The Board of Directors of the Arkansas Baptist Foundation (ABF) held its Quarterly Board Meeting on Thursday, May 12 at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) building.
Jeff Thompson, Associational Missions Strategist with the Great Commission Baptist Association led the opening devotional from 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgement,” where Paul warns young Timothy to not succumb to a spirit, or attitude, of fear which is not from God, but instead the Lord gives us three gifts. First, the gift of power, which comes from living a Spirit-filled life. Second, the gift of love, which Thompson expressed is the raw material from which all the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23 flows. Third, the gift of sound judgement, which necessitates knowing and speaking truth – God’s truth and the promise in John 8:32 that if we follow Him and continue in His word, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Freedom from sin. Freedom from fear. Freedom to serve, advise, and encourage.
Highlights of the board meeting included:
- Randy Milligan, Landmark PLC Managing Partner, reviewed the 2021 Audit and presented a clean auditor’s report.
- Bobby Thomas, ABF President, provided an update regarding the Hammons Charitable Foundation, which will award $456,500 in scholarship awards to eighty-three students in the 2022-2023 school year.
- Dr. Ben Sells, President of Ouachita Baptist University (OBU), gave an institution report sharing about several new building projects and how the university has worked in partnership with the Arkansas Baptist Foundation to find innovative and creative ways to best steward their funds, allowing them to further expand and develop their campus. Dr. Sells also noted that OBU had its highest enrollment rate in 55 years, a record four-year graduation rate, a rapidly growing nursing program and new graduate programs in applied behavior analysis, education, nutrition, and postgraduate dietetic internships.
- Patrick Henry, Vice President – Ministry Services at ABF, shared a ministry services update. He focused on the partnership with WatersEdge, which began in May 2021. WatersEdge is an outsourced ministry that provides accounting services. There are currently twenty-nine active relationships with Arkansas church plants, established churches, and associations.