Our History
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Big Creek Missions began in 2003 when students in an association of churches in East Tennessee recognized the need to serve the wonderful people in Appalachia. Led by Kevin Rogers and other talented associational leaders, the association took its first trip. The ultimate desire was to offer a heart-changing, eye-opening mission trip (at a low cost) to local students while offering real, heart-touching ministries to people in one of the neediest areas of the country.
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In 2004, over 100 adults and students from the association traveled to Leslie County to serve through daycamps, construction, and sports ministry. For one week, these volunteers lived at the Big Creek Elementary School in Leslie County. They completed several home repair projects, and led one daycamp location for the children in Hyden.
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In 2005, 160 students from 12 different churches in East Tennessee partnered and served in Leslie County. Our teams served throughout Leslie County, providing multiple home repairs and one large daycamp in the town of Hyden.
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In 2006, we were amazed at the number of volunteers who chose to serve with us in Leslie County. 450 students and adults served over a two week time span. These volunteers served through community ministries, construction ministries, and childrens ministries. Dozens came to recognize the Hope that Christ provides.
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2007 was an unbelievable summer. Our teams spent four weeks here in Eastern Kentucky. During this month of ministry, almost 700 students and adults served with us. The ministries expanded into Clay County, Perry County, Leslie County, and even Laurel County. God has shown his amazing work… We were able to partner with several churches in Hazard who enabled us to expand ministries in that area. Dozens came to know Christ as a result of the Christ-centered ministries of these students and adults!
During this summer missions, the local school board decided to close Big Creek Elementary School - our "home" for missions. It was after this summer, in 2007, that the Lord led Kevin to depart his church to focus his full attention on forming and launching Big Creek Missions. The church was generous in their support of the launch!
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2008 – This was a HUGE year of change for Big Creek. Big Creek Missions was able to obtain a long term lease on the old Big Creek School and call it our permanent new home! Hundreds of volunteers came to the center during the spring of 2008 to begin renovations.
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In 2012, because of the generosity of God's people, we were able to purchase our facility and become debt free!
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In 2015, we were able to purchase a facility to open a permanent food pantry, coffee shop, and warehouse space in Hyden.
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In 2018, the Lord opened doors for us to launch a second campus and expand our services into Floyd County, Kentucky.
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Year after year, thousands of volunteers serve at Big Creek. These teams, made up of people from all walks of life, all ages, and all regions of the country, help us proclaim the love of Christ in this community.
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We continue to say “Thank You, Lord” for providing exactly what we need just when we need it.
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We humbly recognize our need for Christ, and truly want to continue being a bright light in this community reflecting the His Glory.
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About Us
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Big Creek Missions is an inter-denominational Christian ministry center and is recognized by the IRS as a 501c3 non-profit organization. We work alongside multiple organizations, individuals, and dozens of churches seeking to glorify Christ in Appalachia and in the hearts of believers.
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Based in Bear Branch, Kentucky, we work to connect churches and volunteer groups from across the country with needs that exist in the Leslie, Clay, and Perry County areas. Our newest location is based in Wheelwright, Kentucky and ministers in Floyd county.
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Our primary task is to connect mission groups with needs in our community. We provide accomodations and direction for those teams. By connecting those churches with needs, we are able offer services and ministries to our community that otherwise would not be available. We offer:
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*Free home repairs (major and minor projects)
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*Community programs (providing volunteers and goods for multiple ministries)
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*Children’s programs (tutoring, daycamps, clothing, hygiene kits)
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*Food Distribution
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*Teen Outreach
Our services are offered without regard to the person’s race, religion, or social standing.
By providing these services, and connecting churches with needs here in our community, we hope to nurture positive relationships that will continue to benefit the community here at Big Creek, in addition to providing churches a place to return and invest in this community year after year.
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Our purpose is not to degrade the people in our community by bringing in outside groups. But rather, we hope to expose the outside groups to the rich culture and introduce our volunteer teams to missional living so they can go home and, having experienced a change of perspective, identify the needs in their own hometown!
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Our Leadership & Staff
Big Creek Missions is led by a five member board of directors. The board of directors is responsible for overseeing the major workings of the ministry and providing accountability and assistance to the director.
The daily operations of Big Creek Missions are supervised by Kevin Rogers, founder and director. He previously served as a student pastor for 13 years.
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Executive Director & Big Creek Campus Director: Kevin Rogers (kevinr@bigcreekmissions.com)
Wheelwright Director: Robert "Bubba" Roberson (bubba@bigcreekmissions.com)
Wheelwright Ministry Coordinator: Tammy Roberson (tammy@bigcreekmissions.com)
Business Administrator: Rusty Drummer (rusty@bigcreekmissions.com)
Communications & Registration: Jordan Boggs (jordan@bigcreekmissions.com)
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Financials
Big Creek is a 501c3 non profit organization. You may view our latest 990 here
View our Guidestar Non Profit Review HERE
View our Charity Navigator Review HERE
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Our financial statements are readily available online! Our conflict of interest policy, along with any other operational policies, are available upon request.
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Our Funding
Big Creek Missions is primarily supported by the donations it receives from volunteers who stay and serve at our mission center. Our summer missions program covers most of our operational expenses. We do not receive any regular funding from any church, ministry, association, or individual. Although we do receive a few grants, our volunteers and their gifts are the backbone of this ministry.
Our Future
Big Creek Missions does not have an extravagant mission statement.. Our mission, purpose, and philosophy of ministry is very simple. We are about CHRIST! As we follow Him daily, and are obedient to His Word, calling and direction daily, He will direct and guide our paths.
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With Christ as our focus, our short-term goals are:
– providing assistance to local residents as resources and volunteers permit
- seeking creative ways to enhance our local economy
– expanding our volunteer base to assist more residents
– expanding the types and availability of ministries.
With Christ as our focus, our long-term goals are:
– duplicating this type of self-supporting ministry in other areas of Appalachia.
– turning over the daily operations of the Big Creek Mission center to the community, as a self-supporting hub for ministry.
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Accountability & Safety
As a ministry, we are working hard to increase the levels of accountability, transparency, and spiritual growth. To provide accountability to this ministry, we have instituted the following safeguards for our leadership and your volunteers:
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1) All our staff (part and full time) have undergone local, state, and federal background checks.
2) We have enacted "Safe Sanctuaries" Policies in our facility and our daycamps.
Big Creek Campus Security:
Most of our staff live on campus. We feel safe in our own community, but to provide the safest environment possible, we have taken these steps to secure our facilities for your team:
1) Our gates remain locked and closed 24/7 and are opened only with a secure gate code.
2) Our doors are all secured by electronic locks and are opened only with a secure door code
3) Our grounds and common areas are being video recorded 24/7
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Wheelwright Campus Security:
Our Wheelwright staff live on site and feel safe in our own community. Our Wheelwright Grounds and common areas are being video recorded 24/7. All doors feature automated keypads for entry.
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Our Beliefs
Big Creek Missions is an evangelical ministry that is committed to teaching about Jesus Christ. At Big Creek, all our teaching, worship services, activities, and devotions are based on the following statement of beliefs.
GOD
There is one and only one living God (Deuteronomy 6:4). He is eternal (Revelation 1:8), omnipotent (Mark 10:27), omniscient (Romans 11:33-36) and omnipresent (Isaiah 43:1-13). He is perfect in every way (Psalm 18:30) and exists in three Persons (Genesis 1:26): the Father (Luke 10:21-22), Son (Matthew 3:17), and Holy Spirit (John 16:7-15). He created the universe (Genesis 1:1) and is worthy of worship (1 Chronicles 16:29-31) and the obedience (1 Samuel 15:22) of humanity.
THE BIBLE
God has provided humanity with His revelation (2 Timothy 3:16-17), written through men divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). God’s Word is entirely true, without error (Psalm 19:7-8) and speaks on faith and life with complete authority (1 Thessalonians 2:13). The Bible is instructive, teaching God’s law (Joshua 1:8) and helping His people grow into the righteous likeness of Jesus (John 17:16-18).
JESUS
He is fully God (Colossians 2:9) and fully human (Hebrews 2:14-18). He is the sinless Messiah (1 John 3:5) who was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18). He was crucified on a cross, buried and rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). He is the only path to reconciliation with God (John 14:6), currently resides in heaven (Hebrews 12:2) and will return again (Matthew 16:27) at a time appointed by the Father (Mark 13:32) to judge sinners and reclaim His people to enjoy Him and worship Him forever (Matthew 24:30-31).
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:4-6), indwelling them at the point of salvation (Acts 2:38). Christians who yield their lives to the Holy Spirit are empowered to boldly witness (Acts 4:31) and faithfully serve (Romans 12:6-8). The Holy Spirit works in a Christian’s life by convicting them of sin (John 16:8-11), molding them into Christ likeness (2 Corinthians 3:16-18), revealing Scripture (1 Corinthians 2:9-16), teaching all things, reminding what Jesus said (John 14:26), and sealing them until the return of Jesus (Ephesians 1:13-14).
PEOPLE
Humanity was created by God (Genesis 1:26) in His own image (Genesis 5:1-2) so that He might be glorified (Isaiah 43:7). God created all things, but people stand as His crowning work (Psalm 8:3-8). Nevertheless, sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam (Romans 5:12). This disobedience is called sin (1 John 3:4) and all of Creation suffers upheaval because of it (Romans 8:19-22), especially humanity with its sin nature (Romans 8:1-5). Sin ultimately brings the demise of both body and soul (Proverbs 21:16). Since every human being has chosen to rebel against their Creator (Romans 3:9-12), every person desperately needs salvation from sin (Psalm 40:12-13), which can only come through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18) by God’s infinite grace (Isaiah 30:15-18).
SALVATION
Every single person is born cut off from God (Psalm 51:5) having sinned against their perfect and holy Creator (Romans 3:23). The punishment for sin is eternal separation from God. (Romans 6:23a) Jesus Christ accepted our punishment upon Himself, dying on a cross for the sin of mankind. (Romans 4:25) Salvation from our desperate state only comes through a faith relationship with the Savior Jesus Christ (John 14:6). A person forms a faith relationship with Jesus by repenting of sin and placing saving faith in Jesus alone (Romans 3:22) for forgiveness and eternal life (Acts 3:19). Human work plays no role in salvation (Titus 3:4-7), only the grace of God in response to the sacrifice of His Son Jesus upon the cross (Romans 3:21-26).
THE CHURCH
The Holy Spirit binds all Christians into a single unified spiritual body called the Church (Romans 12:5), which is under the leadership of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:15-16). The Church exists to glorify God (1 Peter 2:9) by spreading the Good News of His Son to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) and by encouraging Christ likeness in all believers (Philippians 3:7-11) through Bible teaching and study (1 Timothy 4:13), prayer (Acts 12:5), worship (John 4:23-24), service (Matthew 20:25-28) and fellowship (Acts 2:42-47). Jesus established the Church upon earth (Matthew 16:18-19) until His return, when members of the Church will unceasingly praise and glorify King Jesus for eternity (Revelation 21).
THE FUTURE
God is not distant, but present, involved in His people’s lives and in control of the future (Psalm 139:1-4). Historically, God foretold His plans through His prophets (2 Peter 1:19-21), specifically the redemption of His sinful people (Psalm 49:12-15) due to the miraculous birth (Isaiah 7:14), sacrificial death (Isaiah 53:4-6) and miraculous resurrection (Hosea 6:2) of His one and only perfect Son Jesus (Matthew 17:5). Jesus ascended to sit at the right hand of Father God (Acts 2:32-33) and promises to return to earth for all to see (Matthew 24:30) at a time ordained by God (Matthew 24:36), initiating the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:22-23) and judgment of all mankind (Psalm 96:13). God’s will is perfect in every way and deserving of our complete trust over today and every day in the future (Romans 12:1-2).
