Baptist

It is accepted by moderate Baptists who identify with the revival in the United States in the 1700s known as the First Great Awakening. Injured Reserve. It is rejected by some liberal Baptists who consider the term to describe a theological position that is too conservative. Bench. The label Evangelical is rejected by some fundamentalist Baptists who consider the term to describe a theological position that is not fundamentalist enough. Starters. Other Baptists accept the label, feeling that it does not carry a negative connotation but rather is merely a synonym for a Christian or religious group. The Phoenix Suns defeated the Dallas Mavericks 4 games to 2 in a very close series in which the final game was decided by only 4 points in overtime.

Another reason for the rejection of the label is the influence of the Restoration period on Baptist churches, which emphasized a tearing down of denominational barriers. The Mavericks defeated the Houston Rockets in Round 1 of the playoffs in 7 games. Being a denomination is viewed as having a hierarchy that substitutes for the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. Under his tutelage, the defense of the Mavericks became stronger, and they easily qualified for the playoffs with an impressive 58-24 record. The label denomination is rejected by some because of the local autonomous governance system used by Baptist churches. On March 19, long-time coach Don Nelson resigned, and his assistant Avery Johnson became his successor. Other Baptists accept the Protestant label as a demographic concept that describes churches who share similar theologies of sola scriptura, sola fide, the priesthood of all believers and other positions that Luther, Calvin and traditional reformers held in contrast to the Roman Catholic Church in the 1500s. At the All-Star break, the Mavericks acquired Keith Van Horn for Calvin Booth and Henderson, the latter being resigned only days later.

They do not feel that they are protesting anything and Landmark Baptists believe they pre-date the Roman Catholic Church. The run-and-gun style of former times changed into a more balanced style of play. The name Protestant is rejected by some Baptists because Baptists do not have a direct connection to Luther, Calvin or the Roman Catholic Church. The 2004-2005 brought in blockbuster trades which (among others) sent All-Star point guard Steve Nash to the Phoenix Suns but brought in burly center Erick Dampier, combo guard Jason Terry and defensive stalwart Alan Henderson. Although the absence of Nash visibly hurt the Mavericks' offense, the three acquisitions strenghened the team defense. Conversely, others accept the label Baptist because they identify with the distinctives they consider to be uniquely Baptist. The Mavericks management had to re-evaluate their strategy. Those who reject the label Baptist prefer to be labeled as Christians who attend Baptist churches. However, the Mavericks were eliminated quickly the playoffs, losing in the first round to the Sacramento Kings, a team which played clearly better defense.

Some Baptists object to the application of the labels Protestant, denomination, Evangelical and even Baptist to themselves or their churches, while others accept those labels. With the trio Nowitzki-Finley-Nash and NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, Jamison, the Mavericks continued their reputation as the best offensive team in the NBA. Notable were two rookies, Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels, who made an immediate impact. Leon McBeth and many others. Although the team struggled for chemistry, the Mavericks easily qualified for the playoffs. This is the most common view held by modern Bapists, which is found represented in the works of H. The Mavericks acquired Antawn Jamison, Danny Fortson, Jiri Welsch and Chris Mills from Golden State in exchange for Nick Van Exel, Evan Eschmeyer, Popeye Jones, Avery Johnson and Antoine Rigaudeau. Another high-profile trade sent Raef LaFrentz, Chris Mills and Jiri Welsch to Boston for Antoine Walker and Tony Delk. American Baptists soon followed suit. In 2003-2004, two blockbuster trades were announced.

The Particular and General Baptists would disagree over Arminianism and Calvinism until the formation of the Baptist Union of Great Britain in the 1800s under Andrew Fuller and William Carey for the purpose of missions. a good center), the Mavericks lost 2-4. Both groups had members who sailed to America as pilgrims to avoid religious persecution in England and Europe and who started Baptist churches in the early colonies. However, lacking an adequate inside defense (i.e. In 1616, Henry Jacob led a group of Puritans in England with a Calvinist theology to form a congregational church that would eventually become the Particular Baptists in 1638 under John Spilsbury. The "Big Three" Nowitzki-Finley-Nash were a 100-point-game waiting to happen and led the Mavericks into the Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. In 1609, John Smyth, led a group of separatists to the Netherlands to start the General Baptist church with an Arminian theology. They finished 60-22 in the regular season, astonishing fans and critics with their sparkling offense.

This view suggests that Baptists were originally separatists in the Puritan reaction to perceived corruptions in the Church of England in the 1600s. But it was only in the next season when the Mavericks finally broke through. The works of William Roscoe Estep offer the best presentation of this viewpoint. The Mavericks swept the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs but lost again in the second round, this time to the Sacramento Kings. One of the strongest relationships between the two groups happened when John Smyth's General Baptists attempted but failed to merge with the Mennonites. Another blockbuster trade sent Juwan Howard, Tim Hardaway and Donnell Harvey to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Raef LaFrentz, Nick Van Exel, Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Avery Johnson. It is difficult to say how much influence the Anabaptists had on the actual formation of Baptist churches. The 2001-2002 season was a great season for the Mavericks, with a 57-25 record and many sellout crowds in the American Airlines Center.

They share many teachings of the early Baptists, such as the believer's baptism and religious freedom and were probably influential in the development of many Baptist characteristics. While their names suggest some connection, some Anabaptists differed from the Baptists on many other issues such as pacifism and the communal sharing of material goods. This was also the last season in the old Reunion Arena before making the move to the modern American Airlines Center. Anabaptists (Mennonites, Amish, Hutterites) were a group in the 1500s that rejected infant baptism and "rebaptized" members as adults. In the playoffs, the Mavericks won the first round against the Utah Jazz, advancing to the second round for the first time since 1988. Christian offer the best presentation of this viewpoint. This move brought in fresh blood that secured the club’s first playoff visit in 11 years. The works of John T. The Mavs made a blockbuster trade minutes before the trade deadline that sent Hubert Davis, Christian Laettner, Courtney Alexander and Etan Thomas to the Washington Wizards for Juwan Howard, Calvin Booth and Obinna Ekezie.

It is also difficult to show historical connections between those groups which were often separated by large gaps in geography and time. In 2000-2001, the Mavericks improved further and finished with an impressive 53-29 record, fueled by an impressive offensive triangle of Nowitzki, Finley and Nash. Several groups considered to be part of this Baptist succession were groups persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church throughout history including Montanists, Novatianists, Donatists, Paulicians, Albigensians, Catharists, Waldenses, and Anabaptists. While some of these groups shared a few theological positions with current Baptists, many held positions that would now be considered heretical by current Baptists. He was greatly helped by Nowitzki, who finally "arrived" in the NBA and established himself as a potent offensive threat. Carroll's The Trail of Blood, written in 1931, is commonly presented to defend this origins view. Led by Finley, the Mavericks earned their first 40-win season since 1989-90. M. In the following season the team finally "clicked" and started to win on a consistent basis.

J. Noteable were the acquisitions of power forward Dirk Nowitzki and point guard Steve Nash, two seemingly unspectacular moves which would make a great impact in the future. Alexander Campbell of the Restoration Movement was a strong promoter of this idea. In the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, the Mavericks finished with a lowly 19-31 record, but Michael Finley and Gary Trent put up solid numbers and led their team to their first winning home record (15-10) for the first time since 1989-90. It also allows for the view that Baptists predate the Catholic church and is therefore not part of the reformation or the protestant movement. But they'd acquired some of the pieces that would help them start to turn things around in years to come. This succession grants Baptist churches the status of being unstained and separate from what they see as the corruptions of Catholicism and other denominations. Unfortunately, the constant changes made it impossible to establish any sort of team chemistry in '96-'97, and the Mavericks finished 24-58.

This view is theologically based on Matthew 16:18 , "...and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." and a rejection of Catholicism as part of the historical origins of Baptists. He, along with Finley and Bradley, were expected to be the core of this new Mavericks team. Proponents believe that Baptist traditions have been passed down through a succession of visible congregations of Christians that were Baptist in doctrine and practice, but not necessarily in name. Undrafted rookie guard Erick Strickland was a pleasant surprise for the Mavs as he averaged 10.6 ppg. Landmarkism is the belief that Baptist churches and traditions have preceded the Catholic Church and have been around since the time of John the Baptist and Christ. Bradley would spend part of the next eight years putting up modest contributions for the Mavs and giving them solid numbers in terms of blocked shots. There are several views about the origins of Baptists within the Baptist church. In one of the largest two-team trades in NBA history, the Mavericks traded Chris Gatling, Jim Jackson, Sam Cassell, George McCloud and Eric Montross to the New Jersey Nets for 7'6" center Shawn Bradley, forward Ed O'Bannon and guards Khalid Reeves and Robert Pack.

These churches can seat thousands at once and can have sports fields, gyms, cafes, book stores and libraries. Chris Gatling was the Mavericks' sole representative in the NBA All-Star Game, but he didn't last much longer in Dallas. Though most Baptist churches are small, a significant percentage of megachurches are Baptist. And Muursepp played in 73 games for the Mavericks over the next two years before leaving the NBA. Many church buildings are equipped with round receptacles on the rear of the pews for depositing the empty glasses after the service. Danilovic played in 13 games for the Mavs before opting out of his contract and signing with Bucker Bologna of the Italian League. The grape juice is typically served in small glasses, though some churches use one cup for the entire congregation. Thomas didn't play in 1996-97, and only ended up playing in five games as a Maverick before signing as a free agent with the New York Knicks.

It is usually served by the pastor to the deacons, and by the deacons to the congregation. This particular trade didn't really pan out for the Mavs. The bread used in the service may be cubes of normal white bread, unleavened bread, wafers or small crackers. Within a week of his hiring, the Mavs had released Fred Roberts and Oliver Miller and traded Jamal Mashburn to the Miami Heat for forwards Kurt Thomas and Martin Müürsepp and guard Sasha Danilovic. This is patterned after the Last Supper, which was a celebration of the Passover. Don Nelson was hired as Dallas' general manager on February 7, and it didn't take him long to leave his own mark on the team. Those who profess belief in Christ as their Savior are invited to partake¹ of the symbolic body and blood of Jesus, portrayed by bread and "wine" (which may be grape wine, but is more often non-alcoholic grape juice). He made two visits to the NBA All-Star Game, and even played in each of the Mavs' games until the 2001-02 season.

The communion portion takes place at the end of the normal service. By far the most important of these acquisitions was Finley who, after his first half-season in Dallas, would go on to average over or near 20 ppg for at least the next seven years of his Mavericks career. Communion services are typically held once a month on Sunday mornings, but may be held weekly, quarterly or annually. Green. Other common features in a Baptist church service include the collection of offering, the serving of symbolic communion and a period of announcements. The first big move came in December, as Jason Kidd, Loren Meyer and Tony Dumas were traded to the Phoenix Suns for guards Michael Finley and Sam Cassell and forward A.C. Some conservative Baptists oppose the use of drums and/or electric guitar in their service because those two instruments are associated with rock music which is considered sinful or Satanic to them. By the time the season was over, only Derek Harper and rookie forward Samaki Walker remained from the opening-day roster.

Some conservative Baptists will only sing hymns which usually includes songs written between the 1700s and the 1950s and are often played with an organ. 27 different players saw action for this Dallas team, setting an all-time NBA record. The choice in music style is often correlated to the age of the members with older congregations preferring hymns while younger congregations prefer contemporary music. The 1996-97 season was a year of transition for the Mavericks, as they basically re-designed their entire team. Musical style varies between hymns and Contemporary Christian music with many churches choosing a blend of the two. And Don Carter, the only owner the Mavericks had ever had, sold the team to a group of investors led by Ross Perot, Jr.. The sermon is often surrounded by periods of musical worship lead by a song leader, choir or band. At season's end, Dick Motta was relieved of his head coaching responsibilities and replaced by former Bulls assistant coach Jim Cleamons.

They range in style from expository sermons that focus on one biblical passage and interpret its meaning, to topical sermons which address an issue of concern and investigate several biblical passages related to that topic. The Mavs finished 26-56, fifth in the Midwest Division and 33 games out of first place. Sermons can range in time from about 30 minutes to several hours. But that particular statistic is more indicative of the Mavs' desperation to get points from somewhere than of how well they did as a team. The focus of Baptist church services is the sermon. Overall, the Mavericks connected on 735 of their 2,039 three-point attempts, both new league records. The two groups share similar theology, even sharing a bible college. McCloud averaged 18.9 ppg and made 257 three-pointers, equaling the second-highest individual season total in league history.

In Australia, the Baptist Union is very close to the Campbell-Stone Church of Christ. George McCloud, who averaged 9.6 ppg in his previous year, blew away his career-high scoring average as the Mavs resorted to the outside shot time and again due to their lack of an inside scoring threat. The Pacifism of the Anabaptists and the Quakers is not an ideal held by most Baptists. The Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America was organized in 1984 to promote peace, justice, and non-violence, but it does not speak for all Baptists that accept the ideal of pacifism. Kidd became the first Maverick to be elected a starter in the NBA All-Star Game, and finished second in the league in assists and fourth in steals while averaging 16.6 ppg. While the general flavor of any denomination changes from city to city, this aspect of Baptist churches is much more prominent than in most Episcopal, Lutheran and Presbyterian churches. Jackson led the team in scoring with 19.6 ppg, made 121 three-pointers and was the only Mav to start in all 82 games. Baptists share certain emphases with other groups such as evangelism and missions. The team's two remaining stars, Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson, bickered throughout the season, though neither of them had any trouble establishing his individual stardom.

Baptists generally believe in the literal Second Coming of Christ at which time God will sit in judgment and divide humanity between the saved and the lost (the Great White Throne judgment Book of Revelation 20:11) and Christ will sit in judgment of the believers (the Judgment Seat of Christ Second Epistle to the Corinthians 5:10), rewarding them for things done while alive. Amillennialism, dispensationalism, and historic premillennialism stand as the main eschatological views of Baptists, with views such as postmillennialism and preterism receiving only scant support. Jamal Mashburn had season-ending surgery to repair his sore right knee only 18 games into the Mavericks' schedule. Because of the congregational style of church governance on doctrine, doctrine on the following issues often varies greatly between one Baptist church and another. For the second time in his career, Roy Tarpley was given a lifelong ban from the NBA for repeated violations of the anti-drug policy-- this one would stick, and Tarpley never played in the NBA again. The theology holds that Christ died on the cross to give humans the promise of everlasting life, but that this requires that each individual accept Christ into his life and ask for forgiveness. Nevertheless, the Baptist view of soteriology runs the gamut from Calvinism to Arminianism. But despite a 4-0 start, the 1995-96 season was a disappointment in about every conceivable way. Baptist theology teaches that humans have been contaminated by the sin of Adam and Eve's rebellion against God and that for this sin we are condemned to damnation. Many expected the Mavericks' improvement to continue with the franchise's first foray into the NBA Playoffs since 1990.

Baptists have a strong emphasis on the concept of salvation. Of course, it can be argued that the Mavericks really couldn't get any worse than their disastrous campaign of the previous year. Justification by faith or sola fide states that it is by faith alone that we receive salvation and not through any works of our own. It was the biggest one-year improvement in the team's history, and the highest in the NBA that season. The Baptist position of the priesthood of believers is one column that upholds their belief in religious liberty. They jumped to 36-46, 10th in the Western Conference and only five games behind the Denver Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot. This doctrine is based on the passage found in 1 Peter 2:9 and was popularized by Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation and John Wycliff's Lollards before Luther. And the Mavericks' improvement was dramatic.

Priesthood of all believers states that every Christian has direct access to God and the truths found in the Bible without the help of an aristocracy or hierachy of priests. Second-year forward Popeye Jones had a great year as well, as he averaged 10.6 rebounds and led the NBA in offensive rebounds. One work which is commonly read by Baptists is the allegory Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. Mashburn contributed 24.1 points per game, fifth in the NBA; Jackson averaged 25.7 points, but suffered a severe ankle sprain in Februrary which caused him to miss the remainder of the regular season. Even though it is only the Bible that is authoritative, Baptists also cite other works as illustrative of doctrine. The tandem of Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn combined as the league's highest-scoring pair of teammates. However, because of the variety allowed under congregational governance, many Baptist churches are neither literalist nor fundamentalist, although most do believe in biblical inerrancy. Roy Tarpley returned from his drug abuse suspension after three years and helped with 12.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

Biblical inerrancy is also a common position held by Baptists in addition to literal interpretations of the bible and fundamentalist theologies. Kidd averaged 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists in his rookie season, and even led the league in triple-doubles. Each person is responsible before God for his or her own understanding of the bible and is encouraged to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. The addition of Jason Kidd infused the Mavericks with new life in 1994-95. Any view that cannot be directly tied to a scriptural reference is generally considered to be based on human traditions rather than God's leading. The Mavericks also wound up with the #2 pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, and picked up Cal point guard Jason Kidd, giving them a solid tandem of Jackson, Mashburn and Kidd which would become known as "The Three J's". Authority of the Scriptures or sola scriptura states that the Bible is the only authoritative source of God's truth in contrast to the role of Apostolic tradition in the Roman Catholic Church. At season's end, Buckner was fired as head coach, and the Mavericks brought back Dick Motta, who'd previously coached the team from 1980-87 and led the franchise to some of its most successful seasons.

states, Southern Baptists form a majority of the population and have successfully banned alcohol sales, and prevented the legalization of certain kinds of gambling. It was still by far the worst record in the league, but the Mavericks again avoided setting an all-time futility record. In parts of some southern U.S. But 5-9 records in February and April, coupled with Buckner loosening the reins on his team a little bit, helped the Mavs finish 13-69. Currently in the United States, Baptist (particularly Southern Baptist) involvement in politics often involves controversies concerning gambling, alcohol, abortion, homosexual marriage as well as the teaching of evolution and state-sanctioned public prayer in public high schools. The possibility of finishing with the all-time worst record once again was a likelihood for the Mavs. Support of Seperation of Church and State does not imply a retreat from the political realm and Baptists do not generally eschew involvement in the political process. The Mavs started 1-23, and by the end of January they were 3-40.

Today, though, some prominant Southern Baptist leaders believe that the government, at some level, should favor Christianity in certain contexts. Dallas selected Kentucky forward Jamal Mashburn with the fourth overall pick of the 1993 NBA Draft, but the team's progress was minimal, to say the least. Anabaptists and Quakers also share a strong history in the development of separation of church and state. 1993-94 marked Quinn Buckner's first-- and as it turned out, last-- season as coach of the Mavericks. Baptists were influential in the formation of the first civil government based on the separation of church and state in what is now Rhode Island. The Mavs finished 11-71. That same year, Thomas Helwys wrote that the King of England could "comaund what of man he will, and wee are to obey it," but concerning the church -- "with this Kingdom, our lord the King hath nothing to do." In 1614, Leonard Busher wrote what is believed to be the earliest Baptist treatise dealing exclusively with the subject of religious liberty. But when Jackson was signed on March 3 and Quinn Buckner was hired to take over coaching responsibilities starting the following season, the Mavs managed to rally, closing the season with a 7-14 mark, including two straight wins to end the season.

In 1612 John Smyth wrote, "the magistrate is not by virtue of his office to meddle with religion, or matters of conscience". The Mavericks started 2-27 and fired Coach Richie Adubato on January 13, replacing him with Gar Heard. The Mavericks came dangerously close to setting the all-time worst record in NBA history (9-73, set by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers). Baptists who were imprisoned or died for their beliefs have played an important role in the historical struggle for freedom of religion and separation of church and state in England, the United States, and other countries. Jackson only played 28 games in 1992-93, a year that was also ruined by trades, a coaching change and injuries. Main article: Baptists in the history of separation of church and state. The Mavericks selected Ohio State guard Jim Jackson with the fourth overall pick of the 1993 NBA Draft, but he and owner Donald Carter couldn't come to terms on a contract for half of his rookie season. In addition, there are sometimes very strong disputes even within conventions, which are often divided between Christian fundamentalists and moderates. Derek Harper was the team's sole bright spot, leading the team with 18.3 points per game.

There are hundreds of Baptist conventions and many Baptist churches do not fall into any of them. Fat Lever underwent more surgery and missed the entire 1992-93 season. The second largest is the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., which is also America's second largest predominantly African-American denomination. Herb Williams joined the Knicks as a free agent. The largest of these in the United States is the Southern Baptist Convention. Blackman had made four All-Star Game appearances in his Mavericks career. In a manner typical of other congregationalists, many cooperative associations of Baptists have arisen. In 1992-93 the rebuilding began in earnest, with the Mavs trading Rolando Blackman-- who by that point had surpassed Mark Aguirre as the team's all-time leading scorer-- to the New York Knicks for a first-round draft pick.

Administration, leadership and doctrine are decided democratically by the lay members of each individual church, which accounts for the variation of beliefs from one Baptist church to another. The team fell six games to finish with a 22-60 record. Baptist churches are not under the direct administrative control of any other body, such as a national council, or a leader such as a bishop or pope. Brad Davis' back problems forced him to retire in mid-January, and Fat Lever had knee surgery again on January 29, missing the remainder of the season-- hardly worth the cost of losing two first-round draft picks. Congregationalist church governance gives autonomy to individual local churches in areas of policy, polity and doctrine. The few talented players the Mavericks had remaining to them were lost to injury. Some Baptists do not hold the concept of an "Age of Accountability". The former Sixth Man Award winner's fall from grace was complete.

Children and those who are not mentally or emotionally capable of discerning their sins are not held accountable for their sins and are considered to be in a state of grace. Before the season even began, Tarpley violated the league's substance abuse policy for the third time and was banned from the NBA. Jesus began to visibly do the work of God at the age of 12 and somewhere around there is the typical "Age of Accountability". The 1991-92 season continued the team's descent. This is not a specific age, but rather the age at which God determines that person is accountable for their sins. In March of 1991, Tarpley was charged with suspicion of driving while intoxicated and was suspended again by the NBA. Only a person who has reached an "Age of accountability" is eligible for baptism. The Mavericks' season only got worse from there, and they finished with a record of 28-54, falling behind even the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic.

Through Anabaptist influence, Baptists reject the practice of infant baptism or pedobaptism because they believe parents cannot make a decision of salvation for an infant. On November 9 it was announced that Fat Lever would have season-ending surgery on his right knee, and that very night, Tarpley suffered a knee injury of his own which ended his season. Some Baptist churches will recognize baptisms performed in other orthodox Christian churches that were not performed on infants. The players they managed to acquire-- Rodney McCray, Fat Lever and Alex English-- were all in the twilight of their careers. A few Baptist churches allow for baptism by sprinkling as an alternative mode for the disabled or elderly. The team endured numerous changes in 1990, losing Sam Perkins to the Lakers via free agency and suffering injuries to practically their entire 1990-91 starting lineup. Recognition of other modes of baptism by other Baptists and Christian groups vary from one church to another. Their brief 1990 playoff appearance would be the team's last until 2001.

This mode is also preferred for its parallel imagery to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The Mavs finished the season with four straight victories to surge into the playoffs, but three losses to the Portland Trail Blazers later, their season was over. Baptists emphasize baptism by full immersion, the mode used by John the Baptist, which consists of lowering the candidate in water backwards, while a pastor invokes the Trinitarian formula of Matthew 28:19. The team started 5-6 and Coach John MacLeod was fired, replaced by Assistant Coach Richie Adubato. Most Baptist church used baptism as a criterion for membership. On November 15, only six games into the Mavs' season, Roy Tarpley was arrested for driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest. It is also a public identification of that person with Christianity and with that particular local church. The Mavericks returned to the playoffs in 1989-90 with a 47-35 record, but it was another season of off-court chaos.

It is an outward expression that is symbolic of the inward cleansing or remission of their sins that has already taken place. The Mavericks were left undermanned, demoralized and disheartened as they finished with a 38-44 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 1982-83. Believer's baptism is an ordinance that plays no role in salvation and is performed after a person professes Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. James Donaldson went down with a ruptured patella tendon on March 10, 1989, and missed the rest of the season as a result. This acrostic is used by some Baptist churches as a summary of the distinctives or distinguishing beliefs of Baptists. During the holdout, Detlef Schrempf was traded to Indiana for Herb Williams, and went on to have the best days of his career in Pacers and Sonics uniforms. Baptist distinctives are beliefs that are common among Baptist churches, some of which are also shared with many other post-reformational denominations. But Dantley refused to report to the Mavericks at first, holding out for eight days.

Baptist churches do not have a central governing authority, resulting in a wide range of beliefs from one Baptist church to another. In mid-February, Mark Aguirre was traded to the eventual champion Detroit Pistons for Adrian Dantley-- ironically, the only man who outscored him during the 1983-84 season. In the late 1990s, there were about 43 million Baptists worldwide with about 33 million in the United States. Roy Tarpley violated the league's antidrug policy and was given an indefinite suspension. A congregational governance system gives autonomy to individual local Baptist churches, which are sometimes associated in organizations such as the Southern Baptist Convention. The Mavericks' 1988-89 season was decimated by injuries, suspensions, and the trading of two of the team's best players. Dallas started the season 9-3, but spiraled rapidly down the tubes after that. Baptists emphasize a believer's baptism by full immersion, which is performed after a profession of faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. everything they could handle, but in the end the more experienced Lakers prevailed, defeating Dallas in seven games on the way to eventually winning their second consecutive NBA Championship.

Baptist churches are part of a Christian movement often regarded as an Evangelical, Protestant denomination. The Mavericks gave L.A. Williams, Roger. They dispatched the Houston Rockets in four games and the Nuggets in six, leaving only the defending NBA Champion Lakers between them and a trip to the NBA Finals. Warren, Rick. The team had its most successful postseason to date in the 1988 NBA Playoffs. Spurgeon, Charles H. Aguirre lead the team in scoring for the sixth consecutive year with 25.1 points per game, and Roy Tarpley won the NBA Sixth Man Award with averages of 13.5 points and 11.8 rebounds.

Roberson, Lee. Mark Aguirre and James Donaldson both played in the 1988 NBA All-Star Game, the Mavericks rattled off a franchise-best 11-game winning streak, and Rolando Blackman scored his 10,000th career point. Rice, John R. The 1987-88 season saw the Mavericks dip just a little bit in the regular season-- finishing 53-29 and losing their Midwest Division title to the Denver Nuggets-- but it was another successful year for the team. Pawson, David. John MacLeod, who'd led the Phoenix Suns to nine playoff berths including an NBA Finals run in 1976, was hired as his replacement. B. Following the unexpected early playoff exit, coach Dick Motta, who'd been with the team since its inception, shockingly resigned as head coach.

Meyer, F. After a 22-point beatdown of the Seattle SuperSonics in Game 1, the bottom dropped out for the Mavs, as they lost Games 2 and 3 in close fashion before getting their backsides handed to them in a humiliating Game 4 defeat in Seattle. King, Martin Luther. But despite the great expectations surrounding the team, they self-destructed in the playoffs. Hyles, Jack. The 1986-87 Mavericks team had their most successful regular-season ever, going 55-27 and winning their first Midwest Division title. Grenz, Stanley. The Mavs drafted Michigan center Roy Tarpley with the seventh overall pick, who would go on to become a very talented-- but troubled-- member of the roster.

Graham, Billy. But four of those games were decided by four points or less, and Dallas won half of those, leaving Mavericks fans room to hope that they could finally top the Lakers in the following season. Falwell, Jerry. defeated Dallas in six games on their way to eventually winning the title. Douglas, Tommy. In the conference semifinals, they ran into the Lakers again, and L.A. Chambers, Oswald. The Mavs made their third straight playoff appearance and defeated Utah three games to one in the first round.

Carter, Jimmy. The '85-'86 Mavericks were an extremely high-scoring team, averaging 115.3 points per game, which would be unheard of in the NBA of the early 2000s. Carey, William. Rolando Blackman represented the Mavericks in the 1986 All-Star Game, hosted by Dallas at Reunion Arena. Bunyan, John. This allowed the Mavericks to have the steady hand at center that had been lacking throughout their franchise's existence. Eschatology. The Mavericks also traded center Kurt Nimphius to the Los Angeles Clippers for center James Donaldson, who would play for the Mavericks until halfway through the 1991-92 season.

homosexuality. He would show flashes of brilliance in his three-plus seasons with the team, but unfortunately it wasn't until he was traded to the Indiana Pacers that he displayed his full potential. the ordination of women. Dallas had the eighth pick in the 1985 NBA Draft-- again thanks to a trade with the Cavaliers-- and drafted German-born forward Detlef Schrempf out of Washington. the nature of Law and Gospel. They won Game 1 in double-overtime against the Portland Trail Blazers in their first-round playoff series, but lost the next three games in a row, ending their season. Calvinism/Arminianism. The Mavs returned to the playoffs in 1985, but weren't as successful as they had been the previous year.

doctrine of separation. Mark Aguirre led the team in scoring again with 25.7 ppg, Sam Perkins made the All-Rookie team, and Rolando Blackman represented the Mavericks in the 1985 NBA All-Star Game. Two offices of the church (Pastor and Deacon). The 1984-85 team finished a game better than the previous year at 44-38. Separation of Church and State. The Mavs used it to select forward/center Sam Perkins, a former North Carolina Tar Heel with surprising range from the three-point line who would average 14.4 points and 8.0 rebounds in six seasons with Dallas. Individual soul liberty. But a trade the Mavericks made in their inaugural season of 1980 paid off for them in 1984, because they owned Cleveland's first-round pick, which ended up being the fourth pick overall.

Two ordinances (Believer's Baptism and Symbolic Communion). The Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers were next for the Mavs, and the young club fell short, losing four games to one. Priesthood of all believers. Dallas finished with the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and their first playoff trip was modestly successful as they defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in five games. Autonomy of the local church. Mark Aguirre was named the team's first NBA All-Star, as he finished with an average of 29.5 points per game-- second in the league only to Utah's Adrian Dantley. Biblical authority. The Mavs also earned the first playoff berth in franchise history.

The Mavericks' hard work paid off in 1983-84 as they posted a winning record for the first time in franchise history, finishing 43-39 and second in the Midwest Division. The 6'4" guard would spend the next decade with the organization, averaging 15 points and 6.1 assists. Derek Harper was drafted by the Mavs with the 11th pick of the 1983 NBA Draft. Brad Davis was 10th in the NBA in assists with 7.2 per game, and shot .845 from the line, 6th in the league.

Jay Vincent and Rolando Blackman contributed 18.7 and 17.7 ppg, respectively. Mark Aguirre led the '82-83 Mavericks with 24.4 points per game, finishing sixth in the NBA. They couldn't sustain their momentum for the second half of the season, but they had clearly become a team to be feared. At the All-Star break, the Mavericks were 25-24, having won 12 of their last 15 games.

But the Mavs' 38-44 record signified a 10-game improvement from the previous season, and the fact that a third-year expansion team had even been in playoff contention at all was quite remarkable. In 1982-83, the Mavericks really began to make their run for their first postseason berth, but fell just short, finishing seven games behind the Denver Nuggets for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Mavericks improved to 28-54, getting out of the Midwest Division cellar as they finished above Utah. But it was Jay Vincent who made the biggest difference for the Mavs in their second season, leading the team in scoring with 21.4 points per game and earning NBA All-Rookie Team honors.

Blackman contributed 19.2 points over his 11-year career in Dallas. By the end of his seven-year Mavs career, Aguirre would average 24.6 points per game. The Mavs selected 6'6" forward Mark Aguirre with the first pick, 6'6" guard Rolando Blackman 9th, and 6'7" forward Jay Vincent 24th. The 1981 NBA Draft brought three players who would become vital parts of the team.

He spent the next twelve years with the Mavericks, and eventually his #15 jersey was retired. But he started the Mavs' final 26 games, led the team in assists, and his career soared. Journeyman 6'3" guard Brad Davis, who played for the Anchorage Northern Knights of the Continental Basketball Association, was tracked down and signed by the Mavs in December. At the time, there was absolutely no reason to expect that Davis would be any better than the expansion-level talent the Mavs had. However, the Mavericks did make a player acquisition that, while it seemed minor at the time, turned out to play a very important role in the early years of their franchise.

But the Mavs started the season with a discouraging 6-40 record on their way to finishing 15-67. In the Mavericks' debut game, taking place in the brand-new Reunion Arena, the Mavericks stunned the San Antonio Spurs, 103-92. He was traded to the Denver Nuggets, along with a first-round pick in 1986, in exchange for two future first-round picks that eventually materalized into Rolando Blackman in 1981 and Sam Perkins in 1986. Kiki Vandeweghe of UCLA was drafted by the Mavs with the 11th pick of the 1980 NBA Draft, but Vandeweghe refused to play for the expansion Mavericks and staged a holdout that lasted a month into the team's inaugural season.

He had a well-earned reputation of being a stern disciplinarian, but was also a great teacher of the game. Dick Motta, who'd guided the Washington Bullets to the NBA Championship in 1975-76, was hired as the team's first head coach. They joined the Midwest Division of the Western Conference, where they would remain until the league went to six divisions for the 2004-05 season. At the 1980 NBA All-Star Game, league owners voted to admit the new franchise, and the Mavericks paid a $12 million entry fee to join the NBA for the 1980-81 season.

The last professional basketball team in Dallas had been the Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association, which moved to San Antonio in 1973 and became the San Antonio Spurs. The Dallas Mavericks franchise was first conceptualized by Don Carter and Norm Sonju in 1979, when they requested the right to bring an NBA franchise to Dallas. They are owned by Mark Cuban. The Dallas Mavericks are a National Basketball Association team based in Dallas, Texas.

Avery Johnson. Pavel Podkolzine. Didier Ilunga-Mbenga. Tariq Abdul-Wahad.

Keith Van Horn. Jerry Stackhouse. Alan Henderson. Devin Harris.

Marquis Daniels. Shawn Bradley. Darrell Armstrong. C - Erick Dampier.

PF - Dirk Nowitzki. SF - Josh Howard. SG - Michael Finley. PG - Jason Terry.

22 Rolando Blackman. 15 Brad Davis. Don Nelson (coach). Detlef Schrempf.

Steve Nash. Eduardo Najera. Jamal Mashburn. Jason Kidd.

Jim Jackson. Derek Harper. Mark Aguirre. C - #24 Pavel Podkolzine (Павел Подколзине); (Russia).

C - #28 Didier Ilunga-Mbenga; (Senegal). SF - #9 Tariq Abdul-Wahad; (San Jose State). SF - #2 Keith Van Horn; (Utah). SG - #42 Jerry Stackhouse; (North Carolina).

PF - #50 Alan Henderson; (Indiana). PG - #34 Devin Harris; (Wisconsin). PG - #6 Marquis Daniels; (Auburn). C - #44 Shawn Bradley; (BYU).

PG - #10 Darrell Armstrong; (Fayetteville State (NC)). C - #25 Erick Dampier; (Mississippi State). PF - #41 Dirk Nowitzki; (Germany). SF - #5 Josh Howard; (Wake Forest).

SG - #4 Michael Finley; (Wisconsin). PG - #31 Jason Terry; (Arizona). 2004-05 Record: 58-24. NBA Championships: None.

Logo design: A horse's head superimposed over a basketball. Uniform colors: Midnight blue, White, Blue, and Silver. Home Arena: American Airlines Center. Formerly known as:.

Founded: 1980.