Monthly Archives: October 2022

Where are You in the Mobilization Process?

You’ve more than likely heard or used the term, missions mobilization.  But what does it mean?  It has been defined as assisting local bodies of believers to identify, train, and send global workers out to fulfill the Great Commission.  It is the primary goal for the team I serve on.  We also describe it this way – helping Christ followers understand, embrace, and participate in the Great Commission.

Some people mobilize without realizing they are doing it.  A person may tell a friend about the community ministry he’s involved in or invite someone out for coffee with a church planter who is sharing about the new work.  Others consciously work to involve believers in mission trips or local ministry opportunities. 

There are two primary stages to the missions mobilization process and both are necessary because they depend upon each other as the process continually repeats itself.  The first stage raises awareness, educates and inspires vision and passion for missions.  A person is likely introduced to this stage of mobilization when he hears a mission conference speaker or the testimony of a returning missions trip participant.  Hopefully he or she comes away reminded about God’s love and concern for the whole world and senses personal responsibility to join in the task.  But he also probably senses a need for more practical training about how to apply what he has heard to his life.

The second stage of missions mobilization provides the practical information and guidance people need to transform their mission desire into meaningful involvement.  An example of this would be www.kybaptist.org/GO which helps people actively serve by providing details on mission and ministry opportunities; or www.kybaptist.org/DR which tells how to be trained and equipped for responding to disasters in Kentucky and beyond; or www.kybaptist.org/go/options which provides guidance to people exploring international missions.

Both stages are equally important to the success of passing missions onto the next generation of believers and getting people meaningfully involved in God’s plan to impact lostness in our world, beginning right here in Kentucky. 

Each believer may find himself at a different place in the process, but ALL Christ followers should be in involved in missions (Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:19-20).  In what stage of the missions mobilization process do you find yourself at this time?  

Pastoral Care for Sent-Ones

Shepherding Sent-Ones

In terms of the local church sending missionaries, one of the most overlooked areas is missionary care. Providing missionaries with a touch point of Pastoral Care is critical for them to not only maintain a healthy relationship with the church, but also sustain a healthy relationship and share Christ well among the nations. In order to plant healthy churches, we must have healthy disciples. Here is a simple outline or template of a Pastoral Care Plan with touch points:

Purpose: The goal of the Pastoral Care Plan is to have every missionary family and single adopted and advocated for by the church and the pastoral care team.

Limitations: Pastoral Care is intended to provide a base level of encouragement, care, and advocacy. Pastors need not feel the full load of care and advocacy unless desired. Each missionary has access to care through multiple channels including Sunday school classes, community groups, a care team, and missional staff (voluntary or paid).

Details: I ask that pastors consider committing to a missionary family/single and following through on basic touch points of communication and being accessible to the missionary. We want each missionary to feel like our pastors are “in their corner.” 

Step 1: Know what you are committing to (suggested touchpoints):

Every Month: Provide a simple touch point. This could be a short email of encouragement,  WhatsApp, a handwritten letter, or something of the like.

Every 6 months: Have one Zoom call.

Every year: Send a care package from your family to theirs. If possible, build it into the budget, and do not forget to include shipping cost.  

 Step 2: Commit to a missionary family/single by: 

1) Signing up for available missionaries on the excel document.

2) Send an email to the missionary letting them know that you are committing to be their pastoral advocate.

3) Calendar your monthly touch point so you do not forget!

Step 3: Keep other leaders in the loop as needed. If you need help, have questions, or are concerned about your missionary; please let us know and we will be glad to help.

Adopting a missionary is a simple way you and your Missional Community can begin serving in missions. For information about adopting a Kentucky MSC missionary, visit  www.kybaptist.org/adopt-a-missionary. To learn more about adoption options with national and international SBC missionaries, contact the Missions Mobilization Team ([email protected] or 502-489-3530). If you have any questions about setting up a Missionary Care Plan, please contact John Barnet ([email protected] or 502-654-3385).

Ministry on Rattlesnake Ridge

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of visiting KY-MSC Missionary Hilton Duncan and three of the volunteers at Integrated Community Ministries (ICM) in McCreary County, Kentucky.  Located in an area known as Rattlesnake Ridge and situated in the foothills of Appalachia, ICM is making a huge difference in the lives of families in a county that is one of the poorest in the United States. 

Hilton’s wife Barbara, also a KY-MSC Missionary, is from the area and Hilton said, “I just married into the family and the area.”  The ministry began in 1999 when Barbara’s grandmother was very sick and dying of cancer.  Her grandmother had a large garden and did not want her garden “stuff” to go to waste.  The community rallied around the family and took care of the garden for them that year.

When Barbara’s grandmother passed, the family decided to do fruit baskets for those that had helped them during her illness.  A lady from the community called and said she had some clothes that she would like to donate and asked if they could distribute the clothes for her.  One mother was able to get school clothes for her children that year thanks to this donation and asked if they would keep give out clothing.  Barbara agreed.

The first Christmas Hilton and Barbara were planning a yard sale to raise money to purchase coats for fifty children.  It “just so happened” that a lady named Lynn from Alpharetta, GA had stopped by and overheard their conversation.  Lynn was a member of a large church just outside of Atlanta and asked if she could go back and share with her church about this need for coats in Appalachia.  The church sponsored the event that year and provided coats and gifts for one hundred children. 

Fast forward twenty-three years and ICM has expanded to serve three hundred fifty kids and families with clothing and so much more, not only at Christmas, but year-round.  In addition to the thrift store, they offer a food assistance program that serves one hundred fifty plus families a month.

Through ICM’s after-school program students have access to a computer lab, get help with homework, life skills, and much, much more.  Back-to-school events help to provide needed school supplies to the students.

Their Front Porch Ministry and Youth Ministry Programs introduce the families to Christ and minister to the spiritual needs of those they serve.  Through Bible studies, youth ministry, and counseling services the families not only learn about Christ but are exposed to strong Christian examples.  Visiting mission teams lead Vacation Bible Schools during the summer months that also teach the children about Jesus.

At Christmas mission teams partner with ICM to provide each child with new toys, clothing, the Christmas Backpacks, and other items.  Families receive food to prepare a Christmas meal.  For most, this is all they will receive for Christmas.

The list could go on and on as to how Hilton and Barbara Duncan are impacting the lives in their own community through Integrated Community Ministries.  All assistance programs are offered free of charge to the families.  Local volunteers, businesses, and mission teams come alongside ICM to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the families they serve.  Oh, and in addition, Hilton is also pastor of Stearns First Baptist Church.

In February 2016, at the 50th Governor’s Prayer Breakfast where Guest Speaker Coach John Calipari emphasized actions over words, Hilton & Barbara were awarded the William Cooper Faith and Community in Action Award for serving the needy in Eastern Kentucky.

Please pray for Hilton & Barbara and Integrated Community Ministries as they continue to serve.  Pray especially for Barbara as she is having some health issues, and for Hilton as he also cares for his wife and as he serves the church.

To learn more about this ministry and how you can get involved check out their website at www.ky-icm.org.  You will be blessed.

It’s Time to Pray

As we have all watched Hurricane Ian make landfall on the news and weather stations, there is no doubt a stirring in our hearts for those affected by this massive storm. We are all amazed at the magnitude of this storm, the power it has to create such destruction, and the amount of rain it has produced. Once again, our hearts hurt with those who are hurting.

Southern Baptists are mobilizing to bring help, hope and healing to those who are hurting. Feeding operations are currently being set up and operating. Mobile shower units, recovery units, chaplains, support equipment and more are being sent to provide for the needs of people.

It’s time to pray.

It’s time to pray for those who have been directly affected by this devastating storm. Many have lost loved ones or their homes. Many have lost their jobs and belonging. It’s time we pray for them that their immediate and long-term needs are met.

It’s time to pray for those who are mobilizing to bring help to provide meals, clean up the debris, and restore needed resources. It’s time to pray for their safety as they travel and work.

It’s time to pray for financial support to come to purchase supplies, food, water, fuel, household items and more. The needs will be enormous. It’s time to pray how you can give to support the relief efforts.

It’s time to pray that even in the midst of this destruction, God would open doors of opportunity to have gospel conversations with those who are asking “why?” Southern Baptist chaplains are mobilizing to care for the emotional and spiritual well being of those who are hurting.

It’s time to pray for the local churches who have been affected and the pastors who are caring for their congregations. The needs will be great. It’s time to pray for churches who can partner with churches to lend support and make a cooperative kingdom impact.

It’s time to pray that the God of heaven will bring a revival to this land. As big and powerful as this storm has proven to be, our God is bigger still. May we cry out to Him to meet our need.

It’s time to pray.

Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. Psalm 4:1