HISTORY OF WALTON COUNTY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
Walton County Baptist Association is larger than it was 125 years ago, but at the same time it is smaller. The WCBA is larger because it has 31 member churches. But, it is also smaller because it encompasses only the area of Walton County.
When it met November 22-23, 1890 at FBC Ponce de Leon to organize, there were seven churches that gathered and became charter members. The seven churches were Alaqua Baptist, FBC DeFuniak Springs, Pilgrim’s Rest Baptist, Pleasant Ridge Baptist, FBC Ponce de Leon, Providence Baptist, and Sandy Creek Baptist. The boundaries of the new Association were from the Choctawhatchee River to the Yellow River, and from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line. This territory included the counties of Holmes, Walton, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa.
In 1893, our Association became known as Graves Baptist Association, named for the controversial “Landmark” Baptist leader, J.R. Graves who spoke at the 1880 Florida Baptist Convention meeting in Lake City.
In 1907, the Baptists of Santa Rosa County formed their own association. In 1923, Okaloosa Baptists pulled out and formed their own association. Later, in 1959, Okaloosa Baptist Association would divide and create
Choctaw Baptist Association for the south end of the county. Holmes County Baptist Association was organized in 1924, leaving Baptists in Walton County with their own ministry.
An organized and directed program of associational missions was begun in 1946 when Glenn M. Bridges was named Regional Missionary, working with most of Northwest Florida’s churches. Paul McCullers served from 1948-1952, and Luther W. Woodward took over in 1953.
With the calling of John R. Martin in 1977, Walton and Holmes Associations entered a joint Director of Missions program and shared his services. He held that post until 1983, when J.C. McLendon, a former pastor in Walton County became Director of Missions for the two associations. Walton County Baptists voted to have their own separate missions program in 1986, and in mutual agreement, severed their connection to Holmes County Baptists.
In 1988, our name was changed from Graves to Walton County Baptist Association, denoting the physical location of our cooperating churches. Rev. McLendon remained with the WCBA as DOM for eight years until he retired in 1991. In 1991, Rev. Robert E. LaFavre was called as DOM and he remained for eight years until his retirement in 1999. Other DOM’s were Rev. Walter Campbell (April 2001-January 2002), Rev. Sonny Pritchett (April 2006-April 2012), and Rev. David Ellis (March 2013-July 2017).
On January 9, 2018 a DOM Search Committee was elected to search for a Director of Missions; however, after a year a viable candidate was not located. A vote was taken on February 12, 2019 to keep the WCBA open and on April 9, 2019 a Transitional AMS Agreement with the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association was approved. Dr. Brian Nall became the Transitional AMS on May 1, 2019 with the purpose of positioning the WCBA as a healthy association in preparation for a permanent Associational Mission Strategist.
At the January 18, 2022 Annual Meeting the WCBA Executive Board voted to accept a proposed Florida Panhandle Association Network model in partnership with the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association. This partnership would allow Dr. Brian Nall to lead the partnership as the FLPAN Director and enable him to select a local Associational Mission Strategist.
At the April 12, 2022 Executive Board meeting Dr. John Lovelady was presented as WCBA AMS. He served through September 30, 2023. Rev. Gary Wiggins was then approved as WCBA AMS and began serving on October 1, 2023.
This summary of history was written in 1991 and updated in 2023.
When it met November 22-23, 1890 at FBC Ponce de Leon to organize, there were seven churches that gathered and became charter members. The seven churches were Alaqua Baptist, FBC DeFuniak Springs, Pilgrim’s Rest Baptist, Pleasant Ridge Baptist, FBC Ponce de Leon, Providence Baptist, and Sandy Creek Baptist. The boundaries of the new Association were from the Choctawhatchee River to the Yellow River, and from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line. This territory included the counties of Holmes, Walton, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa.
In 1893, our Association became known as Graves Baptist Association, named for the controversial “Landmark” Baptist leader, J.R. Graves who spoke at the 1880 Florida Baptist Convention meeting in Lake City.
In 1907, the Baptists of Santa Rosa County formed their own association. In 1923, Okaloosa Baptists pulled out and formed their own association. Later, in 1959, Okaloosa Baptist Association would divide and create
Choctaw Baptist Association for the south end of the county. Holmes County Baptist Association was organized in 1924, leaving Baptists in Walton County with their own ministry.
An organized and directed program of associational missions was begun in 1946 when Glenn M. Bridges was named Regional Missionary, working with most of Northwest Florida’s churches. Paul McCullers served from 1948-1952, and Luther W. Woodward took over in 1953.
With the calling of John R. Martin in 1977, Walton and Holmes Associations entered a joint Director of Missions program and shared his services. He held that post until 1983, when J.C. McLendon, a former pastor in Walton County became Director of Missions for the two associations. Walton County Baptists voted to have their own separate missions program in 1986, and in mutual agreement, severed their connection to Holmes County Baptists.
In 1988, our name was changed from Graves to Walton County Baptist Association, denoting the physical location of our cooperating churches. Rev. McLendon remained with the WCBA as DOM for eight years until he retired in 1991. In 1991, Rev. Robert E. LaFavre was called as DOM and he remained for eight years until his retirement in 1999. Other DOM’s were Rev. Walter Campbell (April 2001-January 2002), Rev. Sonny Pritchett (April 2006-April 2012), and Rev. David Ellis (March 2013-July 2017).
On January 9, 2018 a DOM Search Committee was elected to search for a Director of Missions; however, after a year a viable candidate was not located. A vote was taken on February 12, 2019 to keep the WCBA open and on April 9, 2019 a Transitional AMS Agreement with the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association was approved. Dr. Brian Nall became the Transitional AMS on May 1, 2019 with the purpose of positioning the WCBA as a healthy association in preparation for a permanent Associational Mission Strategist.
At the January 18, 2022 Annual Meeting the WCBA Executive Board voted to accept a proposed Florida Panhandle Association Network model in partnership with the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association. This partnership would allow Dr. Brian Nall to lead the partnership as the FLPAN Director and enable him to select a local Associational Mission Strategist.
At the April 12, 2022 Executive Board meeting Dr. John Lovelady was presented as WCBA AMS. He served through September 30, 2023. Rev. Gary Wiggins was then approved as WCBA AMS and began serving on October 1, 2023.
This summary of history was written in 1991 and updated in 2023.
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