June 22, 2023
By Jeff Huett
DECATUR, Ga. – Stephen Reeves, who has led CBF Advocacy since the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship began formal advocacy efforts in 2013, will transition out of that role to concentrate on the continued growth of Fellowship Southwest, an ecumenical partner of CBF that he leads.
Reeves has served in the dual role since he was selected as Fellowship Southwest’s executive director in February 2021. In late summer, CBF will launch a search process for a director of advocacy and a congregational advocacy manager. This will be the first time CBF will have two full-time positions devoted to advocacy.
CBF’s advocacy work is rooted in the same spirit and call that motivates our work in Global Missions, to demonstrate Christ’s love to our neighbors most neglected and marginalized by the world. To do that, CBF promotes opportunities for impactful advocacy among CBF partner churches and pastors and offers strategic support to increase their effectiveness.
Since Reeves’ arrival in October 2013, CBF has helped to establish a new Christian coalition calling for reform of predatory lending practices – Faith for Just Lending. CBF has become a national leader among people of faith calling for reform.
Through the work of pastors, church members, field personnel and state and regional leaders, CBF has also spoken out alongside and on behalf of our refugee, immigrant and asylum-seeking neighbors. CBF has joined in coalition with others through the Evangelical Immigration Table, Interfaith Immigration Coalition, and the National Immigration Forum and highlighted the story of DACA recipients in our churches.
Through a three-year partnership with Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, CBF Advocacy created a toolkit for congregations looking to incorporate a ministry of advocacy into the life of their church. This resource eventually became “The Mission of Advocacy: A toolkit for congregations” published by Nurturing Faith in August of 2020.
CBF Advocacy also has hosted hundreds of church members and young leaders at our annual Advocacy in Action summit in Washington, D.C. and in New York City.
Reeves said that the growth of Fellowship Southwest now demands all his time and focus “as we work to live into a vision of an ecumenical, multi-racial network of Christians called to practice compassion and promote justice together.”
He said it’s been an honor to serve as the first leader of CBF Advocacy and expressed appreciation to former CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter March for the opportunity and to Executive Coordinator Paul Baxley for the continued commitment.
In 10 years, Reeves said, CBF Advocacy has gone from nonexistent to an appreciated and expected part of what Cooperative Baptists do. “It’s exciting to look across the Fellowship and see so many churches embracing advocacy as part of the life of their congregation.”
“CBF now has a respected presence among national faith leaders engaged in the work of public witness,” Reeves said. “Despite challenging times, we’ve come a long way and yet, there is so much more to be done among the many passionate advocates within our fellowship who are eager to make a difference.”
He expressed confidence that CBF will build a strong new team of full-time advocates and said he looks forward to working with the new leadership.
Baxley thanked Reeves for his leadership and said he appreciates him remaining actively involved in the mission of advocacy as it is carried out not only in CBF Global but across the life of the Fellowship most generously defined.
“Over the past decade, Stephen’s knowledge, experiences, essential relationships and relentless commitment to a public witness rising from the ministries of our field personnel and congregations has been an incredible gift,” Baxley said. “As we look toward the future, I am committed toward further expansion of our advocacy efforts as we seek a new director of advocacy and a congregational advocacy manager. These searches that will begin this summer allow us to more fully realize the mandate that emerged in the Toward Bold Faithfulness process that our Fellowship equip congregations for public witness in their communities while also engaging in advocacy at the national level.”
The director of advocacy will provide leadership and strategic guidance to CBF’s advocacy efforts with a focus on representing CBF at a national level, stewarding CBF’s voice in advocacy issues and ensuring a public witness for racial justice. The congregational advocacy manager will assist and encourage congregations, pastors and laity to pursue advocacy efforts as a ministry of the congregation and consider how they may be advocates for racial justice.
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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.