LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Kentucky Baptists are celebrating a surge in baptisms with 12,654 reported during the past reporting year (ending March 15). It’s a significant increase over the previous year and the highest year in almost a decade.
“We are praising God for each of the 12,654 baptisms recorded by Kentucky Baptist churches last year,” said Todd Gray, Kentucky Baptist Convention executive director.
“Just imagine what will happen in our state if KBC churches continue to faithfully engage their communities, faithfully preach the Gospel, faithfully welcome those who are lost to hear the Good News and faithfully disciple these new believers. We will see a new day in the commonwealth.
“I could not be more encouraged by the strong evangelistic leadership of KBC churches and their pastors and pray daily that every Kentucky Baptist church will be a thriving church and every pastor a flourishing pastor. Thank you, Kentucky Baptists, for making the Great Commission your personal mission.”
The baptism total — the highest since 2016 — encourages Kentucky Baptists as they consider how many have moved from death unto life by trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior.
“Every baptism is a celebration of one more life changed by Jesus,” said Rob Patterson, KBC Evangelism team leader. “Seeing lives changed by the power of the gospel is what motivates Kentucky Baptists to cooperate so that as many as possible may hear the good news locally and globally.
“Baptisms among KBC churches had been trending downward since 2004, which has been a point of great consternation. As the population of the commonwealth grows, we have simply been losing ground in Gospel impact. We thought we had finally reached ‘a floor’ from which God might allow us to rebuild momentum in 2019, but then the pandemic hit.
“We rejoiced to see baptisms in 2023 jump back to pre-pandemic levels, but sensed that God was up to more. Our 2024 total represents a jump of over 18 percent, and I believe we are entering into a time of harvest as the faithful, persistent evangelistic labors of Kentucky Baptists are bearing fruit.
“When we consider that more than 3.6 million Kentuckians will not attend any kind of church this Sunday, the fields are truly white to harvest. I continue praying Luke 10:2, that the Lord may send out more Kentucky Baptists into our harvest fields.”
Three pastors contacted by Kentucky Today credit the Lord for His work in saving souls and people following through in obedience to Him by being baptized. Some examples of churches which have seen significant baptism increases include …
• New Work Fellowship in Hopkinsville baptized 129 – by far the highest total in the church’s history. Pastor Kevin Lee pointed to several factors in that increase.
“There has been a sense of revival among our students,” Lee said. “They are wanting to see their friends come to faith in Christ. That has created a spark in the church.”
Also, he said a tool that the church uses is an “impact card,” which asks people to identify three people who are not believers. “We ask them to fill that card out with three names and keep that card where they see it every day so they can pray for those three, then watch for the opportunity to have a faith conversation with the three and invite them as we have events.”
Lee said he has observed there is a contagious spirit that seems to catch on when there are baptisms. From the end of June 2024 until the end of the year, there were only two Sundays at New Work when there was not a baptism. “We make the appeal each time, asking ‘who’s next?’ It creates a climate of expectancy.”
• Central Grove Baptist Church in Albany baptized 40 and has seen its weekly attendance grow from 75 to 125. Pastor Mike Huffaker said “if you love people, they will come. That is what the church decided to do about six or seven years ago – it’s not the music or the preaching, but it’s helping them feel loved. If you do, they will come.
“The biggest thing is when you have people who visit and they feel so loved. That is what can be attributed to our growth – that has been the whole key. It’s just people loving others.”
• Forks of the Elkhorn, a few miles outside of Frankfort, baptized 81 people the past year – more than double the number from the previous year.
Pastor Todd Lester referenced a 1980 song “Lookin’ for Love (In All the Wrong Places)” when he said, “People are searching for answers in their lives, and they have tried a lot of temporary fixes. We are trying to point them to the One who can give true life and meaning – we point them to Jesus.
“People are looking to Jesus to save them and heal their marriage and give them peace in their problems at work. The fact is that people are starting to look to Jesus because they have tried many other things and it didn’t work out for them.”
Lester added: “There are a lot of hurting, searching people who come through our doors. There’s not a certain formula – except to point people to the hope we have in Christ.” He celebrated the reality that “people are finding hope in Christ.”
This story originally appeared in Kentucky Today.
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