About Jack Hire Jack

I'm Dr. Jack Allen. I offer perspective and coaching to people starting churches. I've helped about 60 men and women all over the US and Canada. Here's a brief resume:

Missionary, North American Mission Board
Director, Day Center for Church Planting
Director, Nehemiah Center at NOBTS.
Asstistant Professor of Church Planting at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
BJ, Public Relations, The Univ. of Texas, '82
MDiv, Biblical Languages, SWBTS, 1993
PhD, Ethics, SWBTS, 1997

While a student at Southwestern, I helped two churches revitalize. Post-graduation, my family & I planted Cottonwood Church in Albuquerque, NM. Since moving back to New Orleans after Katrina, I helped start Sojourn, Vintage and Carver Baptist Church. I'm also helping Thomas and the revitalization effort at Bridgedale Baptist Church in Metairie, LA.

I've been married a long time to a beautiful, patient woman, and together we survived Hurricane Katrina and raising two amazing kids. Both our children are in college, so anything they do from here on out is their fault. I can tell you more about me if you think it's important.

HEART ATTITUDES: Standards of Conduct

We work in groups in every aspect of our lives--family, job, classroom--and the right attitudes applied in a group make life better. These seven attitudes boil biblical wisdom down to the non-negotiables of our faith. Lord, cause us to number our days aright, that we may develop a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12).

Heart Attitudes (click here for Podcasts)

1. Consider the needs of others. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 (NIV)

2. Live an honest, open lifestyle. Stop lying to each other; tell the truth, for we are parts of each other and when we lie to each other we are hurting ourselves. Ephesians 4:25 (Living Bible)

3. Lovingly give and humbly receive Scriptural correction. If you ignore correction, you will end in poverty and disgrace... Proverbs 13:18

4. Keep relationships cleaned up. "This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God." Matthew 5:23-24 (The Message)

5. Participate in ministry. God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you. 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

6. Support your church financially. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV).

7. Follow leaders within Scriptural boundaries. Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them? Hebrews 13:17 (The Message)

BELIEFS

God is one God, forever existing in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is in charge and He is completely good all the time. God is bigger and closer and more loving than any of us can imagine.

Jesus is a real person, God in the flesh, who came to earth to show us what God is like.

The Holy Spirit is God empowering Christ's followers to live a new life that honors God.

The Bible is all true--it's God's Word.

People--all of us--are selfish by nature and rebels against God's authority. We are all very unlike God in our wisdom and desires, and badly in need of His mercy.

Salvation is the offer Jesus came to give us. His death paid for our sins to salvage our lives and reconcile us to God. None of us can ever make up for our sin by self-improvement or good work. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty, which is death. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. The Scriptures reveal the truth to anyone open to receive it. Examples include: Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1.

Anyone who trusts Jesus for his or her salvation is secure because God is holding his or her soul. No one, no thing, no spirit or thought have the strength to pull something out of God's hands. God is strongest.

At the right time, God will bring the world to its appropriate end. Jesus will return to the earth, dead people will come back to life, and He will judge every person. Those who trusted Jesus during their lifetime will be with Him in heaven forever. Those who did not will spend eternity apart from God in hell. Heaven and Hell are real places that exist forever.

The local church consists of Christ's chosen believers who assemble for worship, instruction, prayer, and to make friends. The universal Church is the cumulations of all Christ's followers; it exists to glorify Jesus and obey Him. A church's primary act that honors Christ is to help outsiders to know Him.

Local churches keep the two ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion) as part of their worship of Christ and obedience to Him. Every believer is a missionary of Jesus Christ to his or her community. Christ asks every believer to be part of a local church, participate in His redemptive work through that church, and support that church financially.