The North Arkansas Baptist Association hosted a dedication and open house with President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Bart Barber and Arkansas Baptist State Convention Interim Director, Dr. Rex Horne as special guest speakers.
Dr. Horne said, “Thank you for asking me to be here for this momentous occasion. This Association has been an exemplary Association for many years.”
Horne bragged on the leadership and friendship of recent years, with Bob Johnson, Royce Sweatman and now David Graham. “They have each done a great job.” He also believed the relationship between the leaders of the churches who respect and pray for each other have made a difference.
“Sometimes pastors and congregations get jealous over the success of another church. But I don’t sense jealousy. I see a group of people focused on kingdom work. You’ve got a broad area of influence and servant leadership right here in this Association,” Horne said.
Barber said he brought greetings from 47,000 or 48,000 Southern Baptist Churches — “Depending upon who you were trying to impress,” he laughed.
“I think we are forced to agree that God moved in some supernatural ways to bring the NABA to this location,” Barber said. “With all the problems in the world, why would God take the time to do that?”
He encouraged the crowd that it was Jesus Christ who established the local church and Baptists are the headquarters of the Great Commission.
“No one dreamed up an association of Baptists. In England and America it was just spontaneous. We just can’t help it. We belong together. We share a set of core beliefs and convictions. We tend to build webs of connection and we belong together,” Barber said.
He told the story of the small SBA church he grew up in and the desire of his mom for him to go to camp. He was able to go to camp with a larger church in a nearby community and God called him to preach while at that youth camp.
“Our associations work together to provide opportunities that some can’t do by themselves. You who belong together can work together,” he said.
He encouraged the crowd to continue to trust God and make use of the investment of the Association to continue to share the gospel.
4.28 Dr. Bart Barber
President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Bart Barber spoke Saturday, April 22 at the new North Arkansas Baptist Association office located at 912 Goblin Drive. DONNA BRAYMER/STAFF
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