DOM Larry Dover: A man on a mission

By Staff
Jonathan Willis FCT Staff Writer
With 32 Southern Baptist churches scattered all across the Franklin County landscape, Larry Dover's job looks to be a daunting task.
His work as director of missions for the Franklin County Baptist Association's churches and three missions, however, are only where the impact of his duties begin.
After serving as pastor of several area churches for 15 years, Dover has spent the past six years working with county churches to orchestrate and implement training exercises and mission trips.
Part of his responsibilities include the coordination of mission efforts during several projects each year.
One of the mission efforts that the association has been taking part in is church construction projects throughout the country. For several years, area residents have traveled to different parts of the country during the third week of July to build churches, provide food for other workers and to conduct back yard Vacation Bible Schools.
Although national missions are popular with local churchgoers, Dover said that the association also places an emphasis on local missions. Two local Hispanic missions are already in place, including one that was formed from a partnership between Calvary and Tharptown Baptist churches.
The association has also worked with local churches to form relationships with churches in other parts of the country. Tharptown has joined with a church in Vermont to share ministry and training ideas.
Those figures do not include the Baptist churches in this county that belong to different associations.
The idea of partnering with sister churches is only one of the many changes to have taken place in recent years.
The changes led to the addition of Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and many other types of ministry.
The association continues to work with churches, both large and small, to find VBS and missions material.
One area that the work of local churches can be seen is through their giving, Dover said.
The association lists approximately 9,000 members throughout the county, making it larger than all other groups combined.
To reach that 40 percent, Dover said that churches are having to shift toward the culture of their area.
Although the Franklin County Association does not have any churches that are described as having full contemporary styles of worship, many churches do offer contrasting styles of worship.