KBC Restructures Partnership Missions Department 07/30/2008 LOUISVILLE – Seeking to increase missions involvement convention-wide, the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Partnership Mission Department has restructured its approach to equipping KBC churches for missions. While existing partnerships will remain a priority for the department, Partnership Missions Director Scott Pittman said its focus is shifting toward facilitating partnerships directly between KBC churches and people groups, regions or countries throughout the world. Pittman’s vision is for every Kentucky Baptist church “to be directly involved in sending its members to all the world to share the gospel.” “In the not so distant past, direct missions involvement of the layperson was unheard of, but easy air travel and instant communication have increased the effectiveness of short-term missionaries,” said Pittman. “I believe we are seeing a cumulative effect of thousands of volunteers going overseas for the past 20 years. “Across the SBC, this has encouraged churches to become increasingly involved in international missions efforts as they view their role in the Great Commission from a new perspective.” Pittman said that while the traditional partnership model has served Kentucky Baptists well in past years, he saw a need for a structure better suited to mobilize the growing number of volunteers and to encourage all KBC churches to increase their level of missions involvement. The new structure is also designed to better complement the new strategies of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board and North American Mission Board, he said. “Both the IMB and NAMB have recognized the importance of incorporating volunteers into their field strategies,” he said. “The focus has also shifted to people groups and population segments, and we want to enable our churches to join these efforts.” Previously, the Partnership Missions Department worked to develop relationships with Baptist missionaries in select countries or regions in order to determine if Kentucky Baptists could effectively support the work in that area. Once an official partnership was approved by the convention, the department would coordinate teams from KBC churches to travel on short-term mission trips to the selected country or region. “The new structure is all about the churches,” Pittman said. “We are here to serve the churches by helping them fulfill their call to go wherever God is leading. Now, we can help facilitate ‘tailor-made’ mission experiences to meet the specific needs of any church regardless of their calling, finances, size, or level of missions experience.” Pittman has developed four levels of missions involvement and is encouraging churches to identify their current level and then begin to move toward the next level. Under the new structure, churches can now choose the region or people group with whom they want to work. Level one (Exploring Missions) churches have had limited experience but understand the importance of missions. Level two (Increasing Involvement) churches have been exposed to overseas missions and are seeking God’s direction for a greater commitment to missions. Level three (Partnering Strategically) churches are ready to commit for a specific time to work with an IMB missionary in a specific region. Level four (Fully Committed) churches desire to take full responsibility for an unreached people group or area without direct missionary assistance. Pittman said churches seeking mission experiences will continue to have opportunities through the existing partnership between the KBC and the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware. “The Maryland-Delaware Partnership is just getting underway with scores of missions opportunities available for our churches,” he said. “We are also preparing to send several more teams to help close out our Brazil partnership, and we will continue working alongside our Tanzanian Baptist brothers in a focused partnership.” Mission Board members approved the department’s new structure earlier this year at the May 5-6 board meeting at Cedarmore Conference Center. 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 Kristie Randolph, KBC Communications