Kentucky Baptists ‘Together for the Mission’
By Mark Maynard/Kentucky Today
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Kentucky Baptist Convention’s 187th Annual Meeting took place Nov. 12 at First Baptist Church Paducah with the theme of “Together for the Mission.”
A total of 713 messengers were among the 1007 who attended.
Randy McPheron, an associational mission strategist in the Rockcastle Baptist Association, presided over the meeting as KBC president. Barry Fields, the pastor of Glendale Baptist Church at Cave Mill, delivered the convention message.
Fields also was president of the Pastors’ Conference that took place on Nov. 11 and included plenary speakers Wes Fowler, executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention; Scott Long, campus pastor at Highview Baptist’s Southside campus in Louisville; Lance Parrott, pastor of preaching and vision at Christ Fellowship Church in Bowling Green; Mike Routt, retired pastor from Colorado now doing supply and interim work in Willis, Texas; and Michael York, pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Ashland.
KBC Executive Director Todd Gray said one of the convention’s priorities for 2024-25 is the CP 100 Committee, which will celebrate 100 years of Cooperative Program investments, equip and educate future generations of Kentucky Baptists to continue the cooperative work, and encourage the growth of CP giving in Kentucky.
“Earlier this year, a group of 30 Kentucky Baptist leaders began meeting under the heading of the CP 100 Committee,” Gray said. “This Committee met numerous times, in person and virtually, divided themselves into sub-groups and brought recommendations to help achieve their objectives.”
Mike Richey serves as the committee chairman. He is a lifelong Kentucky Baptist and a member of Sand Spring Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon and Sunday school teacher.
Messengers voted to approve a budget of $22,200,000 million for fiscal year 2025-26, which is an increase of $200,000 compared to the 2024-25 budget. CP receipts in FY 23-24 totaled $22,730,100
Half of Kentucky’s Cooperative Program dollars go to the Southern Baptist Convention and half directly fund ministry within the state, including Kentucky Disaster Relief, Sunrise Children’s Services, Oneida Baptist Institute, Clear Creek Baptist Bible College, Crossings Camps, the Woman’s Missionary Union, and various other evangelism, missions and church support programs.
The new officers elected for 2025 were:
- President Brad Walker. Pastor of Briensburg Baptist Church in Benton, Ky.
- First Vice President Jeff Perry. Associate Pastor of Burlington Baptist in Burlington, Ky.
- Second Vice President Chris Downing. Pastor of Canton Baptist in Cadiz, Ky.
Several Kentucky Baptist churches were recognized for Cooperative Program giving, missions participation, church revitalization and baptisms.
Karen Smith, longtime disaster relief volunteer, received the Women in Christian Leadership recognition.
Jim Ewing, pastor of First Baptist Church, Calvert City received the Guardian of Life recognition for his pro-life work.
Mike Mallory of WPSD in Paducah was honored with the Integrity in Journalism award.
The late illusionist Greg Farmer was posthumously recognized for Lifetime Leadership in Evangelism.
Ricky Cunninghan, pastor of Hardin Baptist Church was recognized for Distinguished Cooperative Program Leadership for his longtime support of CP.
Next year’s Annual Meeting will be at First Baptist Cold Spring in northern Kentucky on Nov. 11.
Find more information about the Kentucky Baptist Convention Annual Meeting at KentuckyToday.com.
BCMD attests ‘Nothing Is Impossible with God’
By Sharon Mager/BCMD
OCEAN CITY, Md. — The Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware’s 188th Annual Meeting, this year christened “The Gathering,” was held at the Ashore Ocean Front Resort & Beach on Nov. 10-12 and brought 290 messengers and 124 guests from 173 churches.
While the style has been transitioning to more of a celebration and praise service rather than a business meeting, this year’s event organizers added several new components, including more corporate prayer time and multiple breakout sessions.
There was also a well-attended and received senior pastors’ conference on Tuesday evening and Wednesday following The Gathering, which included additional breakouts and a dinner for pastors and wives.
Nothing is Impossible
In his annual address, Executive Director Tom Stolle used the account of the annunciation and Gabriel’s words to Mary to emphasize the meeting’s theme, “Nothing Is Impossible with God.”
“Mary had a choice to make,” Stolle said. “She didn’t hesitate. She hears, steps out in faith, and says, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’”
“Imagine how much we could do, how far we could go, if we trusted God like Mary did.”
Business
Messengers reelected last year’s slate of officers: President Fred Caudle, pastor of The Church @ St. Charles and Potomac Baptist Association director of missions; First Vice President Ron Blankenship, Montgomery Baptist Association director of missions as first vice president; Second Vice President Anthony Minter, pastor of First Rock Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.; Recording Secretary Stephanie Greer, a life coach at The Garden Church in Baltimore; Assistant Recording Secretary Michael Fillis, pastor of Fenwick Island Baptist Church in Delaware.
Messengers unanimously approved a $7.5 million budget ($2.7 for BCM/D’s Skycroft Conference Center), slightly larger than last year’s. The convention will continue to forward 37 percent of Cooperative Program receipts to national and international SBC causes. Stolle shared an emphasis on indigenous church planting and an increased focus on church health.
Additionally, messengers unanimously passed a resolution to celebrate and promote the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program in 2025.
Keith Myer, who has led BCM/D’s sexual abuse task force, reporting to attendees, said, “In 2025, we will transition from a task force model to establishing a dedicated care team.” The team will provide assistance to churches responding to incidents of abuse and implementing protective measures.
President’s Address
BCM/D President Fred Caudle referred to Psalm 71:18, where David says, “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation,” Caudle said, David was in the throes of injustice and oppression and needed rescue but remembers there’s another generation, another cycle of life.
Challenging attendees, Caudle said, “Look back in your mind, who did God use in your life? Is it our desire to invest in the next generation?” To reach those who follow, Caudle said, “We must have a genuine, authentic love – for people of all walks, all people — a passionate love because one person perishing breaks our heart and makes us want to weep. If you walk with God and walk with people, you’ll reach another generation.”
Several other brief sermons were preached during the two-day meeting.
“I’m looking forward to reviewing my notes and applying what we learned,” said Jay Beard, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Thurmont, Md. His wife Carissa said, “I got to meet some other pastors’ wives as well as other women in ministry. Getting the opportunity to bounce ideas was great, but even better, we prayed together. This is what being on mission together is all about.”
