| Ordained | Southern Baptist Theological Seminary[1] |
Congregations served | Green Acres Baptist Church of Tyler, Texas |
| Title | Pastor Emeritus |
| Website | www |
He has opened the Texas Legislature with prayer[4][5] and opened the US House with prayer in 2008.[6][7]
Dykes was honored by the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee with its highest honor, the M.E. Dodd Award, for a lifetime of work.[3]
Early life and education edit
Dr. Dykes was reared in South Alabama,[1] where he began preaching at age 17.[1] He received a B.A. from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama in 1975.[1] Rev. Dykes received his Master of Divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.[1] He also earned his Doctor of Ministry degree with emphasis on evangelism and church growth from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.[1] He received post-doctoral training at Cambridge University in Cambridge, England.[1]
Ministry edit
Dykes has been preaching since 1970.[1] He pastored churches in Alabama before coming to Green Acres Baptist Church in 1991.[8] Green Acres has roughly 14,000 members.[3] Roughly 6,000 people worship there each Sunday, and about 8,000 people worship there on major Christian holidays.[8] Since he took over as pastor, 2,000 people were baptized at the church.[3]
Green Acres was designated a Global Priority Church by the International Missions Board because of Dr. Dykes's emphasis on missions.[8] The North American Mission Board also designated Green Acres as a Key Church due to Dykes's work partnering with other churches for missions at home and overseas.[8] In the last fourteen years, Green Acres has sent over 1,000 volunteer missionaries[3] to various locations worldwide and has been the church among Southern Baptists with the most given to the Cooperative Program for the last 14 years.[1] He has personally led mission teams to 10 countries,[3] including trips to Ukraine, Mexico, Belize, Brazil, and Argentina. He trains church leaders in the US and around the world each year on biblical principles of leadership.[1] Dykes has led over twenty educational tours to the Holy Land Israel.[1]
He is an enthusiastic supporter of the Cooperative Program.[8] Green Acres is regularly the top contributor to the Cooperative Program. In 2007, they raised $1,445,909, almost a half-million dollars more than the second-place total.[3] The cooperative program has received $10 million since 2000, more than half of the total $18.4 million raised for missions.[3]
In 2009, he hosted the Hope For 100 "If You Were Mine" conference with the goal of encouraging people to adopt and foster care.[9] He is also a supporter of Acquire the Fire's Relentless Pursuit.[10]
In February 2021 Dykes announced his pending retirement from the pulpit, to take place at the end of August, in order to allow a smooth transition to whoever will be the new pastor,[11] something which he mentioned didn't happen when he became pastor.[12] Dr. Michael Gossett became Senior Pastor August 29, 2021.
Politics edit
Dr. Dykes participated in Pulpit Freedom Sunday, voicing support for Mitt Romney.[13] Dr. Dykes and Congressman Gohmert invited Joel Rosenberg to discuss his book, Damascus Count Down, about the endtimes and the possibility of a foreign-policy mistake by a president leading to war.[14] He takes public political positions that upset some people[13] because of his ties to elected officials in his church, mostly Congressman Louie Gohmert.
He endorsed Tom Leppert for Senate.[15]
Writings edit
Dr. Dykes has published articles in Moody Monthly, Church Administration and Guideposts.[1] He is the author of eleven books.[1]
Books edit
- Handling Life's Disappointments (1993)
- Do Angels Really Exist?: Separating Fact from Fantasy (1996)
- Ten Requirements for American's Survival (2004)
- Character Out of Chaos: Daring to Be a Daniel in Today's World (2005)
- Angels Really Do Exist (2005)
- Finding Peace in Your Pain (2008)
- No, That's Not in the Bible (2009)
- Revelation: God's Final Word (2010)
- Jesus Storyteller: Timeless Truths from His Parables (2011)
- Hope When You Need It Most (2012)
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Our Pastor". Gabc.org. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ "GABC Pastor David O. Dykes". Gabc.org. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Tyler pastor Dykes receives top cooperation award". Baptiststandard.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ "Matt Schaefer | Texas State Representative, District 6". Mattfortexas.org. Archived from the original on 2014-01-11. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ "House Invocation - Rev. David Dykes - May 24, 2013". YouTube. 2013-05-24. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ "Tyler Pastor David Dykes opens Congress in Prayer". YouTube. 2008-09-10. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ "Pastor Dykes gives opening prayer at House of Representatives - KLTV.com-Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville, Texas | ETX News". KLTV.com. 11 September 2008. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ a b c d e "Pastor: God blesses churches committed to CP Missions - (BP)". Bpnews.net. 2005-04-01. Archived from the original on 2014-01-10. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ "Case Study: Green Acres Bible Church". Hope For 100. 2009-01-03. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ "Endorsements for Teen Mania and Acquire The Fire". Acquirethefire.com. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ "Pastor David's Retirement".
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Pastor David's Retirement. YouTube.
- ^ a b "Pastors using the pulpit to preach politics | KETK | East Texas News, Weather and Sports | Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville". Ketknbc.com. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ Sanders, Shaley. "Best-selling author visits ETX for talks on Middle East - KTRE.com | Lufkin and Nacogdoches, Texas". KTRE.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- ^ "Christian evangelical leaders endorse Leppert for Senate | Trail Blazers Blog". Trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com. 2012-04-25. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2013-06-29.