ARLINGTON, Texas (ABP) — The March 9 funeral of a Baptist pastor murdered during a robbery in his Texas church will be streamed live over the Internet, according to a staff member at a sister congregation.
Clint Dobson
|
David McDurham, minister to communications at First Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, said streaming would begin about five minutes into the memorial service for Clint Dobson, pastor of NorthPointe Baptist Church, scheduled for 10 a.m. CST Wednesday at First Baptist Church of Arlington. NorthPointe is a satellite church of First Baptist.
The live stream can be viewed at http://www.fbca.org/live.
Two Arlington men face capital murder and criminal attempted murder charges in Dobson's March 3 death and the beating of ministry assistant Judy Elliott, who remains hospitalized.
A court document that led to the arrests said Steven LaWayne Nelson, 24, who lived at his mother's home about a mile from NorthPointe Church, and Anthony Gregory Springs, 19, originally held as a "person of interest," boasted and laughed about the crime when they saw televised news reports about it at the home of a friend. Two mutual friends also present who knew Nelson and Springs to commit robberies together reported their behavior to Arlington police.
Local media said Nelson had a long record of mostly petty crimes, but his criminal career turned violent when he attacked and choked his girlfriend last May. He was sentenced to eight years on probation and an intense treatment program that he finished in January.
Springs, arrested on outstanding traffic warrants, told police that Nelson picked him up in Elliott's stolen car after the attack and they shopped for jewelry with the victims' credit cards at a nearby mall. Springs said Nelson told him he had robbed the church and killed the pastor, but police believe that both men were present at the scene of the crime.
Dennis Wiles, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Arlington, released a statement about the case late Monday, March 7.
"We continue to appreciate the good work of the Arlington Police Department as they work to solve this brutal crime," Wiles said. "We are focused on the celebration of Clint's life this week as we continue to pray for his family as well as Judy's. We have no other comment on the investigation."
Dobson, 28, grew up in Clear Lake, Texas, as a member of University Baptist Church in Houston, where his family attended for about 20 years. He was baptized there and served as a ministry intern during the summers of 2005 and 2006.
He attended Baylor University, where he met and married his wife, Laura Rozeman Dobson, graduating in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. He remained at Baylor to attend George W. Truett Theological Seminary, where he graduated with a master-of-divinity degree in 2008 and was named student preacher of the year.
He was pastor of Purmela Baptist Church in 2007-2008 and NorthPointe Baptist Church from 2008 until his death.
In addition to his wife, survivors include Dobson's parents, Roderick and Sharon Dobson; a brother, sister and grandmother.
Visitation was scheduled 6-8 p.m. Tuesday March 8 at Wade Family Funeral Home in Arlington. Burial will be at Moore Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions to the Truett Seminary Memorial Fund in honor of Clint Dobson or to Living Water International Ministry in Houston.
-30-
Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.
Previous coverage:
Churches gather for worship grieving slain pastor