HEBER SPRINGS, Ark. – Kent Dixon’s goal as associational missionary for the Little Red River Baptist Association is “to assist pastors and churches in accomplishing the Great Commission.”
“One of my goals is to really encourage pastors and church staff members, assist them in any way that I can, and to be a resource to them,” he said.
Dixon grew up in church. His parents were International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries in Brazil and Angola, Africa. For a while, he fought the call the Lord had for him to enter the ministry.
“I didn’t want to do it just cause that’s what my dad did,” Dixon said. “I was reluctant to respond to God’s calling, but I ended up finally understanding that God wanted me to work in the local church.”
Dixon completed his bachelor’s degree at Oklahoma Baptist University before attending Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He then served as minister of education and youth at Central Baptist Church in Pine Bluff for 12 years before serving as youth minister at Woodland Heights Baptist Church in Conway for 20 years.
While working with youth, part of Dixon’s philosophy of ministry was to expose them to missions – local, statewide, out-of-state and international.
“I felt like my role was to give those students that were believers the opportunity to see that God is at work both locally and all around the world,” he said.
In 2018, after more than 30 years in the student ministry, God moved Dixon to his current role as associational missionary at Little Red River Baptist Association.
“There is a great spirit of fellowship in our association. A great spirit of fellowship and unity. Our churches really work together. They really love one another. There is no sense of competition. It’s, hey, we want to cooperate and work together,” Dixon said. “That’s the beautiful thing about our association.”
A few of the association’s ministries include a Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief chainsaw team, associational camp for children and youth, involvement with Baptist Collegiate Ministries and a partnership with IMB missionaries in Brazil. Dixon noted the association is taking a missions team comprised of 10 individuals from five different churches to Brazil in September.
“It’s truly an associational effort,” he said.
Dixon and his wife, Karol, have two sons and a daughter.
For more information about Little Red River Baptist Association, click here.
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