Alabama’s Craig Carlisle will be nominated for first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention in June when messengers meet in Orlando.
Carlisle, director of missions for Etowah Baptist Association, is currently serving as second vice president of the SBC and wrapped up his two-year term as Alabama Baptist State Convention president this past November. He has long been part of numerous aspects of Alabama Baptist life and currently serves on the board of directors for The Alabama Baptist newspaper/media group. He also serves in a national capacity as a board member of the SBC executive committee.
UM’s Smith to nominate Carlisle
Charles W. Smith, president of the University of Mobile and member of Redemption Church in the Mobile area, shared his plans to nominate Carlisle with The Alabama Baptist.
“This nomination comes from a clear conviction about Craig’s character, his proven leadership and his heart for Southern Baptists,” Smith said. “It also reflects my deep appreciation for the kind of leader who invests in the next generation — something we see firsthand in our work at the University of Mobile. I believe he is uniquely suited to serve in this role at this time.
“Craig would serve the Southern Baptist Convention well as first vice president because he reflects the very best of who we are as Southern Baptists. He loves Jesus, treasures God’s Word and spent more than 30 years faithfully pastoring three Southern Baptist churches. Today … he effectively serves and supports 80 churches [through his associational missions leadership role].”
Smith also pointed out Carlisle’s heart for bivocational pastors, how he spearheaded Alabama’s Calling Out The Called initiative and his dedication to the state’s Sexual Abuse Task Force and Advisory Council, an assignment in which “he led with humility and conviction as chair.”
“His leadership in significant moments — such as guiding the state’s Sexual Abuse Task Force — has only further reinforced the trust Alabama Baptists have in him.”
‘Designated survivor role’
Carlisle always brings a chuckle to the room when people ask him about his responsibilities as second vice president. “I’m still waiting on my assignment,” he will say with a laugh.
The first vice president’s role is similar, he acknowledges. “It has virtually no responsibility, other than to step in if the president could not finish his term. It’s a designated survivor role.”
“However, I am passionate about the average Southern Baptist and our normative size church having a voice and feeling represented through our Convention,” Carlisle told The Alabama Baptist. “We are a Convention of normative size churches and pastors who serve churches that average less than 75 in attendance. Most of them won’t be in the room when the Convention meets. I want them to know they matter and are important.
“We have made great strides in elevating the role of bivocational ministry and the need to call out the called in Alabama (by helping churches identify and raise up the next generation of ministry leaders) in the last couple of years. We are poised to make even greater strides and a more significant impact in the days to come.
“I hope we can acknowledge what we’ve realized in Alabama is a reality everywhere in our Southern Baptist Convention,” Carlisle said. “My prayer is that we will collectively, as state and national conventions, address these challenges and make a concerted effort to raise up and appreciate those who serve bivocationally and internationally.”
How he got here
The push for Carlisle to allow his name to be put in nomination for an SBC officer surfaced earlier this year after he posted a message on Facebook related to the upcoming officer election. He asked who would be willing to speak to the pastoral shortage and the need for bivocational ministers.
“The post got a strong reaction resulting in people encouraging me to allow my name to be nominated for president, (but I) decided that was not the right course,” he explained. “Fast forward a couple of weeks and … I began to be approached about first vice president. And here we are.”
‘Pastor to pastors’
Smith said he has long respected Carlisle’s reputation. “That respect became personal when I moved back home to join the team at the University of Mobile. From my earliest days, Craig has consistently encouraged me, supported our work and lifted us up in prayer.
“Craig is widely known as a pastor to pastors,” Smith said. “Whether through his regular outreach and prayer for hundreds of ministers, his intentional investment in collegiate ministry leaders or his ongoing efforts to strengthen bivocational pastors, Craig has shown a deep and personal commitment to those serving on the front lines of ministry.
“Craig represents the best of Alabama Baptist life: faithful, steady and fully committed to the mission of our churches — and deeply aligned with the work of raising up the next generation of leaders for those churches.
“Every corner of our state — north and south, metropolitan and rural, young and old — holds Craig Carlisle in high regard. I am confident that same respect and affection will be evident on the national stage.”
No other nominations had been announced for first vice president at press time.
The SBC Annual Meeting will be held June 7–10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Details about the meeting and related events are available online at sbcannualmeeting.net.
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