By Michael N. Goodwin, Pastor • Bethel #1 Baptist Church, Rison
Recently, Bethel #1 Baptist Church in Rison, Arkansas, where I have the privilege of pastoring, had the opportunity to host Central Baptist College President Dr. Jeremy Langley and Vice President for Advancement Duffy Guyton. This gathering was meant to give local pastors a chance to meet our association’s new college president and vice president, and to receive an update on the state of our college.
Since that meeting, several things have weighed heavily on my heart:
• Only three pastors attended. I understand many of our pastors are bi-vocational and have demanding schedules. I wasn’t expecting 25 to 30 in attendance, but I did expect more than 3.
• I was deeply troubled by the financial state of the college. Learning that there were times this year when CBC wasn’t sure it could make payroll was alarming.
• I was discouraged to hear that only about 37% of BMA of Arkansas churches financially support the college.
• I’m ashamed to admit that I have not personally led the church God entrusted to me to consistently support CBC. That is something I intend to change. I will be working to lead Bethel #1 to begin giving monthly to the college.
Why am I sharing this with my fellow pastors and co-laborers? I believe many of us have grown apathetic and disconnected from associational work, whether at the local, state or national level. Participation has declined significantly in all three, and I know firsthand this is true within the BMA of Arkansas.
To my fellow pastors in the BMA of Arkansas: We have a decision to make. Do we want to preserve an affordable, conservative, Christian college in our state? Do we want a place where we can confidently send our young men to be trained for preaching and pastoral ministry?
If we don’t act, I’m afraid Central Baptist College may not exist in a few years. And we will continue to watch our young men leave for other Bible colleges and seminaries, many of whom never return to serve in our churches.
We need young leaders who are grounded in sound doctrine, taught by trusted faculty and equipped to minister in a rapidly changing world. CBC has the leadership, the professors and the passion to meet that need at a high level. But they need our support, not just financially, but prayerfully and promotionally.
I urge every pastor to include Central Baptist College in your church’s monthly budget. Reconnect with your fellow pastors. Reengage in the work of our association. Pray for Dr. Langley and the entire CBC staff. Support them. Encourage them. Invite them to speak at your church. They would be honored to share how we can ensure there will be a strong and thriving BMA of Arkansas for generations to come.
If you’d like to learn more about how your church can support or partner with Central Baptist College, I encourage you to reach out directly to Dr. Jeremy Langley at jlangley@cbc.edu or call the president’s office at (501) 205-8834. If I can assist you in reconnecting with CBC or getting more involved in the work of our association, I’d be glad to help. You can contact me at mgoodwin@eimworldwide.org or (870) 904-2091. Let’s not wait for someone else to act. It is time for us to step up and invest in the future of our shared mission.
