Thank you again Northern Kentucky Baptist Association for the opportunity to be your Lead Follower. I continue to be burdened in our region for the LOST. I must sound like a broken record to many of you, but I wake up and go to sleep knowing that an overwhelming majority of people who live in our region (OUR JERUSALEM) are lost and far from God and heading toward an eternity in Hell if not for the saving grace of Jesus! Somewhere between 68-85% of our area is UNCHURCHED, meaning that they are not connected to a GOSPEL preaching church (according to the North American Mission Board of the SBC).

The NKBA exists to help each of our churches to accomplish our Jesus mission (to reach the lost…make disciples who make disciples). It causes me to ask, why are our baptism numbers so low in our area….in Kentucky….across the United States? I believe one key reason is that followers of Christ are simply not evangelizing…which is simply, proclaiming/explaining the Gospel of Jesus and HIS saving grace, given as a gift, provided through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Each of us as followers of Jesus have a story to tell. We are NOT telling that story well or as often as is absolutely necessary.

 Here are a few other reasons that I have gleaned from Dr. Chuck Lawless:

1. Too many people simply don’t know what “evangelism” is. Mission trips, etc…are important ministries but they are NOT evangelism unless the Gospel of Jesus is proclaimed (I like to add in WORD AND DEED)!

2. Church members aren’t convinced about lostness. Ask around you in your Sunday School class or your family and see if you don’t find folks who believe that good people might go to heaven apart from a relationship to Christ. Folks who believe that way see no need to do evangelism.

3. Some churches have provided no evangelism training. I am still surprised of the number of churches who have no intentional, strategic plan in place to help Christ followers do evangelism. Having NO PLAN is NO PLAN! (See future events)

4. FEAR halts our efforts. Whether it is fear of rejection…or being asked questions we can’t answer…I am convinced these fears are more perceived than real…but to many perception is reality.

5. We’ve GOTTEN OVER our salvation. When Jesus becomes routine to us, when our passion settles into mediocrity-we don’t readily tell others about Him.

6. PASTORS AREN’T TAKING THE LEAD IN EVANGELISM. It is imperative that the men of God step up and model and teach people HOW TO SHARE CHRIST and regularly PRACTICE IT and provide regular training. (See future opportunities in upcoming events)

7. We don’t know many lost people anyway. I have challenged all the churches across the NKBA that I have spoken in that if you can’t name FIVE lost people that you are regularly engaged with sharing  Christ then you need to make some new friends! Get outside your church cocoon! Get outside your comfort zone! If we simply spend all our time hanging out with other Christians, we’re not likely to do evangelism.

8. WE DON’T CARE ABOUT NON-BELIEVERS. I don’t think we can avoid this possibility. IF we TRULY BELIEVE that people need a saving relationship with Jesus, but we keep that message to ourselves, how can we conclude otherwise?

LIKE our Facebook pages: NKBA Northern KY Baptist Association AND PRAYING FOR NKY. Join us in prayer for the lost and the needs of our community.

I will do all I can as your Lead Follower to provide resources, tools, and opportunities for pastors, leaders, all church members in all our churches to receive equipping to confidently SHARE JESUS with a lost and dying world.

Again, it is my great joy to serve Christ and our churches.

Your Lead Follower,
JIM