The Board of Directors of the Arkansas Baptist Foundation (ABF) held its first Quarterly Board Meeting of 2025 on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) building. This marked the formal beginning of ABF’s new board year. As a means of commissioning the board and officers into service, Craig Jenkins, ABSC Director of Convention Advancement, opened the day with a guided time of prayer.
Paul Williams, Chair of the Executive Board, gave the opening devotional on the importance of grasping God’s love as something unique and different from other love. Williams referenced 1 John 4:12-16 and encouraged the board to abide in Christ and remember that to know love is to know God.
Highlights of the board meeting included:
- ABF’s new 2025 Annual Report, noting distributions of $55,654,840 in 2024. This brings total distributions since ABF’s inception to more than $631 million.
- Craig Jenkins shared a report on behalf of the Arkansas Baptist News highlighting 100 years of the Cooperative Program; the thriving Arkansas Prison Seminary funded by Dixie Jackson; and the ABSC ministry scholarships available to those who are pursuing pastoral ministry.
- Approval of 45 scholarship awards for the 2025-26 school year for students attending Ouachita Baptist University, Williams Baptist University, or seminary.
- Continuation of rotating distribution to an Arkansas Baptist ministry partner in conjunction with the ABF annual board advance. This year’s distribution will be made to the Arkansas Baptist Ranch in Harrison to assist in providing marriage retreats for Arkansas Baptist pastors.
- A new distribution to the Arkansas Baptist Pastors Conference to partner and support Arkansas Baptist pastors.