That ubiquitous cell phone slogan—“Can you hear me now?”—would be a fitting theme (barring copyright restrictions, of course) for the Kentucky Baptist Mission Study Committee’s ministry plan.

The 10-page report and recommendations by a 15-member blue ribbon study committee gained unanimous approval during last week’s Kentucky Baptist Mission Board meeting.

The yearlong process involved Baptist leaders from across the commonwealth seeking to hear and respond to concerns, needs and hopes of grassroots Baptists. It also involved committee members hearing about trends and challenges impacting denominational ministry in the 21st century. Mission Board staff also are hearing the priorities and goals of board members for ministry through the rest of this decade.

As significant as it is for Kentucky Baptists to hear one another, the more challenging step is to apply those priorities and goals on a practical level.

Chairman Scott Kilgore emphasized that the committee was “able to say with one voice we feel like this is where God wants us to go.” Comparing the report to an artist’s canvas, he added, “There are some broad strokes here. In other areas there are just outlines that are penciled in.”

Helping complete the painting will be the responsibility of Kentucky Baptist Convention Executive Director Bill Mackey, the Mission Board staff, KBC institutions and agencies, local churches and associations and individual church members.

“I believe this to be a historic time for us as Kentucky Baptists,” Mackey told board members. “I look forward to the future God already has prepared for us in connecting people to Jesus Christ. … It will require a growing discipleship among every Kentucky Baptist.”

Achieving the plan’s ambitious goals will require not only a shift in priorities but a change in overall ministry philosophy.

The mission statement adopted by the board declares that the mission of the state convention “is to assist Kentucky Baptist Convention churches and ministries and associations in connecting all people to Jesus Christ.”

“Connecting” speaks of building personal relationships, sharing vital resources and maintaining effective communication. Rather than being program-driven, convention emphases will need to move toward tailored approaches that address specific needs and concerns of Baptists throughout the state.

Anticipated results range from increased baptisms and church starts to personal spiritual growth and church fellowship across racial and ethnic lines.

“I’m very excited about this report,” said Larry Martin, leader of the KBC missions growth team. “I think it really captures the movement of God which is already occurring in Kentucky. ... When the emphasis is on what God is doing at the grassroots level, it is much more lasting.”

Dan Garland, leader of the KBC evangelism growth team, suggested that “the evangelism piece is the thread that ties it all together.”

“If the convention actually does embrace evangelism as their primary objective,” he added, “that is a major shift that hopefully would send a positive message to churches that the convention is about evangelism and missions.”

Such priorities are not only God-honoring goals, but God-sized goals as well. As Kentucky Baptists rally around “connecting all people to Jesus Christ” as our primary mission, God surely is saying to us, “Yes, you can hear Me now.”