Everyone likes a good story. Jesus knew it and shared many important truths about the Kingdom of God through parables. To this day, we know the stories of the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan and the Lost Sheep. Stories stay with us.
Likewise, radio broadcaster Paul Harvey knew this and told stories on his program about people and situations that included significant but little known information. The stories were engaging, and for many years he captivated listeners with his stories. Harvey was known for his the famous line, “And now you know the rest of the story.”
Our 2015 state missions emphasis is titled The Heart of the Story. We want you to know the stories of people who have met Jesus through Kentucky missions. We want you to know the stories of people who lead ministries across our state and their call to serve. We want you to know that your praying and giving makes an eternal difference.
In this issue of the Western Recorder, you will find four pages of stories about Kentucky missions (p. 7-10). Read about Barbara Flener who wrote her story just before she died. Read about the student at Crestwood who shared her story with a friend, and now her friend has a story.
Read the story of Pastor DjoDjo in Lexington who came to America as a refugee and is now planting a French speaking African church. Read the story of Allison Smith who was bullied and suffered from depression. Allison is now a leader in First Priority student ministry, sharing the hope of Christ with other students.
Read the story of Kiley Sanders who participated in LoveLoud to help people in need and realized that she had the greatest need, the need for a Savior. These and many other untold stories are the heart of the story of state missions. The ministries funded through the Eliza Broadus Offering are not an end in themselves, but rather are vehicles for sharing the gospel with people who need to hear.
Church planting, language missions, collegiate ministries, community outreach through food and clothing, evangelism, and disaster relief are among the ways we as Kentucky Baptists share the gospel. Ministries in Baptist associations as well as those led by Kentucky missionaries are additional ways we share the gospel. And never forget that our praying, giving, going, and sending are also at the heart of the story!
Joy Bolton