What an incredible time last week at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention Annual Meeting at First Baptist Church in Cabot. After having to cancel last year’s in-person meeting, it was great to see everyone networking and fellowshipping together again. Annual Meeting is a time to be refreshed and re-energized for the upcoming year so that we may continue the good work that God has prepared for us to do.
Approximately 500 registered messengers descended on the First Baptist campus and participated in various meetings, luncheons, and fellowships. We heard uplifting reports from our agencies and institutions about the ministry work accomplished this year and are continuing to press forward with in the upcoming year.
Messages heard at the Pastors’ Conference, Ministers’ Wives Conference, Church Planting Dinner, Arkansas Student Pastors Network lunch and other events and fellowship meals that took place encouraged and challenged us to continue the work we’ve been doing, and to try new things along the way to further the Kingdom of God.
I want to personally thank all who joined us and participated in this year’s annual meeting. I want to especially thank outgoing Convention President Manley Beasley Jr., First and Second Vice Presidents Ken Shaddox and Jamar Andrews. I also want to thank the 2021 Pastors’ Conference President Nick Floyd, and other Pastors’ Conference officers, David Mitchell and Chester Witherspoon.
As Southern Baptists and Christians we are called by God, who compels us, to share the Gospel with everyone we know and beyond. We came united and left with an even stronger bond than before for what our ministries can look like individually, but also together in the body of Christ.
Thank you, First Baptist Cabot, for being such a gracious host. Thank you, Arkansas Baptists. We are all debtors to Jesus Christ, and I am also in debt to you. You are indeed the best folks in the world!