How Do We Associate? Series (Part 6)
By Jeff Herring, Executive Director
The “Moving the Conversation Forward” article by Associate Editor Allan Eakin in the Dec. 20 issue introduced a series of articles we would feature at the beginning of the new year. The first of these articles — “How Do We Associate?” — appeared in the Jan. 10 issue.
In the Jan. 17 issue, we shared the stories of the two oldest ministries of the Baptist Missionary Association of Arkansas — State Missions and the Baptist Trumpet.
In the Jan. 24 issue, we shared the stories of the two largest ministries — BMA Global (Missions) and Lifeword — that are made possible because of the national association of churches, the Baptist Missionary Association of America (BMAA).
In the Jan. 31 issue, we shared the stories of the two departments that help maintain the identity of our association — BMA Theological Seminary and Baptist Publishing House.
In the Feb. 7 issue, we are shared about two national ministries that help churches extend the reach of what they could do on their own — Moral Action Agency and BMA Financial.
In this issue, we are wrapping up this series by sharing about the ministries that seek to reach the next generation with the gospel — the Arkansas Youth Department, Central Baptist College and Daniel Springs Camp. (All articles in this series are being made available and accessible to everyone at BaptistTrumpet.com. Look for the “Why An Association of Churches?” Series graphic.)
BMA of Arkansas Youth Department
By Dan Carson, Director
The Baptist Missionary Association of Arkansas Youth Department is the “little engine that could.” Since its inception in the 1980s, the department has invested in a variety of ministry efforts. The Liquid Lock-In and the Encounter Teen Bible Conference were among those youth-focused activities of the early days. Even in moments when the department went through some moments of struggle, there has never been a desire to draw it to a close. We all know how important it is to reach the next generation.
Over the past several years, we developed a plan to love on our student ministry workers and to help them as they seek to impact the next generation for Jesus. That is what we have done and continue to do. We seek to expand the conversation through social media and our podcast, “Student Ministry Matters.” We also love providing an annual one-day retreat/conference that provides connection and continuing education for those working with youth in our churches.
I have had the privilege of serving as the director since 2016. During the beginning days of ministry with the department, I was really at a loss for our direction and focus. It took a little over a year for us to determine our next steps and mission. Since 2018, we have narrowed our focus and the Student Ministry Matters initiative began.
Along the way, Chris Vines, student pastor at Garrett Memorial Baptist Church of Hope, Arkansas, has helped with our podcast and served as a sounding board for many of the things we have put into place. Our state-elected committee has been helpful as well. One person you may not be aware of is Stephen Avitts. Stephen is a retired pharmacist from Springdale who serves as our bookkeeper. In addition to being the church treasurer at Calvary Baptist Church of Fayetteville, Stephen volunteers his time to keep me on track and record all our financials. I am so thankful for the work he does for us.
God has done some fun things over the past seven years. In the fall of 2018, we had our very first Student Ministry Workers Retreat at South City Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. Pastor Drew Cline opened up his facility to us, and we had close to 50 people in attendance. It was a simple day with a simple desire — to provide something good for our student ministry workers. Since that time, we have met at Central Baptist College of Conway on a Saturday in September, with growing numbers of people joining us.
Another of our bigger initiatives began in February of 2020. That was the month we released our first episodes of the Student Ministry Matters podcast (studentministrymatters.podbean.com). We are now at nearly 180 episodes, with over 30,000 downloads across the country and around the world. “Introducing Christianity to Mormons with Eric Johnson” exploded in its reach and now has over 7,000 downloads. That is a wild thing when we began thinking that maybe 20 people a month might listen to us.
There is so much more we want to do, but we can’t without the resources to do it. That is where you come in. With only 15-20 of the 300+ churches of the BMA of Arkansas giving to our department, I can only imagine what we could do if we doubled the number of our current supporting churches — $10 a month can make a huge difference in our reach. Ask the leadership at your church if your congregation is financially supporting us. Even if it isn’t a part of your church’s budget, you could help by giving through your local church. The other thing you could do for us is to pray as we seek to fulfill our mission. We would love to have you partner with us.
If you have a youth class or even just one teenager in your church, you have a student ministry. God will hold us responsible for how we minister to them. Let me encourage you to connect with us and let us help you in that process. You can find us online at StudentMinistryMatters.com or through most social media outlets. If you would like to learn more about the BMA of Arkansas Youth Department or would like to have me come and speak at your church, contact me at bmayouthdepartment@gmail.com. I would love to connect with you.
Let’s continue to love students, minister to their families and show them all Jesus, because Student Ministry Matters.
Central Baptist College
By Terry Kimbrow, President
In November 1951, what is now the Baptist Missionary Association of Arkansas, met in Warren to discuss starting a college for the youth of the association. They authorized the Christian Education Committee of the association to enter negotiations to buy 10 acres (formerly occupied by Central College for Women from 1892–1947) located in the heart of Conway, now one of the fastest growing cities in Arkansas. The price was a bargain at $85,000, but it proved to be a heavy burden for a small association of Missionary Baptists.
Dr. D.N. Jackson was elected as the “promotional man” for the college. He rallied the churches and was successful in raising the down payment. The sale of bonds helped fund the remaining balance and, by the summer of 1952, the association took possession of the abandoned campus. Associational minutes reflect that the first name chosen for the college was Central College for Christian Workers, but before opening in the fall of 1952, the name was changed to Conway Baptist College. Dr. Jackson was elected as president on Aug. 25, 1952, and announced in the Baptist Trumpet that the college would open for business on Sept. 15, 1952. The headline of the Oct. 10, 1952 Baptist Trumpet read, “The Impossible Accomplished.” CBC (the name changed in 1961 to Central Baptist College) would see many such “impossibles” over the years.
On Dec. 26, 2023, I completed my twentieth year as the president of CBC. What D.N. Jackson believed, and I still hold to this day, is recorded in Luke 18:27: “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” In my inauguration address, I chose a portion of Eph. 3:20, “Now unto Him who is able…” as the theme for my presidency. Much of the growth of CBC, both in terms of enrollment, faculty, staff and physical buildings, I have only read about. I must say that the Baptist Trumpet archives are a treasure trove; I have spent hours reading reports from the previous eight CBC presidents. Between the archives and the recorded minutes of the CBC Board of Trustees, I have been able to relive both the accomplishments and the struggles of the early years of the institution.
Today, I am blessed with a 20-member Board of Trustees. These faithful men and women, all members of BMA churches, provide direction and support to me and my Executive Leadership Team (ELT). The Board, elected by the BMA of Arkansas in their annual meeting each November, meets in regular sessions the first weeks of March and June and the third week in October. If needed, the Board convenes meetings between the regular sessions via Zoom, or in some cases, I poll the Board via e-mail.
Most private institutions, and CBC is no exception, are dependent on two primary sources of income: tuition revenue and charitable contributions. We reward students for academic achievement, musical talent and athletic ability with scholarships. We also forego income from BMA students who meet the qualifications. We do so to the extent that we could not operate without those individuals, churches, businesses, corporations and foundations who give — some sacrificially — to the ministry of Central Baptist College.
There are many ways to give, and they are all found on our website at cbc.edu/give. I hope you will consider joining us with your financial support. Our greatest need is regular monthly support. Last year, we launched Legacy Leaders, a sustainable giving program. Will you pray about becoming a Legacy Leader? You can do so for as little as $10 per month. Join at cbc.edu/legacyleaders.
I have been associated with CBC for nearly four decades, both as a non-traditional student and later as an employee. I have personally witnessed God’s hand moving in our people to see the college through some perilous times. Yet, our greatest moments have not been the completion of strategic plans or campus facilities master plans, the buildings constructed, the millions of dollars raised, the increase in academic offerings or even the rise of student enrollment. Our greatest accomplishment is not found in students graduated and degrees awarded. Our most significant victory is in remaining true to our mission! Though it’s been rewritten, reworked and reworded, Central Baptist College continues to stand for the absolute truth of the verbal, plenary, inspired Word of God. The central message of our Mission Statement is the “transformation of lives through the integration of Christian faith and academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment.”
We are facing big challenges in 2024. Both of our accreditation visits are scheduled for this fall — the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), our regional accrediting body, and Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), which governs our teacher education program. I have capable leaders in both areas. As President, I want to focus on the revision of our campus facilities master plan and implementation of our next capital campaign. I know it is possible, not in my own strength, but because “He is able…”
Daniel Springs Camp
By Jason Prewitt,
Executive Director
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, a group of people dreamed of the BMA of America having their own camp facility. Through that dream, partnership across the association, financial donations and a lot of work, the Daniel Springs Baptist Camp facilities opened its gate in 1965 for its first ministry opportunity through summer camps. Over the years, the camp ministry has been a place where groups have looked forward to summer camps, but it is exciting to see the facilities expand to also host events and retreats throughout the year for men, women, college students, high school and junior high students, children and families.
Located in Gary, Texas, deep within the piney woods of East Texas, sits the beautiful 54-acre property that has been a location and a catalyst for missions. Much of the mission field the camp invests in comes to the headquarters in Gary. Daniel Springs Camp gets the amazing opportunity to be an extension of the local church. Through that partnership, testimonies of pastors and individuals tell of how God has moved in and through their lives while at a camp or a retreat. The camp continues to be the place they could go back to and say, “That was the place I heard from the Lord and responded.” It has also been exciting to hear from those missionaries who are serving all over the world about how their journey started at Daniel Springs.
Every summer, the camp takes up a summer offering to invest in ministries that are working to further the kingdom. Some of those ministries have been the National Camp of the BMA of the Philippines, The Master’s Builders and Everlasting Smile Shoeboxes. For many years, the camp would send small teams from the United States to travel to the Philippines and partner with the BMA National Philippines Camp. More recently, we have been able to send the summer missionary staff to West Texas to help with an associational camp at the beginning of summer. The ministry is on the move, locally and globally.
Since the beginning, Daniel Springs Camp has been a place to invest in people. I became director in 2015, and my family and I are excited about many more years of serving in this ministry. There were some great men who led this ministry and laid the foundation for the ministry we have today. Each of these men would say they were not alone in this calling because each family member had their own part in leading, helping and investing. Eugene Gaunt was the first to take the title of camp director. He and his family served from 1965 to 1979. James Speer became camp director in 1980 and he and his family served until 2014.
Each director and their family has seen ups and downs, but each one would testify that seeing and hearing testimonies of how the Lord has used the ministry of Daniel Springs to change lives has made a lifelong impact on their lives. These men and their families can testify that the ministry they were/are called to was/is too big for them alone.
The list of volunteers who have poured into the ministry would take a lifetime to tell. Those who have invested time, resources and financial gifts have allowed the camp to be an extension of the church and continue to do so. Each drop of sweat, financial blessing, building built and event held has been an investment in people, and that investment is worth it for the gospel. Each year, countless people have come and invested their time, whether a week during the summer or all summer long, into the ministry purpose of Daniel Springs Camp. Church leaders and volunteers are making an eternal difference by giving of their time to bring kids to camp. Making and building relationships and showing the love of Christ has and continues to change lives.
There is also a special group of people who have chosen to invest their whole summer. Those who choose to become part of the staff are summer missionaries. They travel from all over the US to the campus of Daniel Springs, dreaming of seeing someone else’s life changed. They work, day in and day out, for 8 to 10 weeks, leading others, loving on people and making sure the facilities are ready before and after every camp. They spend the summer with a group of people who are walking this journey alongside them each step of the way. The prayer has been and always will be that this summer of missional work and investment would be another way the Lord leads these summer missionaries into a life on mission to share the gospel.
Words cannot express how thankful the ministry is that so many have invested in the ministry of Daniel Springs Camp. Many of the buildings that were built in the beginning were built by churches and individuals who had a heart to invest in summer camps. The countless volunteers who have helped with facility upkeep and improvements over the years continue to make the camp a welcoming place for the gospel to touch lives. Those who have partnered financially have invested not only in buildings and maintenance but also in people.
The hope and dream of Daniel Springs Camp is to continue to be a place and a ministry that takes every opportunity to point people to the love of Christ. We want kids and adults alike to be impacted by the gospel and enter into an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. We want to be an extension of the local church and partner with them to reach the world through a ministry called camp, both at the campus in Gary and around the world.
People ask all the time, “What does the camp need?” We need ministry partners. We need churches and individuals to walk in ministry with us. Some choose to come to a camp with other churches, and some choose to rent the facilities for their church alone. Some come to retreats with groups from their church or come with other churches. Either way, everyone has been blessed because we all realize we are not in life alone.
Many have been financial contributors, and we need more. Many realize that costs continue to increase, and I hate the idea of continuing to raise prices. The camp has been blessed to have over 140 churches and individuals who have partnered with the camp financially over the last year. Those financial contributions allow the camp not to have to charge the total amount of what it truly takes to offer ministry programming, meals and facility maintenance. We need more financial partners to allow the camp to continue to offer more exciting and inviting ministry programs and update and improve facilities so people of all ages will be excited to come. That investment is not just in programs and facilities but in people to hear the gospel.
The goal has always been, and continues to be, finding creative ways to love people so they will see the Lord. We desire to continue seeing Daniel Springs Camp’s ministry as a place where the Lord changes lives.