Page 21 - Western Recorder NOVEMBER 2020

What lessons did you learn as a result of the coronavirus? How did you cope with pastoring and being the president during the pandemic?
There’s only one word I can use to describe 2020: unprecedented. Ev- erything that is happening with the coronavirus is simply unprecedented.
In late August, the virus attacked my home — both my kids and myself tested positive for the coronavirus. We were fortunate that while we had a couple of weeks of sickness, we were able to heal and bounce back when others were not so fortunate. The coronavirus is real.
I have been greatly encouraged by the churches of our state through these unprecedented days. When we came to a place where our churches weren’t able to meet in person, I think a lot of people wondered what would become of us.
Baptists hold firmly to their traditions and the radical waters we faced were difficult to navigate. And yet, our churches rose up to the challenges. We couldn’t have in-person worship, but that didn’t stop our folks from worship- ping via livestreaming or on social media.
We couldn’t go out to do evangelism like usual, but our churches have con- tinued to see people come to saving faith in Christ.
We couldn’t take up an offering, but our churches continued to give to support their local congregations and the work of the Cooperative Program.
The coronavirus forced all of our churches to get out of their comfort zones. I think many people did not
think we would be successful in doing so, but we have. Pastors and churches have become innovative and creative. The gospel cannot be bound. Watching churches work through these difficulties and having the privilege to serve a great church through this pandemic has filled my heart with gratitude to the Lord for all He is doing in these days.
What can Kentucky Baptists do to encourage and assist full-time and bivocational pastors?
When I was experiencing my call to gospel ministry, I went to my pastor and asked him about the call to ministry. He told me: “Chad, if you can do anything else in all the world, go and do it.” My pastor wasn’t discouraging me to forsake my calling. He has been one of my great- est encouragers across the years. But he knew the difficulties of ministry. He knew the heartaches that goes with pastoring churches. He knew the hardships that pastors and their families are called to make. Pastors are called of God to take up a monumental task when they are called to follow him into pastoral ministry.
I think the best way that Kentucky Baptists can encourage their pastors
is simply to love them and their fam-
ily well. Be a genuine listening ear for your pastor. Offer to watch his young children one evening so he and his wife can go out on a date. Handwrite a note of encouragement, sharing with your pastor how God is using him in your church. These are small things, but they are enormous things for your pastor.
Bivocational pastors are the heroes of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Kentucky
is a rural state and the majority of our churches are smaller congregations that are led by bivocational pastors. These are men who are working 40-60 hours a week and pastoring a local church — all while taking care of their families at the same time. And yet they are the heartbeat of the churches of this commonwealth.
Churches with bivocational pastors need to come to the side of their pastor by offering to give him help in his calling. Step up to help by making hospital visits, checking on the elderly in the church and making visits to new attenders. Help your pastor by making things easier on him at the church. Notice all the little things that he’s doing that someone else could do and assign folks to help and do those things. Bivocational pastors are
busy, so anything you can do to slow life down for them and be a blessing will make a big difference in their ministries.
What encouragement can you give to Kentucky Baptists to be more faithful in giving to the Cooperative Program?
I’m a product of the Cooperative Program. I was brought to Christ through the witness of a college student who was set ablaze for the glory of Christ at a university BCM.
I was discipled by a KBC church who loved and poured themselves into me.
I was educated at Clear Creek Baptist Bible College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Both of these institutions are funded through the Cooperative Program. God has richly blessed me to see the work of IMB mis- sionaries in international contexts and churches being planted right here in the states through NAMB. Whenever there’s some kind of crisis or natural disaster, disaster relief teams are already there because they are funded to be there by the Cooperative Program.
There are really no limits to the amount of the work we can accomplish to- gether when we join to give to the Cooperative Program. I believe every church should seek to give at least 10 percent of their undesignated offerings to the Cooperative Program. There’s no scriptural command for churches to do so, but there is some good old-fash- ioned wisdom to it. How can we go to our people on Sunday and ask them to tithe to the church when the church is holding back in its giving to missions?
We can give to the Cooperative Pro- gram as an example to our people. You might be a long way from 10 percent in your giving. Maybe you could add 1 percent a year until you get there.
There’s no question the investment is
a worthy one. There’s no question that God is using the CP to equip ministries to reach myriads of people with the gospel. The only question is simply this — are we part of this great work?
November 2020 ǀ Western Recorder 21