State missionary Ken Allen has been transitioning into the role of director of associational missions and church planting. He officially takes the position July 1 with the June 30 retirement of Rick Barnhart.
Allen, who has been serving with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions since 2019, previously served as a pastor and associational leader in Alabama Baptist life. His work at SBOM included directing the office of LeaderCare and serving in the area of church health.
While with LeaderCare, Allen worked to provide leadership training to pastors, deacons and other church leaders. The training often dealt with handling conflict, bivocational ministry, transitional pastor training and search committee training, among other topics.
“As someone who already has relationships with associational leaders that are out there, and having been one myself, it was just a natural fit for me move from (LeaderCare) to (director of associational missions and church planting),” Allen said. “I am really looking forward to sitting down and listening to these guys … really just working together on these critical issues that we face and how to find solutions.”
Principles of church health
Regarding his work in church health in the LeaderCare office, Allen said, “I’m going to bring those principles that I’ve learned in training pastors into this role.
“I’ll take those principles of leadership training and bring them into this role and together, with (the associations), come up with the best, most effective way to assist the local church to fulfill her mission.”
Part of Allen’s mission is to not only expand upon the relationships he’s already built but also to assure local churches he is there to help and facilitate them in whatever ways he can.
“The thing [we need] more than anything else is to create an environment where these associational leaders can thrive in what they do,” he said. “That’s what I hope to accomplish overall.”
Barnhart has full confidence in Allen and his experience. Barnhart said Allen’s previous work will likely prove helpful in his future success with SBOM.
“(Allen) has been serving as an associational missionary and then as director of the office of LeaderCare, so he comes at his [new] position with the experience of having served in the capacity where these (associational leaders) are serving now,” Barnhart said. “At LeaderCare, (Allen) has been creative in coming up with opportunities for training that’s not nearly as complicated as different kinds of ministries that were done in the past, which is most excellent.
“I think that (Allen) is going to do some great work,” Barnhart continued. “I think there is going to be some creativity brought to that office that probably needs some changes, and I know he’ll be able to do that.”
Allen and Barnhart are co-directing associational missions and church planting until June 30, the day Barnhart officially retires and Allen moves into the position.
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