|
|
| Mission Board Approves Tanzania Partnership, New Partnership Director |
| Release Date: 11/12/2007 |
ELIZABETHTOWN – The Kentucky Baptist Convention Mission Board approved a new partnership with the Baptist Convention of Tanzania and the appointment of Scott Pittman to partnership missions department director during its Nov. 12 meeting at Severns Valley Baptist Church.
The mission board also approved a plan to raise awareness and educate churches about safety and security issues, and approved a recommendation for a total budget goal of $25,300,000 for 2008-2009.
Based upon the recommendation of Randy Jones, the mission board approved a three-year partnership with the Baptist Convention of Tanzania beginning Jan. 1, 2008 and continuing through Dec. 31, 2010.
Funded by year-end requests and facilitated through the Partnership Missions Department, the targeted relationship will focus on six key aspects of partnership: training, equipping, advising, affirming, mentoring and strengthening.
According to Jones, the leadership of the Baptist Convention of Tanzania is in the process of rebuilding and renewing trust, and is seeking to become more effective in unifying convention churches.
“About two years ago, they started over with all new leadership,” said Randy Jones, Missions Growth Team leader for the KBC. “We can help them by teaching principles and by sending people with expertise to strengthen the Baptist Convention of Tanzania.”
The goal of the three-year KBC partnership, he said, is to help the Baptist Convention of Tanzania to re-establish itself as a vital service organization as it seeks to provide resources to assist member churches in church planting, evangelism, discipleship, leadership development and mission outreach.
The mission board also approved the appointment of Scott Pittman to partnership missions department director, effective Jan. 16, 2008.
Pittman will be responsible for developing the KBC’s in-state, national and international missions partnerships and coordinating efforts with the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board and North American Mission Board. He will also help facilitate short-term mission trips with Kentucky Baptist churches.
Pittman has been serving as a foreign missionary in northeast Brazil through the International Mission Board since 1991. Prior to going overseas, Pittman served as senior pastor of Simpsonville Baptist Church in Simpsonville, Ky. He also previously served for three years in various roles at Fairdale Baptist Church in Fairdale, Ky.
“Scott left Kentucky through partnership missions efforts when he felt the call to full time missions in Brazil, and now we want to call him back to Kentucky,” said Jones.
In other business, board members approved the Administrative Committee’s Safe Church Initiative, a plan for increased attention to church security that originated out of a motion made by Paul Sisk of Anchor Baptist Church in Lexington at the May 7-8, 2007 mission board meeting. Sisk’s motion called for the consideration of a registry of those currently or previously involved in criminal activity.
According to Bill Henard, Administrative Committee chairperson and pastor of Porter Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington, a subcommittee was appointed to examine this issue in conjunction with mission board staff and the Convention’s legal counsel.
Based on their findings, Henard said, the Administrative Committee determined that a registry would not be a feasible solution and will instead focus its efforts to proactively increasing awareness of the importance of preventative safety procedures in churches.
“We felt it best to be proactive about this by equipping churches with the information and resources they need,” said Henard. “We want Kentucky and the nation to know we take this very seriously.”
The mission board heard a report on five personnel actions previously approved by the KBC’s administrative committee. The report included mention of Kay Hammond’s appointment as part-time campus minister for Pikeville College, Angela Cornett’s appointment as associate campus minister for Kentucky State University, Coy Webb’s appointment as Baptist Men on Mission associate, Alan Witham’s appointment as interim Church Development Team leader, and Mike James’ appointment as part-time church development strategist.
The mission board approved a recommendation for the 2007-2008 total Cooperative Program budget goal of $25,300,000 to remain the same again for 2008-2009. The board also approved a recommendation to send 37.04 percent of Cooperative Program funds to Southern Baptist Convention causes, an increase of .34 percent over 2007-2008.
The recommendations will be presented to messengers for approval during the Tuesday morning session of the KBC annual meeting on Nov. 13.
Board members approved a one percent bonus for Mission Board staff employees.
The next mission board meeting will be held Dec. 10-11 at the Kentucky Baptist Building, 13420 Eastpoint Centre Drive, Louisville.
Release prepared by Kristie Randolph, KBC Communications |
|
|
| |
 Printer Friendly Version |  E-mail This Page |  RSS Feeds
For questions about www.kybaptist.org contact our Webmaster.
© 2001-2008 Kentucky Baptist Convention. All rights reserved.
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 43433 • Louisville, KY 40253-0433
Street Address: 13420 Eastpoint Centre Drive • Louisville, KY 40223-4160
Click here for a handy map to the new Kentucky Baptist Building. |
| |