As a church leader you desire to lead your church to obey the Great Commission, but maybe you are not sure where to go?  If you are looking for mission partnerships, look no further.  The Mission Mobilization Team of the Kentucky Baptist Convention is here to help your church reach Kentucky and the world for Christ.  To achieve this goal, we have developed partnerships in Kentucky, North America, and the world for gospel impact.

It is one thing for us simply to tell you about an area in need of gospel partnerships. But it is altogether different for us to help you experience that area and envision how your church might partner there for the gospel.  Thus, we offer vision trips in order that KBC churches and associations might meet missionaries/church planters, experience the culture, hear the vision of a particular area in need of the gospel, and prayerfully consider how they might come alongside of the work being done in unreached places.

Currently, we have three North American partnerships that are great opportunities for KBC churches and associations to engage lost areas with the gospel.

Nestled along the Ohio River, Cincinnati is poised, as some experts believe, to see a population boom in the coming years.  However, only 13.7 percent of metro Cincinnati’s 2 million residents are currently affiliated with an evangelical church.  Cincinnati vision trip is August 28-29, 2023.  You can apply now for this vision trip at www.kybaptist.org/cincinnati-vision-tour/.   

Salt Lake City is a city most often recognized for Mormonism.  However, the city has become a major metro area and needs vibrant gospel churches to impact a population with only 2.2 percent evangelical presence.  Salt Lake City vision trip is November 8-10, 2023.  You can apply now for this vision trip at www.kybaptist.org/salt-lake-city-vision-tour/.   

Impact New York City and you impact the world.  As a financial and cultural hub in our country, New York City is one of the most influential places in North America and the world.  With a metro population over 22 million, only 4 percent of New Yorkers identify themselves as evangelical.  New York City vision trip is May 13-15, 2024.  Though the sign-ups are not live for 2024 yet, you can learn more about NYC at www.kybaptist.org/new-york-vision-tour/.  

You can also get involved in a new NYC project called We Inspire NYC, as church planters engage four schools in NYC.  Learn how your church can play a vital role in impacting the teachers and administrators of these schools at www.kybaptist.org/inspirenyc.

KBC churches and associations are needed to impact these areas with gospel faithfulness and partnerships.  If you have questions or we can serve your church as you prayerfully consider gospel partnerships, email us at [email protected].

Well, I have just gotten back from my few days away in Pigeon Forge.  Once again, visiting the Christmas shops and hearing the Christmas music has put me in the Christmas spirit.  It is hard to believe that 2023 is almost half over and Christmas is only six months away. 

Have you begun your Christmas shopping?  Better yet, are you planning to bless Kentucky children through the KBC Christmas Backpack Initiative again this year?  If so, it is time to start planning, promoting, and collecting items for those backpacks.  For Christmas Backpacks we are less than five months away, as they are due to be delivered to the local Baptist Association collection sites October 23-27, and to the Regional Collection sites October 30 – November 3. 

Instructions for filling the backpacks can be found at www.kybaptist.org/backpacks.  Once there, you can download a promotional bulletin insert, poster, PowerPoint slide, and the “Christmas Story” leaflet.  Be sure to include the leaflet in each backpack that you fill. 

Please remember to register your backpacks and perhaps consider partnering with a specific ministry.  You may want to take the backpacks directly to the ministry and help with the distribution.  It is so special to see the children’s faces light up as they open the backpack, and to experience them hearing the true Christmas Story and a gospel message.  This is what Christmas is all about. 

Statistics show that 35% of Kentucky’s children live in single-parent homes, and a backpack from Kentucky Baptists may be all they get for Christmas.  Many of the backpacks collected will be distributed directly to children living in poverty in Kentucky, while others will go to needy children in our partner SEND City, Cincinnati.

Kentucky Baptist churches are partnering together to reach a goal of 10,000 backpacks to fill requests coming in from our missionaries, churches, and associations.  While we will receive requests for far more than that, we are thankful for partnering state convention churches that help to meet the need. 

And we are thankful for Kentucky Baptists and your part in this annual initiative.  Pray with us that not only will the children receive a nice Christmas gift and hear a gospel presentation, but that many will come to know Christ as their personal Savior and receive the GREATEST GIFT this Christmas season.

Last Sunday, June 4, was the Southern Baptist annual Disaster Relief Sunday. This is a day set aside to recognize and thank the thousands of Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers who serve faithfully, selflessly, and with a heart for the Gospel.

Kentucky Baptists alone has over 2300 trained volunteers and counting. Many churches across our convention recognized volunteers in various ways last Sunday. They are an incredibly special group of people who simply love the Lord and love the people they serve.

These KYDR volunteers are not part of an organization, but rather a very special family. They take care of each other, watch out for each other, and look forward to serving with each other. And the wonderful part of this family, there is always room for more.

However, these volunteers do not serve because they desire to be recognized or looking for a pat on the back. They serve for several reasons, most of which the world does not understand.

They serve because they are CALLED.
God has placed a call on their life to serve through this awesome ministry. Disaster relief gets people out of the pew and into the field to meet people where they are bringing help, hope and healing to those who are hurting. God gives that passion deep within their hearts, calling them to serve. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

They serve because they are COMPASSIONATE.
During Jesus’ ministry on earth, we find many times in the scripture when Jesus was moved with compassion to help someone who was hurting. He would meet their physical need which would open the door for their spiritual need. We see the disaster relief ministry do the same. Volunteers are moved with compassion to help those who are hurting and suffering. We reach out to meet their physical need and the door is opened to share the love of Jesus.

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:” 1 Peter 4:10.

They serve because they are CHARITABLE.
Disaster relief volunteers are very generous and giving by nature. They desire to bless others as God has blessed them. They give of their time, their energy, their resources, and even financially. They have experienced God’s blessing and generously serve others.

“The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-8.

They serve because they are COOPERATIVE.
This ministry is the Cooperative Program in action. They work with their friends. They work with those they have never met. They work with those across the state or even across the country. They cooperate with other state conventions and ministries. And through those working relationships and opportunities, they will make lifelong friendships.

You can learn more about the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention by visiting www.kybaptist.org/about-CP.

Learn more about how you can become a trained disaster relief volunteer and our upcoming trainings at www.kybaptist.org/dr. Also, support those KYDR volunteers who are in your church with prayer support, resources, and financially. Your support in assisting with fuel, meals, equipment and more is very much needed. And finally, let them know how much you appreciate them.

It is a ministry of serving.