Principles for Missions and Ministry

At CBF Kentucky, our primary commitment is to multiply the efforts of local congregations and individuals in missions and ministry to participate with Jesus Christ in ushering in God’s kingdom.

We share much of our philosophy of missions and ministry with our primary national partner the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (Global). You can find out more about them on the CBF website.

Missions

Working in partnership—CBFKY joins with other organizations that share a commitment to alleviating human suffering to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. We do not believe in going it alone or in requiring that all partners align with us on every matter. Our partnerships are based on our work together.

Honoring human dignity—We recognize with humility that God is at work not only in us, but also in those we serve. We participate in sustainable work that includes and uplifts those who benefit making them equal partners.

Concern for the underserved poor and marginalized—Our missions endeavors are focused in areas that are underserved by other groups. There are many fine Christian and secular organizations working in the world and we choose not to duplicate the work they are already doing but to find those who have been overlooked and lack a strong Christian presence.

Sharing the gospel with voice, hand and feet—We embrace and practice sharing the love of Jesus in the full range of human experience. This means that we share the gospel not only in words but also in actions of compassion and love.

Ministry

Honoring the autonomy of the local church—CBFKY does not exist to direct the work of the local church or to enforce rigid conformity of our churches. We believe that God through the work of the Holy Spirit directs each local congregation to its unique role in the body of Christ. Churches and individuals choose to cooperate with us in agreement that the work we are doing furthers their sense of calling to do God’s work in the world.

Strengthening the local church—Through training, events, resources, peer groups and sharing with each other, CBFKY creates an environment of learning and support within our churches and clergy. We learn best practices and implement strategies that help each local church have the tools it needs to follow Christ more fearlessly in their local context. We unapologetically support women serving in all ministry roles in the church.

Advocating for the powerless—We believe that the church has a special role in the community to speak to power. We do not have a partisan agenda, but God’s agenda that seeks justice for the powerless and oppressed. This is expressed in our concerns about predatory lending, just immigration policy and properly supporting our public education system.

Promoting Baptist principles—Being Baptist means valuing the freedom we have in Christ. This begins with the freedom of each individual to determine for themselves God’s call on their lives. It extends to the freedom of each church to determine their own direction. We are free to read and interpret the Bible as God leads in our own communities of faith. We believe the church ought to be free from entanglement with the State and exists outside its control with the ability to speak prophetically to those in power for the voiceless, marginalized and oppressed.