The Western Recorder that readers hold in their hands today will be a collector’s item — the last one produced on a monthly basis — marking perhaps the most dramatic change in the publication’s 195-year history.

To honor the Western Recorder’s name and legacy, there will be one published each year that will serve as a book of reports for the November Annual Meeting. That magazine will provide a comprehensive look at how God is working through the lives of Kentucky Baptists and their churches. It will not be mailed, but distributed free at the Annual Meeting.

Since the January announcement that monthly issues would cease, we’ve fielded calls, texts and emails from people saying that although they understand the reasoning, they will miss receiving the magazine in their mailbox each month. With those contacts have come a flood of memories about the Western Recorder.

I was a faithful reader of the Western Recorder for four decades as a newspaper publisher in Princeton and a member of Southside Baptist Church. There were times the Western Recorder inspired me and times it infuriated me. I do recall writing one letter to the editor, perhaps in the early 2000s, where I took the paper to task for one of its editorials.

Then in 2006, I had the privilege of being named to the WR board of trustees, the first of several three-year terms on that board.

In 2008, I was asked to submit a guest editorial on the importance of the Western Recorder to Kentucky Baptists. I pointed out that the Western Recorder provided news coverage different from any other publication, and its unique content was worthy of readership support. That article ended with this statement, “It would indeed be a shame if the Western Recorder’s voice ever passed from the scene.”

Much has changed in the 13 years since that article appeared. Evidence of that is the decision by the WR to move from printing every week to every other week in 2015. Then two years ago this month, the newspaper tabloid was dropped in favor of a glossy monthly magazine. Also at that time, the WR board of trustees was dissolved as the publication moved from an independent status to become part of the KBC Communications Department. During that process, then-editor Todd Deaton announced his resignation in late January, 2019. In mid-February, I received a call inquiring about my interest in that position, which led to my wife and me leaving our home of 43 years and moving to Louisville.

We never planned on leaving Princeton — definitely didn’t plan on moving to Louisville. But the Lord moved on both our hearts so we gladly said, “Yes, Lord.” What a great two years it has been in so many ways.

I’ve said on several occasions that this work has put me in the best collaborative environment one could ask for. Brandon Porter, Robin Cornetet, Meri Beth Arbogast and Marina Shelton are valued co-workers — they are all multi-talented and extremely gifted — and their involvement in the Western Recorder has been invaluable.

Being in this role has resulted in the Lord directing my path to get to know many faithful servants of the Lord. I could not begin to name all those who have been a blessing in this journey. Those relationships have resulted in captivating stories of how God is working in the lives of Kentucky Baptists and their churches.

One question naturally follows: what about those writers and features you have enjoyed in the Western Recorder.

Will those continue anywhere else?

Yes!

Kentucky Today (KT), the online news website operated by the KBC, will be enhanced in the days ahead.

For instance, Ben Stratton’s riveting articles on Baptist history in Kentucky will continue with a new article each month. The same is true for KBC staff members who are regular contributors. Also, agencies and institutions (WMU, Sunrise, Crossings, Oneida, Clear Creek and Kentucky Baptist Foundation) have been asked to continue writing monthly articles.

The adage “names make news” will be evident on KT — keeping the “Mountains to the Mississippi” label you have come to know from the Recorder.

KT includes classified ads under the heading of “Marketplace.” KT readers can look for church-related listings under that tab on the website.

In addition to WR regular contributors writing articles on Kentucky Today, I will also be contributing stories in addition to helping with other KBC endeavors.

The Western Recorder website will remain active for the foreseeable future so people can access its archives.

If you are not familiar with Kentucky Today, I encourage you to go to www.kentuckytoday.com. It is easily accessible on your computer or smartphone. You can sign up (free) for the Morning Briefing by going to https://www.kentuckytoday.com/morning-briefing-signup/.

We’re optimistic that this transition to KT will help Kentucky Baptists stay informed about the work God is doing in Kentucky. We hope you’ll read Kentucky Today as part of your daily routine.

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Chip Hutcheson is interim managing editor of the Western Recorder, a Kentucky Baptist Convention publication. You can email him at chip.hutcheson@kybaptist.org.

Those among us who were around in the ’80s will recall the melodic refrain from singer-songwriter Ray Parker, Jr., asking, “Who you gonna call?” The question comes on the heels of strange happenings in the neighborhood and we all know the answer is … “Ghostbusters.”

Ghosts are not our problem today, but there are strange things happening in our contemporary culture:

• Love has grown cold among people with differing perspectives.

• Same-sex union has become the law of the land and is becoming commonplace.

• The transgender movement has been elevated and is being celebrated.

• Legalized abortion is practiced and widely defended as a woman’s right.

• Violence continues to be widespread and wickedness in multiple forms is on the rise.

When the question comes to us about who we can call to address our nation’s greatest moral and ethical failures, the answer will depend on one’s perspective.

• Some will say to call a politician — because in their view these are political issues that can be best handled with policy initiatives.

• Others will prefer to call a social worker — because these issues indicate a societal problem and will require a social solution.

• Still, some will send out their call to an educator — believing all that ails humanity will be addressed with more education.

God has a different answer to a culture in moral and ethical decline. God’s solution is to call a preacher.

In Jonah, we hear the voice of God saying about the city of Nineveh, “Their wickedness has come up before me” (Jonah 1:2). Prior to that concise descriptor, God had summoned Jonah to, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it.” Jonah was called by God to preach against the wickedness of Nineveh. It is understood from reading the book of Jonah, and the larger context of scripture, that if Nineveh would repent then God would relent. Nineveh could be spared from God’s terrible wrath if the people would hear and heed the message of the preacher.

God’s solution to widespread and unchecked wickedness in human society is to call a preacher. But why call a preacher?

1. Because God loves people: God’s love will always call humanity away from wickedness to righteousness. Human flourishing stands in stark contradiction to sinful rebellion.

2. Because people need to hear God’s message: God’s message is that our sin deserves death and hell, but God’s grace offers rescue and deliverance. While not everyone will respond to His words of grace, those words must be proclaimed.

3. Because God saves sinners: God sent His son, our Savior Jesus, to live a sinless life in our place, die on a rugged cross, be buried in a borrowed tomb, rise from the grave as the One who came to seek and to save that which was lost. God saves sinners and He uses preachers to deliver His gospel.

Your Kentucky Baptist Convention hopes to launch an initiative being referred to as “Calling Out the Called” at the 2021 Annual Meeting in Elizabethtown. This initiative starts with the assumption that God is always calling preachers to serve churches as ambassadors of His gospel mission. We know God is also calling missionaries, ministry leaders, worship leaders, student and children’s ministers and more.

Each of these is to be acknowledged and celebrated. But we must also remember that we need more preachers to fill the pulpits of Kentucky Baptist churches and advance the mission of Christ in our state.

Please join us in praying that God will be pleased to call out many — hundreds and possibly thousands of preachers — from Kentucky Baptist churches who will answer His call.

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Todd Gray is executive director-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

Early in his tenure as executive director-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, Dr. Todd Gray called 120 KBC churches who, at the time, were searching for a senior pastor. He discovered that mid-size and large churches had no problem finding qualified candidates, but smaller churches were facing great difficulty. He heard some churches were so desperate that they were considering non-Southern Baptist candidates.

Dr. Gray decided to call for a statewide initiative to address the need. He asked me to lead the initiative, along with selected members of the Church Consulting and Revitalization team. We gladly accepted the assignment because of the potential benefits to KBC churches. As a part of the assignment, Dr. Gray shared four main convictions about the need.

Dr. Gray’s 4 “Calling Out the Called” Convictions

1. Men sitting in the pews of nearby area churches can best meet these needs.

2. Many of these men are professionals and deeply committed Christians who have abilities to teach, preach and lead.

3. These men need to hear the call of God, answer that call and receive basic skills training for ministry.

4. The KBC needs to lead in this area to help churches meet the need.

This initiative will be a multi-year project, but we believe there is urgency. As a result, we hope to make immediate strides with a goal of announcing key initiative elements at the 2021 KBC Annual Meeting in Elizabethtown on Nov. 9, 2021.

Please join us in praying for God’s blessing and wisdom. The harvest is indeed great, but more laborers are needed. Pray that God will send laborers for His work and for His glory!

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Steve Rice is team leader of Church Consulting and Revitalization of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

It has been wisely said that what matters most in life is not how you start the race, but how you finish it.

Famed Olympic ‘Flying Scotsman’ runner and missionary Eric Liddell embodies this sentiment. His 1924 Olympic race is depicted in the movie Chariots of Fire. The movie portrays a scene of Liddell running a 400-meter race in a Scotland-France dual meet. He is tripped up, falls to the ground and makes up the 20-meter deficit to win the race in dramatic fashion with his unconventional running style of head back and mouth open. Indeed, sometimes we stumble out of the gate, but the true test is whether we get up and keep running.

While we certainly want to give attention to the start of the race or “calling out the called,” we want to give at least equal care to “continuing in the race as the called.” How do those called to gospel ministry, regardless of whether it’s across the street or across the sea, run until the end?

There are so many distractions and temptations that compete for our devotion. For many called into gospel ministry, the trappings of fame, position, power, relationships and the like can cause us to stumble in the race.

Author Paul David Tripp helps gospel leaders understand that running the race until the end comes by our identity being in Christ and not in ministry. He explains, “Since the fall, people look horizontally for what they were designed to find vertically. They ask people, places and things to do for them what only identity in the Lord can do. And what people fail to understand is that wherever you look for identity will then exercise rulership over your heart and, in so doing, will direct the way you live your life” (Tripp, Leadership: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church, 164).

From missionaries overseas, to church planters in hard- to-reach cities, to pastors in “normal” towns across the states, each are tempted to measure their “success” on peoples, places and things. In doing so, their misplaced identity will rule over their hearts and lives and zap the joy out of their call.

The New Testament is replete with passages that speak to our identity being rooted in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Peter 2:9; Gal. 2:20; Rom. 8:16-17).

Our “identity in Christ is intended to be the defining element in the way that a believer makes sense out of who he is and what he is supposed to be doing” (Tripp, Leadership, 166). Thus, the call of any gospel servant must be foundationally anchored to our identity in Christ lest we wane in our devotion and get tripped up along the race when fatigue and temptation and challenges confront us. After all, we certainly want to compel missionaries, church planters, pastors and church leaders to answer the call. But we don’t want them simply to answer the call, we want them to finish the race.

What matters most is not that you begin the race, but that you finish well, as your identity is rooted in Christ.

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Doug Williams is missions strategist for the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

Those attempting to discern if God is calling them into ministry may wrestle with a number of questions. Larry Purcell, one of seven KBC regional consultants, provides his perspective on some of those questions.

What is the role of a pastor in mentoring a man who has answered God’s call to ministry?

One of the greatest honors I have had is when someone younger and/or less experienced has come to me and said, “I want your help.”

“Coaching” is a term often used today to describe such a process when applied to a sport or even life’s decisions. We could learn much from the study of coaching and mentoring.

When I was a young man seeking the Lord’s direction for my life, I wanted to make the right decisions. I wanted more than some quick advice — I wanted someone to spend a lot of time with me.

This could be called coaching, but I see it as the process of discipleship and relationship building. I was blessed to have a pastor ask me the right questions and challenge me as I made sure of my calling to the gospel ministry.

The coaching process begins early in a person’s spiritual development, such as in small groups and children/youth programs. One of the most critical pieces of this puzzle — too often left out — is relationships with young people moving out of the youth group. I give a ‘thank you’ to all the churches and pastors who focus on this critical stage of young adults, especially the BCM ministers on many of our university campuses. The pastor can be one of the most critical persons in such a process as he identifies young people who have a strong desire to serve the Lord and take on leadership.

As a pastor, I would see such young people and begin meeting with them. This allowed me to better understand their perspective of life and ministry. I wanted to pair them with an older lead- er to help in areas of ministry needs.

I met with young people often, helping them evaluate their spiritual growth and addressing any concerns. This takes time, but reaps some of the greatest rewards.

What can a church do to foster awareness and to support those called to ministry?

Young adults who have attended church for many years may often be a consumer of what a church offers — but not a giver or doer. Working with other ministry leaders is one of the best ways a church can identify younger leaders. During the latter years of their high school experience, we selected a few key younger leaders who faithfully attended our youth ministry. We set up opportunities for them to serve in VBS or another ministry.

Setting up leadership training prior to them assisting in VBS as a teacher or other areas of ministry was essential. They did not take the lead role, but were assistants with some responsibility. It was amazing to see some of those take hold of opportunities and be encouraged to further explore God’s desire for their lives.

The role of a church is to encourage leadership roles for younger persons who strive to become more than attenders of a service, but leaders. As they mature, stay in close contact.

When I read 1 and 2 Timothy or Titus, I see Paul continuing his relationship with these young pastors/leaders. During the 20 years I taught in seminary, I asked many students how closely they stayed in contact with their church or pastor. Very few expressed any relationship with the church or pastor, although each student needed the endorsement of the church and pastor to attend a Southern Baptist seminary. I see this need changing because a young pastor benefits by the continued mentoring and relationship with a pastor.

How can someone be helped to determine what area of ministry they should pursue (pastor, missionary, etc.)?

When I was a young man, I sensed God wanting me to do something for Him. I prayed and sought the Lord by focusing on growing in my study of the Bible. Soon I was cast into the role of being a Sunday School teacher of a young boys class. I was pushed in my study of the Word and prayer life. In my life, I saw the more exposure young people have to the Word, prayer, ministry experiences and mentoring relationships by a trusted leader, the better they know themselves and God’s calling. This is a key role for a church and pastor, but also for young people learning their roles in the kingdom of the Lord.

Spurgeon, in Lecture to My Students, expressed calling as both objective and subjective. Objectively, young people struggling with where they are called will be affirmed in their gifting from those they may teach or work with. People will respond to their teaching or preaching the Word, and souls will be saved. This can be an affirmation to anyone making sure of their calling.

The subjective aspect reflects what we read in 1 Tim. 3: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer.” I sensed God’s call, but wanted to ensure I was in the correct place and right fit. I was trained by the military and exposed to many different cultures and environments, so I first sought the Lord in being a missionary. I did not struggle with this because I did not have any affirmation of this from the Lord. I knew I needed to work as a missionary and help with missions, but did not sense God’s calling in the area. I knew rather quickly that God called me to be a pastor.

Going on mission trips is one of the best ways to begin exploring this area. Talk with a missionary on furlough from the mission field. At the KBC we have an area of missions — domestic and international — so connect with one of our mission strategists.

In the SBC, a young person wanting to serve on the mission field or as a church planter is encouraged to have experience as a church pastor. This can be an excellent way for a young person to test God’s calling. I have been blessed during all my years in preparing for ministry and serving in a church to have wise men around me that I could call on for counsel. This can be a critical component as you seek confirmation of your specific calling in ministry.

What realities of ministry should a mentor share with someone who says they are called to ministry?

When someone is called and begins the journey of fulfilling the calling to ministry, a good mentor will push back on several areas. A good mentor will get to know the people well enough to see their strengths and weaknesses.

Young preachers typically want to imitate their favorite preachers. This is common as they seek to find their own ministry identity. I often heard the statement, “You look like a preacher.” What is that supposed to mean to them and now to me? Finding their identity is critical and some areas a mentor can assist in are looking at their personality, leadership capacity and needs for formal and nonformal means of training.

A mentor does not need training in personality or use of DiSC (a personal assessment tool) to identify someone who is very strong as a leader versus one who is more detail oriented, or one who is more of a team builder or one who works best alone. Helping young leaders work through this critical area can assist them in understanding themselves better and those with whom they work.

If a mentor or young leader desires more help with the DiSC inventory, check with your KBC regional church consultant. You can make a contact by emailing ccr@kybaptist.org.

Understanding one’s leadership capacity is helpful. This relates to past skills and training, education, work history and personal desires. A great resource I have used and passed along to pastors is the Jesus on Leadership workbook by Gene Wilkes and Developing the Leaders Around You by John Maxwell. These are available from your regional church consultant as well.

For those in west Kentucky who discern a call, what options do they have as far as education now that Mid-Continent is no longer an option?

For undergraduate work, I attended Mid-Continent Baptist Bible College, later Mid-Continent University, and eventually taught there for nine years.

In research I conducted for Mid-Continent while pursuing a Ph.D., I discovered that 70 percent of all churches in western Kentucky, northwest Tennessee and southern Illinois were pastored by those who either attended or graduated from Mid-Continent.

I am grateful it was available to me and many others. Its closing left a vacuum for a time, but the need has been successfully filled by online training at other schools. Some of our KBC/SBC schools are Clear Creek Baptist Bible College, Boyce College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Training should not be a one time, ‘got my piece of paper’ and move on mentality. A godly leader must be a life-long learner. Some are called into ministry much later in life, others are much younger. Formal education is available today at the touch of your fingertips. Online training can be sought through our Bible colleges and seminaries.

Some sense God’s desire for them to study on campus, which is a better fit for their manner of learning. Others are more motivated to learn by attend- ing online classes and may occasionally go to a college or seminary campus.

In the area of nonformal learning, KBC offers many opportunities. You can attend seminars taught on leading mission trips, working with disaster relief teams and others. Regional church consultants, as well as others at the KBC, offer local training opportunities for a church, group of pastors or one- on-one mentoring in leading church revitalization, change and conflict in churches, deacon ministry, discipleship, etc. The key is to not sit on the sideline and miss the multiple opportunities available to us all, whether young or old, new or experienced.

Mentorship is being required by most schools. If not, seek one out. This personal relationship is essential to all in ministry.

I cannot stress enough how critical the support of your spouse and health of your marriage is to your ministry.On a humorous note, my wife helped me identify my area of ministry. I was trained in the military in jungle warfare and explored the possibility of going to New Guinea. I told my wife they just outlawed cannibalism in the area I was reading about. She jokingly said to write often and let her know if I was all right. I knew if God was not calling her, He was not calling me.

Seriously, we talked openly and honestly about my call to ministry and to a church. She has been essential to my work and her support has provided stability in my church work and in the home.

A book I used when teaching the practice of ministry in schools was H.B. London’s Pastors at Risk. This is eye opening as to the stresses felt by the pastor’s spouse. My wife had apprehensions, having grown up as a preacher’s kid.

London’s research demonstrated some of the greatest tensions on the wife are time and money. The demands are too many and the financial support is too little as demonstrated in the research.

A pastor must set aside in his weekly schedule a date night or time out with his wife. This time must not be used to take calls or answer texts — set your cell to ‘Do Not Disturb.’ This simple investment in your wife is not only for your ministry, but for a stronger marriage and more stable home.

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Larry Purcell is the west regional consultant for the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

After 195 years of faithfulness to Kentucky Baptists, the Western Recorder is stopping regular publication. As this long-standing publication comes to an end, let’s take a look at how it began.

The foundation of the Western Recorder can be traced back to 1767 and the salvation of John “Swearing Jack” Waller.

Born in Spotsylvania County, Va., in 1741, John Waller originally trained to be a lawyer. Unfortunately, the temptation of sin was too strong, and he quickly fell in with a notorious gambling crowd. Waller’s use of profanity was so frequent and harsh that everyone began calling him “Swearing Jack.” It was said “that there could be no deviltry among the people, unless Swearing Jack was at the head of it.”

All that changed when Waller was summoned to appear by the grand jury in the case of Baptist preacher Lewis Craig. Arrested for “worshipping God contrary to the laws of the land,” Craig shared his testimony of salvation with the courtroom. Hearing these words firsthand, Waller was immediately struck with conviction from the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t long before “Swearing Jack” was saved.

Waller’s conversion changed everything in his life. God called him to preach, and he was ordained to pastor Lower Spotsylvania County Baptist Church. Knowing his family needed Christ, Waller began to share the gospel with his siblings. His younger brother, William Edmund Waller, was soon saved and called to preach as well.

After the Great Revival of 1800, Baptists were rapidly growing in Kentucky, and a Baptist newspaper was needed. However, the pioneer nature of the state made this a great difficulty. Stephen Ray, (uncle to the famous Baptist historian D.B. Ray) had started “The Baptist Monitor and Political Complier” in Bloomfield, Ky., in 1823. Within a year, publication ceased as Ray had lost $1,000 and would eventually move to the newly-formed Jackson Purchase to try and restore his finances.

In 1825, William Edmund Waller’s son, George Waller, started the “Baptist Recorder.” Edited in Georgetown, but published in Bloomfield, this was the first Kentucky Baptist newspaper to last more than one year. Waller’s combination of promoting missions, sharing denominational news and his strong doctrinal orthodoxy appealed to Kentucky Baptists.

Over the next few years, the “Baptist Recorder” was merged with other papers and renamed. Finally, in 1834, it was relaunched as the “Baptist Banner.” The following year, John L. Waller, the grandson of William Edmund Waller, became the editor. The gospel legacy of “Swearing Jack” Waller continued to bear fruit.

It was under the leadership of John L. Waller that the Baptist newspaper finally gained stability in Kentucky. A gifted writer, Waller also had a knack for seeing talent in other men. J.M. Pendleton, S.H. Ford, W.C. Buck, R.B.C. Howell and John Mason Peck all served as assistant editors with Waller. In 1851, the name of the “Baptist Banner” was officially changed to the “Western Recorder.” The latter name indicated that Kentucky was still a western state in 1851, while the former name harkened back to the original 1825 newspaper.

Although the editors and their perspectives would change through the years, the Western Recorder would remain a constant in Kentucky Baptist life. Humorously enough, in the early 20th century, the paper was dubbed the “Western Distorter” by progressives in the state who disliked the doctrinal fidelity of editors such as T.T. Eaton, J.W. Porter and V.I. Masters. In the later 20th century, this swapped as conservative pastors began jokingly using that nickname.

Looking back over the past 195 years of the Western Recorder, there are many things to remember and learn. One that encourages us today is the fact that one man can make a difference. When God saved “Swearing Jack” Waller in 1767, who knew the impact it would make on his family members and consequently on Kentucky Baptists? Truly every believer is an epistle “known and read of all men” (2 Corinthians 3:2).

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Ben Stratton is pastor of Farmington Baptist Church in Graves County and a historian with the J.H. Spencer Historical Society.

Kentucky Baptists are well known for their fight against abortion. There have been multiple resolutions passed by Baptist associations, as well as the Kentucky Baptist Convention at annual meetings, affirming the biblical position that abortion is the taking of innocent life and no abortion should be performed in the commonwealth or the country.

That strong stance on the sanctity of human life did not appear immediately after the Jan. 22, 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion in the U.S.

In fact, it took almost three weeks after that decision was rendered before the Western Recorder contained any mention of the abortion case. On Feb. 10, 1973, the Western Recorder published two pages of Baptist Press (BP) stories regarding Roe v. Wade. Sadly, the headline on one of those stories said, “Abortion decision hailed as religious liberty.”

Barry Garrett, Washington bureau chief for BP, said the 7-2 Supreme Court decision overturned a Texas law which denied a woman the right of abortion except to save her life. In his news analysis, he said that decision “advanced the cause of religious liberty, human equality and justice.”

Garrett wrote that the high court “outlined an abortion formula for future laws that recognize a woman’s right to an abortion and at the same time provide for the state’s interest in the health of the mother and the potential human life in an unborn fetus.”

Another BP story said a Southern Baptist attorney from Texas activated the legal machinery resulting in the Supreme Court decision overturning abortion statutes in some 30 states. In both BP stories, statements were made that the fetus was not viable until the third trimester — a position that Kentucky Baptists have repeatedly refuted, arguing that the Bible says in no uncertain terms that life begins at conception.

While Western Recorder editorials were silent on the issue, it didn’t take long for Kentucky Baptists in the pews to voice strong opposition to the Baptist Press perspective. They wrote letters to the editor that appeared in subsequent issues of the Western Recorder.

The Feb. 24 issue contained the first letter stating opposition to legalized abortion. Mrs. Harold Feltner of London, Ky., recalled a speaker’s comments at an annual WMU regional meeting.

“From her compassionate heart, she told us about the people of Japan. With much concern she told us that abortion was legalized in Japan. I could hardly believe that could be true in any nation. I remember bowing my head and praying, ‘Oh, Lord, may the gospel be taken to those people to enlighten them.’

“Was I wrong? Will not the Lord say, ‘The voice of thy children’s blood crieth unto me?’ Should not women control their own bodies before abortion becomes necessary?

“I still believe we in America need the gospel to enlighten us as do the people of other nations. Christ is the answer.”

The next issue included two letters speaking against abortion.

William R. Hagan of Taylorsville, citing Ex. 20:13, said the Supreme Court “tried to rationalize away their immoral and abominable decision with the statement, ‘We need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins.’ But the question has already been resolved by God. Life begins with creation at conception. The fetus is alive, and the fetus is human because its parents are human.

“We cannot and must not accept the decision of the Supreme Court as final. To do so would be to accept murder as being legal and valid, because abortion is definitely murder.”

He went on to ask Christians to write President Richard Nixon as well as their congressmen, demanding a new constitutional amendment prohibiting abortion. Also, he asked churches to adopt resolutions to send to the president and Congress. He asked churches to observe days of prayer and mourning “because of this abomination in our land.” He then suggested cooperating and actively supporting groups working to outlaw abortion, and suggested organizing a “march in the streets, if necessary, to protest this most awful wickedness in American history.”

In that same issue, Virginia Wilson of Leitchfield, wrote, “When Baptist people, ‘leaders,’ say that if your conscience or your religion doesn’t bother you, just go ahead and do it; this is far from what our country was founded on.

“We could be one step away from abandonment of all restraint. Abortion has no real significance concerning religious freedom. When your 11- and 12-year-old daughters start having these abortions, and they will, it will be a different picture. Let’s get back to full allegiance to God, who is the giver of life.”

The following week, Ann Dyer of Louisville, voiced her disappointment of what appeared in the Feb. 10 issue. “I am extremely disappointed in the tone of the articles, the editors who must surely review such articles and my fellow Baptists if they do not rise in support of their conscience and condemn such publication in a church paper. To consider abortion a religious liberty is ludicrous. Embarrassing enough to our faith would it be to admit in a small paragraph that the woman lawyer is a Baptist without elaborating in a fashion befitting only a grocery store newsstand scandal sheet.

“In my opinion, if this lawyer was interested in helping rather than making a name for herself, she could have helped the woman secure employment since this was her voiced complaint that ‘no one wanted to hire a pregnant woman.’ There are homes and agencies to which she could have directed her.”

She succinctly summed up the situation when she wrote, “How do you think our teenagers could understand the incongruity of a religious group which won’t permit dancing of any kind in the church building but considers abortion a religious liberty as heralded in (the BP) article? I hid this issue of Western Recorder because I can’t explain it to my 14-year-old.”

Months later, at the KBC Annual Meeting in November, a resolution on abortion was adopted. That resolution noted that “abortion on demand is not consistent with traditionally held Christian morality.” The resolution supported a Kentucky statute which would “prohibit the wanton waste of human life in the practice of abortion; and protect the right of expectant mothers to the full range of health care for the preservation of their life and health.” The resolution called for the convention to “instruct its Christian Life Committee to keep abreast of this important issue” and advise the convention, its executive board, the Western Recorder and members of churches of developments on the issue.

That time period was one marked by the Southern Baptist Convention adopting resolutions on abortion that are diametrically opposed to those of recent decades. At the 1971 SBC convention, a resolution was passed that called upon Southern Baptists “to work for legislation that will allow the possibility of abortion under such conditions as rape, incest, clear evidence of severe fetal deformity, and carefully ascertained evidence of the likelihood of damage to the emotional, mental and physical health of the mother.”

A year after the Roe v. Wade decision, the SBC convention reaffirmed the 1971 resolution, saying it “reflected a middle ground between the extreme of abortion on demand and the opposite extreme of all abortion as murder.”

Hershael York, dean of theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the denomination’s stance on abortion changed as a result of the conservative resurgence. That began in 1979 with the election of Adrian Rogers as SBC president. In the convention that Rogers presided over in 1980, messengers adopted a resolution that reaffirmed “the view of the scriptures of the sacredness and dignity of all human life, born and unborn,” and expressed opposition “toward all policies that allow abortion on demand.” That resolution favored legislation and/or a constitutional amendment prohibiting abortion, except to save the life of the mother. It also said Southern Baptists “abhor the use of tax money or public, tax-supported medical facilities for selfish, non-therapeutic abortion.”

“The position previously held (on abortion) is another reason showing why the conservative resurgence desperately needed to happen,” York said. “This (abortion stance) showed that grassroots Southern Baptists cared more about the issue than their leaders did prior to the conservative resurgence. There was no true pro-life resolution by Southern Baptists until 1980 at the convention where Adrian Rogers presided.”

Jim Ewing, vice chairman of the KBC Public Affairs Committee and chairman of the “Friends of Life KY” subcommittee, said his prayer is that the Friends of Life initiative will “help Kentucky Baptists understand the issue from not only a biblical perspective, but also from a scientific and logical perspective.” He said the time period where abortion was not staunchly opposed is a reflection of the way people understood conception, development and birth of a child.

“The issue is: what are we aborting?” He noted that Darwinian teachings in the early 1970s colored the thinking on the issue of life. Rather than understanding that life begins at conception, there was a prevalent view that life wasn’t viable until the third trimester. “Biology books falsely pictured the development of all living creatures. People were relying on the supposed learned voices of the world. But as we learned more about genetics and chromosomes, we understood more. As people learned more, they realized that ‘abortion is really not right at all.'”

Ewing said the realization that people are made in the image of God is critical to taking a strong pro-life position. “We are made in the image of God — it’s God’s design.” He said Gen. 9 has helped people understand the clear biblical teaching against abortion.

Ewing added that Kentucky is “very fortunate to have pro-life legislators. I think they grasp the significance from a biblical perspective, and they understand other issues that are involved, such as the stability of families.”

While noting that he can “see a day when we will run into conflict” with the Biden administration’s stance on abortion, Ewing opined, “My hope and prayer is that we can make a difference in Kentucky, and as a result, impact the country. We want to equip Kentucky Baptists to rationally approach the pro-life discussion and understand how to engage those who are pro-choice.”

What is an investment? It is when you put your money to work for you. Savings accounts and CDs are generally safer; however, their return is usually less. An investment will have increased risk and volatility but will generally provide increased earnings. You need both — savings and investments.

Most investments fluctuate in value

Fear and greed often determine short term values of stocks. This has been very evident in the recent stock market volatility.

An important principle to remember about the investment world is fear inevitably returns to greed, and greed inevitably returns to fear. Don’t be overly concerned about the short term “ups and downs.” Invest for the long term.

Use time, not timing

Even the experts rarely time the market correctly. Just as they agree on the direction of the market, it often moves the opposite way. Those trying to time the market often do the wrong thing at the wrong time. However, those who keep time on their side by investing for the long term generally profit. Be patient. Do not overreact.

It pays to diversify

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Use a mix of investments with differing levels of risk. This reduces the volatility of one’s total portfolio. People often know this reality, but ignore it.

The classic example is when someone sees an investment that did extremely well last year and they move all or a high percentage of their total portfolio to that one investment, only to have invested too late and ride the values back down. Staying diversified softens this negative impact.

Bank CDs and savings accounts will not make you rich

It happens too often — a person puts their money in CDs or savings accounts to reduce their risk. After taxes and inflation, they end up with a dollar amount that is lower in terms of real buying power. For the long term, it is generally better to invest for growth to offset the effects of taxes and inflation.

Your portfolio is more important than any single investment

No one can expect every investment to grow dramatically. But, you expect reasonable growth from a total mix of investments (portfolio).

Christians should invest their money

Many of Jesus’ parables deal with stewardship. Appropriate investing is part of a Christian’s total stewardship (Matt. 25:14-30).

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Don Spencer is Kentucky Baptist Convention Church Financial Benefits Counselor.

REACH 2021 will take on a truly global feel as the annual evangelism conference expands to become the REACH Evangelism & Missions Conference.

Recognizing that the Kentucky Baptist Convention was created by churches, for churches, to help churches REACH Kentucky and the world for Christ, the Evangelism and Missions Mobilization teams are collaborating to provide amazing opportunities for Kentucky Baptists to be encouraged and equipped to “Answer the Call” locally and globally.

Such opportunities begin on Monday afternoon, March 15, before the conference formally opens. Those traveling to Bowling Green from across the state for an event like REACH are obviously looking forward to great evangelistic preaching and equipping, but they are also passionate about being involved in evangelism and doing missions. Therefore, three Pre-REACH Missional Experiences are available from 1:30-4 p.m.

Kentucky Baptists can come alongside the Warren Association of Baptists in its Gospel to Every Home efforts by gathering at the WAB offices for a brief time of evangelistic training and then mobilizing for front door evangelism in a targeted area nearby.

A second option is prayer walking and conducting spiritual surveys on the campus of Western Kentucky University. Receive orientation and equipping from your regional campus ministers at the WKU Baptist Campus Ministry building and then mobilize to help get the Gospel to Every Dorm Room.

A third option will be learning how to share the gospel with refugee populations through a Refugee Loss Simulation and Prayer Walk, hosted by Living Hope Baptist Church.

Sufficient time is allowed to check into the hotel, clean up and grab a bite before the first plenary session begins at 6 p.m. Even as Kentucky Baptists arrive on the campus of host church Hillvue Heights, they will be struck by the many opportunities the Cooperative Program provides for answering the call. Disaster Relief trailers will be set up throughout the parking lot, allowing people to become familiar with DR and how they can become involved.

Hillvue’s facilities provide the space and resources needed for providing an amazing environment, even while maintaining social distancing and observing appropriate protocols. Steve Ayers and the Hillvue family joyfully embraced the complexities of hosting an event of this scope, having learned firsthand that the Lord is using this pandemic to open many unique doors for the gospel. Co-lead pastor Jamie Ward said, “Hosting REACH is an easy yes” because of the personal value he has found in the event for many years.

The 2021 conference is built upon the confidence that God is opening doors and inviting us to join Him. Each plenary session features phenomenal local and national speakers challenging Kentucky Baptists to hear and “Answer the Call.”

More than a dozen breakouts and a special ministry track for women are designed to provide equipping and practical resources.

The event culminates in a commissioning of those who have been encouraged and equipped to join God in fulfilling His Great Commission wherever He is calling them.

You can learn more or register for the REACH Evangelism & Missions Conference at www.kybaptist.org/reach or by contacting me directly at rob.patterson@kybaptist.org or 606-765-9176.

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Rob Patterson is evangelism team leader for the Kentucky Baptist Convention

I remember when I began to think about that question. I was 26 years old, and I had been married for just a few short years. I was active in my home church, serving as an assistant Sunday School teacher for 9th-10th grade boys. I also led a Bible Study in my workplace. After having the opportunity to speak and share my testimony a few times, I could not shake the sense that God was calling me to serve in pastoral ministry in some way.

There was a growing desire in my heart that could not be silenced, even though I tried. Like Moses, I agonized over God’s call on my life. During one occasion of intense prayer, I listed several reasons why I was not called.

The Lord was not convinced.

After several similar episodes of prayer, I eventually gave up the fight. After mustering up the courage to tell my wife about it, she responded, “Yeah, I’ve known for a while. I’ve just been waiting on you to figure it out.” (Best response ever!)

Next, I scheduled a meeting with my pastor to talk about it. He wasn’t surprised either. In fact, as others learned about it over the next few weeks, no one was surprised! My pastor began to meet with me for encouragement and preparation for a future as a minister of the gospel. Several months later, my wife and I moved to Louisville so I could attend The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the rest — as they say — is history.

While the details may change, every minister of the gospel has a similar story. And the good news is that God is still calling out those who will serve as pastors in the days ahead.

If you’re wrestling with a calling to be a pastor, consider these six questions:

1. What do you believe?

Warnings against false teachers abound in the New Testament, meaning that it’s possible to enter the gospel ministry and not even be saved! Therefore, before moving very far in the process of evaluating your ministry calling, it’s essential that your doctrinal beliefs are grounded in the Word of God.

For those of us in Southern Baptist life, the summary of our core beliefs is found in the Baptist Faith & Message (2000). If you do not hold to the essential doctrines of the Christian faith, you are not called to Christian ministry.

2. What do you expect?

Many enter pastoral ministry with some faulty expectations. Maybe they expect that the demands of ministry won’t be difficult. Maybe they expect to be liked and respected by everyone in their church and community.

Maybe they expect to make a lot of money. Whatever it may be, those who enter ministry with faulty expectations usually wind up sorely disappointed, and they don’t stay in the ministry for long.

Therefore, you need to examine your expectations for ministry.

• Are you prepared for both the highs and the lows of ministry?

• Will you be prepared when the sheep won’t follow your leadership?

• Are you ready to receive and respond to unfair criticism in a way that honors the Lord?

These are just some of the experiences you will have as a pastor. If you are unwilling or unable to persevere during difficult times, you should consider serving the Lord in a non-pastoral role.

3. Why do you want to be a pastor?

1 Timothy 3:1 says, “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” Twice in this verse, Paul speaks of aspiration/desire for the ministry. Another word for this is motivation. In my particular situation, God was placing the desire in my heart, but for a long time I was afraid to pursue it.

As you consider your motivations for ministry, recognize that some enter the ministry with the proper motivation: for the glory of God and the good of His people.

However, others enter the ministry with good intentions while lacking the proper motivations. Some want to enter the ministry because they are gifted public speakers, or they have compassion for hurting people. Others simply want to make a difference in the world. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with these things, but they cannot serve as your primary motivation for ministry.

4. Are you qualified to be a pastor?

Even if you have the proper beliefs, expectations and motivations, you should never enter the ministry if you fail to meet the biblical qualifications that Paul describes in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. While no one perfectly meets these qualifications, these things should be generally true of any minister of the gospel.

As you read the qualifications, please note that they describe a pastor’s character more than his competence. They deal more with who you are as a follower of Christ rather than what you are able to do for Christ. Therefore, as you consider your calling, let me encourage you to prayerfully immerse yourself in these biblical passages.

As you meditate upon each qualification, pray and ask the Lord to show you if you meet the required standard. As much as you may have a desire to be a pastor, you must be biblically qualified in order to serve as a pastor.

5. Do you have the spiritual gifts suitable for a pastor?

After evaluating your character, then you can move on to your gifts and abilities. Let me encourage you to spend much time reading through the biblical passages that address spiritual gifts: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:7-16, and 1 Peter 4:7-11.

In addition, you should consider taking a spiritual gifts assessment. (Note: many of these are available online, but I would strongly recommend following the guidance of your pastor in this matter.) Based upon your study of the relevant scriptures along with your optional spiritual gifts assessment, compare how many of your spiritual gifts are among those typically true of pastors (such as shepherding, teaching, leadership, prophecy and wisdom). If there’s no overlap, God may be calling you to serve Him in another way, but it is probably not as a pastor.

6. Do others affirm your calling?

Most of the previous questions are often referred to as your internal This last question deals with your external calling. Do others in the church agree that you are biblically qualified and have the proper gifts for ministry? Have they evaluated and confirmed that you have the proper beliefs?

Just as my wife, my pastor and others in the church were not surprised when I shared that God was calling me to pastoral ministry, others should affirm your calling as well. If not, you should not move forward until you receive that affirmation.

Jesus told His disciples in Luke 10:2, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” I am confident that many Christians are praying this prayer today, and I am confident that God is answering this prayer. He is calling all of us to serve Him in some way, but He is calling some of us to serve him in the role of a pastor. Is God calling you to be a pastor?

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Jason Lowe is associational mission strategist for the Pike Association of Southern Baptists. He also serves bivocationally as executive pastor at First Baptist Church of Pikeville. He recently authored a book, “The Church During the Search.”