The image above was copied from the association’s founding documents.
Editor’s note: This article was written by Big Creek Baptist Association Associational Missionary Craig Golden.
One hundred and fifty years ago, our nation was trying to pull itself back together after being ripped apart from a divided foundation in the Civil War. Ulysses S. Grant was serving his second term as president of the (re)United States of America. Arkansas was still young as the 25th state turned only 38.
The Brooks–Baxter War had broken out into the streets of Little Rock as two men and their supporters physically fought over the office of governor. Everywhere you looked there was division and heartache from the aftermath of fighting. In North Central Arkansas, Fulton County was still relatively new. These pioneers of the Ozarks were not interested in simply getting by.
One small group of faithful Baptist men and women sought to be different. They wanted to cooperate to support missions at a higher level. Men like Rev. R. I. Hiner, an early pioneer preacher was a part of this assembly. John McCandlis was also present at the founding of Big Creek Baptist Association and still has family who are a part of the association through Viola First Baptist. J.T. Hand was a minister present at the birth of Big Creek whose relatives later would donate land for one of the churches in the association. They decided to lay aside the differences that they may have had coming from different congregations and focus on their common purpose, lifting up the name of Jesus Christ and adding more souls to His kingdom. Those few faithful people from those few faithful Baptist congregations founded the Big Creek Baptist Association.
One hundred and fifty years later, we still have a world on the brink of all-out war. Politics have polarized American people on almost every front. People are still hurting from division and fighting. The world still needs to see that God’s kingdom is different from the kingdoms of this world. One hundred and fifty years later Big Creek Baptist Association is still made up of Baptist churches who cooperate with the same goal of our brothers and sisters from long ago. If praising Jesus and reaching the lost is the main thing, then we can work together under this umbrella. We are, one of, if not the smallest Baptist association in our great state. Over the past 20 years, I have observed these faithful churches helping each other through tough and turbulent times. We see our association as a larger picture of the body of Christ represented in the local church. With God there are no small people, small churches, or small associations. If we are obedient, we can be a powerful tool in the Master’s hand.
So, what can we learn from Big Creek? When God is involved, do not despise small or humble beginnings.
Faithfulness, persistence, grace, and cooperation in the kingdom matter on each level. Since Big Creek was founded, thousands of lost have come to Christ, thousands of baptisms have been performed, thousands have been discipled to serve here or in other churches. Missionaries have been funded and sent out. Ministers have been called from small country churches to preach or lead in many different congregations all over the place. Don’t neglect your church family, your association, or your state and national conventions.
There are no small places when big faith is involved. Let’s keep the main thing the main thing and show the lost what the love of Christ looks like. God can do whatever He wants with whomever He wants. Thank you to all who serve in churches and associations that cooperate for the sake of the Gospel.
[The information above was painstakingly gathered as a labor of love from Bro. Elwin Wray of Viola. He has studied the histories of our faith, our denomination and our association.]