Rev. Keith Cox

Waynesboro First Methodist

What are your experiences and areas of service that you believe will be valuable in your role as a General Conference delegate?

"It is important that we as a denomination are creating a culture where people with special needs and disabilities are fully included in all aspects of worship, leadership, ministry, and mission. In our former denomination had the opportunity to serve as the President of the Southeastern Deaf Ministry. My family and I also served as missionaries to several deaf schools and a deaf village in Jamaica. I have served as an advocate and pastor for the deaf individuals and families in all communities I have served over the past 28 years.

If a family has a child with a special need or disability then most of the time that family will not attend a local church. My role at General Conference would be to help the GMC develop a Special Needs and Disability Ministry by creating advocacy, education, and empowerment for the local church."

Describe why you believe that God has potentially called you to serve as a General Conference delegate.

My reason for going to General Conference is based upon Proverbs 31:8-9.
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

I truly believe that God has called me to speak up for those individuals and families who have special needs and disabilities. Only five to ten percent of the world’s disabled are effectively reached with the gospel, making the disability community one of the largest unreached (some say under-reached) or hidden people groups in the world. Jesus, aware that this population would be overlooked, made people with disabilities a target group of the Great Commission (Luke 14:12-24). He said, “Go out… find the lame, the blind and the disabled… and bring them in.” Then he added, “Do this and you will be blessed.”