Louisville—College professor and administrator Chad Everhart joins the Kentucky Baptist Convention personnel as campus missionary to the University of the Cumberlands and the Williamsburg region.

Everhart, who is pursuing a doctoral degree in education at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., begins July 1.

“Chad brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the post-secondary arena and will be a tremendous resource to the University of the Cumberlands and Kentucky Baptists the Williamsburg region,” said Brian Combs, Kentucky Baptist Convention Collegiate Ministry Strategist. “I’m excited to see how God works in and through Chad, UC, and the many churches in the region to help more in the Twelve24 window encounter Jesus and experience life to the full.”

As a campus missionary, Everhart will be responsible for not only directing Cumberlands’ Baptist Campus Ministry, but also consulting with associations and churches in the region about ministering to middle and high school students.

An architect, Everhart taught building science at Appalachian State University and served as chairperson of the school’s Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment Department. He also runs his own business in Boone, N.C., offering architecture services to residential and small commercial clients.

Combs said Everhart’s strategic thinking and creative problem-solving skills will go a long way in executing the Twelve24 vision.

“An integral part of Chad’s job will be helping churches lead the massive numbers of lost youth and young adults to encounter Christ,” Combs said. He estimated that only 5 percent of Kentucky’s 12- to 24-year olds have a personal relationship with Jesus and that it will take all 2,400 Baptist churches in the state working together to change that statistic.

Everhart described himself as an “atypical” candidate having not risen through the ranks of campus ministry.

“I believe God has given me a unique perspective,” Everhart said. “Since getting the call from the Lord to full-time ministry, I have been preparing myself for the commission to make disciple of all nations.”

Everhart said he worked with a Baptist campus missionary at Appalachian State to engage what he called an “often untapped” group: university faculty and upper administration.

He was ordained as a deacon at Bethel Baptist Church in Vilas, N.C., where he also served as a young adult/college Sunday school teacher and men’s ministry leader. (KBC)