Bob Whitter, pastor of First Baptist Church of Loyall, will be nominated for the office of first vice president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention during its annual meeting at Highview Baptist Church in Louisville in November.

Whitter will be nominated for the post by Bill Patterson, director of missions for Green Valley Baptist Association.

Prior to Loyall First, where he has served the past two years, Whitter was pastor of Advance Baptist in Henderson County for six years. At Advance, he was recognized by the KBC several years as having one of the leading churches in baptisms among smaller membership churches. Cooperative Program funds, giving to the association, and mission involvement, also increased while he was there, Patterson noted. 

“Bob (Whitter) has been active in missions on the associational level, helping lead the annual associational mission trip and also serving at The Answer Center of the association by praying for and leading to Christ a number of people who came for clothes and household goods,” Patterson said. 

A graduate of Clear Creek Baptist Bible College and Liberty University, Whitter has already baptized 40 people at First Baptist, Loyall, and he also has led a number of revivals around the state, he added.

“An interesting fact about Bob is that he was a minor league baseball player. He moved from that to being a physical therapist with the Cincinnati Reds for two years prior to yielding to the Lord’s calling to pastor,” Patterson said. 

“Bob and his wife, Rhonda, have adopted five special-needs children over the years and have been foster parents for several others. He takes a large role with Sunrise Children’s Homes,” he noted.

According to the KBC Annual, the Loyall congregation gave approximately 10 percent, or $15,715, of its undesignated receipts through the Cooperative Program in 2016. Additionally, more than $10,000 is being contributed to the work of Sunrise Children’s Service, Patterson said.

 “If you were to ask me why I plan to nominate Bob Whitter, I would reply it is because of his love for the Lord, love for evangelism, love for missions, and love for children,” Patterson said. “He is the kind of man whose service deserves a leadership role among Kentucky Baptists.” (WR)