J. Thomas Green has been elected to lead the one million-member Florida Baptist State Convention as executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention.
The pastor of First Baptist Church, Brandon, Fla., was tapped by the Florida State Board of Missions during its May 29 meeting at Lake Yale Conference Center in Leesburg. He will assume his new role effective June 8.
Green, an Alabama native, earned his bachelor’s degree from Samford University in Birmingham in 1980 and master of divinity degrees from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
In remarks to the Board he pledged that by November he will present an annual budget for 2016 that will send 51 percent to the Southern Baptist Convention and 49 percent to Florida Baptist missions and ministries. “By sending more than we are keeping, I believe God will honor and bless that as he did the fishes and the loaves.”
As the tenth executive director of the Florida Baptist Convention, Green, 57, succeeds John Sullivan who retired Feb. 28 after serving in that role from 1989 to 2015, the longest tenure in Florida Baptist history.
The unanimous recommendation was brought by a nine-person search committee appointed at the time of Sullivan’s retirement announcement in September 2014.
Chairman Marvin Pittman acknowledged that prior to the final interview with Green many of the committee were undecided on the candidate. However, “during the two hours spent with Dr. Green and his wife Karen, there was a comfortable peace that invaded the room and ever heart therein. The deliberation by the committee was short and bathed in unity; the vote was unanimous,” he added.
“We firmly believe that although we had some outstanding candidates with great credentials, the Father has led us to one that by His grace, will lead Florida Baptists into a new era of cooperation and unity to achieve the Great Commission in Florida and beyond.”
Green is no stranger to Florida Baptists. He was elected as the Florida Baptist State Convention President in 2003 and 2004. He is completing a three-year term on the State Board, having previously served on it from 1999–2005. During his first tenure he was twice elected board president in 2000–2001 and 2001–2002.
He has served as senior pastor of First Brandon since April 1996. During his 19-year tenure, he led the church to double its membership to 5,700 from 2,723. Under his leadership the church has been a pacesetter among Florida Baptist churches in evangelism and baptisms with 100 persons being led into baptismal waters each year.
The church’s commitment to global missions is reflected in their Cooperative Program giving which averages ten percent annually, in addition to contributions made to the Great Commission Giving emphasis. Church members participate on numerous mission projects overseas, nationally and locally.
Prior to coming to Florida, Green served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Buford, Ga., 1988–1996; Franklin Creek Baptist Church, Pascagoula, Miss., 1985–1988 and Chesbrough Baptist Church, Kentwood, La., 1982–1985.
Married to his wife, Karen, since Aug. 17, 1979, the couple has three grown children and three grandchildren.
In Southern Baptist life, the newly elected executive served on the Board of Trustees of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., from 2002 to 2012 and as chairman from 2008 to 2010 and vice chairman from 2003 to 2006. In 2013 he was awarded the Alumni of the Year from New Orleans Seminary. (Florida Baptist Convention)
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