Alabama Baptists have a new slate of officers following the Nov. 14–15 Alabama Baptist State Convention.
Lakeside Baptist Church, Birmingham, pastor Mike McLemore was elected president with no opposition. He had served the previous two years as first vice president of the convention.
“I will do my best to lead the convention with a steady hand and a sincere heart,” McLemore told messengers at the close of the convention. “We may not always agree, but it will not affect my love relationship with you.”
A native of Athens, McLemore has undergraduate degrees from John C. Calhoun Junior College in Athens and Samford University in Birmingham and a master of divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He also spent four years in the United States Air Force.
McLemore served several churches in Alabama before coming to Lakeside, including Indian Grave in Billingsley and Southside in Dothan. He also served as youth minister and associate pastor at Lakeside before taking the position of senior pastor.
Speaking with reporters during a press conference following his election as president, McLemore said his agenda as president was twofold. “One, I want to stay focused on the purpose of our convention,” he said. The convention exists to help autonomous Southern Baptist churches in Alabama proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, he noted. “I want to keep our convention anchored to our purpose and always be mindful of the autonomy of the local church.
“Two, I want to keep us faithful to the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ to go into all the world and share the gospel,” he said.
McLemore has served as chairman and vice chairman of the board of regents at the University of Mobile, as a member of the Alabama Baptist State Convention resolutions committee, as president of the Birmingham Baptist Pastors Conference, as chairman of the board of directors of The Alabama Baptist and on the board of directors of Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP).
Gary Hollingsworth, pastor of First Baptist Church, Trussville, nominated McLemore for the post, referring to him as a “statesman for Alabama Baptists.” McLemore has seen 638 new members at his 2,300-member church during his tenure. Lakeside gave $431,000 plus to missions causes last year, which included 11.5 percent going to the Cooperative Program (CP) and 2 percent going to associational missions.
McLemore and his wife, Wanda, have three children.
Joe Godfrey, pastor of Taylor Road Baptist Church, Montgomery, was elected first vice president. Originally from Rome, Ga., Godfrey has an undergraduate degree from Samford University and a master of divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He also has a doctor of ministry from Mid-America Theological Seminary in Cordova, Tenn.
Godfrey served as a youth minister and pastor before becoming the founding pastor of Taylor Road in 1994. He has seen 683 saved and baptized at the six-year-old church. The church gives 10 percent of its budget to the CP and 3 percent to associational missions.
Godfrey defeated Tom Whatley, pastor of Woodward Avenue Baptist Church, Muscle Shoals, by a vote of 610–581.
Henry Cox, pastor of First Baptist Church, Bay Minette, defeated Larry Felkins, director of missions for Chilton Association, by a vote of 593–553 for second vice president.
Born in Bibb County, Cox has degrees from Howard College (now Samford) and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as associational moderator, on the SBC committee on nominations and has served in more than 160 evangelistic campaigns.
Approved by acclamation were Mary Sue Bennett as recording secretary, Bobby DuBois as statistical secretary and Billy Austin as registration secretary. All three work for the State Board of Missions and were currently holding those positions.
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