Many of the missionaries featured in our KYandBeyond blog each month are Kentucky Mission Service Corps Missionaries (or KY-MSC as we like to call them). You may have heard the term but also may have asked, “What is a Kentucky Missions Service Corps Missionary and how does one become a Kentucky Missionary Service Corps Missionary?”
Kentucky Mission Service Corps is long-term missionary service, as opposed to a short-term mission trip or even partnering with a ministry.
A KY-MSC Missionary is a baptized Christ follower 18 years of age or older, called by God and connected with a Kentucky Baptist Convention church. He or she commits to serve a minimum of 20 hours per week for a duration of 9 months to 2 years (which is renewable) in a position that engages in or directly supports missions, church planting, collegiate ministry, or evangelism, in cooperative partnership with a Kentucky Baptist Convention church, association, or organization.
The missionary must be an active member of a local Kentucky Baptist Church and go through an approval process by the Kentucky Baptist Convention or the North American Mission Board. Education and experience requirements are established by a field request from the ministry where they will serve.
Currently there are 95 of these “self-funded” missionaries serving in Kentucky. They serve in roles from association outreach positions to equestrian ministries, to directors of food and clothing ministries, to pregnancy care center, to homeless shelters, and much much more. Some of the missionaries have come to Kentucky from other states, while many of them serve in their own state and possibly their own home town or community.
As self-funded missionaries they are supported in several ways. Some of the missionaries are retired, some work part-time while serving as a missionary, some may have a spouse who works to support the family, and some raise their own support.
As you give to the Cooperative Program and the Eliza Broadus State Missions Offering you are a part of the work of these missionaries. Although they do not receive a salary they do benefit from CP and EBO through trainings available to them and an annual missionary retreat. The missionaries can also apply for Eliza Broadus grants and grants through the Missions Mobilization office to help with specific needs of their ministries.
You can also connect with a Kentucky missionary through the “Adopt-a-Missionary” program. For more information go to http://www.kybaptist.org/adopt-a-missionary,1477.
Perhaps God has called you to serve, or you are already serving 20 hours per week in a Kentucky ministry, and you would like to learn more about becoming a Kentucky missionary. Go to www.kybaptist.org/msc to learn more about Kentucky Mission Service Corps and/or to apply to become a KY-MSC missionary. You will find the application at that link. Or, contact the Missions Mobilization Coordinator at [email protected].
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