Ronnie Floyd

Archive for March, 2016

March 14th, 2016

Announcing our 2016 Committee on Committees of the Southern Baptist Convention

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Since last September, we have been working to secure our 2016 Committee on Committees of the Southern Baptist Convention. This process requires due diligence because it is one of the, if not the most significant long-term tasks of the President of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Just Like in Our Nation

When we elect the next president of the United States, we are also embracing the appointments he or she is privileged to make. These appointments are not just for the United States Supreme Court, but also for their staff, cabinet, and many other positions across America and the world. This is serious business because it has a long-term effect upon our nation, many times for generations.

The same is true when the Southern Baptist Convention elects a president. You are also embracing the appointments he makes. While there are several appointments I have the privilege of making, the Committee on Committees appointments determine the future of the trustees of our boards and institutions.

When the conservative resurgence began in the Southern Baptist Convention in 1979, it all began with the election of Dr. Adrian Rogers as president. His appointments and the successive presidents helped bring about the conservative resurgence in our convention.

This Cannot Be Minimized

This process cannot be minimized or conducted without the highest level of commitment. If so, the end result will not be good for our convention of churches.

The Role of the Committees on Committees

The Committee on Committees has the responsibility to appoint the Committee on Nominations. The Committee on Nominations has far-reaching influence upon Southern Baptist life. They recommend the trustees of our eleven convention entities and our Executive Committee to the Southern Baptist Convention.

The Process

After receiving nominations from across our convention and working through our own processes of evaluating and examining candidates, it is with great privilege that I announce the 2016 Committee on Committees. Beginning in September and after hours of meetings, countless phone calls, continual research, and due diligence, we completed this task last week. Prayerfully, within the by-laws that guide this process, we are placing some wonderful Christians and Southern Baptists before you.

My Commitment to Diversity

Twenty percent of our Southern Baptist churches are non-white churches. To my knowledge and research, our appointments to this committee last year were the most ethnically diverse we have ever made.

The appointments below are even more diverse than a year ago, not only in ethnicity, but also in gender. Of these sixty-eight persons that comprise the 2016 Committee on Committees, twenty-two percent will be non-white. Additionally, over twenty-six percent of these appointments are women.

This Committee’s Work Begins Today

This entire committee will work together to determine the two very best people at this time from their represented state or region, at least one of whom must not be employed full-time by or retired from a church, to serve on the Committee on Nominations. After working through this process between now and our 2016 Convention, they will meet together in St. Louis on June 13 to determine their final recommendations. On Tuesday afternoon, June 14, they will recommend to our convention the Committee on Nominations. After this process is voted upon by our convention and if the persons are affirmed, the Committee on Nominations will begin their work to recommend trustees of our SBC entities and Executive Committee at the 2017 Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.

Introducing Our Committee on Committees and Their Leaders

Dr. Willy Rice will serve as the Chairman of the 2016 Committee on Committees. He is the Senior Pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Florida. Dr. Rice is a gifted leader and has served in many areas of our Southern Baptist family. Most recently, he served as the president of our 2015 SBC Pastors’ Conference. Assisting Dr. Rice will be Dr. Ed Litton, Senior Pastor of the Redemption Church in Mobile, Alabama. Dr. Litton has a great passion for God and has also served our convention as president of our SBC Pastors’ Conference.

As Chairman, Dr. Rice will chart the work of the Committee on Committees and both he and Dr. Litton will lead these sixty-eight people through their assignment in an exceptional manner. Pray for these two men and our entire 2016 Committee on Committees.

Our 2016 Committee on Committees

Alabama – Jeff Gardner, First Baptist Church, Trussville; Ed Litton, Redemption Church, North Mobile

Alaska – Shirley Bearce, Pioneer Baptist Church, Palmer; Linda Russell, First Baptist Church, Palmer

Arizona – Tim Pruit, Pinal County Cowboy Church, Gila Valley; Monty Patton, Mountain Ridge Baptist Church, Glendale

Arkansas – Jamar Andrews, Central Baptist Church, Jonesboro; Manley Beasley, Hot Springs Baptist Church, Hot Springs

California – Andrew Spradlin, Valley Baptist Church, Bakersville; Gilberto Peralta, Iglesia San Francisco Downtown, San Francisco

Colorado – Ray Shirley, Monument Baptist Church, Grand Junction; Sherry Lambert, Riverside Baptist Church, Denver

Florida – Willy Rice, Calvary Baptist Church, Clearwater; Janet Wicker, First Baptist Church, Naples

Georgia – Emir Caner, First Baptist Church, Helen; Liliana Lewis, First Baptist Church, Woodstock

Hawaii – Charles Beaucond, First Baptist Church Pearl Harbor, Honolulu; Stacy Hirano, Waialae Baptist Church, Honolulu

Illinois – Doug Munton, First Baptist Church, O’Fallon; Michael Allen, Uptown Baptist Church, Chicago

Indiana – Barry Rager, New Circle Church, Indianapolis; Laura Smith South Side Baptist Church of South Bend, Mishawaka

Kansas-Nebraska – Casey Casamento, Wichita City Life, Wichita; Elias Bracamonte, Topeka Emmanuel Baptist Church, Topeka

Kentucky – Curtis Woods, Watson Memorial Baptist Church, Louisville; John Flores, Highview Baptist Church, Louisville

Louisiana – Leroy Fountain, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans; Michael Wood, First Baptist Church, West Monroe

Maryland-Delaware-Washington D.C. – Katie Barnes, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.; Jose Rojo Medina, Iglesia Bautista de Waldorf, Waldorf

Michigan – Darryl Gaddy, Victory Fellowship Community Church, Detroit; Mary Allen, Warren Woods Baptist Church, Warren

Mississippi – Gina Headrick, Salem Baptist Church, Laurel; Greg Belser, Morrison Heights Baptist Church, Clinton

Missouri – Josh Hall, Selmore Baptist Church, Ozark; Kim Hardy, First Baptist Church, Kimberling City

Nevada – Sharon Angle, Fellowship Baptist Church, Reno; Sam Crouch, Calvary Baptist Church, Elko

New England – Daniel Cho, Antioch Baptist Church, Cambridge, MA; Sherrill Coberley, Lake Sunapee Baptist Church, Sunapee, NH

New Mexico – Danny Kirkpatrick, Taylor Memorial Baptist Church, Hobbs; Kyle Buserman, First Baptist Church, Alamogordo

New York – Patrick Thompson, New City Church, Queens; Freeman Field, Apostles Church, New York

North Carolina – Greg Poss, Calvary Baptist Church, Winston-Salem; Lori Frank, Biltmore Baptist Church, Arden

Northwest – Tom Gillihan, First Baptist Longview, Longview; Warren Mainard, Essential Church, Bellevue

Ohio – Reginald Hayes, United Faith International, Columbus; Jeremy Westbrook, Living Hope Church, Marysville

Oklahoma – Will Wilson, New Hope Baptist Church, Tecumseh; Lana Melton, Southern Hills Baptist Church, Oklahoma City

Pennsylvania-South New Jersey – Robert Fontell, Calvary Christian Church, Philadelphia; Larry Anderson, Great Commission Church, Philadelphia

South Carolina – Don Wilton, First Baptist Church, Spartanburg; Marshall Blaylock, First Baptist Church, Charleston

Tennessee – Drew Tucker, Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova; Donna Avant, First Baptist Church Concord, Knoxville

Texas – Jeff Young, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano; Gloria Irving, First Baptist Church, Euless

Utah-Idaho – Kent Burchyett, Calvary Baptist Church, Idaho Falls; Rob Rowbottom, First Baptist Church, West City Valley

Virginia – Eric Thomas, First Baptist Church, Norfolk; Mary Smith, First Baptist Church, Roanoke

West Virginia – Ryan Navy, New Heights Church, Milton; Brandon Carter, Cross Lanes Baptist Church, Cross Lanes

Wyoming – Dale Thompson, First Southern Baptist Church, Worland; James Fredrick Creason, Boyd Avenue Baptist Church, Casper

Pray for this committee and their work between now and June 14 when they unveil their nominations to the Southern Baptist Convention.

Now is the Time to Lead,

Ronnie W. Floyd

Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, Southern Baptist Convention

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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is currently serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern Baptist Convention is America’s largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.7 million members in over 51,094 churches nationwide.

To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.

Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd

Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.

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March 11th, 2016

My Last 100 Days as President of the Southern Baptist Convention

SBC Annual Meeting, Southern Baptist Convention

This week I am entering my last 100 days as president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Someone told me it would be a two-year sprint and unquestionably, it has been. Honestly, it seems like it was just yesterday this journey began, though my team may feel otherwise.

I am very committed to finishing strong. Please understand, I do not know how presidents before me led during their season relating to the topics below, or how the ones who follow me will. But I want to let you in on some of the inside “secrets” of my experiences over the last year and what I will do in my last 100 days.

In these last 100 days, what is left to do?

Seasons

There are seasons that are busier than others. Some seasons are more extensive with travel while others are heavier with preparations and convention responsibilities. I also have my own church to care for, writing assignments in leadership, and sermon preparations for both my church and Southern Baptist engagements.

I want to bring you along on a few of these tasks, even though what I will share is not exhaustive. This will help you have an inside look at things, but also build anticipation as we move toward the beginning of our convention on Tuesday, June 14, in St. Louis.

Preparing and Finalizing Preparations for #SBC16

Within days of the conclusion of the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention in Columbus, Ohio, I began working with the leadership and communications teams regarding our theme for the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention in St. Louis. Those were all determined within the thirty days following last year’s convention. It was exciting to see the vision come together so quickly.

This prepared us to go forward in some general details regarding what we wanted this year’s convention to look like in program and appearance. Email exchanges and conference calls began with our Order of Business Committee, moving us forward to prepare for our meeting in September. The same week in September, we met with our Order of Business Committee.

This entire time, we have been preparing and moving toward final details for the upcoming convention. I have prayed daily 1 Chronicles 28:19,

David concluded, ‘By the Lord’s hand on me, He enabled me to understand everything in writing, all the details of the plan.’

How strongly I desire for God to do this with our preparations. While we have to plan ahead generally, we want the Lord to give us insight along the way, projecting what will be most relevant for Southern Baptists in June of 2016.

Last year, in the month before the convention, I spent no less than sixty hours preparing my 2015 Presidential Address. This is still before me for our 2016 meeting; so please pray for me.

Baptists need to know the president’s team is not only in his own church, but way beyond in our convention. Highly gifted persons on our Order of Business Committee and leaders on our Executive Committee walk with me through this process, giving input and helping us chart the vision together. I am thankful for all of these dear people who love our Lord and want to forward our work together in agreement, unity, and prayer.

Appointment of the Committee on Committees

Beginning last September, we started working on our Committee on Committees for 2016. The president appoints sixty-eight people to serve on this committee, which in turn appoints our Committee on Nominations. The Committee on Nominations will eventually nominate the trustees of our eleven national entities and our Executive Committee.

This process begins with receiving nominations. Then we move to determining the members, appointing the chairman, and the most difficult step, recruiting the members. Since the first of the year, we have been securing the members for this committee, and we will finish this week. It takes a tremendous amount of time to correspond with each potential member and secure a firm commitment. Next Monday, I will release the members of our 2016 Committee on Committees to the convention via my weekly blog.

Appointment of the Committee on Resolutions

At the first of this year, I began to work through the persons I would appoint to the Committee on Resolutions. This ten-member committee is critical in Baptist life because their work goes beyond the convention itself. As well, there are various restrictions and guidelines that are imperative to put the pieces of this puzzle together. Before the end of March, I will release the names of our 2016 Committee on Resolution via this weekly article.

Appointment of Parliamentarians, Credentials Committee and Tellers Committee

In these last 100 days, I will spend much time on appointments of Parliamentarians, the Credentials Committee and the Tellers Committee. Before the convention, these appointments will be completed and released via this weekly blog. Both the Credentials Committee and Tellers Committee will have an estimated twenty persons each. This year, besides appointing our Chief Parliamentarian, Barry McCarty, who has served Southern Baptists for thirty consecutive years this June, I will also appoint up to five assistant parliamentarians.

Media Requests and Correspondence

This past Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday up until the final few hours of Super Tuesday, I did nine different radio interviews and an in-studio television interview with the Dallas-Fort Worth NBC affiliate prior to preaching in Texas on Tuesday night. As well, I gave several statements for print media. I am honored to be able to represent Southern Baptists in the media during a time when Evangelicals may not be presented in the best light.

Daily, we receive emails and other correspondence. Some are related to basic questions about our convention, while others are sharing concerns. Regardless, I am firmly committed to responding. We have made every effort to answer each one and never take anyone for granted.

Weekly SBC Article Released Each Monday

Each president of the Southern Baptist Convention has to fulfill their vision as God leads them, but I have chosen to write articles related to our convention weekly. These are published on my blog each Monday.

My team informed me that by the time I finish my term at the conclusion of our 2016 Convention in St. Louis, I will have written no less than 110 articles related to the Southern Baptist Convention. Yes, I have written a lot about our work together as Southern Baptists.

I have done this because I believe in the power of Habakkuk 2:2,

The Lord answered me: Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it.

God has used many of these weekly articles to forward the vision not only within our convention, but way beyond. Therefore, in these last 100 days, I will continue to write. God uses the written word.

How Will This Get Done in The Last 100 Days?

Only by the grace of God and the prayers of God’s people will all of this be accomplished by June 14. I am often asked if I am looking forward to this being over. I can honestly say, not at all. I have enjoyed it thoroughly and will miss it greatly. God has sustained me because He called me to do this in this season of my life. My vision is clear, my passion is alive, and my focus is forward to St. Louis. Pray for me and with me about #SBC16.