Several times a year I have the opportunity to preach, bring greetings, or send a video recording of congratulations to Kentucky Baptist Convention churches celebrating significant anniversaries. From church plants hitting the one, two, three, or five-year mark, to legacy churches celebrating anniversaries of 50, 100, 150 or even 200+ years, these significant milestones are a cause of great celebration and thanksgiving. Every church traces its history back to a faithful and dedicated group of people who were determined to obey the Scriptures and continue to ensure that a tangible, visible sign of our Lord is on display through local congregations that are the body of Christ.
While the essence of our faith is a personal relationship with Jesus, the essence of Christianity is a redeemed people bound together in Christ and gathered in the sacred fellowship of a local church. The Baptist Faith and Message states, “A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth.” To miss the role of the church, and our place in the church, is to misunderstand Christianity itself.
At the Kentucky Baptist Convention, we understand that the church and its work is the highest priority under heaven. And we understand our job is to help the church. That job is captured by our mission statement, which reads, “The Kentucky Baptist Convention: Created by churches, for churches, to help churches reach Kentucky and the world for Christ.”
Seeking to live out that mission statement, we not only celebrate significant anniversaries and milestones of our KBC churches, we constantly strive to serve KBC pastors and churches in meaningful ways. If you aren’t aware of the services provided by our staff, here are a few. We offer consulting in: evangelism, age-graded ministries, pastor and staff searches, structuring staff support packages, building programs and fundraising, missions partnership and strategies, community ministries, worship & music, Sunday School & small groups, women’s ministry, audio/video needs, security needs, governing documents and financial management. We also assist in areas like deacon training and disaster relief ministry, and so much more.
All of these services are provided free of charge as a benefit for churches that give through the Cooperative Program. When you have a need, let me encourage you to reach out to your KBC staff. Contact information and more about the services and ministries KBC provides can be found on our website at www.kybaptist.org.