Hello, my name is Larry Vinson and I am honored to have been called as the Associational Missionary for the Cleburne Baptist Association. I have served for 40 years as a pastor in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Half of that time was as a bi-vocational pastor and half as a full-time pastor. I worked with Georgia Mental Health as a counselor when I was bi-vocational. So, I can relate to both the full-time and the bi-vocational pastorate and the joys and difficulties pastors can face.

Serving as a pastor in Southern Baptist churches has been a great blessing and challenge, especially in our changing world and country. Through the Cooperative Program, churches have chosen to join hands in striving to be faithful to the Great Commission locally, nationally, and internationally, to do what no individual church can do alone, in taking the Good News of Jesus Christ to a lost, hurting, and dying world.

It is important that our communities see us cooperating as sister churches, working together in order to know that what we are doing is from God. In the Gospel of John, Jesus clearly stated, “You’ll know them by their love for one another.” [13:35] Our love and unity will give testimony to our Savior and His grace. Our light shines brightest when it is joined in close union with fellow light bearers and not alone.

As pastors, we sometimes find those that believe they can be a “Lone Ranger” Christian who doesn’t need the church. What they do not realize is that when separating themselves from the Body of Christ, they are also opening themselves to attacks from the enemy that will destroy them. Lone Ranger churches can create the same vulnerabilities. 

Churches make up the whole body of Christ. If we are not careful, we will very subtlety adopt a worldly corporate model mentality that sees other churches as competitors and not fellow collaborators in Christ. We will fail to demonstrate the heart of Jesus. Isolationism comes from fear and God has not given us a spirit of fear. [2 Tim. 1:7]

As your Associational Missionary, I look forward to visiting in every church as soon as possible. It is a joy to see what God is doing in and through His churches and my desire is to be of help any way we at your association can. Sometimes it helps just to know we are not alone. Anytime you want to come by the office, Vickey Weathers and I look forward to seeing you.

Yours in Christ,

Bro. Larry Vinson