Ron Crow, Disaster Relief Director, Kentucky Baptist Convention

I am so grateful to our Kentucky Disaster Relief volunteers who are so eager and willing to respond to those who are suffering from disaster. It seems we have seen so many people that have been affected in some way and several even repeatedly.

That is what we discovered in Lake Charles, Louisiana recently. This community was very hard hit from Hurricane Laura last fall with still much left to do to rebuild. Some had just completed rebuilding when the torrential rains came just a few weeks ago flooding many of the homes once again. I cannot begin to imagine the heartbreak, discouragement, and distress this caused these families.

This past week I visited some of our Kentucky Flood Recovery teams that responded to the recent flooding in Lake Charles. It was a long way to travel but Kentucky volunteers are so willing to go when the need arises. Distance does not matter. They understand there are people hurting and that we have the resources they need to help them clean up and recover. We bring them the help that is needed, with the equipment to do the job, and a trained team that can get the job done quickly, safely, and efficiently.

But there is more. Not only do we bring the help that is needed for those who need assistance recovering from the mess, we bring them hope. In fact, there was one individual who was so discouraged and distraught they were considering ending their life. That is when the disaster relief team in the gold shirts arrived. They brought the help that was needed to clean up the mess, but more importantly they brought them hope that through the process it would be okay.

There is hope that comes because of the help they receive. But beyond that, there is the hope that we bring through Jesus Christ. By helping those who are hurting, we can share with them the hope we can find in the Bible and through the cross.

With every home that we help, we present to the homeowner a Bible, signed by every member of the team. These families treasure this Bible as it reminds them of the help and the hope that came to them from these precious people in gold shirts. And this begins the healing process as they move forward from destruction and discouragement, to hope and healing.

In times of disaster, we bring the Help, Hope, and Healing needed to those who are suffering.

Remember to PRAY for our teams and for those experiencing loss. Everyone can pray.
Remember to GIVE to support the continued work of Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief. Most can give.
Remember to GO and be available to serve and help those who are hurting. Some can go.

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:16

William Carey is known as the “father of modern missions.”  He was a missionary to India in the late 1700s.  He and his good friend, Andrew Fuller, partnered together for the advancement of the gospel.  While Carey went to India, Fuller stayed back home becoming president of the Baptist Mission Society.  Carey famously said to Fuller before his departure overseas, “I will go down into the pit, if you will hold the ropes.”  Carey went and Fuller held the ropes. 

New York City is known for many iconic markers—the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Times Square, One World Trade Center, just to name a few.  People flock to this great city for food, entertainment, fame, and fortune.  I recently led a group of church leaders there for a vision trip to meet church planters living in the city for gospel impact.  The city is coming back to life after a year of uncertainty known as 2020.  Manhattan, for example, known as a worldwide center for all things commercial, financial, and cultural, was busy with activity. 

As we met with various church planters to hear their stories and their vision for reaching the city, one theme became clear: we need your help!  Great Commission work is not meant to be done alone.  In a metro area of 22 million people, only 2% follow Jesus.  The massive need of lostness alone can be crippling to any gospel minister without the right support, not counting the challenges of living in a concrete jungle. 

Kentucky Baptist Churches, while very different in context from New York City, can play a vital role in providing a lifeline of gospel advancement in a human sea of lostness.  Every church leader we met expressed the need for meaningful partnerships.  These partnerships are not dependent upon having the same ministry context, but simply a willingness to link arms or as Carey told Fuller once, hold the ropes.

Kentucky Baptists can hold the ropes with gospel partners in New York City through the following examples:

Partner long-term (at least 3-5 years).  Relationships take time and gospel work in New York City is often slow.  Relationships built around encouragement, prayer, teams, and finances provide much needed support. 

Send multiple teams (per year if needed and possible).  Nothing like seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, and touching the city to understand the great needs of the city.  Short-term teams done rightly can be a huge boost to the planter and the advancement of the gospel.

Be gospel centered.  Partnerships built around the gospel are critical.  While there are many good and helpful ways we can serve others, the gospel must be at the center of all we do.

Follow the vision/strategy of the church planter/church.  Let those who live in the city and know the needs of the city determine how to best reach the city. 

Be a servant.  While New York City is a great place to experience so much, partnering there requires that Kentucky Baptist Churches place priority on serving their partner.

As William Carey set sail for India, he needed the assurance that others like Fuller would be back home holding the ropes for him.  New York City church planters need the assurance of Kentucky Baptists that we will join in the work there by holding the ropes for gospel advancement.  If you want to learn more about your church partnering in NYC, please contact me at [email protected]        

Just off the Mountain Parkway, on the Wolfe-Morgan County line, sits Crossroads Baptist Church, a little white church in the quaint community of Helechawa, KY.  The building that once housed the community school was given to the church as a place of worship.  In 2007 Crossroads was started as a mission of Faith Baptist Church Cannel City with 6 members.  It soon grew to 17 or 18 members.

Mission teams from Pellville Baptist Church in Hawesville, White Hall Baptist Church in Richmond, Mt. Washington Baptist Church, Little Flock Baptist Church in Shepherdsville, Shively Baptist Church in Louisville, and perhaps others, came alongside Crossroads to fix up their building and help with outreach.  For several years Shively Baptist Church also came to lead Vacation Bible School.  I recall the day someone from the church called to ask for help in planning their own VBS.  Although they had made many good friends and appreciated the work of the mission teams, they were eager to conduct a VBS themselves, without depending on outside help.

During the November 2013 Kentucky Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, Crossroads moved from “mission” to “church” status.  Red River Baptist Association Mission Strategist George Drake shared that West Liberty Baptist Church had been the mother church of Faith Baptist Church in the early 1980s, Faith Baptist Church was the mother church of Grace Baptist Church in the mid-1990s and Crossroads Baptist Church in 2007, and Grace Baptist Church was the mother church of Wrigley Baptist in 2005.  In the Fall of 2013 I visited, and wrote a blog about, Crossroads Baptist Church.  The blog ended with, “Perhaps sometime in the future we will hear that Crossroads has also birthed a church.” 

While that has not actually happened, I recently learned from Red River Baptist Association Mission Strategist George Drake that Crossroads has moved their Sunday evening services to the Nada Baptist Mission, about 30 miles away.  Since hearing that the Nada Mission had closed and the church building given to the Red River Baptist Association, Crossroads Pastor Mark Risner has had such a burden for the church and the Nada community, and desires to see the Mission revived or replanted.

Crossroad’s members have painted and cleaned up around the Nada Mission, have gone door-to-door inviting the community to their services, and are planning a Vacation Bible School for the later part of June 2021.  Other churches in the area, as well as a mission team from Western Kentucky, have also come alongside to help with the Nada Mission.  Volunteers have helped with the physical labor, while others have donated funds to help pay bills. 

Before COVID Crossroads was averaging 45-50 in attendance.  This little church, in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, is excited to be on-mission.  Please pray with them about the future of the Nada Mission, for the families in the community, and that God will send a pastor to this church.  I can’t wait to see how my blog will read in another 8 years.

Churches helping churches, churches planting churches, churches reopening churches with closed doors – this is the cooperative Kentucky Baptist Convention way…and, might I add, God’s way of spreading the Gospel, from person to person, community to community.

Ron Crow, Disaster Relief Director, Kentucky Baptist Convention

I remember driving through our community one sunny afternoon and drove past the local fire station. I noticed that the overhead doors were open, and I was assuming at first that it was because it was such a beautiful day.

But then something else caught my eye. The fire trucks were just inside and the doors of all the firetrucks were open. Hanging from each door was the fireman’s coat and on the floor below each door was his turnout gear. As I saw that picture, I immediately thought to myself, “They are ready to respond within 30 seconds the moment the alarm sounds. They were ready at a moment’s notice.”

With my heart and passion for the disaster relief ministry, it got me to thinking. So, I asked myself the question, “Are we ready to respond at a moment’s notice when disaster strikes?” Obviously, as volunteers there is no way we can respond as quickly as a fire department. But are we ready? Are you ready?

We have learned that there are four basic phases of a disaster response.

The first is READINESS. Are you ready when disaster strikes? Being ready starts now, not after a disaster happens. We need to be alert, available and able. Being ready means being trained, equipped and being ready when the need comes. It involves already knowing and have rehearsed the steps when the call comes.

The second phase is RESPONSE. Response involves mobilizing to meet urgent needs. Response involves search and rescue, immediate relief, feeding, sheltering, and meeting emergent needs.

The third phase is RECOVERY. The recovery phase can last a few days to several months. Recovery includes chainsaw, flood, fire, roofing and tarping, and debris clean-up. This is the phase where the work gets done and requires many volunteers, regardless of skill level.

The final phase is REBUILD. This phase is usually long term and requires assistance from both skilled labor and those willing to serve and learn. This often is the reconstruction phase after homes have been affected by disasters. One major advantage during this phase is the opportunity to build a deeper relationship with the survivors.

We all know disasters happen and they can even happen to any of us. Are you ready? Have you, or are you planning to take the steps to be ready to respond when there is a need?

Hurting people need helping hands. And helping hands come from caring hearts.

Are you ready?

A tsunami of debris engulfed the city blocks surrounding the World Trade Center.  Just prior to this wave of debris, smoke rose in the New York City skyline as both towers were struck by hijacked commercial airliners on September 11, 2001.  Thousands attempted to escape the chaos of the enflamed buildings and surrounding area.  While hordes of people were panicking as they ran away from the direction of the twin towers, heroically others ran to the site as the towers eventually collapsed in a massive ruble.

People were right to run away from the danger, but who would run to it and why?  First responders, that’s who.  Thank God for first responders who train and prepare for times such as September 11.  Instead of running away from danger and distress, first responders run to it. 

The Great Commission is about followers of Jesus running to the needs of the world.  We lay down our lives (both figuratively and sometimes literally) for the hordes of people running to escape the chaos of life.  I was recently reminded of this gospel call when a pastor in a large Midwest city told our vision trip team of a shooting in his neighborhood.  Instead of avoiding the location where the incident occurred, his church went and set up on the corner of the street to engage with family members and neighbors.  They were there to proclaim that hope is found in Jesus alone.  This church functioned like first responders.

This same church, on a weekly basis, has “night church” in a section of town that is known as a hot spot for trouble late at night.  They gather near the street and play Christian music, share testimonies of God’s transforming power, and talk with neighbors about the good news of Jesus.   The church is running to the needs in their community.  They are, in fact, first responders bringing hope in the name of Jesus.

Churches across our nation and state can learn much from this Midwest large city new church.  Here are some takeaways that will help us all in our Great Commission work:

1. Be a church that runs to the needs in your community with gospel hope.
2. To run to the needs, we need to know our communities. 
3. To know our communities, we must immerse our lives in the community.
4. Immersing our lives in our communities requires a continual presence in the community.

The chaos of sin is sweeping across the communities of our state and nation like a tsunami.  It would be easy for the church to simply quarantine itself from the debris and mess.  However, this is not the Jesus way.  He calls us to run to the need, not away from the need.  How will your church respond to the chaos of sin in your community?  Will you be a first responder with gospel urgency?   

Cory Bledsoe, Executive Director of Re:Center Ministries in Louisville has been chosen as the 2021 Kentucky Missionary of the Year. 

This award is given annually to a missionary that demonstrates:

• Commitment to and effectiveness in evangelism, church planting, or ministry.
• Demonstration of “going the second mile”.
• Outstanding performance in achieving assigned tasks.
• Tenure.
• Unusual commitment to our Lord’s service.
• Positive representation of Kentucky Baptist Convention.
• True reflection of being an “On Mission Christian”.

Founded in 1881, Re:Center Ministries (formerly Louisville Rescue Mission) reconciles homeless and hurting people to God, family, and community by the power of Christ in partnership with the local church.  Programs span a continuum of care—from prevention to relief to recovery – and provide holistic, high-impact answers to the problem of homelessness in their communities. 

They offer an emergency day shelter for women and children, LifeChange Stability which provides men an emergency place to stay, a three-month recovery program for men who are homeless, and a twelve-month transition ministry for men who have jobs and are transitioning to leave Re:Center. 

As the Executive Director, Cory provides day to day leadership, and management of the facility.  

He is a proven leader and has escorted Re:Center ministries through major change that has included rebranding, a fresh vision, strategy development, expansion of the ministry into southern Indiana, and a thrift store.  Cory has also strengthened the partnership of Re:Center with local churches who help to reconcile the hurting to Christ. 

Cory understands homelessness and the hopelessness that accompanies it.  He believes that if the spiritual void is not met with the gospel of Christ, any assistance provided is only a temporary band-aid. 

He is actively involved in his local church, is married to Sarah and they have 3 children.

Eric Allen, Missions Mobilization Team Leader with the Kentucky Baptist Convention says, “When I think about the many lives that have been transformed through Re:Center, I recall Brandon who was addicted and homeless.  After trusting in Christ and going through the program, Brandon was called to ministry and went on to attend Bible college.  That’s life change!”

CONGRATULATIONS to Cory Bledsoe, the 2021 Kentucky Missionary of the year.  He is most deserving. 

To learn more about Cory’s ministry at Re:Center go to https://recenterministries.org/.

Consider adopting Cory through the KBC Adopt-a-Missionary program.  For more information go to www.kybaptist.org/adoptmissionary. 

As I have the privilege to meet with Kentucky Baptist Churches and their leaders about the Great Commission, we regularly discuss matters of church planting and church revitalization.  When it comes to the Great Commission, a primary part of the church’s faithfulness to that call involves healthy church formation.  As Jesus instructs His disciples before He ascends back to heaven, He commands them to make disciples (Matt 28:16-20). 

While we love to tell people that we are all about making disciples, what does that actually mean?  The best way to know what that means is to examine what Jesus’ early disciples did to make disciples.  In short, the book of Acts demonstrates their understanding of Jesus’ command as that of birthing or planting churches and strengthening existing churches (Acts 14:19-23).  Great Commission obedience is done in the context of forming healthy churches.    

So, as I meet with churches across the Commonwealth of Kentucky to discuss the Great Commission and a strategy for obeying Jesus’ command, we inevitably discuss church planting and church revitalization. Here is the question I most often ask: Are we called in the Great Commission to plant new churches or help existing churches become healthier?  The answer is clear—Yes!

Great Commission work involves the planting of new churches and the revitalization of existing churches.  The Great Commission expands as churches are planted and strengthened.  Why?  Because more churches are needed to reach an ever-increasing population.  Yet, churches that are not healthy will never focus outward, but only inward.  For example, one NAMB stat reveals that there is only 1 SBC church for every 6,505 people.

Intertwined in Paul’s missionary journeys in Acts is the planting of new churches and the strengthening of existing churches.  Scripture never puts church planting and church strengthening at odds. We could say that they are two sides of the same coin.  Paul’s concern in Acts is for the spread of the gospel through planting new churches and the strengthening of existing churches.  Thus, in Acts 14 Paul plants new churches and then circles back around to these same churches to ensure that these churches are in fact healthy. 

While healthy churches seek to build disciples within their own congregation, they also look outward to reach other peoples and places through the planting of new churches.  This Great Commission focus requires a Kingdom mindset that says it’s not simply about our own local congregation, but about the spread of the gospel through many congregations. 

So should churches be about planting new churches or strengthening existing churches.  Yes!  Great Commission work is the making of disciples through the context of local churches planting new churches and strengthening existing churches.

Sixteen men and women have sensed God’s call to serve in ministries across our state and will be commissioned during a very inspirational service on Friday, April 16^th, during the evening session of the Kentucky Woman’s Missionary Union Annual Meeting & Celebration at Shelbyville First Baptist Church.  With last year’s WMU Meeting being canceled due to COVID, we will be recognizing new missionaries for the past two years. 

 These new missionaries are:

• Mollie Bentley, Director of Rockhouse Baptist Church Mission Center in Hyden.
• Shawn & Carla Estes, Directors of Fortify Ministries (serving internationals & displaced people) in Glasgow.
• Audra Hatfield, Directing a community outreach (serving internationals & others) through Faith Baptist Church in Frankfort. 
• Sheila Hourigan, Executive Director of House of Hope Pregnancy & Family Resource Center in Springfield.
• Linda McDonald, serving with Impact Ministries in Hopkinsville.
• Susan McIntosh, serving with Impact Ministries in Hopkinsville.
• Christian & Katie McKenzie, Directors of Hillcrest Baptist Camp in Cave-in-Rock, IL.
• Stephanie Mayes, serving with Crossroads Community Baptist Church in Whitley City.
• Joyce Morris, Missions & Ministry Associate at God’s Appalachian Partnership in McDowell,
• Tanya Parker, Missions & Ministry Associate at God’s Appalachian Partnership in McDowell.
• Denise Richards, serving with Impact Ministries in Hopkinsville.
• Brenda Sparks, serving with Cedaridge Ministries in Williamsburg.
• Alex Tenenbaum, Director of Community Engagement with Forest Baptist Church in Louisville.
• Jonas Yoder, Benevolence Director & Re-entry Coordinator with Hell is Real Ministries in Princeton.

Prior to the commissioning these missionaries will spend the day in orientation where they will learn about the Kentucky Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Program, Eliza Broadus State Missions and will be given many resources that will be beneficial to them as they serve.  The time of networking with each other will also be most valuable. 

You can partner with these and/or one of our current 111 Kentucky Mission Service Corps missionaries by:

• Praying for them on their birthdays using the interSEED prayer calendar (www.kybaptist.org/intrseed).
• Adopting a Kentucky missionary through our Adopt-a-Missionary program (www.kybaptist.org/adoptmissionary).
• Assisting in their ministries through a short-term mission project or partnership.

For more information please contact the KBC Missions Mobilization office at [email protected]. 

We hope to see you at Shelbyville First Baptist Church on April 16^th.  Go to www.kywmu.org and register for either in-person or online.