Scott Pittman

Today I’m excited to share a guest post from the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Partnership Missions director, Scott Pittman. Scott’s current ministry is a great example of the partnership between the local church, state convention and national Southern Baptist entities in seeking to fulfill the Great Commission. In fact, the very fact that he is even ministering through the KBC is a testimony to the cooperative work of Southern Baptists.

I’ll keep the story brief so we can get on to his post but Scott was pastor at Simpsonville Baptist Church in Simpsonville, Ky. when he got involved in partnership missions projects through the KBC. God then used that involvement to call Scott and his wife to service with the International Mission Board as missionaries in Brazil. He’s now come full circle and is doing a fantastic job of helping churches throughout Kentucky catch a passion for hands-on involvement in missions.

As partnership missions director, Pittman is responsible for developing the KBC’s in-state, national and international missions partnerships and coordinating efforts with the IMB and the North American Mission Board. Pittman also works with Kentucky Baptist churches to facilitate short-term mission trips. (His is one of those roles funded through the state convention side of the Cooperative Program budget that directly impacts international missions.)

Pittman holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, a Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary.

If you like what you read here, you can catch Scott regularly on his  excellent partnership missions blog at www.go2alltheworld.com.

Here’s Scott’s post:

How Is Your Church Missions Ministry Running?

The parable of the lawnmower gas cap

For the past few weeks I’ve had trouble with my riding lawnmower. I would start it up and it would run perfectly for about five minutes or so, begin to sputter, and finally quit running all together. I tried everything I knew to do; checked the fuel line, changed the fuel filter, checked and leveled off the oil, cleaned the air filter, and even changed the spark plugs. Each time I tried something, the result was the same: start, sputter, and die (with a final backfire for emphasis). Finally, I told my wife that we were going to have to get it in to the shop.

The next day she called the mower repair shop to arrange for them to pick up the mower. But the mechanic at the shop asked her to describe what was happening, and then suggested we try one more thing before having the mower brought in. He informed us that there is a little hole in the top of the gas cap that when clogged causes a vacuum to form in the gas tank, effectively cutting off the flow of gas to the engine. Sure enough, I looked at the gas cap and the little hole, the size of a straight pin head, was clogged. I punched out the debris, replaced the cap, started up the mower, and it was healed!

I was truly amazed at how such a tiny amount of debris could prevent that entire machine from going, and equally amazed at how such a simple solution got it back out on the lawn doing its job. Then I thought how true that is in our spiritual lives – how such a tiny thing can keep us from going, and how sometimes such a simple solution can get us back out doing what the Lord wants us to do.

In the case of the lawnmower, I noted four things:

1. I knew that there was a problem with the mower.
2. Everything I did in ignorance of the real problem did not solve anything and was a waste of time and money.
3. It took a professional who had experience and knowledge to analyze the problem and suggest a successful solution.
4. I then had to do what he suggested.

This parable of the lawnmower gas cap summarizes what happens many times with a church’s mission ministry and how the KBC Partnership Missions Department can help. Like my lawnmower, you have become aware that your church’s missions ministry just isn’t doing what it should. All the parts are there, it’s all gassed up, but it just isn’t taking your church anywhere. Perhaps, you have tried all the old tricks and stopgaps. You’ve checked everything you know to check, spruced things up a bit, and even tried changing a few parts, but the result is pretty much the same: start, sputter, and die. You know there’s something wrong, but you don’t know what else to do.

Our department exists to assist Kentucky Baptist churches in fulfilling their commitment to the Great Commission. We can offer professional, outside assistance to:

• help analyze your church’s missions ministry to determine what the real needs
• offer practical solutions for addressing those needs
• develop long range missions plan designed to give purpose to your missions endeavors and lead your church to grow in its level of involvement (we’re not here just to send people on mission trips!)
• inspire the entire congregation to become involved at some level in your church’s mission ministry
• provide training and orientation
• provide domestic and overseas missions opportunities
• assist in travel logistics

Whether your church just needs a simple solution or a total missions ministry makeover, your KBC Partnership Missions Department is ready to help get you “on the road again.” To set up an initial evaluation appointment call us at 502 489-3529 or KY toll free – 866 489-3529. Visit our blog www.go2alltheworld.com .