Our story
In 1958, Arthur L. Walker became the first area missionary for the Frontier Baptist Association. Although a new venture with many unknowns, he felt fortunate to be a part of what God was doing in Western New York and what was also Central New York at the time and felt those involved were “making history in a glorious way” as they advanced the Gospel to a largely unreached area.
Today we share this same fervency to make the Gospel known as we pour into the pastors, their staff and families within our association who are ministering to the WNY region on a daily basis. With strategic leadership, encouraging community and practical resources, we come alongside pastors as a Barnabas.
Being Barnabas
by Kevin Litchfield, Associational Mission Strategist
These two words, “being Barnabas” sum up my vision for the mission and the purpose of the association. A year ago you brought me here to help usher in the next season, the next level of the life of the Frontier Baptist Association, and after observing, dreaming, strategizing etc., it eventually all comes down to my unique mission fingerprint, how the Lord has uniquely shaped me to lead. In what ways has the Lord spent the last 60 years shaping me? In what ways does ministry simply naturally and organically flow? And this is simply two words: Being Barnabas.
But what does that mean? Acts 4:36-37: Thus Joseph who was also called Barnabas, which means son of encouragement…
Joseph had the nickname Barnabas or encourager. Being Barnabas is simply defined by one word: Encouragement. But what would this word have meant in the Greek during the life of Barnabas?
Steadfast Support- Coming shoulder to shoulder with someone to offer aid when they are exhausted, fearful, overwhelmed or under pressure.
Military Reinforcement- Ancient writers used this word to describe troops arriving on the battlefield to reinforce a struggling army.
Advocacy- It shares the same root word as parakletos, which translates to advocate or helper (often used to describe the Holy Spirit).
Ultimately in the Greek, encouragement is the active process of stepping up to someone’s side and offering them the courage and strength they need to keep going.
Being Barnabas means searching for potential pastors, missionaries, and leaders.
Acts 11:25-26 says: So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch…
Barnabas leveraged his reputation and influence for Saul.
Being Barnabas means not being afraid of ministry failure. It means being grace-filled.
Acts 15:36-39, Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John Called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them in the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus…
With this in mind, we look forward to what the Lord will do through the Frontier Baptist Association as we work to encourage and support pastors on the frontlines of ministry for many years to come.
