By: Joshua Speight

For the past six months I have read, heard, and studied about McCreary county in preparation for my interview and eventual role with the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship. Finally, on April 29th I had my first opportunity to visit this county which so many Kentucky Baptists have partnered with during the past few years. A lunch was arranged where I could be introduced to several leaders of key partnerships in the county. Included were John Lepper and myself from KBF, Donna Thrash from McCHDO, Jim Cmolik from Hills and Hollers Ministries, and representatives from the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP). While eating a fabulous meal (including some great fried green tomatoes), we discussed ways that all of our various ministries could grow our partnerships to continue with the people of McCreary County. The lunch was a great starting point of discussion for me as I begin my ministry in the county representing the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship.

After lunch and an interview session with the next KBF McCreary County Summer Intern (to be introduced very soon), John, Donna and I were able to spend around half an hour discussing ministry philosophies. I became keenly aware of how similar the philosophy of Donna and McCHDO line up with the philosophy of the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship. Both of our groups hope to come along side the people of McCreary County to walk with them, embracing the gifts they have within themselves to raise hope in their community. The plan for McCHDO is to build “generational housing,” houses which will go well beyond the present family who receives a home through Extreme Build or any other project in the area and becomes a home passed on to generations of families. By building a home that is comfortable for the family, a home which they (and any of us) could be proud of, and a home which they earn through an affordable mortgage; the people of McCreary County realize that hope for them and their family is attainable just as it is for anyone else.  Our role as Fellowship churches is not to give them hope; we can never give something so large to anyone. Instead through our partnerships with one another, our partnerships with organziations like McCHDO, and our partnerships with the very people who live on the other side of poverty in McCreary County - it is through these partnerships that we offer the hope that is present through the love of Christ. Our ministry with our words, our hands, and our lives demonstrates that God is present among the people of McCreary County.

My first trip to McCreary County encouraged me in numerous ways. Yes, there is much work to be done in the county as so many are living in conditions which are hard to imagine. But we have already made such an impact in this community. For two years, Kentucky Baptists have spent a week in the heat of the Kentucky summer building a home for someone who did not have the means to provide such a home. We have shown this community that there are people of Christ across the state who care for those who are on the fringes of society and we will not sit back any longer and let them go on believing there is no reason to hope . Our witness is growing in this community, it is growing because you have been faithful to the vision cast before you to go forth making disciples in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. May we continue to go as God leads us as we partner together in 2008 and beyond.

Joshua Speight, new Associate Coordinator for Missions, and Becky Caswell Speight, visit with John Lepper, Coordinator and Alice Mull, Moderator

John Lepper, Coordinator of Kentucky Baptist Fellowship said: “Josh has the gifts and energy to lead us to sustain the good programs we already have in place. Many of these missions initiatives were begun or enhanced by Rhonda Abbott Blevins, the first Associate Coordinator for Missions of the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship. Speight brings with him the ability and vision to take us to the next level as we seek to actively engage Baptist Christians and churches in mission action, education, and support.”

Speight currently serves as Associate Pastor of North Riverside Baptist Church, Newport News, Virginia. He has been at this church since 2005. In addition to his role as Associate Pastor, he also served this church as Interim Pastor for nine months. He served two summers with Passport, Inc., one summer as Bible Study Leader and another summer as Missions Project Coordinator.

Speight’s interest in missions began when he was a student at Georgetown College. Although he resisted the call to full-time ministry, several people throughout his college and seminary years recognized his aptitude and talents for ministry and encouraged him to listen for God’s call. Josh studied chemistry and worked as a chemist, but as he worked in this secular field the call would not go away; eventually, he responded to God’s leading to full-time ministry.

In thinking about serving in this new role, Speight said: “Missions participation begins and ends with the local church. It also begins by supporting the foundation already laid by KBF, the work of Rhonda Abbott Blevins, as well as other leadership throughout the state.” In speaking of missions participation and education, Speight said, “It is about leading churches and individuals toward a greater awareness of their surrounding community, to understand their responsibility for this place which God asks each of us to be gracious stewards during our lifetime.”

Josh is a graduate of Georgetown College and Truett Seminary. He and his wife Becky Caswell Speight and their daughter Ainsley will make their home in Louisville.

Formed in 1991, Kentucky Baptist Fellowship is one of 18 state and regional affiliates of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The Kentucky Baptist Fellowship is a fellowship of churches and individuals who share a commitment to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. The mission of the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship is to equip and empower Kentucky Baptist churches and Christians, cultivate partnerships, and engage in missions.

Click here for pictures of Joshua Speight and Council meeting in which he was elected.

John’s Coordinator Chat

Join us on July 13 for Registration, Cookout and Rally. We begin building on July 14 and anticipate completing construction on July 19.

We need skilled and unskilled volunteers. A new feature this year is our call for special teams. Charlie Gatton, our construction leader, hopes to utilize the skills of special teams to help us build the house in a week.

Special Teams Needed:
• Concrete finishing
• Roofing
• Drywall finishing
• Laying flooring
• Landscaping

See the updated registration forms and flyer at:

Extreme Build

NOTE:  Due to safety issues as well as insurance requirements, we are not allowed to involve children or youth in Extreme Build.

Triumphs such as having a parent discuss the future of their child’s education and holding Sunday school for a class of 13 youth, two Sundays in a row.  That was just last week.  Little things have been happening each week to show this community can also motivate toward change from the inside, out.  I just had to share that quick thought. 

The phrase “build up hope” is often used to describe the work that the Mountain Hope Initiative does in McCreary County. However, when I first began work as the KBF/Mountain Hope intern last summer, I didn’t realize just how literally these words could be taken. Thanks to partnerships with organizations like the McCreary County Community Housing Development Corporation (McCHDO) and Hills and Hollers, as well as high-profile events like Extreme Build, Mountain Hope really is building hope and showing what a difference having a place to call home can make in the lives of an entire family

Working out of the McCHDO office during both of my summer internships, I have had the opportunity to see a lot of building firsthand, and even get in on the action at times. For me, these tangible expressions of caring and support have been the most meaningful experiences I have had with KBF. Having the chance to help my fellow community members has meant more to me than I ever thought that it would. I come from a family that has been living on the same road in southern McCreary County for the past six generations, so I have always felt very connected to my home county. However, working with KBF and its partners has made me more aware of some of the problems poverty has created in my hometown but, more than that, I now feel more empowered to do something about it, which has been, hands down, the best part of my experience. Mountain Hope has shown me what can be accomplished when concerned groups and individuals work together and it seems that the future for McCreary County, and even Appalachia as a whole, is looking nothing less than hopeful.

On Sunday, July 8, ten kids from Nada, ten kids from Owsley County and four chaperones boarded a bus and a van to attend Crossings Christian Youth Camp at Jonathon Creek in western Kentucky.  It was a quiet ride to the camp, as the two groups did not know each other; a fact which changed quickly after the first night, but living with people for a week helps with that.

The four full days of camp were filled with activities from 8:30am until it was time to be in our rooms at 11:00pm.  Breakfast, Time Alone With God, morning celebration, Points of Interest (areas of interest that the campers chose, such as water sports, climbing and sign language), lunch, Bible study groups, team building groups, free time, dinner, evening worship and fellowship/free time.  All of which encouraged the kids to get to know other church groups in a Christian atmosphere.  Day one proved a little difficult in keeping up with everyone’s itinerary but by day four the kids impressed me by telling me where they went next.

Like most kids at the camp, being away from the everyday environment allowed our group to really look at who they are and what kind of person God wants them to be.  Many had never considered God’s will before and were affected by the statement that “a Christian life looks like something.”  Two of our group made professions of faith in Jesus that week because they recognized a different way to live. 

I cannot express enough thanks for those who work at the camp.  Their patience and extra time spent with the campers, even if they were just eating lunch, helped make the experience meaningful for all of us.  The kids made friends with the staff, campers from other churches and with each other.  The theme of Crossings this year was “One: One Truth, One Lord, One Hope, One Call.”  The theme also applied to us on the way home, as one group. 

I definitely want to thank those churches who contributed to our trip:

Hardin Baptist Church and First Missionary Baptist in Benton, KY for the camper fees; Zion’s Cause (bus) and First Baptist Church Frankfort (van) for getting us there; Central Baptist Church Bearden, Knoxville, TN for toiletries, towels, lunches to and from camp and some clothing; Providence Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC for luggage; thank you to Jerry and Rita Newsome for providing a chaperone, being a chaperone and for the little extras that helped make the camp special; and a special thank you to Paula Settle for organizing the entire trip.  Thank you all for this opportunity to build relationships with God.

To see more pictures of Crossings go to www.flickr.com/photos/emileeinnada/

More pictures have been added to Flickr. You can find the link in a previous post.

Also, here is the link to another Extreme Build article, this one from the McCreary County Record: http://www.mccrearyrecord.com/local/local_story_199092155.html

Thanks again to everyone who participated for making Extreme Build 2007 such a success. I’m looking forward to next year!

By Rachel Parsons
Kentucky Baptist Fellowship/Mountain Hope Intern

After a week full of hard work, fellowship, and, yes, a little chaos, the second annual McCreary County Extreme Build has come to an end. A dedication ceremony was held today and Richard, Ricky, Bradley, Courtney, Skye, and Matthew Garland became the official residents of 20 Godby Trail. Lead team members Charlie Gatton, Rhonda Abbott Blevins, Conway Stone, John Lepper, and Donna Thrush each had a few moments to share what Extreme Build has meant to them and welcome the Garlands to their new home. Holly Hopkins, a represetative from Senator Jim Bunning’s office was also present and shared a few words on the senator’s behalf.

Richard was also given an opportunity to share his feelings about the whole experience, which has been overwhelming for him and the children. Humbly, and a little tearfully, he thanked the volunteers for donating their time to the project and for their willingness to help the family. Although it sounds cliche, it really re-emphasized something that most of the volunteers already knew; all the hard work and long hours were well worth it because of how much this house will mean for the family. Donna Thrush, Executive Director of the McCreary County Community Housing Development Corporation, has often pointed out the power that housing has to change lives and bring healing. While owning a house will certainly not make life perfect for the Garlands or keep them from facing difficulties and challenges in life, it will give them a sense of security that comes from being able to call some place home. Extreme Build marks a new beginning for the Garland family and, hopefully, life at 20 Godby Trail will be full of blessings and God’s love.

By Rachel Parsons
Kentucky Baptist Fellowship/Mountain Hope Intern

Day four and the momentum continues at Extreme Build. Some of the major highlights include a finished roof, drywall, and siding. Crews have been working nearly round the clock (As of 9 p.m., volunteers were still hard at work trying to get all of the trim installed) to make sure that the project is completed on time. Tomorrow’s major task will be getting the entire house painted. The painting crew suffered a slight setback this morning when they discovered that some doors that had been left to dry overnight had somehow gotten stacked on top of one another. Luckily, a little sanding and some touch up paint did the trick and they are ready to get started in the house. Although everyone is getting tired from such a busy week momentum hasn’t really slowed down. The mood at the job site today would best be described as focused. Everyone can tell the end is in site and we can’t wait to get there! The build has been awesome, but getting the Garlands into their new home will be the most rewarding part of all.

For more Extreme Build info and more info about the CORE unit, check out this article from today’s Lexington Herald-Leader: http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/128302.html