BENTONVILLE, Ark. – As associational missionary for the Northwest Baptist Association, Scott Hobbs’ goal is to support the churches of the association “by helping them to fulfill the vision the Lord has given to them to reach their communities with the Gospel.”
“I primarily do this by being a pastor to the pastors, by being a friend to the churches as a whole and serving as a resource for the work of ministry. The ultimate goal is for the churches in our association to thrive,” Hobbs said.
Hobbs, who has a PhD from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, grew up in south Arkansas. The Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) graduate has vast experience in the ministry. He served as a pastor in Scotland with the International Mission Board (IMB), pastored in south Arkansas for six years, worked with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in New York, pastored in a northwest Indiana suburb of Chicago for 19 years, served as president of Indiana Baptist State Convention, and served on the board of trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for 10 years.
Hobbs and his wife, Laura, have three boys. Two are OBU graduates and the other attends the University of Arkansas. Laura was a Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) missionary’s kid. She grew up in Bangalore, India, where her parents Dr. John and Barbara Wikman founded the Bangalore Baptist Hospital.
In 2019, when the Hobbs felt led to transition back to Arkansas to reconnect with extended family, they moved to Rogers. Initially, Hobbs served as an interim pastor at First Baptist Church in Elkins and taught corporate seminars across the U.S.
“Ultimately, the Lord opened up an opportunity to serve as the associational missionary in the Northwest Baptist Association in August of 2021,” he said.
The Northwest Baptist Association is made up of 65 churches and missions that range in size from small country churches to mega churches. Hobbs said the association hosts leadership training events, mission conferences, Arkansas Baptist State Convention training events, a monthly pastors’ breakfast, youth rallies, church safety seminars, and evangelism training events. Additionally, they support local ministry partners such as Hiding Place Hollow, Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief, and Evangelism Explosion. They also support local new church starts in their association.
For more information about the Northwest Baptist Association, check out nwbaptist.net.