As Baptists across the state gear up for this year’s state convention annual meeting, Henry Cox is doing something quite the opposite. He’s in serious winding-down mode.
With the annual meeting less than a week away, Cox, who is wrapping up his second term as president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention, is preparing to pass the gavel at the meeting, set for Nov. 14–15 at Hunter Street Baptist Church, Hoover.
And he’s preparing to pass the baton at home as well. The end of 2006 falls in the middle of his 50th year of preaching and 25th year as pastor of First Baptist Church, Bay Minette, in Baldwin Baptist Association — and it signals his retirement from full-time ministry.
It’s a lot to take in, Cox says, but his focus in all of it is just one thing — a strong finish. “I’m thankful to be an Alabama Baptist, and I count it a great privilege to have served most of my life as a pastor in Alabama,” he said. “I’m focusing now on finishing well.”
Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, called Cox a “model minister” in his leadership at First, Bay Minette, and in state Baptist life.
“He has shown character and integrity throughout his ministry and led his church to be on mission for the Great Commission,” Lance said. “I have known him a long time, and I really do appreciate the kind of witness and example he has set forth for us.”
Cox’s example manifests itself in ways such as his church’s evangelism and church-planting work and high percentage of Cooperative Program giving, Lance added.
But Cox said that’s simply a manifestation of Alabama Baptists’ strong unity and missions focus.
“I have no doubt in my mind that the Alabama Baptist State Convention is the strongest in the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention),” he said. “Georgia may be ahead of us in numbers and budget, but I would be surprised if we aren’t the strongest when it comes to our unity and missions emphasis and the work that we do.”
Cox said the part of the presidency that’s blessed him most has been seeing the commitment of Alabama Baptist churches from the smallest to the largest.
“They are very committed to the Great Commission … and to sharing the gospel with our world and our culture,” he said.
Cox has gotten to know many pastors and other church leaders the past two years while traveling to meetings around the state. And he’s brought the blessing home to his church, too — just ask Kay Corley.
Corley, administrative assistant at First, Bay Minette, serves as Cox’s right-hand woman at the church and said she has enjoyed getting to know more people in the convention while booking his meetings the last two years.
“His travels and meetings have had the biggest impact here, but he hasn’t been out of the pulpit much — only the office,” Corley said. “It’s been a group effort to allow him to fulfill that role, but we were absolutely glad to do it.”
Cox is on the road a lot, but staff members have gladly helped pick up the slack with hospital visits and other day-to-day tasks at the church, she said. “He’s a wonderful leader and we were glad to share that leadership ability with the convention.”
That on-the-road leadership led him Oct. 24, for instance, to speak at the annual meeting of Shelby Baptist Association at First Baptist Church, Alabaster. There, Cox said he heard four pastors report on what God is doing at their churches and though “all four churches were totally different, the Spirit of God is doing a great work and the people of God are doing a great work for the Kingdom.”
Cox said his eyes have been opened “even wider” in the last two years to the magnitude of what God is doing through Alabama Baptists. “The Lord is working powerfully in our state.”
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