The team prays over a pastor in the Dominican Republic. (Submitted)
A team of Arkansas Baptists recently traveled to the Dominican Republic where they made connections and partnered with local churches to share the Gospel.
The group of 19 was led by Steve Lasiter of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) Missions Team with a goal to connect Arkansas Baptists with missions opportunities in the Dominican Republic.
The trip, which took place April 9-16, was comprised of four components. The first was a three-day pastors’ and pastors’ wives conference in Puerto Plata. They had 30 Dominican pastors and wives in attendance.
The pastors’ conference included five large group sessions led by Arkansas pastors who preached through the book of James. There were also 12 breakout sessions. Six of the breakouts were for pastors and focused on discipleship, equipping parents, evangelism, soul care, prayer, and faith during hardships. The other six breakouts were for the wives and focused on godly friendships, prayer, growing in Christ, discipleship, ministry is a together calling, and cultivating a thriving marriage.
ABSC Church Plant Strategist Francisco Gomez, who went on the trip, put together the worship set for the conference. While many from the team did not speak Spanish, Lasiter said they “were able to take the song sheets and worship alongside our Dominican brothers and sisters.”
They closed out the conferences with separate panel discussions for the men and women. Lasiter described the panel as “honest, transparent, encouraging cross-cultural discussions that proved to be encouragement for everyone.”
Jimmy Albrecht, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dewitt, who went on the missions trip with his wife, Tammy, called it “phenomenal.”
“I love working with pastors and Tammy loves working with pastors’ wives,” he said. “As sure as I know all the couples were encouraged, so were all of us who participated in the teaching and preaching.”
Albrecht said the Arkansas ladies made up gift bags to give to the pastors’ wives, “which really made a lasting impression. So often, the pastors might get some encouraging, but this was the first time the women were invited.”
For the second component, they had 10 Arkansas pastors preach that Sunday in churches throughout Santiago. They saw four salvations.
For the next component, that Sunday evening, Kelly Jones, pastor of First Baptist Church in Monticello, led a marriage conference at Primera Iglesia Baustista de Santiago.
The fourth component was a one-day inner city mission event at Iglesia Bautista Esperanza, which resulted in 28 salvations. The day consisted of street evangelism, kids’ ministry, a medical clinic, pharmacy, and eye clinic.
“Watching the Arkansas team serve so well together, from preaching in our large groups to leading breakout sessions to engaging the lost with the gospel, was a great picture of our ABSC churches cooperating together to reach the nations,” Lasiter said.
This was the second trip with the ABSC to the Dominican Republic for B.J. Chatman, pastor at First Baptist Church in Harrisburg.
“We witnessed many lives changed because of the faithfulness of Arkansas Baptists to serve on this trip. The Dominican Republic pastors came to the conference some broken, some hurting, some struggling. We all – Arkansas Baptists included – left there revived, reignited, a new flame, and ready to serve Jesus in our communities and to the ends of the earth,” Chatman said.
Lasiter’s primary role in partnership missions is to mobilize Arkansas Baptists to mission fields, both in the U.S. and around the world.
“We continue to see God form partnerships through these vision trips,” he said. They have confirmed teams from First Baptist Church in Harrisburg and the White River Baptist Association returning to the Dominican Republic Aug. 1-9 to serve New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Bonao. They will lead a medical clinic, eyeglass clinic, baseball clinic, evangelism, and church work throughout that week.
This trip was just one example of Arkansas Baptists forming connections and partnering to share the Gospel internationally. First Baptist Church in Little Rock also recently took a group to the Dominican Republic. The Pulaski Baptist Association has been partnering for over 10 years in the Dominican Republic, where they have built 12 churches and provide financial support for three church planters.
To learn more about ABSC partnership missions, visit absc.org/partnerships.