The Golden Triangle Baptist Association takes on many roles and responsibilities in its efforts to assist its member churches in Lowndes, Oktibbeha and Clay counties.
“One of the four main things we do is train our church members to be leaders in our churches, whether it is teaching a Sunday School class, or working with Vacation Bible School. We believe in preparing people for leadership,” said Associational Mission Director the Rev. Dan Robertson.
Robertson said GTBA also provides resources for the churches including supplying pastors, youth and music ministry work. The association also works with cooperative missions programs to help support the efforts of missionaries throughout the world spreading the gospel.
The fourth element is to encourage church leaders.
“When pastors and others are facing conflicts or other problems, we want to be there to provide encouragement. We want to also want our churches to encourage each other, too,”,” he said.
Robertson said the association has also worked with disaster relief programs.
“In 2008 when the tornado hit Caledonia, we worked with the local Red Cross chapter to provide relief to the people there. We also have a program to help aid the earthquake victims in Haiti. It is called Buckets of Hope,” he said.
Buckets of Hope is a program through the Southern Baptist Convention, Robertson said. It is an opportunity for Mississippi Baptist Churches to collect specific food items to be sent to Haiti. The food collected will feed a Haitian family for a week.
In all, the Golden Triangle Baptist Association works with more than 60 churches in the three-county area. The association got its early start in 1977 as three different associations: Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha and stayed that way until 1997.
“That is when all three dropped their individual identities to become one Golden Triangle Baptist Association,” Robertson said.
Along with Robertson, other GTBA staff members include Kay Vaughn, Maggie Giles, Tracey Nash, Mississippi State University Baptist Student Union Director the Rev. Michael Ball and Mississippi University for Women BSU Director Nancy Aulds.
Robertson has served in this capacity for three years and two months, taking over from Rev. Steve Lammons, who is now pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church near New Hope.
Robertson previously served as pastor at First Baptist in Houston, Miss., as well as churches inNatchez, Pontotoc and Water Valley.
Robertson is a Union County native and a graduate of West Union High School. He has a B.S. in speech education from Mississippi State, and a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
He and his wife, Jane, are the parents of a son, Jason, who is a minister in Chattanooga, Tenn.; and a daughter, Christin, who is married to David Eldridge, who is pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Tupelo. They are the grandparents of two boys and two girls.
Who or what led you to the ministry?
I was called to the ministry when I was 16 years old while attending a Boys State convention in Raymond, Miss. I was learning about the politics of the state, and I could tell that some of the others had a sense of awkwardness when they were praying. They did not know the Lord.
What is the greatest challenge of this association during these tough economic times?
We have not felt the effects of the economy the way others have. Our churches have been giving to the association, and they are faithfully giving to our churches. We have strong churches in our association.
What is the greatest joy you have received in your work with the association and in the ministry?
The most rewarding thing has been seeing other Christian leading others to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
What is the toughest thing you have had to face in your work?
Seeing pastors go through difficult times with their church or church members. We do what we can to encourage them when they go through a tough spot.
What are the future plans and goals of the association?
We are putting together an advisory board for Christian Women Job Corps. That is something we are planning to start soon.
Allen Baswell was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
