Partners in the Mission

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Partners in the Mission has moved!  Check out Dr. Mackey's new blog at http://www.partnersinthemission.org.

 0 Comments posted by: Brenda Smith on November 3rd, 2010

What Now?

All of the activity surrounding the announcement about my retirement made an eventful week.

Kay and I first spoke to the Kentucky Baptist Convention Administrative Committee. Then we met with KBC Team Leaders, and later, Baptist Building personnel. Then e-mails were sent, with my letter attached, to Mission Board members and staff, leaders of Kentucky Baptist agencies and institutions, directors of missions, and my fellow executive directors of state and regional Baptist conventions.

Then our Communications Department released the news publicly.

I did fine until I tried to share a statement by our daughter about her desire for her sons to have a legacy of faith through time with their granddad. It was easier to say the second time.

It was not an easy decision. We are in good health, and we love Kentucky Baptists. We remain thankful for the opportunity God has provided to serve Him by serving Kentucky Baptists.

But this is a good time for transition. I’ll be 70 in January, and Kay is not far behind.

God has enabled us to serve with the finest staff members, entity leaders and Mission Board members to be found anywhere. And, through our travels across the commonwealth, we have met incredible people of faith being used mightily by God. He is at work in churches of all sizes and through people from diverse backgrounds and locations. Kay and I treasure the stories of faith by Kentucky Baptists that have enriched our lives.

We will miss personal relationships that have grown over these 13 years, and the relationships that have been renewed from seminary days and 13 years of church ministry in Middlesboro and Whitesburg.

Kay will be in Raleigh, N.C., this week to baby sit grandsons.

For me, it is back on the road the last two weeks of October with six speaking engagements and five associational meetings. In addition, there will be two state convention committee meetings, a Team Leader meeting, staff forum and participation in a three-day training event. More later about the Mackeys’ plans for the future.

The Mission Board staff has good direction with Kentucky Baptists Connect goals, the “Find It Here” follow-up in 2011, and focus on the Great Commission Task Force recommendations that will be decided next month during the annual meeting.

And until May 31, 2011, Kay and I plan to be active in our responsibilities, God willing. I want to encourage all Kentucky Baptists to keep our focus on the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

 0 Comments posted by: Bill Mackey on October 20th, 2010

Moving On

Today I shared with the KBC Administrative Committee and the KBC Mission Board staff my plans to retire at the end of May of next year.

Here's the letter that I shared with the committee:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

It has been one of the great privileges of my life and ministry to serve our Lord Jesus Christ by serving the Kentucky Baptist Convention Mission Board and Kentucky Baptists as executive director-treasurer for almost 13 years.  Therefore, it is with a mixture of gratitude and sorrow that I share with you today my plans to retire from this formal ministry role on May 31, 2011. Kay, my wonderful wife and ministry partner, and I look forward to moving to North Carolina where we will be able to be nearer to children and grandchildren.  

I came to this position on Feb. 1, 1998 with a God-given vision to help the Kentucky Baptist Mission Board build on a spiritual foundation of prayer to be a vision- and ministry-driven organization and to strengthen personal relationships as we served the churches.  I knew that the turn of the century would be a time of transition and it has been gratifying to experience God’s leadership with Kentucky Baptists. I have long admired the willingness of Kentucky Baptists to really stretch in order to cooperate in the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It has been a joy to serve with a staff that has been unified and totally committed to the mission that God has provided. “Find it Here” is just one recent example of outstanding KBC staff cooperation. There have been many others, including Crossover Louisville ’09, the development of the Ministry Toolbox for churches, challenging disaster relief responses, church planting, the relocation of the Baptist Building, the implementation of Kentucky Baptists Connect and numerous transitions and adjustments.

God has also provided incredible Mission Board and Convention leaders at just the right times. There are so many Kentucky Baptists who have provided outstanding leadership for boards, committees and special study groups.  It has been a privilege to work with Kentucky Baptists and other state conventions in promoting the ministry and mission of the KBC and Southern Baptist Convention through the Cooperative Program and special missions offerings.

It has also been exciting to witness the continued development of KBC institutions and agencies. The KBC entities and their quality leaders are among the most effective and productive in the entire Southern Baptist Convention.

It is with much sorrow that I anticipate my personal loss of a wonderful daily working relationship with KBC leaders, staff, and a host of Kentucky Baptists. I wish that I could have become personally acquainted with every Kentucky Baptist and could have learned about their journey of faith with the Lord.

I praise God for the cooperation, missions effort, encouragement and prayers of Kentucky Baptists.  It is my prayer that Kentucky Baptists will continue to be the unique, missions-focused, cooperating people that God has blessed so richly.

My prayers will also continue daily for the work of Kentucky Baptists, the ministry of each entity, and the vital ministry of the KBC staff.  I will also be praying for the selection of a new executive director-treasurer who will, under God, direct a new era in the mission of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

With the Apostle Paul, I am confident… “that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

I'll have more to say about my wonderful experiences in this role in the weeks ahead. Click here if you want to see the KBC's news release about my announcement.

 0 Comments posted by: Dr. Bill Mackey on October 12th, 2010

Northside Learns the Power of CP Giving

I recently had the privilege of being with Northside Baptist Church of Science Hill in Pulaski County to share about the Cooperative Program during Sunday school time and to preach during worship.

I had previously met the pastor, Rev. Patrick Bratcher, during the “Welcome to Kentucky” event for new ministers and their spouses. A native of Kentucky, he had served as a pastor in Virginia during his studies at Clear Creek Baptist Bible College. Clear Creek graduates are known for their strong support of missions through the Cooperative Program.

His wife, Jessica, is also a graduate of Clear Creek.  They have two lovely daughters and a handsome son.

For a number of years, Northside Baptist Church had a strong record of giving to missions through the Cooperative Program but its missions giving had declined during a period of loss in attendance. The church has since experienced recovery and growth during the last several years but had not adjusted its support of missions. Brother Patrick discovered that many new members did not know about the Cooperative Program or did not know the purpose of this dynamic method of funding missions and ministries.

Since arriving in January of this year, Patrick has been intentional about educating the congregation about the Cooperative Program and has led the church to increase its CP giving from $1,200 to $12,000. The church is also considering an additional increase.

On the Sunday I was there, Brother Patrick asked me to share about how the Cooperative Program works and the results that are achieved through cooperative giving. Basing my sermon on Acts 1:6-8, I shared a Biblical message showing how the local church, association, state convention and the Southern Baptist Convention all relate to Acts 1:8.

After providing the framework of how the local church and association relate to Jerusalem, the state convention to Judea, North America to Samaria, and international missions to the uttermost parts of the earth, I shared the purpose and summary of missions and ministry results in each area. A handout contained the biblical outline and facts on the front and back of one page so participants could focus their prayers and be reminded of the impact locally, beyond their church and around the world.

Northside has given a cumulative total of $352,441 to missions through the Cooperative Program since 1951. God has blessed the church financially and the congregation wants to be a blessing to others locally and around the world through more sacrificial missions support through the Cooperative Program.  I am grateful for this vision and pray that others will catch this same vision for Acts 1:8 missions!

 0 Comments posted by: Bill Mackey on October 12th, 2010

Hardinsburg Baptist is ‘Moving Forward’

Hardinsburg Baptist Church recently celebrated the dedication of new facilities. The new facilities include a large welcoming area, sanctuary, spacious fellowship hall, library, abundant parking and classrooms.

The theme for the dedication was “Moving Forward for the Glory of God.”

 The day started with a worship service and door closing at the downtown property and a car caravan to the new facilities on the U.S. 60 Bypass. The door opening ceremony was followed by a dedication service and lunch in the spacious fellowship hall that doubles as a gym.

The final service at the downtown facility included special music by the church choir and children’s choir, testimonies by former pastors, a video history and a message by Pastor Doug Miller.

The new sanctuary was filled with members and guests who were led in upbeat worship music by Minister of Music Brad Krigbaum, and soloists. Joe Miller, the Building Committee chairman, shared the history of the relocation and recognized committees and the church trustees who assisted with the move.

Pastor Miller presented a wonderful message on moving in response to God’s leadership. He admonished the congregation to view the new facilities as a base of operation and not a place for roots and entrenchment.

He emphasized that because “movement is inevitable, it is foolish to put stakes too deep.” A young boy responded by profession of faith and two other children were recognized for their baptisms.

All were captured by the testimony of Rev. Robert Wayne who served as pastor from 1957-1961. He shared that during a major vote by the church during his tenure, 12 people voted against the particular recommendation. After the decision was made, however, one of the key leaders who voted “no” asked to speak. This leader said that he felt the majority should rule and that he wanted to change his vote. All the others who had voted against the measure then did the same in a demonstration of unity.

Former pastor Harry Dooley also gave testimony to unity in the church.

It is believed that Hardinsburg Baptist Church dates back to the launch of a congregation in 1841. It is definite that in 1887 a “re-organized group of Baptists built a framed church on the same property.”  The church relocated to 115 E. Third St. in 1926 where it continued to meet until this year.

In 2006, the church built a pavilion on the new property where numerous church activities have been conducted. Playground equipment and a walking track added attraction to the property.

Hardinsburg Baptist Church is a great partner in missions support through the Cooperative Program and missions offerings. Since 1925, the church has given $1.3 million to missions through the Cooperative Program.

Pray that all KBC churches will move forward for the glory of God!

 0 Comments posted by: Bill Mackey on October 5th, 2010