Monthly Archives: April 2020

We Are Stronger Together

If COVID-19 has taught us anything as Southern Baptists, it has taught us that we are stronger together than on our own.  This truth is not new to us, but it has been an unexpected reminder in an otherwise challenging time.  How has COVID-19 taught us that we are stronger together?  Simply put, the Great Commission (GC) continues to move forward despite the crippling effects of a pandemic. 

A couple of months ago the Missions Mobilization Team (MMT) of the Kentucky Baptist Convention (KBC) sent out a survey to churches. The survey’s purpose was to help the MMT learn about the missions involvement of KBC churches and how to better help them reach KY and the world for Christ.  The survey was developed and sent out pre-COVID, but the results only confirm what COVID has reminded us of as Southern Baptists—we are stronger together. 

Two-hundred and forty-six churches participated in the survey.  The first question dealt with what is foundational to the Great Commission—prayer.  Without prayer, the GC falters.  Of survey responses, 51% of the churches said that they have an intentional prayer strategy for the GC.  We know from Acts that the gospel goes out in power as the people of God cry out for the Lord to work mightily through them with the message of Jesus (e.g., Acts 4:23-31).  If we desire GC impact through our churches, prayer is our starting place.

Does your church have an intentional prayer strategy for missions?

As Southern Baptists, along with prayer, the fuel for our GC drive is the Cooperative Program (CP).  Of participating churches, 96% give through CP.  Missions advancement takes resources; therefore, Southern Baptists in 1925 created the most effective way to pool our resources together through what we call the Cooperative Program. In these uncertain days of a pandemic, SBC leaders have reminded us of the urgency and value of CP giving for ongoing mission advancement. 

Does your church currently support the Cooperative Program?

Celebrating @SBCCP Sunday just a couple of days ago on April 26, IMB President, Paul Chitwood, thanked Southern Baptists on behalf of 3,670 missionaries and their 2,880 children and 300+ stateside staff and families (@DrPaulChitwood).  While we continue to refine our systems and entities from our 175-year existence (12 national entities, 41 state conventions, 1,100 local associations), the driving force behind our cooperation is the Cooperative Program (C. Ashley Clayton, bpnews.net).  

At the forefront of our GC expansion lies our two mission agencies—the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board.  Even in a pandemic, our missionaries remain on the field and continue to serve faithfully.  How can this be so?  The Cooperative Program. 

As a Kentucky Baptist and Southern Baptist family, all we do in missions is fueled by praying and giving.  Because we pray and give cooperatively, thousands of missionaries are all over the globe sharing the good news of Jesus in a time of fear and uncertainty.  The message is simple—Jesus is our only hope in life and death.  Thank you, Kentucky Baptists, for praying and giving, particularly in a time when the world has been brought to a halt.  When all around us is uncertain, we are most certainly stronger together. 

Pray for Kentucky Missionaries as They Serve During COVID-19

Only a few short months ago we entered a new year, a new decade, into 2020.  Little did we know what was just ahead and that we would be entering into a time that like none of us had ever experienced before.  Who would have thought about schools, colleges, restaurants, sporting events and especially churches being closed for social gatherings.  But we have found ourselves here for a little over a month now and I am amazed at how the Message and ministry have continued.  In fact, in many ways, the Gospel is getting out and folks are being ministered to like never before.  Doors are open with almost every conversation to share the love of God and the Message is being proclaimed all over social media.

Kentucky missionaries have continued to serve, and I am amazed at the innovative ways they are doing ministry.  KY-MSC Missionary Dianna Anderson, a pregnancy care center director, shared how they receive calls, do intake by phone, share the love of Christ and pray with the young mothers, collect their  baby items, then sets on the ministry porch for the family to pick up.  Missionaries Bessie & Lester McPeek have done something similar in working with the local health department to provide diapers for young mothers.  With each bag of diapers distributed, a Gospel message is included.  Missionary Amanda Westerfield, who also directs a pregnancy care center, shared that even though they were closed, they will do individual meetings as needed with abortion-minded clients.  She was rejoicing that one young lady had chosen life and asked that we join her in praying for two other ladies she would be meeting with soon.

Missionaries Grant & Gina Hasty, Stacey Burton, Norma Rush and others are providing hot meals, with families driving by to pick up their to-go boxes.  Many ministries are filling food boxes and putting them in the trunks of cars as families drive through.  John Morris and his staff at God’s Appalachian Partnership (GAP) in McDowell have a new computer system that allows the families to choose the food items they want.  The order is then sent inside the ministry building to be filled and brought out to the cars as they drive by.  Missionaries Philip Ritchey is working alongside the local schools to help get food to children, while Keith Decker and staff at Cedaridge Ministries are resourcing local churches with food for distribution.

Each year GAP does a huge community Easter egg hunt which, of course, had to be cancelled.  This year’s theme was “Hunting for the Truth” and was to be a unique way to hunt eggs and a carnival-type atmosphere.  Each activity would lead the children to the “truth pavilion” where they heard about Christ and the true meaning of Easter.  In its place GAP provided Easter bags for the children that were distributed when they came to pick up their food box.  Each bag included candy, egg dye and specially designed packets with activity cards, the Gospel story and Easter message, and an invitation to join the online Easter services at a local church.  Missionaries Daniel & Alice Tarnagda, Amy Wilhelmus and Stacey Burton also did similar Easter outreach events by providing packets with a craft item, sidewalk chalk, food, and the Gospel message to children in their regions.  Immanuel Baptist Church in Somerset provided Mrs. Amy with 71 Easter baskets to distribute to the children. 

As you can see, ministry had continued in a great way.  As I have talked with the missionaries, they all had interesting stories to share.  But many of them seemed tired.  In the midst of COVID-19 some had also experienced powerful windstorms and power outages in their areas.  Many are in need of food, water and could just use some encouragement.  May I ask you to pray for our Kentucky missionaries as they continue to serve thousands of people with material resources and with the love of Christ.  Go to www.kybaptist.org/missionaries to learn about each ministry and know how to better pray.  Contact me at [email protected] for information on how you can get involved with ministries in Kentucky during this most challenging time.

Stay safe and healthy everyone and keep sharing the hope of Christ.  Thank you for your support of the work of these and other ministries through the Cooperative Program and the Eliza Broadus offering for state missions.

Teach Me to Do Your Will During COVID-19

Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief remains ready to respond during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to partner with Kentucky Emergency Management and other responders. The pandemic has been unlike any previous crisis response and we have been forced to adapt and be creative in our response. For example, Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief donated 12,150 N-95 masks to medical workers and facilities in Kentucky from our flood recovery inventory and prepared almost 6000 meals for children to fill a gap for a school system in Western Kentucky. This is not our typical ministry during a disaster, but it provided opportunities for us to be salt and light during this crisis.

When disasters create havoc in communities, churches along with Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief are to be faithful and to minister with Godly compassion. The COVID-19 Pandemic has changed our ability to react in the same ways that we typically respond in times of disaster. Yet the church remains called by God to minister when our neighbors are hurting and overwhelmed.

Here are some thoughts for ministry during this time:

  1. Pray for our neighbors, and for God to bring healing to our state. Pray for opportunities to engage in spiritual conversations.
  2. Be agents of peace who calm rather than encourage panic.  God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of sound mind.
  3. Seek to encourage others and to demonstrate the hope that we have in Christ. Many people are more open to Gospel conversations during seasons of crisis as they are awakened to the frailty of life.
  4. Develop a plan to check on the most vulnerable in your congregation and community. Those who might be ill, or who are at higher risk.  This does not have to be direct contact.  It could be by phone, text, or email.
  5. Develop a plan on how the church might deliver basic supplies to people in need.  This plan should include safety precautions so that we minister but minimize risk to those whom we are ministering.  We want to help those in need but not create risks that could further infect ourselves or others.
  6. Look for creative ways to worship, to share spiritual truths, to demonstrate compassion, and to minister in this unique time. This will require us to think out of the box, but it also creates opportunities to take the church beyond the four walls of our buildings.

Be reminded that the church has always been willing to run toward not away from times of crisis for the sake of Christ and our neighbors.  This is a difficult time that is causing many to be filled with anxiety and stress but is also a time for us as the church to demonstrate the peace, grace, and hope of Christ.

Finally, I would offer the words of the Psalmist,

“Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.  May Your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground” (Psalm 143:10).

The psalmist confirmed obedience to God’s call but asked God to lead him in a way that his feet could be steady, and he would not fall.  This is great instruction as we plan to serve in times of crisis. As followers of Christ may we be those who demonstrate to a world shaken by this pandemic that our feet rest on the solid rock of Christ.

Creatively Meeting Needs During the COVID-19 Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every community and every element of our society.  Businesses, schools, organizations and even parks, are closed if they don’t provide what is considered an essential service.  Most people are sheltered in place, while those that do get out are forced to practice social distancing. 

The pandemic has impacted our medical system to the point that the demand for medical supplies and personal protection equipment outweighs the supply.  However, after understanding how great the need was, many stepped up to creatively meet the demand.  Factories retooled assembly lines, university classrooms manufactured face shields, and individuals sewed masks.  It’s inspiring to see people get so creative in order to meet the need of others.

Years ago, from about AD 249-262, the Plague of Cyprian was a pandemic that spread throughout the Roman Empire.  It too, impacted every element of society and killed as many as 5,000 people per day in Rome.  During that time, the early church stepped up and effectively ministered when disease incapacitated a city.  So many people turned away from paganism because they saw how the church ministered to the poor and sick during that crisis! 

I believe the same could happen today if the world sees the church ministering during this crisis rather than only protecting itself. God is calling us to minister during this difficult time of crises so that people turn from lostness to Him.  Doing so, will require creativity on the part of the church, just as it did the factories and universities.  Let me encourage you to prayerfully consider how you will step up during this crisis and effectively meet needs while practicing social distancing and adhering to the guidelines given us by our elected officials. 

So how does the church serve as a witness for Christ and minister during these difficult days when there are so many restrictions needed to protect us, and others, from the virus?   Here are some ideas to consider:

  1. Prepare and deliver meals for those that can’t get out.
  2. Deliver needed supplies to the front porch of the elderly and most vulnerable.
  3. Sew masks for frontline workers.
  4. Leave a simple card on front doors that says, “Hello! If you are self-isolating, let me know how I can help.” Include your name and contact information.
  5. Serve as the host for a blood drive as blood is in short supply.
  6. Encourage medical personnel on the front lines with meals, thank you cards and prayers.
  7. Provide childcare for hospital staff members and first responders since day cares are closed.
  8. Deliver meals prepared by the local school to children receiving lunches as transportation may be a need.
  9. Take baked goods to neighbors and ask them if there’s anything you can do for them.
  10. Create videos of hope and place them on social media as an encouragement to others. 
  11. Provide a sense of connection to those in quarantine. If video calling isn’t an option, consider standing outside their storm door on the phone so they can see, as well as hear you.
  12. Call a frontline worker and offer to pray for them.
  13. Serve grab-and-go meals for the homeless while teaching social distancing and sharing hygiene tips.
  14. Children can write Bible verses and encouraging messages with sidewalk chalk on driveways in their neighborhood.

What will you do to minister during COVID-19? The need for the church to step up and meet the need of the community has never been greater.  Seek the Lord about how you can creatively press into this situation in strategic ways for the sake of His Kingdom.

Practical guide for family prayer and encouragement

Missions is a family affair. In Acts 2, the Bible records Peter’s powerful sermon on the day of Pentecost. As Peter was preaching, the Holy Spirt moved in the hearts of those who were listening. They pleaded with Peter, “What must we do to be saved?” Peter answered them and said, “Repent and be baptized!” 

As the people confessed their sins and became believers under the new covenant, Peter continued to explain that salvation was not only for them. As Peter explained in Acts 2:39, “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 


WATCH A VIDEO PRESENTATION


As a parent, I am always seeking to equip and encourage my family to live a life on mission. My wife and I pray and ask the Lord to teach us new ways to be intentional in fulfilling the Great Commission at home and in our community.


One simple way to be intentional in fulfilling the Great Commission is to pray for and encourage the Body of Christ. In the book of Acts, The Bible teaches us the importance of encouragement as it relates to the fulfillment of Great Commission. In Acts 14:21-23, the Bible says that “after they (Paul and Barnabas) had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and say, “Through many tribulations we enter the Kingdom of God.” 

In the midst of this global trail and displacement from the coronavirus, here are some practical ways (or a practical way) you and your family can pray and encourage others in the Body of Christ:


Gather your family, read Acts 1:8, Acts 2:39, and Acts 14:21-23. Following the Acts 1:8 paradigm, let Jerusalem represent your local church and community, Judea (Kentucky), Samaria (North America), and Ends of the Earth (the world).

  • Jerusalem (Your Church and Community):
    1.  Pray, write a thank you card, short letter or email to your Pastor
    2. For younger kids, ask them, “Who is our pastor?” “How can we pray for him?” and have them write out or record their answers. Pray for your pastor and then let him know.
  • Judea (Your State: Kentucky):
    1. Teach your children to pray for a Kentucky Missionary.
    2. We have over 100 Kentucky Missionaries who need prayer and encouragement
    3. Go to the InterSeed website and download the monthly prayer calendar to pray for the missionaries across the state
    4. Email [email protected] to get a missionary contact info for encouragement
  • Samaria (North America):
    1. Teach your children to pray for our NAMB (North American Mission Board) missionaries.
    2. Share with them how our Baptist churches work together to fulfill the Great Commission through the cooperative program.
    3. Pray for these NAMB missionaries and Kentucky Baptist partners.
      1. Salt Lake City Bobby Wood
      2. Chicago: John Yi
      3. New York: Won Kwak (NAMB); George Russ (Metro NY Baptist Association)
      4. Cincinnati: Travis Smalley
    4. Email [email protected] to get a missionary contact for encouragement.
  • World (International Missions):
    1. Teach your children to pray for IMB Missionaries
    2. Go to the IMB website, click on one of the 9 Affinity groups around the world, watch the video, and use the pray guide as a family
    3. Pray for these IMB missionaries that the Kentucky Baptist are currently partnering with
      1. Sao Paulo: Aaron and Melissa Stormer; Scott and Joyce Pittman
      2. Zimbabwe: Nick and Kyndra Moore
      3. Central Asia: _____ (can’t give names, as you know, but the Lord knows)
    4. Email [email protected] to get a missionary contact for encouragement.


The key is to model for your children that our Faith and Hope is Christ, and that he will never live us or forsake us in the midst of trial. By taking time to pray and encourage your Pastor, Church leaders, or a missionary family today, you and your family will be participating in fulfilling the Great Commission! Perhaps, the Lord may open a new door for a Kingdom Partnership! 

You can download the Prayerwalking Guide and the Neughbor Survey from the Kentucky Baptist convention coronavirus resource page. 


JOHN BARNETT is a Kentucky Baptist Convention Missions Strategist. Reach him at [email protected]