The 187th Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Baptist Convention is in the books. The KBC was organized in 1837 by churches for churches to help churches reach Kentucky and the world for Christ, and this year’s celebration continued to move that mission forward.
Here are five takeaways from this year’s meeting.
1. Cooperation matters: This year the Annual Meeting was preceded by a well-organized menu of evangelistic activities under the umbrella of Hope for West Kentucky. The week culminated on Sunday evening with an evangelistic crusade at the Paducah Expo center with 3,500–4,000 people in attendance. There was a total of 321 professions of faith from all the outreaches. Hope for West Kentucky- was a picture of cooperation at its best as 61 local churches worked together to touch thousands of lives with the gospel.
2. Attendance matters: “You had to be there” is a phrase we use when words or pictures fail to describe an event. That was the case with the Hope for West Kentucky evangelistic crusade Sunday evening. The Pastors’ Conference and the Annual Meeting were also excellent events. For most Kentucky Baptists, attendance at events like these is nearly impossible due to work schedules and family demands. But most churches can send at least one person — maybe more — from their church to the Annual Meeting. One of our churches sent a dozen men on a six-hour drive to attend the events. If you are a Kentucky Baptist, then this is your state convention and your attendance matters.
3. Celebration matters: It is good to celebrate the good things God is doing in us, among us and through us. This year’s Annual Meeting theme was Together for the Mission, and we were able to celebrate God’s favor on our KBC Agencies and Institutions, the work of our Mission Board staff, Disaster Relief, Cooperative Program giving and much more. Ultimately, we are celebrating how God is using Kentucky Baptists to advance the gospel of Jesus here at home and around the world — and we have much to celebrate.
4. Giving matters: Kentucky Baptists give generously to fund ministry and missions. This past year, KBC churches gave more than $22,730,000 through the Cooperative Program and more than $32,000,000 total through CP, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and the Eliza Broadus Offering. Kentucky Baptist churches are faithful-giving churches and, as God has blessed them financially, they are sending that blessing forward to advance the gospel beyond their local church in Kentucky to the U.S. and around the world.
5. Kentucky matters: God, in His loving providence, has chosen to use Kentucky Baptists to advance His gospel. The Cooperative Program has its origins in Kentucky and only heaven will reveal the full impact of the CP giving of Kentucky Baptist and Southern Baptist churches to impact Kentucky and the world for Christ.
We enjoyed an incredible gathering this year of Kentucky Baptist pastors and church members. The preaching was great. The music was incredible; the fellowship was sweet; God was glorified and His people were encouraged.
Thank you, Kentucky Baptists, for working Together for the Mission.
Dr. Todd Gray 