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we have to argue about this?” While Antioch’s Baptist and Methodist churches are independent and hold different theological convictions, Johnson said they are able to partner together because each church believes the most important duty of their congregations is to reach the world with the gospel of Christ. “When it comes to a person’s relationship with Jesus Christ and how they are saved, there is no disagreement. It is strictly by faith in the Lord Jesus,” said Johnson. The Baptist and Methodist churches of Antioch Community Church are financially autonomous. Each church owns 50 percent of the church building and surrounding property. “We have our own budget, we have our own treasurer, we have our own finances and, on the Sundays I preach, the offering goes to the Baptist church. Unless we know that the individual that is giving is a member of the Methodist church, then we will turn it over to them. And they do us vice versa,” said Johnson. “Some people say, ‘How does it work?’” said Johnson. “You have got to remember back in the early 1900s and up into the 1950s, this road out here was gravel, all the way to Antioch. Most of the people living out there were born and raised out there. There were a lot of families out there, and a lot of them are still there. I can understand that back in those days, to come into Beebe for worship, as a Baptist, would be difficult.” While the two churches separate their finances, communion and membership, they come together for fellowship suppers, Sunday school, vacation Bible school, student ministry and in raising money for local missions and ministry in the local Antioch and greater Beebe communities. Though Johnson and Gilliam alternate preaching duties each Sun-
Baptist Life day, both pastors attend services and the brethren. We have a good fellowserve as a worship assistant when ship with others. Again, we do not they are not preaching and visit ill separate out. When we have activimembers of both churches at home ties, the youth work together. Don’t or in the hospital. get me wrong – I According to do have my board Gilliam, many and Scott has his who attend serdeacons. We do vices each Sunday function individhold memberually,” said Gilship in one of liam. “However, the churches but when we have ice consider both he cream socials, we and Johnson to Scott Johnson (left), Baptist pastor at Antioch are all together; be their pastors. Community Church, and Jim Gilliam, the when we have “We work to- church’s Methodist pastor. Photo by Caleb chili suppers or gether in the care Yarbrough pie suppers or of the congregaspaghetti suppers, tion,” said Gilliam. “Even though we we are all together. And there is a have two churches, everybody is here genuine bond, a very loving church, each Sunday. It doesn’t matter if it is a very friendly church, and I rejoice the Baptist Sunday or the Methodist in that.” Sunday. They are all here.” “We all serve the same Lord. We “There is a genuine love among have the same Guidebook, and we
17 serve the same Lord,” said Gilliam. “I don’t know anything about Nazarenes or Assemblies or whatever, but I do know Southern Baptists because I serve in a church that is also Southern Baptist,” said Gilliam. “I want you to understand I have enormous respect for the Baptist church, for its continued conservative stance and for its absolute statement that you must be born again. You will never hear me contradict any of those things in any sermon I will ever preach,” he said. “Scott (Johnson) told me one time when I preached the Easter sermon at First Methodist in Beebe that I might be called Methodist but that I was Baptist on the inside.” “When I gather my sweet corn, I take it to all of them,” joked Gilliam. Contact Caleb Yarbrough at caleb@ arkansasbaptist.org.