Official News Release:
Historic Black Baptist organization enters a new chapter of statewide leadership rooted in faith, service, and community.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 30, 2026) – The General Association of Baptists in Kentucky (GABKY), one of Kentucky’s historic African American faith institutions, announces Rev. Dr. Nathl Moore as its new moderator, ushering in a new chapter of leadership for an association representing more than 500 predominantly African American Baptist churches across the Commonwealth, comprising of approximately 175,000 members.
Dr. Moore serves as pastor of First African Baptist Church in Lexington. Before assuming the moderator’s office, he served as GABKY’s First Vice Moderator under Dr. Michael Rice.
In his message to the Association following the leadership transition, Dr. Moore emphasized a commitment to strengthening churches, serving communities, and working collectively across generations. “During my tenure we will be working from the theme ‘Breaking Barriers Building Bridges’ as we grow African American Baptists across the Commonwealth and beyond.”
The transition is especially significant for Lexington because the city occupies a key place in GABKY history.
A Legacy Dating to 1865
The roots of the General Association of Baptists in Kentucky reach back to August 1865, when messengers representing twelve churches assembled at Fifth Street Baptist Church in Louisville and organized the State Convention of Colored Baptists in Kentucky. Rev. H. Adams, pastor of Fifth Street Baptist Church, served as president. At that first session, approximately 5,000 members were reported.
Education was part of the organization’s mission from its earliest days. GABKY’s historical record states that one of the convention’s first acts was to begin establishing a school for higher education, which led to the birth of what is today’s Simmons College of Kentucky.
The organization’s connection to Lexington dates to its formative years. The 1867 convention convened at First Baptist Church Lexington. In 1868, the organization met at Fifth Street Baptist Church in Louisville and determined its name would become the
General Association of Colored Baptists in Kentucky, and in 1869 the General Association convened under its new name in Lexington at First Baptist Church, with Rev. H. Adams serving as moderator.
Today, GABKY continues its statewide ministry through hundreds of churches and supports three longstanding objectives: Simmons College of Kentucky, the State Mission Board and The American Baptist Newspaper.
Against that historic backdrop, the elevation of a Lexington pastor to lead the statewide body connects GABKY’s present leadership with a city that helped shape the Association during its earliest years.
Statewide Leadership Through GABKY District Associations
Working alongside the state moderator is a network of district associations and moderators serving churches throughout Kentucky. GABKY district leadership roster is as follows:
- Central District Association: Rev. Robert Drake, Moderator
- Consolidated District Association: Rev. Rodney Bennett, Moderator
- First District Association: Rev. Dr. Timothy Collazo, Moderator
- Zion District Association: Rev. Dr. John Chowning, Moderator
- Union District Association: Rev. Timothy Glover, Moderator
- Howard’s Creek District Association: Rev. Robert Morton, Moderator
- Liberty District Association: Rev. Warner Fishback, Moderator
- South District Association: Rev. David McPherson Moderator
- Mt. Pleasant District Association: Rev. Robert Blythe, Moderator
- Mt. Calvary District Association: Rev. Richard Lockette, Moderator
- London District Association: Rev. Terry Jackson, Moderator
- West Ky Green Valley Association: Rev. Dr. Lawrence Ragland, Moderator
- Elkhorn Sandy Valley Association: Rev. Steve Peake, Moderator
- Little River Cumberland Valley Association: Rev. James Dunbar Jr., Moderator
Together, the state and district leadership structure provides a network through which GABKY member churches connect and carry out ministry across Kentucky.
Continuing the Mission
Dr. Moore succeeds Dr. Michael Rice, whose concluding message as Moderator encouraged the Association to support the incoming leadership. Dr. Rice specifically pointed members toward Dr. Moore as GABKY prepared for its next chapter.
Dr. Moore has framed that next chapter around collective service and the responsibility to minister to children, teenagers, adults, families, and older generations while strengthening communities.
His elevation marks another chapter in an institution whose history stretches from the organization of Black Baptists shortly after the Civil War to a contemporary statewide network of predominantly African American churches.
About General Association of Baptists in Kentucky
The General Association of Baptists in Kentucky is a statewide association of predominantly African American Baptist churches. Its roots date to 1865, when messengers from twelve churches gathered in Louisville to establish the State Convention of Colored Baptists in Kentucky. The organization developed into the General Association of Baptists in Kentucky and today serves churches throughout the Commonwealth while supporting Simmons College of Kentucky, the State Mission Board and The American Baptist Newspaper.
General Association of Baptists in Kentucky is located at 1715 West Chestnut Street in Louisville, Kentucky.
To learn more about the General Association of Baptists in Kentucky visit our website at www.gabky.com.
To setup an interview with Rev. Dr. Nathl Moore and/or any of GABKY regional directors, please contact VIPP Communications at info@vippcommunications.com. We appreciate any consideration for a feature, faith, and/or community related story to introduce new leadership and to share what we have planned to strengthen the organization which in turn will support the 120 communities in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
MEDIA CONTACT
VIPP Communications. Email: info at vippcommunications dot com. Website: www.vippcommunications.com.
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Media note: Please consider the following names as faith-based/community leaders in their perspective districts. We can assist in setting up interviews when news takes place in their area. Dr. Moore is available for faith-based, community involvement and leadership-related interviews. Please save our contact information for future stories via in-person, zoom and/or phone interviews.
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