Ninety-five Kentucky Mission Service Corps missionaries currently serve in Kentucky. They serve in roles from association outreach positions to equestrian ministries, to directors of food and clothing ministries, pregnancy care centers, homeless shelters, jail and prison ministries, transitional recovery programs, refugee ministries, and much more.

A Kentucky Mission Service Corps (KY-MSC) missionary is a baptized Christ follower who is called by God to serve in a specific ministry position that engages in or directly supports missions, church planting, collegiate ministry, or evangelism in cooperative partnership with a Kentucky Baptist Convention church and commits to serve a minimum of 20 hours per week for a duration of nine months to two years, which is renewable. These missionaries are self-funded. Some are retired, some work part-time, some have a spouse who works and supports the family, and some raise their support.

Although these missionaries do not receive a salary, they do benefit from the Cooperative Program and Eliza Broadus State Missions Offering through trainings and an annual retreat that is made available to them. The missionaries can also apply for Eliza Broadus grants and for grants through the KBC Missions Mobilization office to help with specific needs of their ministries.

Keith Decker, director of Cedaridge Ministries in Williamsburg, has served as a Mission Service Corps missionary since June 1997. Cedaridge ministers to both the physical and spiritual needs of approximately 1,500 families (representing 5,000 individuals) annually. They provide food, clothing and other necessities to the poor and homeless in Southeastern Kentucky and are very intentional to share the Gospel with those to whom they minister. They work closely with local churches and seek to assimilate those they reach into a local congregation. Last year Keith reported 63 professions of faith as a result of the ministry at Cedaridge.

The ninety-five missionaries as a whole reported 3,837 professions of faith in Christ last year.

One can certainly serve in a ministry without being a KY-MSC missionary, but the benefits of doing so are numerous. Being connected as KY-MSC lends credibility to their ministry and opens avenues for others to learn about the ministry. One of the greatest benefits is the networking with others much like themselves that God has called to serve in state missions.

Perhaps you sense that God is calling you to serve as a Kentucky missionary, or you are already serving 20 or more hours per week in a Kentucky ministry, and would like to learn more about KY-MSC. Go to www.kybaptist.org/msc for information and/or to complete the application.

Commit to pray for our Kentucky missionaries and church planters on their birthdays through the monthly interSEED prayer calendar (www.kybaptist.org/interseed). Or, consider “adopting” a Kentucky missionary through the “Adopt a Missionary” program. It will be a boost for your church, will help your church or small group be more involved in missions and you will “get to know” a missionary.

If you have questions or would like more information about Kentucky Mission Service Corps contact the KBC Missions Mobilization coordinator at teresa.parrett@kybaptist.org.