February 22, 2022

By Jeff Huett

DECATUR ─ An eight-member search team has been named to select the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s new Coordinator of Congregational Ministries.  

At its meeting January 27-28, the CBF Governing Board unanimously approved the creation of the position and authorized CBF officers to appoint a search committee.

The Coordinator of Congregational Ministries will be responsible for leading the Fellowship’s ministries for congregations and their leaders through resource development, active sensing of needs and opportunities in congregations, partnership cultivation, staff coaching, budget oversight and presence in congregations.

The role includes oversight of existing CBF Global Ministries, including the Thriving Congregations initiative, Ministerial Transitions and Young Baptist Ecoystem. The Coordinator of Congregational Ministries will also work actively with CBF state and regional organizations and partner organizations to enhance the ways the Fellowship nurtures gifts and resources in CBF life to help congregations thrive.

The Coordinator of Congregational Ministries Search Team includes the following:

• Debbie McDaniel (Chair), Moderator-Elect, CBF Governing Board
• Ellen Di Giosia, Chair-Elect, CBF Ministries Council; former Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jefferson City, Tenn.
• Marnie Fisher-Ingram, member, CBF Governing Board; member, Youth Ministry Network; Minister of Students, River Road Church, Baptist, Richmond, Va.
• Les Hollon, retired pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas; former member, CBF Theological Commission
• Roland Johnson, Pastor, Primera Iglesia Bautista, Keller, Texas
• Lauren McDuffie, Associate Pastor, First Baptist Church, Morehead, Ky.; chair, CBF Nominating Committee; member, Toward Bold Faithfulness Collaborative Response Team
• DeVontae Powell, Pastor, Rising Star Baptist Church, Flint, Mich.; member, CBF Pan African Koinonia Steering Committee
• Tyler Tankersley, Pastor, Ardmore Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.; CBF Fellows Alumni)

Paul Baxley, executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, praised the good work of the CBF officers in appointing a strong team to select this vital role.  

“I’m grateful to our Moderator Patricia Wilson and the other officers of the CBF Governing Board for selecting such an outstanding team of Cooperative Baptists to conduct this search for our Coordinator of Congregational Ministries,” Baxley said. “As we strengthen existing ministries to serve congregations and their leaders and imagine stronger collaborations with partners, states and regions, this position will be essential.

“Today, I ask all members of our CBF community to join me in praying for this team, the candidates they will consider and the person who will be eventually selected for this important leadership role.”

For access to the Coordinator of Congregational Ministries job description visit https://cbf.net/employment.

The search team is now accepting applications. Those wishing to apply should submit a cover letter, resume and the names of three initial references to humanresources@cbf.net. Those wishing to offer recommendations to the search committee may do so by sending a letter of recommendation by email to humanresources@cbf.net.

Applications and recommendations must be received by March 21, 2022.

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CBF is a Christian network that helps people put their faith to practice through ministry eff­orts, global missions and a broad community of support. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.