Baptist Association working to unite Black and white churches

Don Wilkins, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·2 min read

Jul. 15—In an effort to bring predominantly Black and white churches in the area closer together, the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association has been hosting meetings about how that can be done.

Joanne Kendall, a member of the association's Missions Development Committee, said the next meeting — at 10 a.m. Saturday at the association's main office at 1003 Scherm Road — is for anyone from the public and church pastors.

Kendall said the goal is to develop more unity among the churches instead of them always remaining separate on Sundays.

"There is no tension or anything; it's just so we can fellowship," Kendall said. "That's how it came about."

Nathan Whisnant, who leads the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association as its mission strategist, said uniting the churches is a way to make a difference within communities.

"We're thinking, if racial relations are going to improve, it's going to have to start with the churches," he said. "The only way that truly improves is when Jesus transforms lives.

"We're just wanting to do things together and show the community we're all the same."

Kendall is also a founding member of Cedar Street Missionary Baptist, which began in 1981.

Of its 54 church members, Cedar Street is also the only predominantly Black church in the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association.

Kendall said having segregated churches isn't intentional, and more are seeing diversity in their congregations, especially ones that are nondenominational.

"It's generational; that's what we were accustomed to, and that's how we grew up," Kendall said. "The traditional Baptist churches are just still more separate."

One idea the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association has implemented is a pulpit swap between predominantly Black and white churches.

So far, Cedar Street Missionary and Apollo Heights Baptist churches have agreed to swap pastors for one Sunday in July.

"One Sunday a year is what we're hoping," Kendall said.

Whisnant said any church, regardless of affiliation or not with the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association, can be part of the pulpit swap and attend any of the meetings.

"Another thing we'd like to do is service projects together," he said. "We're trying to do service projects at churches, especially the smaller churches. Just working together to help improve the church building or its landscape."

{span}Don Wilkins, dwilkins@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7299{/span}