State convention officer elections will take place Nov. 11–12 during the annual meeting at Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville.
Those attending as a messenger from their church will have opportunity to vote for president, first vice president, second vice president and the secretary positions.
Debbie Oliver and Mike Jackson, who serve with the State Board of Missions, have served as the state convention’s recording secretary (Oliver) and statistical/registration secretary (Jackson) for several years. They are expected to be re-elected to those positions during the November meeting.
Of the other three officer positions, only the first vice president election had more than one candidate announced at press time.
First vice president
Kenneth Wells, bivocational pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Scottsboro, will be nominated by Josh Smith, pastor of Edgefield Missionary Baptist Church in Stevenson.
Smith said Wells has “faithfully served as a bivocational pastor at Shiloh for six years, a church averaging fewer than 50 in attendance, (and has served) in leadership roles with the Tennessee River Baptist Association.”
“Ever a champion of encouraging and building up other bivocational pastors, he has led as the secretary/ treasurer and president of the Alabama Baptist Bivocational Pastors Association, and he recently retired from a long secular career in the property insurance industry,” Smith added.
Ryan Whitley, founding pastor of the 20-year-old CrossPoint Church in Trussville, will be nominated by Daven Watkins, pastor of First Baptist Church Pelham.
“Ryan is a pastor who loves pastors,” Watkins said. “He is a shepherd-hearted leader who encourages men to keep preaching the Word and leading well.
“He knows, believes and stands for the values and convictions of Alabama Baptists,” Watkins added. “He is a faithful, gifted preacher of the gospel who lives what he preaches. Ryan has already served our state convention the last two years as second vice president. Ryan is prepared for such a time as this, and he will serve our state convention well as first vice president.”
The only announced nominee for second vice president is Mat Alexander, pastor of First Baptist Church Gadsden. He will be nominated by Daniel Atkins, pastor of Taylor Road Baptist Church in Montgomery.
Second vice president
“Mat has served faithfully as senior pastor of First Baptist Church Gadsden for 13 years and has been actively involved in many different roles within Alabama Baptist life,” Atkins said. “Mat is a proven leader, and I know will continue to serve Alabama Baptists well.”
President
Jarman Leatherwood, pastor of House of Hope and Restoration Church in Huntsville, will be nominated for president by Robert Mullins, executive director of Madison Baptist Association.
“Jarman faithfully uses his Godgiven gifts to serve. He is a powerful preacher and teacher of God’s Word who lives what he proclaims. He empowers others to follow Jesus and lead others to do the same. His support has equipped and encouraged numerous church plants and church planters,” Mullins said.
Read more about each nominee online at tabonline.org (type their name in the search bar to pull up their nomination announcement). Other nominees could be announced prior to the annual meeting; if so, their information will be available online. Nominations also are allowed from the convention floor.
Share with others: