Monthly Archives: August 2017

Ministry Involvement Makes You Healthier

“Christians are equipped for service that lowers their blood pressure…”

Okay, so Ephesians 4:11-13 doesn’t say it quite like that.  It does say however, that we are equipped for works of service, and according to a recent study, works of service may just lower your blood pressure.

The study suggests that engaging in volunteer ministry can make you healthier by lowering blood pressure.  The study, by Rodlescia Sneed, a Ph.D. candidate in psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, involved over 1,100 adults. The adults were interviewed about their volunteer service and had their blood pressure checked at the beginning of the study and once again four years later.  All of the participants had normal blood pressure readings at the time of the first interview.

Regardless of the type of volunteer ministry or service the participants were involved in, those who said during the first interview that they regularly served in volunteer ministry or service were 40 percent less likely to have high blood pressure four years later than those who did not serve.

Why?  According to Sneed, “Participating in volunteer activities may provide older adults with social connections that they might not have otherwise.  There is strong evidence that having good social connections promotes healthy aging and reduces risk for a number of negative health outcomes.”

What does that mean? It means God built us to connect with each other, and to serve each other and Him.

1 Peter 4:10-11 teaches us “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

Christ followers have been equipped for ministry and we should use whatever gifts we’ve been given to serve others. It’s easy to see that ministry and service to others is expected of the Christ follower.

But there’s more: serving is a blessing, too. Proverbs 11:25 offers us the promise that “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

There are countless opportunities to engage in ministry service locally, throughout Kentucky, nationwide and around the world.  Discover how God has equipped you and commit to utilizing those gifts, talents, skills and experiences for His glory.  Check out www.kybaptist.org/GO for a list of opportunities.

When we are obedient to the Lord and serve, we receive a blessing. That blessing just might be lower blood pressure.

It’s Not Too Late…

 

School is back in session, summer is almost over, and Christmas is soon approaching.  Although only four months away, there is still time to participate in the Christmas Backpack Project for children affected by poverty.  17.3 million of the children living in the U.S. live in poverty, with almost 1 million of them in Kentucky.

For these children, Christmas does not always come with gifts, like it does for others.  For the past several years thousands of children in Kentucky have been receiving backpacks from Baptists in surrounding states filled with food, clothing, hygiene items, school supplies, toys, and a Bible or some Gospel witness.  To see the smiles on the children’s faces as they walk out with a backpack, many times almost as big as themselves, just warms the heart and helps you to experience the joy of giving.

In 2016 over 15,000 Kentucky children were blessed with these gifts and, this year, we want to invite Kentucky Baptists to be a part of this effort.  A goal of collecting 5,000 backpacks from Kentucky Baptist churches (the NAMB goal is 65,000) has been set.  One half of the backpacks collected in Kentucky will be distributed to children living in poverty in our state, with the other half going to need children in the Send Cincinnati area.

The Kentucky Baptist Convention is partnering with Kentucky Woman’s Missionary Union and the North American Mission Board (Appalachian Regional Ministry and Mississippi River Ministry), in this effort.  Many churches, associations, WMU groups, Sunday School classes, and even individuals are already working diligently to pack their backpacks.  It was also the mission project for many Vacation Bible Schools this past summer.  We are excited to report that, to date, we have 107 registered participants, for a total of 3479 backpacks committed.

For information on how you can participate, how to pack a Christmas backpack, or to register your church’s participation go to www.kybaptist.org/backpacks.  Or, if you would like to have someone come and share with you about this project please contact email  [email protected].  Collection date is October 16-20 so please respond soon and join us in making a difference in a child’s life this Christmas and, very possibly, for eternity.

Looking for Mission Partnerships?

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 and two international partnerships that are great opportunities for KBC churches and associations to engage lost areas with the gospel, with the hopes of adding more in the future.

  • Impact Boston and you impact the world.  As a cultural and academic hub in our country, Boston is one of the most influential places in North America.  Yet, there is only one SBC church for every 39,257 people.
  • Nestled along the Ohio River, Cincinnati, as some experts believe it, is poised to see a population boom in the coming years.  However, only 13.7 percent of metro Cincinnati residents are currently affiliated with an evangelical church.
  • 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.
  • São Paulo, Brazil is the largest city in South America with over 20 million people.  Easily one of the top 10 largest cities in the world, it is believed that São Paulo has between 18 and 19 million people who do not know the gospel of Jesus.
  • Greece is rich in both ancient and biblical history.  The gospel once took root in this country, but that root has nearly dried up.  Of the 10.8 million people in Greece, only about .03 percent are Jesus followers.

KBC churches and associations are needed to impact these five areas with gospel faithfulness and partnerships.  Learn more about where your church or association can partner through upcoming vision trips by visiting www.kybaptist.org/visiontrips or email [email protected].