Prestonwood Baptist Church

Prestonwood Baptist Church, located in Plano, Texas, is one of the largest megachurches in North America and one of America's 50 Most Influential Churches according to a 2007 survey of church leaders. [http://www.thecronline.com/mag_article.php?mid=1095&mname=July 50 Most Influential Churches in America] ] The main campus is convert|140|acre|sqmi km2|3|lk=on|abbr=on and includes a 7,000 seat worship center, a Pre-K through 12th grade school, fitness center, cafe , library, and two bookstores. A second campus of nearly convert|128|acre|sqmi km2|3|lk=on|abbr=on in Prosper, Texas was announced in 2006.Hodges, Sam & Appleton, Roy. "Booming church not done growing", Dallas Morning News, 2006-03-28] The second location, "Prestonwood North", began services on August 27, 2006 and had over 1,000 in attendance on their first day. Fact|date=December 2007

Ministry

Prestonwood and its staff of almost 40 ministers [http://www.prestonwood.org/about/staff.php Leadership & Staff] , church web site, retrieved 2008-05-17] provide biblical teaching, worship with a 500-member choir, Bible Fellowship classes for small group connectivity, global missions outreach, sports leagues and camps, children and student ministries, and more.

History

The church was started on February 6, 1977,cite web
url=http://prestonwood.org/about/history.php
publisher=Prestonwood Baptist Church
title=History - Prestonwood Baptist Church
date=September 10, 2006

] as a church plant of Northway Baptist Church. With founding pastor, Bill Weber at its helm, [http://www.prestonwood.org/updates/life/2007_spring/07_prayer.php "Prestonwood Life"] , February/March 2007, retrieved 2008-05-16] the church had grown enough in 6 years that a 4,000 seat worship center was completed. In 1988, Pastor Weber confessed to an extramarital affair and stepped down from the pulpit of the 11,000 member church he founded 11 years ago. [Parmley, Helen, [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3D01A6E9AA578&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Prestonwood Pastor Resigns] , Dallas Morning News, 1988-10-09] In 1989 Dr. Jack Graham became the Senior Pastor of what had now become, one of the fastest growing churches in America. In April 1994, PowerPoint Ministries with Jack Graham was launched as the broadcast ministry from Prestonwood. Today, this broadcast can be heard both nationally and internationally on television and radio, as well as watched and heard online and through audio and video podcasting. In 1994, the need for a larger building became apparent to the leadership, and on May 2, 1999, the first service in the current 7,000 seat worship center was held. Soon thereafter the Prestonwood Sports and Fitness Center (SFC) was completed featuring a 3-court sports facility and additional Bible Fellowship space. In August 2003 the second phase of the building was completed, including a new: chapel, tower of faith (100+ foot tower lifting the cross), student ministry area, restaurant and commons, additional bible fellowship space, and administrative offices. In August 2005, the doors of Prestonwood Christian Academy's High School building were opened on the west side of the church's campus.

Prestonwood is also home to the Dallas Christmas Festival, one of the largest Christmas pageants in the nation, and is one of the top rated Christmas-related events in the state of Texas. Fact|date=December 2007 Each year there are thirteen DCF performances. There are almost 70,000 in attendance each year. Fact|date=December 2007

The church recently announced plans for a second campus in Prosper, TX, near U.S. Highway 380 and Dallas Parkway, as well as plans to expand some areas of the existing campus. Other new additions to the church will include an additional children's wing and new facilities for PowerPoint Ministries including the upgrade to High Definition (HDTV).

The church reached the 26,000 member mark in July 2006, with a regular attendance hovering around 20,000.Fact|date=February 2007

In May 2008, 52-year-old Joe Barron, a minister at the church, allegedly solicited sex from an officer posing online as a 13-year-old girl. Two days later, Senior Pastor Jack Graham addressed the scandal from the pulpit. In his address, Dr. Graham said the accused pastor had been asked to resign and had done so.Chavez, Stella, [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/051808dnmetministersting.3464076.html Prestonwood Baptist pastor: Church appalled, disgraced by minister's sex sting arrest] , Dallas Morning News, 2008-05-18, retrieved 2008-06-05]

References

External links

* [http://prestonwood.org Prestonwood Baptist Church] official website
* [http://www.jackgraham.org PowerPoint with Jack Graham] official website of PowerPoint Ministries