State convention president reflects on past two years

State convention president reflects on past two years

After working with Alabama Baptists across the state for the past two years, Roger Willmore said his “longtime conviction” about the people he holds dear to his heart has been confirmed.

“We are a people of the Bible,” said Willmore, president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention (ABSC). “We are a Great Commission people. We love Jesus and we are driven by a passionate desire to reach the world with the gospel.”

From his observations, keeping “the main thing the main thing” has helped the convention remain healthy, and he believes this year’s annual meeting Nov. 18­–19 at First Baptist Church, Montgomery, will reflect that spirit of unity and cooperation.

“We will celebrate our missions partnerships,” Willmore noted. “We will celebrate that Alabama Baptists have been on the front line of disaster relief. We will celebrate the fact that Alabama Baptists have now given over $1 billion through the Cooperative Program to Southern Baptist causes and missions around the world.”

He added that he wishes all Alabama Baptists could experience what he has over the past two years. “And they would gladly attend the convention just to have the opportunity to rejoice and worship with their fellow messengers.”

But the meeting will be bittersweet for Willmore, pastor of Deerfoot Baptist Church, Trussville. This year, he will deliver his last president’s address to messengers, and he takes this “privilege very seriously.”

“I want the president’s address to be a time of challenge and encouragement,” Willmore said. “I plan to speak on the subject of Spirit-­empowered ministry. I will take my text from Acts 1:8, and the message will address the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives and ministry.”

Throughout his tenure as president, Willmore said his desire has been that “Alabama Baptist churches, institutions and people would live and work and serve for the glory of God.”

And the convention’s three institutions of Christian higher education — Judson College in Marion, Samford University in Birmingham and the University of Mobile — have stood out to him in meeting this goal.

“One of the greatest needs among our youth today is to have a solid biblical, Christian worldview,” he said. “Our three schools have the opportunity to shape young lives that, in turn, will impact the world in which we live for the glory of God. I pray that our three colleges will remain unapologetically Christian.

“I encourage my fellow Alabama Baptist pastors to become front-line supporters of our schools and to encourage their young people and the parents of their young people to consider our schools first.”

Although he never expected to become president of the ABSC, Willmore thanks Alabama Baptists and Deerfoot Baptist for the opportunity.

“I could not have served our convention for the past two years without the support, love and prayers of the Deerfoot Baptist family,” Willmore said. “This has been a growing and maturing time for me. I think it has prepared me for more effective ministry as a pastor, and it has equipped me to be able to serve our convention in different ways in the future.”

As Willmore prepares for his final days as convention president, others are preparing for the Nov. 19 election of officers for the upcoming year.

The Alabama Baptist has confirmed that Jimmy Jackson, pastor of Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, will be nominated for convention president by Dick Thomassian, member and retired staff member of Whitesburg Baptist.

Mike Shaw, pastor of First Baptist Church, Pelham, will be nominated for first vice president by Mike Northcutt, pastor of Eastmont Baptist Church, Montgomery.

John Killian, pastor of Maytown Baptist Church, will be nominated for second vice president by Dan Ireland, retired executive director of Alabama Citizens Action Program.

No other nominees were known at press time.

For more information about the upcoming Alabama Baptist State Convention annual meeting, visit www.alsbom.org.