Associations began in England in the mid 1600’s amid persecution and difficulty. The primary reasons associations began were for protection and fellowship. The first Baptist association in America was formed in Philadelphia in 1707, so this year we are celebrating the 300th anniversary of associational work in America.
The first Southern Baptist Association was formed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1751. The contribution this association made to associational life was its emphasis on order and doctrine. In 1758 the Sandy Creek Association in North Carolina was formed and it is from this association that we derive our passion for evangelism and missions.
The Southern Baptist Convention was not formed until 1845 in Augusta, Georgia. The association was the pattern for the formation of state conventions, the first of which was formed in 1821. The role of the association has changed over the years, but it has always been the denominational entity closest to the local church.
Our own association was formed in 1870 under the name, Wekiwa Baptist Association, by the First Baptist Church of Apopka and First Baptist Church of Oviedo. In the 1970’s, the name of the association was changed to Greater Orlando Baptist Association to better reflect its geographic scope which now covers Orange, Seminole and Osceola Counties with work now extending into Polk and Lake Counties.
The Greater Orlando Baptist Association is made up of 166 churches and missions. Every week the association worships in at least nine different languages. We have a tremendous challenge before us as Central Florida continues to grow exponentially. It is predicted that in the next twenty years the population of Florida will bulge to thirty million residents with central housing some seven million people.
The mission of the association is for its churches to work together to impact Central Florida and the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ, done through leadership development, church development, church planting, church and community ministries and resort ministries. Our vision is to become a family of healthy growing churches reaching and ministering to Central Florida and the world by developing and multiplying disciples, leaders and churches.
