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S.C. staffer nominated as Kentucky executive


LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)–A former Whitesburg, Ky., pastor who currently serves as leadership development and evangelism growth director for South Carolina Baptists has been nominated to be executive secretary-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.
Bill Mackey, 56, will be presented to the KBC executive board Dec. 8 by a 14-member search committee.
If elected, he would succeed Bill Marshall, who retired after 14 years as KBC executive secretary-treasurer. Mackey would assume the post Feb. 1, nearly one year after Marshall stepped down.
Mackey is described by friends, colleagues and the search committee as a creative leader who will help the Kentucky convention position itself for the 21st century. In South Carolina, he has been part of one of the most widely lauded reorganizations of a state Baptist convention staff into leadership teams focused on serving the needs of local churches.
Search committee chairwoman Peggy Hicks of Louisville described Mackey as “a man who has a vision for the future and knows who we are.”
She said Mackey is “conservative but non-political.”
“He feels he’s there for everyone,” she said, explaining that meets the committee’s profile. “Early on, the search committee said we must find a centrist.”
She predicted Mackey would be “inclusive” by relating to Kentucky Baptists of all political, theological and geographic categories, as well as of all church sizes.
Mackey has served on staff of the South Carolina Baptist Convention since 1979, first as evangelism director and since 1992 as director of the leadership development and evangelism growth team.
Mackey moved to South Carolina from Kentucky, where he was pastor of First Baptist Church, Whitesburg, for 10 years, from 1969-79. During his tenure there, Sunday school enrollment grew 200 percent, missions expenditures grew 386 percent and 520 people were baptized. Also during that decade, the Whitesburg church birthed three mission congregations.
Prior to his Whitesburg pastorate, Mackey was associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Middlesboro, Ky., for three years.
Mackey earned an associate of arts degree from North Greenville (S.C.) College, bachelor of arts degree from Furman University in Greenville, S.C., and bachelor of divinity and doctor of ministry degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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  • Mark Wingfield