Keith Lewis, Missionary
Our journey began in October 2002 when I accepted the position of bi-vocational missionary for the BMA of Arkansas. Our vision was to plant a church in a community with a close proximity to Cabot which was an area of the state that was experiencing phenomenal growth. We quickly secured a temporary meeting place in Cabot and began holding services.
From the beginning it was obvious that God’s hand was upon this work, but our patience was tested in the amount of time that it took to purchase property and start construction on a building. I must say that the time spent in the rented facility was not in vain as we experienced some great worship services and saw many decisions made for the Lord. In November 2005 we were able to purchase 4 acres of property in the Ward community. We were reminded that God’s timing is everything and things began to fall into place, assuring us that this was God’s will.
In January 2006 we began construction on a 7,500 square foot multi-purpose building. At the same time I switched from bi-vocational status to a full-time position. Our building was officially dedicated on February 18, 2007 and a large crowd of people turned out to share this monumental moment with us. With a permanent location in place, we now had the stability to show the community that we were here for the long haul. Since that time our growth has been steady. We currently have 128 on our church roll and are averaging in the mid-nineties for morning worship. The Lord is blessing us with people that have a heart to serve. Our worship is genuine and our fellowship is sweet. As our congregation continues to grow in number and financial stability, we have future plans for two more phases of construction. A sanctuary will be built to the front of our current building and a family life center will be added out back. At such time, our current facility would be used as a fellowship hall and educational space. Our present building was the first of the 3-phase plan of construction implemented by the BMA of Arkansas and it has worked very well for us.
Some of the events that we have been involved with this year include: The Women of Faith conference for our ladies and a Community Fall Festival. We co-sponsored a Community Kids’ Fishing Derby with the Arkansas Game and Fish and had a great VBS using the theme ‘Crocodile Dock’. A group of 37 attended the SOAR conference, and 27 from our church attended the Mount Calvary Youth Encampment at Stone Ridge Campgrounds. We have a great group of people to work with and the enthusiasm is contagious. We are currently working on a playground project that we are very excited about.
There are some people that I must thank. First of all, I must thank God for calling us and equipping us for this ministry. His provisions have always been sufficient. I want to thank my family. My wife, Kelley, and my children, Shelbey and Zack, have worked unselfishly. It has been a team effort from the start. I want to thank West Race in Searcy for extending us the arm and supporting us in so many ways. I want to thank Bro. I.V. Hight and the Missions Department. Brother I.V. is not only my boss but he is also a good friend – his wisdom has been helpful on many occasions. I want to thank the churches and associations that make up the BMA. Your support to State Missions enables new congregations to get started. It would be much more difficult without your help. I want to give special thanks to the Mt. Calvary, Greenbrier and Union Associations for the support that you have shown to us. To all the churches and individuals that have sent offerings and donated labor, may God richly bless your generosity. Missions work is never a solo effort and I am thankful to be working together with you. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and should you be traveling through Ward, please stop by and see us.
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