September is State Missions Month. Most of our Kentucky Baptist Churches have observed the Week of Prayer for State Missions and received the Eliza Broadus Offering, which supports missions and ministers across the state. As Missions Mobilization Coordinator with the Kentucky Baptist Convention, let me say thank you for praying and giving through EBO.
As you give through the Cooperative Program and the Eliza Broadus Offering, you are a part of the work of 120 Kentucky Mission Service Corps missionaries that serve in various ministries across the state. Just this past week I had the privilege of leading the annual Kentucky Missionary Retreat at Central Baptist Church in Corbin.
The missionaries work hard all year, and this is a way to say thank you to them, allow them to rest & relax, worship & pray together, and a time to network with each other. We like to say this is our KY-MSC Family Reunion.
The retreat began on Wednesday afternoon. Following an opening devotion & prayer, the missionaries played EBOpoly with Ms. Susan Bryant. This was a fun way to learn about ministries that receive EBO funds, as well as other information about Eliza Broadus. Did you know she was not born in Kentucky? Dr. Liz Encinia also shared about how KY-WMU supports the work of KY-MSC missionaries.
Dr. Todd Gray greeted the missionaries via video. Mattew Bone, Minister of Music at Pikeville First Baptist Church, and Josh Pollitt, Senior Pastor at Central Baptist Church in Corbin, led us in a time of worship. We heard ministry testimonies and learned about “Living with Margin” from Pastor John Lucas & Tanya Parker, with Pikeville First Baptist Church. Wow did we ever need that!!
Free time was spent visiting interesting sights in the Corbin area. Some got to see Cumberland Falls for the very first time; others enjoyed a snack from the “original” KFC.
The retreat ended on Friday with “Intentional Evangelism” by KBC’s Ian Carrico, and “The 3 G’s of Discipling” by Seth Carter, Pastor of Paintsville First Baptist Church. Bro. Seth referred to evangelism and discipling as “peanut butter and jelly.” These sessions will better equip the missionaries for service.
This was a fun and challenging three days. Thank you, Kentucky Baptists, for helping make the retreat possible.
For information and ways to connect with Kentucky missions & missionaries go to kybaptist.org/missionaries.
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