I preached a weekend revival service recently for a Baptist church in the central part of our state. The pastor had prepared the church, made accommodations for me, invited a worship leader, planned our meals together and led the church to pray and attend. We had a wonderful time and experienced a sense of encouragementContinue reading “A Revitalization Story”
Category Archives: Cooperative Program
Why Do We Give Through the Cooperative Program?
At a recent lunch meeting with one of our outstanding young Kentucky Baptist pastors, our discussion turned to the Cooperative Program and the sacrificial generosity of the church he serves. It was a great opportunity to thank him for his leadership and to thank the church for its financial investment to advance the gospel. IContinue reading “Why Do We Give Through the Cooperative Program?”
This Is Why We Cooperate
When I saw the social media post from Dr. Paul Chitwood, president of our SBC International Mission Board, reporting that there are 1,268 candidates in the IMB’s missionary sending pipeline, my immediate response was, “This is why we cooperate!” I could give that same response daily while witnessing Kentucky Baptists working together to advance theContinue reading “This Is Why We Cooperate”
When a Brother Falls
The Apostle Paul, or more precisely the Holy Spirit inspiring him, saw this coming. God knows who we are and what we are each capable of. God instructs us through Paul in Galatians 6:1 which says, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.Continue reading “When a Brother Falls”
A Providential Misspelling
I don’t catch every misspelled word and an important one got past me recently. While skimming through a meeting I noticed the spelling of cooperation as “co-operation.” The dash in the word highlighted the “operation” part of cooperation. Operation, as defined by Cambridge dictionary, is “an activity planned to achieve something.” When you add theContinue reading “A Providential Misspelling”
Two ways to lead evangelistically
As a pastor, you probably won’t receive very much encouragement in your personal evangelism practices. I realize that is a little harsh, but true. Other more pressing ministry needs will likely pull you away from sharing Jesus with lost people. In fact, it is safe to say, you will have to personally prioritize personal evangelismContinue reading “Two ways to lead evangelistically”
How Door Knocking Can Change Eternity
Since becoming the executive director-treasurer for the Kentucky Baptist Convention in August 2019, I have had a long list of things to be accomplished. Given the challenges of our times, that list has changed some, but serving Kentucky Baptists remains the greatest joy of my ministry experience. One of my personal goals during my tenureContinue reading “How Door Knocking Can Change Eternity”
Remember the 98%
At his recent inauguration as the sixth President of Clear Creek Baptist Bible College, Dr. Charlie Goodman made this statement about the cooperative work of Southern Baptists: “I understand not everything is perfect in our world, convention, or churches. But when you look at how our money is spent in our convention — it isContinue reading “Remember the 98%”
7 Questions to Ask When Searching for a Church
Finding a new church home can be a major challenge faced by many Christians. Each local church is a family. Leaving one, whatever the reason, is difficult — as it should be. Although saying goodbye to a church family is tough, what’s even more difficult may be finding that new church. How doesContinue reading “7 Questions to Ask When Searching for a Church”
Praying for Pastors
For a long while now, I have been praying for pastors — but maybe not in the way you might think. I pray for many pastors by name because some are facing ministry challenges. I pray for others seeking guidance on their current place of service. I pray for some who see great open doorsContinue reading “Praying for Pastors”
Dr. Todd Gray 