On Tuesday, Aug. 2, I toured as much of the southeastern Kentucky flood area as I could in one day — starting in Hazard and swinging through Hindman, Whitesburg, Neon, Martin, McDowell, Myra, Jenkins, Carrie and more. My sole purpose was to encourage pastors, leaders and Disaster Relief volunteers in the good work they areContinue reading “Flood discoveries”
Category Archives: Evangelism
As the flood waters recede: How to love your neighbors
Like me, many of you are watching the unfolding devastation of the flooding in southeastern Kentucky. As of the writing of this post, we know that the death toll has reached 35 and is expected to rise. Thirteen Kentucky counties received a disaster declaration allowing them to receive federal aid. Four hundred people were rescuedContinue reading “As the flood waters recede: How to love your neighbors”
Equipping the called
When only about 10% of the churches in your association are served by full-time pastors, you need a strong bench of biblically qualified men to fill the pulpits of the churches. That is the case with the Three Forks Baptist Association in eastern Kentucky, led by AMS Jamie Reynolds. In 2005, two local church pastorsContinue reading “Equipping the called”
Rejoicing over 7,128 baptisms
This past year’s Annual Church Profile was just tallied, and Kentucky Baptists have reason to rejoice! With 77 percent of convention churches reporting, Kentucky Baptist churches baptized 7,128 professing followers of the Lord Jesus Christ this past year. That number is much lower than years past, but higher than the previous year. As churches continueContinue reading “Rejoicing over 7,128 baptisms”
She had never heard the gospel
She can see the church building every time she walks through her front door to get on the school bus, but she had never heard the gospel. The 12-year-old girl with four siblings lives in a mobile home a couple hundred yards behind the church building. I met her and her mother recently while doingContinue reading “She had never heard the gospel”
Engaging in digital evangelism
For a guy who came kicking and screaming into the smart phone era, I never imagined myself engaging in digital evangelism. However, a recent lunch meeting with a sharp, forward-thinking Kentucky Baptist pastor changed my perspective. Digital evangelism is defined by the Center for Online Evangelism as “strategically using the internet, mobile and social mediaContinue reading “Engaging in digital evangelism”
In our own backyard
I recently met a young man in Kentucky who claims he never heard the gospel. I haven’t been able to get past that experience. Here’s how the interaction happened … I was doing front door evangelism with a Kentucky Baptist pastor when we came to this young man’s door. We knocked on the door andContinue reading “In our own backyard”
Learning from leaders
I learn more about ministry leadership by watching other leaders lead than I ever did in the classroom. I have always benefited from seeing others do something before I do it. I may not do it exactly the same way — but it gives me a pattern to follow. The Apostle Paul must have beenContinue reading “Learning from leaders”
REACH 2022 – A Big Hit
I have vivid memories as a 27-year-old pastor of attending a KBC Evangelism Conference. I remember feeling inadequate in my ministry position. But sitting with a crowd of preachers at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, I heard some incredible preaching. One sermon focused on God’s unconditional love, and it met me right where I wasContinue reading “REACH 2022 – A Big Hit”
Using your voice
As a young pastor, I was cautious about becoming overly involved in politics. I didn’t want to alienate anyone, and I certainly didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot in my new church. But the mistake came when I avoided such conversations so much that I was reluctant to speak on social issuesContinue reading “Using your voice”
Dr. Todd Gray 