Contact: Robert Wooten Florence Baptist Church at Mt. Zion Associate Pastor of Discipleship & Church Growth  Email Rev. Wooten   www.sharingtruth.com	Mailing Address: P.O. Box 456 Florence, KY 41022 Deliveries: 642 Mt. Zion Rd. Florence, KY 41042 Phone: 859-371-7141 Fax: 859-525-8336.
For Immediate Release

Florence Baptist Church at Mt. Zion
Announces Next Senior Pastor

Dr. Corey Abney

Florence, Kentucky, February 21, 2012 – Florence Baptist Church at Mt. Zion (FBMZ) has called Dr. Corey Abney to be the next Senior Pastor. Dr. Abney follows Dr. Tim Alexander, who served as Senior Pastor for 27 years.

Dr. Abney is a native of Dayton, Ohio. He most recently served as Teaching Pastor at Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to Highview Baptist Dr. Abney served as pastor of two churches in the Louisville area.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Cedarville University, and a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. Dr. Abney has served the Kentucky Baptist Convention as a member of the Executive Board and as a past president of the Pastors’ Conference. He currently serves the Southern Baptist Convention as a trustee of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, California. Dr. Abney is also a contributor to Mounce’s Complete Expository Directory of Old and New Testament Words (Zondervan, 2006). Dr. Abney and wife, Christina, have four children: Caroline, Cameron, Catherine and Corey, Jr.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to follow Dr. Tim Alexander in leading the people of Florence Baptist Church at Mt. Zion,” Dr. Abney said in a statement. “His legacy of faithful pastoral leadership and vision has positioned the church to reach Northern Kentucky and the world in an unprecedented way. I look forward to being a part of what God is doing at FBMZ.”

On March 11 at 10:30 Dr. Alexander will officially transfer pastoral responsibility during Dr. Abney’s installation in a Looking Back…Reaching Forward service. Dr. Abney will preach for the first time as pastor on March 18 at 8:00 and 10:30 AM.

FBMZ launched a nationwide search for a Senior Pastor in response to Dr. Alexander’s announcement of his intention to retire. Dr. Alexander also cast a vision for the church to relocate from Main Street to Mt. Zion Road more than a decade before the 2009 move.

Dr. Alexander issued this statement: “I am thrilled that FBMZ has called Dr. Corey Abney to lead us into the next generation of ministry to our community, our nation, and our world. The Pastor Search Committee has done an absolutely incredible job of seeking out the man that God had prepared for just such a time as this.” Dr. Alexander continued, “Dr. Abney’s credentials are impeccable. His spiritual giftedness, his educational preparedness, and his practical experience leading Southern Baptist Churches in accomplishing their biblically appointed mission is unparalleled in any other young leader that I know.” Speaking on behalf of his wife he added, “George Ann and I are quite excited to have Brother Corey as our Pastor as we transition into retirement after more than a quarter century of service to this great church. And we really do believe that the best is yet to come.” 

The church moved to its current location on 67 acres at the intersection of Mt. Zion Road and I-75 in 2009. Before the move the church (then called Florence Baptist Church) was located at the Florence intersection of Main Street and US 42/KY 25. When the church was founded in 1855, this site was called “Crossroads” because of its impor­tance to traders and travelers. With the move to Mt. Zion the church remains at the hub of the community. More than 100,000 vehicles pass FBMZ’s campus daily, in clear view of the steeple atop the 1400-seat worship center.

Over the past year, Dr. Adam Greenway has served as Interim Pastor. Dr. Greenway is Senior Associate Dean, Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism, and Associate Vice President for Extension Education at The Southern Baptist Theological Semi­­nary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is also Assistant Professor of Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Southern. Dr. Greenway was elected president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention during the November 2011 annual meeting held at FBMZ. He was recently elected Chairman of the board of trustees for Lifeway Christian Resources.

ABOUT Florence Baptist Church at Mt. Zion - The Florence Baptist Church at Mt. Zion campus is located at I-75 and Mt. Zion Road, Exit 178, in Florence, Kentucky, fifteen miles south of Cincinnati, Ohio. In March, 2009, the church opened a new facility with a worship center that seats 1,400. The retiring Senior Pastor is Dr. Timothy Alexander. The church’s 34th Senior Pastor will be Dr. Corey Abney.

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