Ryan Whitley, founding pastor of the 20-year-old CrossPoint Church in Trussville, has been announced as a nominee for first vice president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention. He is currently serving his second one-year term as second vice president and is known for his support and love for missions.
Daven Watkins, pastor of First Baptist Church Pelham, acknowledged his plan to nominate Whitley on Oct. 7 and shared comments with The Alabama Baptist the next day.
“I am honored to nominate my friend Ryan Whitley as first vice president of the Alabama Baptist Convention,” Watkins said. “Ryan is married to Vonda and next year they will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
“Ryan is a pastor who loves pastors. He is a shepherd-hearted leader who encourages men to keep preaching the Word and leading well,” Watkins said. “Ryan was born, raised and received much of his education here in Alabama.
“He knows, believes and stands for the values and convictions of Alabama Baptists,” Watkins continued. “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.”
Whitley is a graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and received a doctor of ministry degree from Beeson Divinity School at Samford University.
He was pastor of First Baptist Church Center Point in 1998 when the idea of a satellite campus was born.
CrossPoint Church became that campus before eventually branching out on its own Jan. 2, 2005, with the vision of “reaching just one more to become a fully devoted follower of Christ.”
The officer elections will take place during the Nov. 11–12 annual meeting at Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville.
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