Association jump-starts church’s student ministry

In September, the members of Liberty Baptist Church, Union Springs, put a plan in place for establishing a youth and children’s ministry.

And thanks to Bullock-Centennial Baptist Association’s help and its recent allotment of $500, that plan has been put in action. With about one-third of its members ranging in age from preschool to high school students, the church saw the need for a ministry to meet them where they are. Though Pastor Ronald Earles described recreation as “secondary” to teaching students about Christ, he said he sees the need for giving them a sense of community in which they can be involved.

“To me, teaching them about Jesus Christ is the most important thing of all of it,” Earles said of the ministry. “Though we know [recreation] is something we have to do to keep them there. … You have to put in a little extra.”

Earles said he knows the ministry is a vital part of the future of Liberty Baptist, which has served its community for more than 170 years and in the last six or seven years, grown from about 10 active members to 60. And he hopes the church will continue to grow.

“There has been a lot of prayer put up about this whole deal, and God is finally coming through. We just had to be patient,” Earles said. “It is my desire that we see a lot come from this. We might have missionaries, pastors and youth leaders come out of this.”