By Jeff Herring, Executive Editor
Your church is not alone in its mission. Across Arkansas, local Baptist associations gather each year to encourage one another, share resources and partner to take the gospel further together. These meetings are where churches connect, ministries grow and cooperative work begins and continues. When you attend your local association meeting, you’re not just filling a seat — you’re strengthening the mission effort in your region. Every face matters, every church matters, and every partnership helps us fulfill the Great Commission across the street and around the world.
Find your association in the list below. Mark the date. Then invite at least one other church member to join you. I also encourage you to reach out to a church in your association that hasn’t been involved recently and extend a personal invitation. Before you say, “I’ve tried that before,” let me urge you to keep trying. Relationships take time to build and even rebuild, but your effort could make a lasting impact for the kingdom. These gatherings are more than business meetings — they are mission moments. And they are part of what connects you to something bigger.
The Baptist Trumpet exists to be “Your Connection to the Mission: Inspired. Informed. Involved.” These local meetings are where that connection comes to life — where we move from simply reading about the mission to being a part of it. As a state department leader, I make it a priority to attend — or ensure representation at — every local association meeting. We are here to serve you, the churches of the BMA, by keeping you connected to what God is doing across our state and beyond.
Each listing below includes the name of the association, the number of churches (in parentheses), the date, time and location of the meeting, and the moderator’s name (if available). These will also appear in future editions of the District Calendar column and will be updated as needed. You can also access the most up-to-date listings at baptisttrumpet.com/bmaarklocal. Any changes or updates to this list should be sent to me at editor@baptisttrumpet.com.
• Mount Calvary (20) — Sept. 11, 7 p.m.; Ramsey Heights, Batesville; Bill Goodwin.
• BMA of the Ozarks (27) — Sept. 12, 2 p.m. meeting; 6 p.m. dinner; worship following dinner; Summers, Summers; Michael Battenfield.
• North Arkansas (8) — TBD;Center Grove, Cord; Scott Small.
• Mt. Vernon (16) — Sept. 13, 10 a.m.; Grace, Wynne; Marty Cantwell.
• United (16) — Sept. 13, 10 a.m.; Calvary, Morrilton; Roy Hill.
• Central Arkansas (30) — Sept. 18, 10 a.m.; Lemonwood, Pine Bluff; David Inzer.
• Columbia (27) — Sept. 28, 5 p.m.; Antioch West; Danny Bullock.
• Union (26) — Oct. 5, 3:30 p.m. meeting; 6 p.m. worship service; Bodcaw, Rosston; Tim Vines.
• Judson (32) — Oct. 11, 9 a.m.; Dickinson, Hampton; Mike Goodwin.
• Greenbrier (25) — Oct. 12, 3:30 p.m., Missionary Committee; 4 p.m., general session; 6 p.m., message; First, Damascus; J.D. Courtney.
• Harmony (10) — Oct. 12, 6 p.m.; Central, Ashdown; Mike Silvey.
• Jonesboro (46) — Oct. 18, 10 a.m.; Pocahontas, Pocahontas; Chad White.
• Arkansas Prairie (6) — Oct. 24-25; 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday.
• Howard (14) — Oct. 25, 9 a.m.; Centerpoint, Nashville; Chuck Reel.
• South Arkansas (12) — disbanded; no longer meets
• Clark (4) — disbanded; no longer meets.
