Hello Little River Baptist Association Friends!
Our 145th Fall Annual Meeting It's All About Jesus went very well. Kenny Grant was a fantastic speaker - please see this LINK to the meeting and his message. He reminded us that we all have God-given talents and purpose and we need to recognize – 4 words – our ABILITY, POSSIBILITY, RESPONSIBILITY, and ACCOUNTABILITY with no complaining, no comparing, and no competing because everything belongs to Jesus and It is All About Him!
We had 14 pastors representing 20 churches with 49 people in attendance in person and 19 watching live online and with 800 views recorded online via Facebook. It is really hard to decipher the Facebook metrics accuracy. LOL. Special Thanks to Pastor Ken Dalton and his worship team at Crossroads for hosting us and making all the technology available.
Interesting Facts about our Association
We have 52 churches, 3 churches have long-term interims with many churches blessed with long-tenured pastors. We gladly welcome 2 new pastors this year - Doug Short at Trinity and Randall Gilliam at New Hope.
Several pastors have served over 20 years in one church - Mark Howard at Kennebec, Don Davis at Crestview, Ken Dalton at Crossroads and Grover Blackburn at Angier - now serving at N Clinton.
Remarkably we have 5 pastors who have served over 30 years - Rick Jefferds at Oak Grove (1989) , Russell Blackmon at Swann Station (1989), Timmy Blair at Piney Grove Chapel (1987), James Taylor at Fellowship (1986), and Danny Jarmon at Macedonia (1984). Amazing.
We have 6 pastors who are all in their 30s and all doing an outstanding ministry- Neal Thornton at Coats, Thomas Allen at Angier, Chris Turner at Neills Creek, Turner Matthews at South Erwin, Randall Gilliam at New Hope and Thomas Greene II at FBC Erwin.
Our new church plant - Point Church Fort Bragg is growing and going and Pastor Barry Murry baptized 3 new believers this year. Pastor Sean Bass and Redemption Hill in Erwin have launched a new work - Redemption Hill in Linden led by Earl Bullard.
Praise the Lord, All of our churches are doing well financially and many have baptized significant numbers of people this year.
Also in the midst of COVID our churches have developed tremendous online presence reaching thousands of people each week as well as developing creative ways to deliver ministry via the internet devotions, bible studies, house church fellowships and outdoor services!
Some Pastors like Mike Sowers at FBC Buies Creek and Pastor Sam Harvin at Anderson Creek AC3 are ministering to the community each week through food pantries and sharing Christ through meeting needs.
I am super proud of our churches, pastors, ministry staff and volunteers who are serving the Lord and loving people in so many ways. I am honored and blessed to have the privilege to serve a long side you all!
Please PRAY like you have never before! II Chronicles 7:14
Pray for our churches and pastors!
Pray for our nation and our leaders!
Pray for our President, VP and Governors
Pray for Revival and Spiritual Awakening in our nation and souls to be saved!
Pray for Gods kingdom to come and His will to be done so that He may be glorified and Jesus Christ may be exalted.
It’s All About Jesus!
COVID = Christ Offers Victory In Death
John 11:25 Jesus said, “I Am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me shall live, even if he dies. “
We may feel like the Israelites wandering in the desert and wanting to go back to Egypt but be assured God is preparing His church for the Promised Land! God is victorious over all the issues in our culture, all the strife in our Nation, all the pain in our life and all the sin in our heart.
God is on His throne and His truth is marching on !
Jesus loves you. Matthew 17:5 reminds there is just one voice – Listen to Him!
Much love,
Marty Dupree