The Board of Directors of the Arkansas Baptist Foundation (ABF) held its Quarterly Board Meeting on Thursday, May 14, at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention building.

Ben Mayes, Foundation board member and executive pastor of Finances & Operations at Cross Church, led the opening devotional. Drawing from his personal journal and life experiences, Mayes shared reflections on the various “seasons of life,” including graduations, mission trips, and the recent passing of his mother. He emphasized the theme of “sending and releasing,” framing these milestones as sacred moments of commissioning and release. Mayes encouraged the board to trust God through seasons of change and to remember the importance of faith in advancing God’s kingdom.

Highlights of the board meeting included:

• Randy Milligan, Landmark PLC managing member/CPA, reviewed the 2025 Audit and presented a clean audit report.

• Bobby Thomas, ABF president, provided an update regarding the Hammons Charitable Foundation, which will award $516,000 in scholarship awards to eighty-six students in the 2026-2027 school year.

• Josh Kimbrell, executive director of Camp Siloam, shared a report highlighting Siloam’s continued growth and gospel-centered impact, noting an increase from zero campers in 2020 to more than 7,200 in 2025, with projections nearing 8,000 this summer. He celebrated 500 salvations and 96 students sensing a call to ministry or missions in the past year, emphasizing the camp’s mission to make an eternal, global impact. Kimbrell also introduced new initiatives, including a new ministry partnership in Oaxaca, Mexico and expanded camp sessions next year to accommodate approximately 1,800 more campers. He closed by inviting prayer for a bold goal of 1,000 professions of faith this summer as the camp continues its century-long legacy of life transformation.

• Jordan Bowen, directional pastor of Hillcrest Community Church in Little Rock, shared a church report centered on the theme that God advances His kingdom through friendships, drawing from Romans 16 as a biblical foundation. Bowen highlighted the past six years of ministry, sharing how Hillcrest has seen lives transformed through a growing web of relationships among internationals, refugees, and local community members. He recounted stories of individuals from Nigeria, India, Iraq, Italy, and Myanmar who came to faith through simple acts of hospitality, discipleship, and connection. Bowen also emphasized the partnership and unity that led to the merging of congregations and the renewed purpose of longtime pastor Mitch Tapson. He expressed gratitude for ministry partners and encouraged churches to embrace relational ministry, noting that through intentional friendships and everyday faithfulness, God continues to write a redemptive story with the best yet to come.

• The Board honored Shelli Johnston for nearly 18 years of faithful ministry as she retired at the end of March.

• The Foundation celebrated first quarter distributions to Arkansas Baptist ministries, institutions, and churches of $8,791,344.