Historic Footprints

“Remember the days of old. Consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; Your elders, and they will tell you" (Deuteronomy 32: 7 NKJV)

Dover Churches began before the birth of our nation

My family and I are big hikers. We’ve trekked trails in the Grand Canyon, Grand Tetons and Grandfather Mountain. We’ve climbed inclines in the Canadian and US Rockies and escalated up the elevated shorelines of the Channel and Hawaiian Islands. We’ve waded and walked in Wild Wonderful West Virginia’s streams and paths, wandered down into Death Valley and got a good number of steps in, in the Badlands. Along the way, we always seem to stumble into a local gift shop with T-Shirts and sweatshirts with the same admonition –

Other than taking a few hundred pictures to capture the memories, we pretty much leave everything else alone.

The Dover Baptist Association, our churches, and members have also left footprints over the years, historic footprints. Before there was a Southern Baptist Convention, Virginia state Baptist associations, or state of Virginia, the Dover Baptist Association and our churches were proclaiming the Gospel and serving as the hands, heart, feet and voice of Jesus. Before our great state became part of a great nation, declaring its independence over 250 years ago, Dover congregations had already formed the body of Christ, known as the local church.

Before the first Baptist pastor preached God’s Word on our nation’s soil, tribal nations of indigenous peoples stewarded God’s creation. Many of their descendants are now key leaders in our Indian Baptist churches, Dover Baptist and Virginia Baptist Associations.

On October 25^th, our Dover Baptist Association will celebrate these historic footprints.We’ll recognize our historic churches and formally recognize Indigenous People’s Day as one of our association’s holidays.

More important than our past, however, is our future. We’ll report on the positive and powerful impact of our missions, ministries, and new initiatives. We’ll share on our partnerships to protect children, provide resources for our pastors and churches, and reach our communities, nation and world with the Gospel of Jesus. From Appalachia to Africa, your Dover Baptist Association of churches continues to leave historic footprints that will impact generations to come. I encourage you to attend our Annual Meeting and Missions & Ministry Fair, learn about our historic past, and be part of our historic future.

God bless.

Arnold “Win” Davis,

Executive Director of Missions