Hershael York, Chairman, Ky. Great Commission Task Force

York to Kentucky Baptists: 'Come to Lexington in November'

By Drew Nichter
News Director

Louisville—This year’s Kentucky Baptist Convention annual meeting in Lexington could be one for the history books, according to Hershael York, chairman of Kentucky’s Great Commission Task Force.

“I really want to emphasize: Come to Lexington. I think it’s going to be a big day,” he urged.

After its meeting last week in Louisville, York said the task force is “zeroing in” on its recommendations. He added that he expects a report from the committee to be released sometime after its next meeting, which is scheduled for Aug. 10.

“We do anticipate releasing a report early enough for people to have plenty of time to digest it, pray about it and come prepared to act on it,” noted York, pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church in Frankfort.

While not divulging any specifics about possible proposals, York said the group’s report will have a “spiritual basis and emphasis” and will call on Kentucky Baptists “to do more and give more for Christ.”

Because of that, the task force is calling on each Kentucky Baptist church to send its full allotment of messengers to the Nov. 16 annual meeting at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington.

“We want to see a great turnout because we think this could be one of the most historic moments in our convention,” he said.

The Kentucky Great Commission Task Force began its work in January. It was approved by messengers to last year’s KBC annual meeting to study “how Kentucky Baptists can work more faithfully and effectively together in serving Christ through the Great Commission.”

The group’s formation came in response to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Great Commission Resurgence Task Force, which was approved a few months earlier at the SBC annual meeting in Louisville. That group’s recommendations were overwhelmingly adopted by Southern Baptist messengers last month in Orlando, Fla.

Fifteen Kentucky Baptists serve on the state task force which has examined, at length, the effectiveness of the KBC’s Mission Board, agencies and institutions. The group also held a pair of “listening sessions” in early June to hear concerns and suggestions from state pastors, directors of missions and laypersons.

York said the process thus far has gone “extremely well,” adding that it has been “one of the most authentically spiritual experiences of my life.”

“We have such a unity of focus and direction and hearing the voice of God,” York noted. “It’s been a tremendous experience, and we are hoping to share that with Kentucky Baptists in November.”

Western Recorder issue date: July 20, 2010