Alabama Baptists lost a seat on both mission boards beginning with the 2018–2019 trustee year. The loss came when the 2017 Annual Church Profile (ACP) numbers were released and the report indicated the Southern Baptist population in Alabama dipped below 1 million with 925,286.
The 1 million mark allows for five seats on the International Mission Board (IMB) and three seats on the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Alabama now has four IMB board members and two NAMB board members.
The formula is part of Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) bylaws and informs how the Committee on Nominations does its work.
When Alabama IMB trustee Richard Richie heard about the reduction, he said he knew he should volunteer.
Technically, the last trustee appointed would have been removed but Richie said he had already served eight years because he had previously finished out an unexpired term.
Richie said he preferred Cecil M. Sanders Jr., pastor of First Baptist Church, Headland, stay on and be re-nominated for a second term, and that’s how it worked out.
Sanders also was named second vice president of the board.
As far as Alabama trustees for NAMB, the reduction came naturally. Mike McLemore, the late executive director of Birmingham Baptist Association, was serving as a NAMB board member at the time of his death in February.
Re-nominated for a second term on the NAMB board is Danny Wood, pastor of Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills. Wood also was named chairman of the board.
Other Alabama Baptists elected to serve on SBC boards, committees and commissions are:
Morgan Bailey, Bessemer, and Chad Young, Ranburne — SBC Committee on Nominations for 2018–2019
Phyllis S. Ingram, Montgomery, and Neal Hughes, Montgomery, terms expiring in 2022 — Executive Committee
David S. Puckett, Birmingham, nominated for a second term — GuideStone Financial Resources
Benjamin D. Posey, Kinston, term expiring in 2022 — LifeWay Christian Resources
Bradley M. Rushing, Dothan, term expiring in 2023 — Southern Seminary
Braden W. Mims, Thomasville, term expiring in 2023 — New Orleans Seminary
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