2018 Kentucky Missionary of the Year

Tim Bargo, Executive Director of First Priority Tri-County, was recognized as the 2018 Kentucky Missionary of the Year on Saturday, April 7, during the Kentucky Woman’s Missionary Union Celebration at the Buck Run Baptist Church in Frankfort.

Each year this award is presented to a missionary or missionary couple that demonstrates:

• Commitment to and effectiveness in evangelism, church planting, or ministry.
• Demonstration of “going the second mile.”
• Outstanding performance in achieving assigned tasks.
• Tenure.
• Unusual commitment to our Lord’s service.
• Positive representation of Kentucky Baptist Convention and the North American Mission Board.
• True reflection of being an “On Mission Christian.”

First Priority Tri-County is part of a national organization (First Priority America) whose main goal is to encourage, equip, and empower students to share their faith in Jesus on their middle and high school campuses.  First Priority Tri-County serves Knox, Laurel, Whitley, Clay, and McCreary counties and has 27 student led evangelical First Priority clubs meeting weekly.

In June of this year (2018), First Priority will be 10 years old and Tim has been at the helm since its inception.  During that time, 1981 students have prayed to receive Christ.  Since August of this school year alone, the organization has give out 1432 Bibles, witnessed 10 students praying to receive Christ, trained 210 students to be campus missionaries, brought together 25 local churches and 1109 students for a local youth rally, and organized 2411 students for the “See You at the Pole” event.

Recently Tim has taken the lead to create a “Day of Prayer Over Students” for the state of Kentucky.  Applying to have a proclamation signed for several years, it was finally approved in 2016 and 2017. Currently it has been filed as a bill and passed the House.  Join them in praying that it passes the Senate to become law.

“Tim Bargo embodies all that for which the Kentucky Missionary of the Year Award is presented,” says Director of Missions Steven Jett.  “He directs his organization of excellent evangelism and discipleship ministry in the context of an ever-growing network of schools through his personal example, with inspiring enthusiasm and integrity, encouraging participants to reach out in Christ’s name to lost students to win them to Jesus and grow them up in the faith.  There is no more relative, fruit-bearing ministry to our society than that which Tim Bargo and all the volunteers of Tri-County First Priority flesh out in a most effective way!”

Tim is a native of Harlan County, Kentucky and currently lives in Corbin with his wife and best friend Tammy.  He has three children – Brittany, Justin and Dylan.

Tim was commissioned as a North American Mission Board MSC-funded Missionary on June 23, 2009 in his role with First Priority and, in addition, has served as a North American Mission Board Chaplain with the University of the Cumberlands Football Program for 10 years.

Tim is an active member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Corbin, where he has led several mission trips, led small groups, and served on a number of committees.

Thank you, Tim, for your love for the Lord and your faithfulness in serving Him.  CONGRATULATIONS on being chosen as the 2018 Kentucky Missionary of the Year.  You are most deserving.