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| Missions-Minded SBC President to Speak at KBC Annual Meeting |
| Release Date: 10/22/2007 |
 LOUISVILLE - So much media attention focused on Frank Page winning the Southern Baptist Convention presidency as an underdog that many Kentucky Baptists may not be aware that missions helped turn around his declining congregation.
When Page went to Taylors First Baptist Church in 2001, attendance had sunk to 1,000 amid a steady, 10-year-long decline. Although some members participated in mission trips organized by other churches, the congregation had only sponsored one—way back in 1976.
Today more than 2,500 people attend the South Carolina church, part of a groundswell that has touched Sunday school attendance, giving and missions.
The church took five trips in 2005 and that number more than doubled each of the past two years. Approximately 500 members will go on mission trips in 2007, spanning the local area, state, nation and world.
Page will share about these successes when he addresses the Kentucky Baptist Convention Nov. 13 at Severns Valley Baptist Church in Elizabethtown. The theme for this year’s meeting will be “Kentucky Baptists Connect: Empowering Believers in Missions.”
“I will tell the story of how missions involvement as well as prayer ministry involvement, has driven our attendance to two and a half times the size it was seven years ago,” said Page, whose church’s Cooperative Program support was a key factor in his 2006 election.
“God blesses churches on mission and if they want their church to be blessed, then they need to be involved and increasing involvement in missions.”
The longtime pastor credits First Baptist’s growth to biblical teaching about why believers should be on mission and then providing opportunities. That is something he says can be easily duplicated in Kentucky.
While pastors are often called the key to missions, one who isn’t convinced of its value can be the lock that prevents a church from stepping out, Page adds.
“If pastors in Kentucky can catch a vision of what the local church can do, then I believe Kentucky can see a dramatic upswing in missions involvement, giving and praying,” he said.
One secret to increasing involvement at his church has been promotion through a variety of venues. Taylors First Baptist creates intentional awareness campaigns that include printed materials and testimonies from past mission trips, plus reports that are posted on its Web site.
Thanks to modern technology, members also phone in updates from the field, which can be reviewed and downloaded on the site.
Afterwards at a midweek service, teams deliver a recap of their journey, events that draw crowds “because people love to hear what God has done on particular trips.”
“If they hear about things, people are more apt to join in,” Page said. “In our newsletter, we have changed that from a listing of things that are going to happen to include the stories of what has happened.”
Those include accounts of several couples that have returned from trips to other nations and immediately volunteered for long-term mission assignments.
Closer to home, there are successes as well. First Baptist has planted one church per year for the past six years, including a Hispanic mission. It has also organized outreaches such as a free medical clinic and free oil changes for single mothers.
Converts from the latter two were among 76 people baptized Sept. 30 at the church’s first outdoor ceremony at a state park. The Sunday afternoon event included refreshments and other festivities, with numerous passers-by stopping to watch and hear Page’s gospel message.
“We had one of the greatest days in the history of our church,” the pastor said, describing how the event created considerable excitement. “That has set our people on fire as far as local missions and evangelism work.”
Although he felt called to the pastorate as a boy, Page emphasizes that God’s Word doesn’t make distinctions between those in the pulpit and Christians who work as carpenters, plumbers, clerks or maids.
Everyone needs to grasp that God calls each person to specific tasks and they can reach others with the gospel no matter what their career, he said.
Besides lay members who fail to sense their call to missions, Page says other obstacles to getting involved in missions can include selfishness, fear of not having the right personality or talents, or financial reasons.
However, once believers recognize God’s power and have faith in him, they become aware that all perceived obstacles fade away, he said.
That awareness is crucial to understanding the urgency of going out to fulfill the mandates of Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8.
“It is time for Kentucky Baptists to step up to the plate and realize God’s commands have not been rendered null and void,” Page said. “It’s time to do everything we can to join together to see God’s mission work accomplished.”
The Kentucky Baptist Convention is a cooperative missions and ministry organization made up of more than 2,400 autonomous Baptist churches in Kentucky. A variety of state and worldwide ministries are coordinated through its administrative headquarters in Louisville, Ky. including: missions work, disaster relief, ministry training and support, church development, evangelism and more.
Release prepared by Ken Walker, KBC Communications |
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