Arkansas State Association
Arkansas State Association of Free Will Baptists, Inc.
Our state association is comprised of district associations of local Free Will Baptist Churches. The state association is also a member of the National Association of Free Will Baptists. We voluntarily associate with each other so that we may unify our efforts to extend the Kingdom of God through the Free Will Baptist denomination.
Each year the state association convenes to conduct business, hear reports, receive statistics, elect officers and board members, and hold worship services. The association is composed of all ordained ministers and deacons with membership in Free Will Baptist churches belonging to a district association. Also, all district association clerks, members of state boards, and offices are considered members of the state association. In addition, each district association is entitled to five lay delegates at large and each local church who holds membership in a district association is entitled to one lay delegate. This membership comprises the official body of the association.
There are four officers of the association. There is the moderator, the assistant moderator, the clerk, and the assistant clerk. These also serve as the corporate officers of the association as a legal entity.
The first state associational meeting was held in 1898. For years, the association was held in churches. However, in the late 1960’s the meetings were so well attended the gathering was convened at the tabernacle at Camp Beaverfork, outside of Conway, Arkansas and still continues to meet there.
The endeavors of Arkansas Free will Baptist are funded through a Cooperative giving program that churches voluntarily participate in, and designated gifts. God has blessed Arkansas Free Will Baptists and the association now receipts well over $2,000,000.00 annually in ministry funds.
Moderator: Rev. Nelson Henderson
Rev. Nelson Henderson has been moderator since 2006. He is the pastor of the First Free Will Baptist Church of Pocahontas, Arkansas.
Assistant Moderator: Rev. Randy Scott
Rev. Randy Scott is the pastor of the Sutton Free Will Baptist Church in Pocahontas, Arkansas.
Clerk: Bro. Wendell Leckbee
Bro. Wendell Leckbee is a retired insurance executive and a deacon at the First Free Will Baptist Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
Assistant Clerk: Bro. Keith Bowden
Bro. Keith Bowden is a finance executive in the Russellville area and is a member of the Antioch Free Will Baptist Church.