Compiled by B&R staff
SPRINGFIELD — Messengers to the annual meeting of Robertson County Baptist Association voted Oct. 18 to change its name to Harvest Baptist Association.
Director of missions Rob Burdette shared the rationale for the name change in the association’s September newsletter.
Our associational office is proudly located in Springfield, right in the heart of Robertson County, but not all of our churches are,” Burdette wrote.
“Even now, we have four of our active churches that are in Sumner and Cheatham Counties. Our most recent church plant is located in Portland, and we have three churches that are located outside of the county that are inquiring about uniting with us.
“The association’s ministry already goes beyond the Robertson County line, and so we feel that our name should reflect that as well,” he wrote.
Burdette added that the association will legally retain the name Robertson County Baptist Association but establish a DBA (Doing Business As) under the name Harvest Baptist Association.
Burdette noted the name “Harvest” was chosen because it represented the area but was not confined by a boundary such as a county line.
“We wanted to choose a name that represented this area but that was not limiting by any boundary, such as coun- ty lines. We also wanted the name to have Kingdom significance. We feel like the name ‘Harvest’ encapsulates both of these ideas.
“It celebrates the rich agricultural history of our area and points us to our ongoing mission of reaching the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Just like every farmer knows, in order to reap you must sow. The name ‘Harvest ‘reminds us of the work to be done in order to reach our goal,” Burdette wrote.
During the Oct. 18 meeting, the association welcomed Pleasant Grove Community Church into the association under watchcare for one year. Messengers will vote next year to welcome the church permanently into the association. B&R