Dr. Lincoln N. Bingham
A servant fully committed, balancing GOD, family and ministry
At a program honoring the Reverend Lincoln Bingham it was said “Reverend Lincoln Bingham is a man respected for his love for Christ and people! His heart’s desire is for all people to receive salvation and become all that Christ would have them to become. For over 50 years he has served in Christian ministry, preaching and teaching the gospel while applying Biblical principles to his daily life. He leads by precept and example.”
Reverend Bingham grew up in the Cerulean area of Trigg County son of William “Bud” and Nora Bingham. During a revival GOD saved him during a revival at the early age of 9 at Cave Springs Missionary Baptist Church in Cerulean. Reverend Bingham went to grade school in Cerulean and then because Trigg County didn’t have a black High School he attended High School at Princeton Dotson in Princeton and graduated from Attucks in Hopkinsville with a diploma from Trigg County Schools. Rev. Bingham received his ministerial education from Boyce Bible College, Simmons Bible College and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Rev. Bingham in a drawing of his childhood home
GOD called Reverend Bingham to preach 1959. He was ordained at Elim Baptist Church in Louisville, KY under the pastorate of Reverend W. F. Fisher on September 30th, 1960. It was soon revealed that he had a heart for the ministry. GOD knew that Lincoln would need a special helpmate to be a minister and he married Lillian Thomas Bingham in 1951. Through 50 years of ministry, Lillian has been his loving and devoted wife, prayer warrior, confidante and co-laborer in GOD’s ministry. Reverend Bingham pastored four (4) churches during his ministry, Unity Baptist in Mercer County, West End Baptist Church in Louisville, St. Paul Baptist Church in Shively Heights and Massie Zion Baptist Church. At these churches and other ministry activities, GOD has blessed him with gifts of leadership, preaching, teaching and counseling, while Lillian has the gifts of discernment, faith and support for her husband. She also worked in the children’s and music of each church.
He and his wife were commissioned as home missionaries by the North American Mission Board in 1976.
He was superintendent of Missions of the General Association of Baptist Churches in Kentucky and Superintendent of Missions for Central District Baptist Association. During this time, Reverend Bingham worked to strengthen the educational and mission arms of the association and worked to build bridges between the General Association of Baptists and the Kentucky Baptist Convention.
He served the Kentucky Baptist Association for 35 years as the first Director of the Baptist Fellowship Center then the Cooperative Ministries Consultant. He first served as Director of the Baptist Fellowship Center and then as a Cooperative Ministries Consultant. He is considered a modern day reconciler. One writer said Reverend Bingham “we are honoring the legacy of a remarkable reconciler.”
Reverend Bingham has faithfully shared the gospel I Louisville, Kentucky and beyond.
Rev. Bingham in his office
He chaired a Tony Evans crusade and had a leadership positon with the Billy Graham Crusade in Louisville and Cincinnati.
Rev Bingham with Billy Graham
He co-chaired the Louisville Christian reconciliation Ministries, Inc. and served as a steering committee member of the Reconciliation Network of our world. Known nationally for his work on racial reconciliation, Bingham models the attitude he believes is essential for that process to take place. “GOD so loved the world, that He was willing and did die for us. Because of that, I love people,” he said. “I love people because GOD loved me as a person.” “If others see Jesus in us … it will attract people regardless of race. If they don’t see Jesus in us, you can hardly expect them to be moved to act accordingly.”
Family history plays a significant role in the Bingham Story. His grandfather, who lived to be 100, had been a slave, but he “never had any gripes or complaints.” “The difference in my life is that my grandfather love; my father loved; it made my situation much better.” Bingham said.
On August 23, 2009, led by GOD to do so, Reverend Lincoln Bingham and Mark Payton led St. Paul Baptist Church and Shively Heights Baptist Church to merge as one congregation, which made local and national news networks, such as CBS, NBC, ABC, Good Morning America, 700 Club, CBN and others. In 2019, he was preaching when “it hit me” he recounted. “I had not prepared it, but it came to me that it was time to retire.” That was a Spirit-led decision.
Combining of St. Paul and Shively Heights Baptist Churches
He was been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree from Simmons Bible College and Mid-Continent College.
Reverend Bingham has been awarded many other awards including the Clarence Jordan Award, the Lyman T. Johnson Award, the Presidential reconciliation Award, the Campbellsville University Reconciliation Award, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky Reconciliation Award, the President of the Southern Baptist Convention Reconciliation Award and the Kentucky Baptist Reconciliation Award.
Information from Western Recorder and Reconciler magazines and article from Campbellsville University.