Central Baptist Association
Encyclopedia
The Central Baptist Association is an association of churches located from South Carolina
to Indiana
, with most of the churches being in eastern Tennessee
and southwestern Virginia
. In 1956, some churches of the Eastern District Primitive Baptist Association separated and formed the Central Baptist Association. The churches entering this new organization desired to be more progressive and to provide a home for homeless and destitute children. They adopted the name Central Baptist "as an indication of our acceptance of the Holy Scriptures in their entirety, varying neither to the right or left" (Minutes, 1996, p.4). In 1996 there were almost 4000 members in 34 churches located in five states. Currently they have headquarters in Jasper, Virginia, including a tabernacle, a children's home and a youth Bible camp.
"The work of the Association includes the building of a fellowship of churches to provide, first for a general union of churches; second, to preserve inviolable a chain of communion among the churches; third, to give the churches all necessary advice and help in matters of church difficulty, so far as this is possible by peaceful methods: assisting churches in a Sunday School program for all ages, weekly prayer meetings, worship services, a monthly business meeting, an active youth program, Bible teaching, evangelistic and missionary work, visitation program, aiding established churches in organizing new churches and related projects; also support a home for adults and a children's home, youth camp, and Bible camp for all ages." (Minutes, 1996, p.4)
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
to Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, with most of the churches being in eastern Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and southwestern Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. In 1956, some churches of the Eastern District Primitive Baptist Association separated and formed the Central Baptist Association. The churches entering this new organization desired to be more progressive and to provide a home for homeless and destitute children. They adopted the name Central Baptist "as an indication of our acceptance of the Holy Scriptures in their entirety, varying neither to the right or left" (Minutes, 1996, p.4). In 1996 there were almost 4000 members in 34 churches located in five states. Currently they have headquarters in Jasper, Virginia, including a tabernacle, a children's home and a youth Bible camp.
"The work of the Association includes the building of a fellowship of churches to provide, first for a general union of churches; second, to preserve inviolable a chain of communion among the churches; third, to give the churches all necessary advice and help in matters of church difficulty, so far as this is possible by peaceful methods: assisting churches in a Sunday School program for all ages, weekly prayer meetings, worship services, a monthly business meeting, an active youth program, Bible teaching, evangelistic and missionary work, visitation program, aiding established churches in organizing new churches and related projects; also support a home for adults and a children's home, youth camp, and Bible camp for all ages." (Minutes, 1996, p.4)
Sources
- Central Baptist Association minutes
- Baptists Around the World, by Albert W. Wardin, Jr.
- Handbook of Denominations, by Frank S. Mead and Samuel Hill