Advisory council surveying young Baptist leaders
ATLANTA (BP) — A newly appointed advisory council is drafting recommendations to foster vibrant participation within Southern Baptist life among young leaders including pastors, denominational servants and others.
The diverse 22-member Young Leaders Advisory Council, appointed by SBC Executive Committee President Frank S. Page, is conducting an online survey of young leaders to help accomplish its goal.
Ken Weathersby, SBC Executive Committee vice president for convention advancement, serves as EC liaison for the group, and is assisted by Ashley Clayton, SBC Executive Committee vice president for the Cooperative Program and stewardship development.
"The council is working to provide concrete ways for young leaders to actively be involved in the life of the convention," Weathersby said. "We want to know what steps we need to take to make sure their voices are heard and that they are providing leadership in every aspect of the convention."
Assimilating new pastors into SBC life, explaining the Cooperative Program, and explaining the structure and functionality of the SBC in relation to regional associations and state conventions were among the top concerns voiced at the advisory council's winter meeting Jan. 19–20 in Atlanta. There, the council heard comments from Page, Weathersby and Clayton, and conducted roundtable discussions.
Jordan Easley, senior pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, Tenn., chairs the council. In a devotion based on Matthew 19, Easley focused on living holy lives fully committed to the Lord in the midst of a morally crumbling society.
The council hopes to complete its assignment this year and present a comprehensive report to Page.
Other council members are Daniel Akins, pastor of Taylor Road Baptist Church in Mobile, Ala.; Devon Bartholomew, member, Northside Baptist Church, Syracuse, N.Y.; Davin Benavidez, pastor, Cross Point Church, Bonaire, Ga.; Victor Chayasirisobhon, pastor, First Southern Baptist Church, Anaheim, Calif.; Donald Choi, homeschooling director, Antioch Baptist Church, Boston, Mass.; Joshua Clayton, member, Travis Avenue Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas; David Evans, evangelism strategist and interim leader of the Baptism Task Force of the Tennessee Baptist Convention;
Barry Fields, pastor, Hawesville Baptist Church, Hawesville, Ky.; John "Free" Freeman, pastor, H2O University Church and City Church, Pittsburg, Pa.; Nick Floyd, campus pastor, Cross Church, Fayetteville, Ark.; Noe Garcia, pastor, North Phoenix Baptist Church, Phoenix; John Green, pastor, Schindler Drive Baptist Church, Middleburg, Fla.; Steven Harris, director of advocacy, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; John Mark Harrison, pastor, Apex Baptist Church, Apex, N.C.;
Andrew Hebert, pastor, Paramount Baptist Church, Amarillo, Texas; Jeremy Roberts, senior pastor, Church of the Highlands, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Adam Sewell, lead pastor, The Well Church, Pittsburg; Andrew Spradlin, executive pastor, Valley Baptist Church, Bakersfield, Calif.; Walter Strickland II, theology instructor, special advisor to the president for diversity, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C.; Jean Ward, pastor of East Atlanta Church in Atlanta; and Michael Wood, pastor of First Baptist Church in West Monroe, La.