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North
Arkansas Baptists successfully partner with IMB missionaries
North Arkansas Baptist Association is an association
moving churches from where they are to where God wants them to be.
Royce Sweatman, associational missionary, said: “Our
56 churches and mission were in a “Code Blue” state,
we had grown by two people on average in Sunday School attendance
in 10 years when I started as DOM. The association had been through
the Proverbs 8 Program, but nothing seemed to work. I was challenged
by Sonny Sweatman to consider a partnership with our IMB missionaries.
Not knowing what might happen, we began to pray. After a vision
trip, I began a 21-day fast, praying for Gods leadership. God gave
me a vision of jumper cables coming out of West Africa touching
North Arkansas.
“After sharing with our executive committee,
we voted to start a three year partnership with Al Hodges and Cluster
/West Africa. Al was the only known IMB missionary from North Arkansas.
Al also encouraged us to consider a partnership with the Senegalese
Baptist Association. After three years, we have 21 pastors who have
gone on international mission trips along with 150 laymen. Three
have accepted God’s call to become missionaries after going
on these trips. All three are on the field with the IMB—today,
three more are in the process.
“Our associational budget has increased each
year by 9 percent and each year we have been able to add $33,000
to help with mission trips to our budget. With money that has been
added by our association, along with money from our state convention
and the IMB, many pastors have been able to go for very little.
“I personally would like to say ‘thank
you’ to the IMB, their staff and leadership. You have been
intentional in helping God set our association on fire.
“We must take churches back 2,000 years.
To hear the words of our Savior, “ye shall be witnesses unto
me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto
the uttermost part of the earth.” If your association needs
a jump like North Arkansas Baptist Association needed a jump, consider
a partnership with our Lord and our IMB missionaries.”
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