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ABOUT US
Central Baptist Association is made up of 51 churches located in Saline,
Garland, Hot Spring and Grant counties.
The purpose of
Central Baptist Association is to provide support to the churches in
accomplishing their ministries and to assist them in their cooperative
tasks.
The mission of
Central Baptist Association is to assist the churches through leadership,
training and encouragement to be on mission for Jesus Christ wherever they
may be located.
I.
The purpose of the
Association
The
purpose is to support the churches in doing ministry and to help them
corporately to carry out the Great Commission.
II.
The mission statement for the Association
The mission is to assist the churches of the
Association through leadership, training and encouragement to be on
mission for Jesus Christ wherever they may be located.
III.
The vision for Central Baptist Association
a.
To see all of our churches committed in their efforts to do
evangelism and missions.
b.
To see our churches become energized for Jesus and growing in their
walk with Christ.
c.
To see our churches developing new missions which are reaching
people from all walks of life.
d.
To see our churches have a vision for mission work locally, and
around the world.
e.
To see our churches meeting the needs of people both inside and
outside the church setting.
f.
To see the pastors and other church leaders equipped and motivated
for effective Christian service. How to Become a Christian
Salvation
Have you come to a place in your
life that you know for certain you have eternal life and will go to heaven when
you die? Suppose you were standing before God right now and He asked you, “Why
should I let you into my heaven?” What would you say?
God’s Purpose
God loves us and has a purpose
for our lives. The Bible states it this way: “For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life” (John 3:16). God’s purpose is that we have eternal life. God
gives eternal life as a gift (Romans 6:23). We can live a full and meaningful
life right now (John 10:10). We will spend eternity with Jesus in heaven
(John 14:3).
Our Need
As we search for meaning in life,
we discover that our sinful nature keeps us from fulfilling God’s purpose for
our lives. We are all sinners by nature and by choice. “For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We cannot save ourselves. “It is
by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is
the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We
deserve death and hell. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
God’s Provision
God is holy and just and must
punish sin. Yet He loves us and provides forgiveness for our sin. Jesus said, “
‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me’ ” (John 14:6). Jesus is God and became man (John 1:1,14). Jesus died
for us on the cross (1 Pet. 3:18). Jesus was resurrected (arose) from the dead
and is alive today (Romans 4:25; 6:9-10). God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us
to Himself (John 6:44).
Our Response
The only way Jesus can affect our
lives is for us to receive Him. The Bible says, “Yet to all who received him, to
those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
(John 1:12). We must repent of our sin. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that
your sins may be wiped out” (Acts 3:19). Repentance is not just feeling sorry
for our sin (Acts 26:20). Repentance is turning away from our sin and turning to
God through Jesus. We must place our faith in Jesus. “For it is by grace you
have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God” (Ephesians 2:8). Faith is not just believing facts about Jesus (James
2:19). Faith is trusting in Jesus (Romans 10:11). We must surrender to Jesus as Lord. “That if
you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God
raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you
believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are
saved” (Romans 10:9-10). Surrendering to Jesus as Lord is not just saying we
give our lives to Jesus (Matthew 7:21). Surrendering to Jesus as Lord is giving
Jesus control of our lives.
My Commitment
Giving Jesus control is something
each person must do for himself or herself. No one else can make this decision
for you. Jesus says, “ ‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone
hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with
me’ ” (Revelation 3:20).
Does this make sense to you? Is there any reason you would not be
willing to receive God’s gift of eternal life? Are you willing to turn from your sin, place
your faith in Jesus, and give Him control of your life right now? If you are
willing to receive Jesus into your life now, you can invite Him in by prayer.
You may use the following prayer or a similar one using your own words:
“Dear Lord Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God and died to forgive me of
my sins. I know I have sinned. I ask You to forgive me. I turn from my sins, and
I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. I want to live for
You the rest of my life. Amen.”
Need to talk to someone?
If you have questions or need to talk to someone, please call
1-888-Jesus-2000. (1-888-537-8720).
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