It is a great pleasure to inform all of you that we have finished working on the Texas Area Association of Reformed Baptist Churches Constitution (TAARBC). After meeting as a pastors’ fellowship for a couple of years, last Spring we took the step to begin forming an official association of churches that fully subscribe to the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, 1698 (2LC). Because we have churches in NM and LA, in addition to the churches in TX, which are interested in being members of such an association, we are calling it the Texas Area Association. We also decided to convene our first Annual Meeting early next year with a special speaker TBA after confirming his agreement.

Here is a list of the churches and pastors who have expressed a desire to be charter members of this association:

Faith Community Baptist Church, FW
Jason Montgomery, Pastor
Greg Simmons, Pastor

Grace Baptist Church, Van
Pastor Cliff Cooper

Grace Community Bible Church, Bonham
Dale Sterzer, Pastor
Jeff Young, Pastor

Grace Covenant Baptist Church, Willis
David Dykstra, Elder
Stephen Means, Elder
Carl Provost, Elder

Heritage Baptist Church, Mansfield
Jarrett Downs, Pastor
Eddie Florentino, Pastor
Steve Garrick, Pastor
Larry Vincent, Pastor

Heritage Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA
Earl Blackburn, Pastor
Paul Haines, Pastor

Santa Teresa Baptist Church, Santa Teresa, NM
Pastor David Hendrickx

Trinity Baptist Church, Coffield Unit, Palestine
Rudy Ray, Pastor

Honorable Mention goes to Pastor JR Crocker, Williams Creek Baptist Church, Mart, whose heart is with us but cannot yet join.

I have copied this message to men who have attended either the pastors’ fellowship or a constitution-crafting meeting, or who have expressed interest on one level or another in our endeavor. We count you as friends and are thankful for your labors in the Gospel and for your friendship. We are not launching this association with the desire to exclude anyone but with the desire to create an association to encourage the greater unity of like-minded congregations based upon their commonly shared belief that the 2LC is the best summary of Biblical doctrine. We believe that this associational connection will give us a firm foundation for mutual efforts, God willing, for the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We invite anyone interested to contact us. If you know of someone else who might be interested, please ask them to contact us.

We would love to have more churches who hold the same doctrinal position join with us. At the very least, we ask you to pray for us and be a guest at one of our meetings as you have opportunity. If you are not joining the association but would like to be kept informed of our activities, please send me a reply to that effect.

Rejoicing in God’s gracious work for us and in us,

Larry Vincent