EDUCATE
embracing diversity
optimizing
One Accord strives to support DBC in growing a multi-ethnic church that welcomes, reflects, and serves our community. Our vision is to foster a church where all races, people, tribes, and languages come together before the throne
ENGAGE
building unity
WORSHIP
glorifying God
"How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity." - Ps 133:1
"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" - Gal 3:28
"God created mankind in his own image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them" - Gen 1:27
"After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands." - Rev 7:9
"How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity." - Ps 133:1
"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" - Gal 3:28
"God created mankind in his own image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them" - Gen 1:27
"After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands." - Rev 7:9
Focus of the Month
Now Playing reminds us that every great story has a scene you can’t forget — a moment of grace, unity, purpose, or sacrifice that changes everything. That’s exactly what Ephesians gives us. It’s not fiction. It’s the story God is writing in us. Paul shows us that in Christ, God has given us a new identity, torn down the dividing wall between us, and created one new family from every background to reflect His glory. That is the heart behind One Accord. One Accord exists to support DBC in growing a multi-ethnic church that welcomes, reflects, and serves our community — a church where all races, peoples, tribes, and languages come together before the throne. As we walk through Ephesians, we’ll see that unity isn’t just a scene in God’s story, it is the story.
God didn’t save you to just watch His story unfold from the sidelines, He wrote you into it. Here are a few simple ways to live out this week’s scene in your everyday life.
- Rewatch Your Identity
- Ephesians 1-2 says before you do anything for God, you are already chosen, adopted, redeemed, and sealed. Most of us live like we’re still auditioning.
- Application: Start each morning by reading Ephesians 1:3-8 out loud and personalizing it. Replace “us” with “me.” Keep a note on your mirror: “I don’t have to earn the part. I’ve already been given it in Christ.” When insecurity or shame shows up, pause and ask, “Is that who God says I am?”
- Live Like Grace Is The Whole Plot
- Ephesians 2:8-10 — We are saved by grace, not by hustle, and created for good works God prepared in advance.
- Application: Kill comparison one day at a time. Each evening, write down one moment you received grace you didn’t earn and one good work God put in front of you that day — a text to send, a neighbor to help, a sin to turn from. Grace isn’t just the opening scene, it’s the storyline.
- Practice Unity In The Same Scene
- Ephesians 2:14 says Christ tore down the dividing wall and made one family from two very different groups. Chapter 4 says to make every effort to keep that unity.
- Application: Unity takes effort. Choose one person in your life who is different from you — politically, generationally, culturally, or just difficult — and pursue peace. Eat together, listen longer than you defend, and refuse to talk about them when they’re not in the room. Ask, “Am I building a wall or a bridge with my words this week?”
- Take Off The Old Costume, Put On The New
- Ephesians 4:22-24 calls us to take off the old self and put on the new. Paul gets specific about lying, anger, and corrupt talk.
- Application: Pick one “costume” to take off and one to put on. For example: Take off grumbling and put on thanksgiving. Take off white lies and put on truthfulness, even when it costs you. Tell your small group or spouse so they can ask you about it on Sunday.
- Walk In Love And Purpose When The Cameras Are Off
- Ephesians 5 — Walk in love as Christ loved us, make the most of your time, be filled with the Spirit instead of numbed by other things.
- Application: Do an audit of your time and inputs. What are you being filled with? Replace 30 minutes of scrolling or streaming three nights this week with Spirit-filled habits — worship in the car, pray as a family at dinner, read Ephesians 5 out loud together. Sacrificial love shows up in calendars before it shows up on stages.
- Put Your Armor On Before You Leave The House
- Ephesians 6 — We don’t fight people, we fight a real enemy, and God has given us armor for daily life.
- Application: Make Ephesians 6:10-18 a morning prayer, not just a passage. Literally name each piece as you get dressed: truth today, righteousness, gospel readiness, faith, salvation, the Word. When conflict, temptation, or anxiety hits, pause and ask, “Which piece did I forget to put on this morning?”
God's Tapestry - Celebrations Around Us
Every month there are stories worth celebrating. In our Celebration of the Month, we pause to honor the people, cultures, and contributions around us and see them through the lens of the Gospel and the story God is writing in all of us. National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15. It is a time to recognize the contributions, achievements, and rich cultural heritage of Hispanic and Latino Americans. The celebration has its roots in 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson designated Hispanic Heritage Week. In 1988, it was expanded to a month-long celebration.
This month is significant because it coincides with the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries, including Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. It's a time to honor the diverse experiences, traditions, and histories of Hispanic and Latino communities, and to celebrate their impact on American society. Hispanic and Latino cultures reflect God through deep family, resilient faith, joyful worship, radical hospitality, and creativity. When we honor those gifts, we honor the Creator who gave them.
These are the most current Christian statistics to help our church understand what God is doing:
Who we are today:
- 74% of Hispanic Americans identify as Christian today — 46% Catholic and 23% Protestant — according to PRRI’s 2025 Census of American Religion. The share of religiously unaffiliated rose from 18% in 2013 to 25% in 2024, before declining slightly to 23%.
- Another national poll finds about 4 in 10 U.S. Hispanics identify as Catholic, about one-third as Protestant or “other Christian,” and about one-quarter as religiously unaffiliated.
- Overall, half of Hispanic Americans are Catholic and 76 percent of Hispanics identify as Christian.
What’s growing:
- “The growth in the number of Hispanic churches in the US has been remarkable,” says Lifeway Research. While some congregations were started within Anglo churches — 14 percent of Hispanic congregations in this study currently are conducting services within a church that is predominantly non-Hispanic — the missional impetus has clearly come from within the Hispanic community itself as two-thirds of these congregations are led by first-generation immigrant pastors.
- In fact, 14% of Hispanic congregations currently are conducting services within a church that is predominantly non-Hispanic.
- First-generation immigrants are leading the Latino evangelical expansion in the US — drawing in more unchurched believers and new converts than the average church plant, despite having smaller congregations and less funding.
How faith is lived:
- More than 4 in 5 pastors at new Hispanic church works with an outside job — 84 percent — say it is a financial necessity for their family. They are bi-vocational, sacrificial, and mission-driven. Lifeway surveyed 292 Hispanic new church works from Sept. 3 – Nov. 5, 2025 to find this.
- In Latino-majority congregations, 61.7% of worshippers attend evangelical Protestant churches, 33.8% Catholic, and 4.4% mainline Protestant.
- Younger Catholic adults in the U.S. are more likely to be Hispanic or Latino, according to a March 23, 2026 analysis — showing the future of the American church is increasingly Hispanic and Latino.
- Lifeway found 47% of Hispanic Protestant churches saw 10 or more people indicate new commitments to Christ in the past year — one of the highest evangelistic rates in the U.S. church.
This is not a declining story. It’s a growing, young, Spirit-filled, and resilient story.
For more stories and stats, explore the full report: [New Hispanic Churches Find Success - Lifeway Research]
Faith without action is just information. Here are practical ways to further the celebration beyond a Sunday:
1. Learn a Name and Story
- Don’t just celebrate a culture, celebrate a person. Ask your Missions team for that demographics list and pray for one Hispanic or Latino family in our church and one mission partner by name this week.
2. Worship Bilingually
- Play one worship song in both languages on Sunday morning or in your car. Try La Bendición / The Blessing or Way Maker / Camino. Let your kids hear that Jesus is praised in every tongue.
3. Share a Mesa
- Hospitality is central to Latino culture — bienvenidos means you are welcome. Invite someone from a different background for a meal, or host a potluck where families bring a dish and share the story behind it.
4. Pray with Purpose
- Pray Acts 17:26 over our church — that God placed us together in this city on purpose. Pray for our bi-vocational pastors, for first-generation families, and for our mission partners serving Spanish-speaking communities.
5. Read and Listen
- Read a chapter by a Latino theologian or pastor this month — Justo González, Kat Armas, or Robert Chao Romero. Listen to a testimony from our own One Accord family on a Sunday.
6. Support and Serve
- Support a Hispanic-owned business this month and intentionally serve alongside our Latino ministry partners — not just for them, but with them. Unity is together, not top-down.
7. Bring Your Family In
- For families: Learn three phrases together — Gracias (Thank you), Familia (Family), Dios te bendiga (God bless you). Put Revelation 7:9 on your fridge and ask, “How does this picture make us more like Jesus today?”
Belonging at DBC starts with YOU!
You can help make Dunwoody Baptist a church where everyone belongs. When someone new walks through our doors, they are looking for many things — and one of the biggest is, “Do I belong here?” How can you help make DBC a place where everyone feels welcome to join our church family?
Start small. Show curiosity and care for others:
- Smile at everyone: Looking open and friendly goes a long way toward making others feel comfortable.
- Greet people: Saying “hello” to people you pass lets them know in a very real way that you see them.
- Offer assistance: DBC is a big place, and it’s easy for newcomers to feel unsure about where to go. If someone looks confused, offer to help, answer their question, or introduce them to a DBC Greeter.
Curiosity of others can include expanding your personal network. Are you interested in a more personal connection in being curious about other cultures and communities?
- Try a new seat: Sit somewhere different on Sunday. It’s a simple way to meet someone new.
- Shop in a new place: Try grocery shopping in a different community or store. Is there a Hispanic or Asian market nearby? Even shopping at your usual store in a different neighborhood can open the door to new connections.
- Connect through hobbies: Do you enjoy knitting, tennis, pickleball, chess, or another activity? Join a group centered on something you love — you might be surprised by who you meet.
- Share a table: Love good food? Try a new restaurant, become a regular at a favorite spot, or explore a cuisine you’ve never tried before.
You can make an impact right where you are. Small, intentional changes can be a powerful example to your family and community. It’s through what we do that we show Christ’s love for everyone
Events going on in our community!
We hope to see YOU there!
Going Beyond
International Night Market
Backyard Cookout
Night Market
Frequently Asked Questions:
Below are a few of the questions and/or concern that you may have about ministry. After reviewing the section, if you have any additional questions and/or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at OneAccord@dbc.org
Reconciliation between people is important because it is important to God. In Ephesians 2, we see that Jesus broke the wall of hostility between Jews and the Gentiles. His purpose was to create in Himself one body, from two very different and distinct ethnic groups. God wants us to be vertically reconciled to Him and horizontally reconciled to others. And as in all cases, reconciliation requires intentional conversations about difficult issues. There is no better place to have difficult conversations than in the Church, a community called to love one another.
DBC is a welcoming church and most people who visit here say they feel welcomed at the first point of contact. But integrating into our church can be difficult. We’ve heard this from a variety of people. Finding ways to welcome and receive all people in our increasingly diverse community is critical to our mission. Our purpose for this specific ministry is to build a culture of hospitality in our church for everyone.
It is good and right to see people based on their character and as God’s creation, made in his image. But God created diverse cultures. In Revelation 7:9, John says “After these things I looked, and behold a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne…”. The implication is that John saw diversity, and that is OK. We are all different and we can value the diversity this brings. Growing in our understanding of others can help us as a church fulfill our mission to make disciples of all nations so that the vision of Revelation 7:9 is fulfilled!
We're excited to hear that you're interested in joining our One Accord ministry! Here's what you need to know:
OA Leadership Team Members:
- Meeting Frequency: Meets once a month to plan and strategize
- Responsibilities: Provides strategic direction, makes key decisions, and oversees team activities
- Expectations: Leaders are expected to be proactive, communicative, and passionate about promoting unity and diversity within DBC. Additionally, leaders are expected to model the same level of commitment and participation as team members, including supporting events, participating in volunteer opportunities, contributing skills and talents, and engaging with the DBC community.
OA Team Members:
- Event Support: Assists with planning and execution of various events throughout the year
- Volunteer Opportunities: Participates in volunteer opportunities, such as outreach programs, community events, and worship services
- Skill-Based Contributions: Contributes skills and talents, such as graphic design, social media management, or music, to support team initiatives
- Community Engagement: Engages with the DBC community, builds relationships, and promotes unity and diversity efforts
Benefits of Joining:
- Sense of Community: Connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for unity and diversity
- Spiritual Growth: Deepen your faith and understanding of God's love
- Leadership Development: Develop leadership skills, such as event planning, communication, and teamwork
- Diverse Perspectives: Broaden your understanding and appreciation of different cultures
- Service Opportunities: Engage in meaningful service projects, outreach programs, and community events
- Networking: Build relationships with others in the church and community
- Personal Growth: Develop empathy, compassion, and a greater sense of social responsibility
Requirements:
- You must be at least 17 years old
- You should have a passion for celebrating diverse cultures and promoting unity within DBC
Get Involved:
If you're interested in joining our team, please email us at OneAccord@dbc.org. Let us know how you'd like to contribute and we'll be in touch!
One Accord strives to support DBC in growing a multi-ethnic church that welcomes, reflects, and serves our community. Our vision is to foster a church where all races, people, tribes, and languages come together before the throne
Questions? Send us an email
Admin Office hours: Monday - Thursday, 10:30 am - 3:30 pm