Welcome to Emmanuel Baptist Church

"To seek and establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and to reach out with God’s love and power to all people in our church and community."

Emmanuel Baptist Church in Berea Kentucky is a growing congregation. We are a family of believers who are deeply committed to fulfilling our Lord’s Great Commission to “Go into all the world proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and making disciples of all nations,” while also exhibiting the Christian qualities of love, compassion, and caring for those in need as revealed by Christ.

We are a family of believers committed to the truth of God’s Holy Word. We believe in one God, the Creator, Preserver, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things. God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.

If you are seeking purpose and meaning for your life, we want to invite you to join us. You will find real people from all walks of life who have found their purpose in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me." – John 14:6.


Pastor Joey Kays

Pastor Joey Kays, a lifelong resident of Richmond, Kentucky, is a 1983 graduate of Madison Central High School and a 1988 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Joey served as a teacher in the Madison County School District and successfully owned and ran an Allstate Insurance Agency for 10 years. In 2004 Joey received a Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He was called as pastor of the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Berea, Kentucky, in March 2002, where he has served faithfully for 21 years.

Joey was privileged as a child to attend the Calvary Baptist Church in Richmond, where he was saved and baptized at age 16 under the preaching of his grandfather, Raymond B. Kays, who pastored the church for 43 years. He is thankful for the faithfulness of his family, Sunday School teachers, pastors and godly mentors who encouraged him in his spiritual life and taught him to love the Word of God.

Joey is married to Alexis Parks Kays, a lifelong resident of Richmond and a retired educator in the Madison County School System. They have two adult sons and their wives, Jordan & Kristy Kays and Cory & Emily Kays. They also have five grandchildren: Lincoln, Asher, Levi, Reagan and Abigail.


We Receive Members in the Following Ways:

  • Profession of faith in Christ, Baptism – for those making a decision to receive Christ as their personal Savior and following Him in baptism by immersion.
  • Transfer of Letter – for those who belong to the fellowship of another Baptist church of like faith and order. We will ask that your church letter of membership be transferred to the Emmanuel Baptist Church.
  • Statement of Faith – for those who wish to unite with our church upon a statement of prior conversion experience and baptism by immersion in a Baptist church of like faith and order when no church letter of transfer is available.

Sunday Service

  • Sunday School, 10:00 AM
  • Morning Worship, 11:00 AM
  • Evening Worship, 7:00 PM
  • (*Evening service time changes from 7:00 PM to 6:00 PM during daylight savings time.)

All Wednesday Activities, 7:00 PM:

  • Adult Bible Study
  • WMU & Brotherhood Missions Night (last Wednesday of each month)
  • Preschool Mission Friends (Sept-May)
  • Girls Grades 1-5 GA’s (Sept-May)
  • Boys Grades 1-5 RA’s (Sept-May)
  • Middle/High School Youth Group (Sept-May)

If you are seeking purpose and meaning for your life, we want to invite you to join us.

You will find real people from all walks of life who have found their purpose in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

About EBC