REGISTRATION AND VOTING PROCEDURES
At the 1971 annual meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, registration and voting procedures for the annual meeting were established.
I. Eligibility
The eligibility of messengers is determined by the Constitution/Bylaws of the Baptist General Association of Virginia as follows:
ARTICLE III. Section B: Composition
The General Association shall be composed of the officers of the General Association and messengers elected by Baptist churches which follow the New Testament teaching of salvation by grace and believer’s baptism by immersion, and which cooperate with the General Association. Each church contributing financially at least $500 during the previous fiscal year, according to the treasurer’s report, to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget shall be entitled to two (2) messengers; to a total of three (3) messengers for $750; a total of four (4) messengers for $1000, and to one (1) more messenger for each additional $600; provided that no church shall be entitled to more than fifteen (15) messengers. If $500 is more than two percent (2%) of a church’s total annual receipts, such church is entitled to two (2) messengers, provided it contributes financially at least two percent (2%) of its total annual receipts to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget. The Cooperative Missions Budget as adopted by the General Association is the preferred way Virginia Baptists express their unity in mission and ministry. Cooperative Missions is Virginia Baptists’ long-standing commitment to the Cooperative Program.
II. Registration
• Messengers should be elected by cooperating Baptist churches.
• A registration packet is mailed to each cooperating Baptist church and contains login credentials and registration forms required to complete messenger registration.
• Cooperating Baptist churches may pre-register elected messengers for the Baptist General Association of Virginia’s annual meeting on-line or by mail or they can register on-site during the meeting.
• Pre-registering messengers on-line requires login credentials. Churches may obtain this information within the registration packet or by contacting the Baptist General Association of Virginia.
• Pre-registering messengers by mail as well as registering messengers on-site using the registration form requires an authorized signature. If an authorized signature is not present, the Baptist General Association of Virginia’s credentials committee will make a decision regarding the messenger status.
III. Voting
Registered messengers will be provided with a link and sign in information to allow them to access the voting process electronically. This will be the preferred method of voting for those in person and for those attending virtually. Messengers who do not have personal access to the internet will be given paper ballots at registration.
TO INTRODUCE BUSINESS
The following is provided as information to assist messengers with the “when and how to” of presenting amendments, motions, and resolutions. The information has been paraphrased from the Constitution/Bylaws of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, which are printed in full at the end of the Book of Reports.
Article X states that amendments to the Constitution/Bylaws must be presented in writing during the morning session of the first day. Providing these qualifications are met, they will be voted upon during the business session of the second day.
Article VIII, Section D of the BGAV Constitution/Bylaws states that motions which would change the policy of the General Association or recommend changes to the policy of any agency, institution or shared ministry connected with the General Association, shall be made in writing and presented on the first day of the annual meeting. Action on such motion shall occur on the second day of the annual meeting. A motion is defined as that business brought before the BGAV which relates to or affects the policies and/or operations of the BGAV. A policy is defined as those principles by which the BGAV is guided and managed.
Article VII, General Provisions, Section I of the BGAV Constitution/Bylaws states that resolutions from messengers must be received in writing by the office of the Executive Director no later than October 15 and shall be referred to the Committee on Resolutions. Resolutions from the Executive Board or committees, and resolutions submitted for action by the Committee on Resolutions, must be published in the Book of Reports; or be published on the General Association website in advance of the annual meeting of the General Association; or be available to the messengers at registration. Adoption of any resolution shall require three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the messengers present and voting. A resolution is defined as the expression of the opinion of registered messengers and in no way establishes the policies of the General Association. Only registered messengers, the Executive Board, and committees of the General Association are eligible to submit resolutions to the annual meeting of the General Association.
Note: Matters introduced after the end of the first day of an annual meeting may not be considered at that annual meeting except by unanimous consent.
Persons who desire assistance in putting in proper constitutional form matters of business to be presented to the General Association may contact any member of the Program Committee who will refer you to a resource person.
202ND ANNUAL MEETING OFFICERS
Baptist General Association of Virginia
2024–2025 BGAV OFFICERS
President W. Shelton Miles III
First Vice-President Stephen R. Adkins
Second Vice-President Mary E. “Eli” Withers
Executive Director ................................................................................. Wayne D. Faison
Treasurer ............................................................................................. David B. Washburn
Clerk ................................................................................................. Timothy N. Madison
PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Stephen Gray and Alan Miller, Co-Chairs
Julia Andrews
Marco Capayachi
Mary Gilley
Sylvia Hobgood
Tom Rosemeier
Marcus Vaughan
Sylvia Wade
PARLIAMENTARIANS
Richard Martin
Adam Tyler
Bill Bryan
TELLERS
Phillip Wright, Chair
Don Bailey
Jesse Perdue
Luke Smith
Matt Winters
CREDENTIALS
Brady Willis, Chair
Eunice J. Adkins
Sharron Gunter
Greg Heatherington
Steve Nethery
Norma Perdue
Tyler Phillips
VIRGINIA BAPTIST EXECUTIVE BOARD
Baptist General Association of Virginia
MEMBERS BY VIRTUE OF OFFICE
Wyatt Shelton Miles III (Minister)
Church: Kedron Baptist Church President, BGAV
Stephen R. Adkins (Layperson)
Church: Samaria Baptist Church First Vice President, BGAV
Eli Withers (Minister)
Church: Harrisonburg Baptist Church Second Vice President, BGAV
ELECTED MEMBERS
2025
Roberta Anderson (Minister)
Church: Bethlehem Baptist Church, Richmond 1st Term, term to expire 2025
Brooke Holloway Blake (Minister)
Church: Memorial Baptist Church, Arlington 2nd Term, term to expire 2025
Allen Jessee (Minister)
Church: Highlands Fellowship 2nd Term, term to expire 2025
John Sawyer (Minister)
Church: James River Community Church 1st Term, term to expire 2025
Stapelton W “Pete” Wills (L)
Church: Mechanicsville Baptist Church 2nd Term, term to expire 2025
2026
Josh Franklin (Minister)
Church: Mount Vernon Baptist Church 1st Term, term to expire 2026 (filling an unexpired term)
Michael Lee Moore (Layperson)
Church: Gracewood Community Church 1st Term, term to expire 2026
Carlton Gunter (Minister)
Church: First Baptist Church of Altavista 2nd Term, term to expire 2026
Rebecca J. McKinney (Layperson)
Church: Chatham Heights Baptist Church Immediate Past President, BGAV
Wayne Faison (Minister)
Church: East End Baptist Church Executive Director, BGAV/Ascent
David Washburn (Minister)
Church: Second Baptist Church Treasurer, BGAV/Ascent
Wayne Jenkins (Minister)
Church: First Baptist Church of Alexandria 2nd Term, term to expire 2026
Michael Duncan (Minister)
Church: Grace Hilles Baptist Church 1st Term, term to expire 2026 (filling an unexpired term)
2027
Sarah U. Burnett (Layperson)
Church: Woodland Baptist Church 1st Term, term to expire 2027
Angie Frame (Minister)
Church: Passion Community Church 1st Term, term to expire 2027
Kristin Olson (Layperson)
Church: Haymarket Baptist Church 1st Term, term to expire 2027 (filling an unexpired term)
Beth Sloane (Layperson)
Church: Beale Memorial Baptist Church 1st Term, term to expire 2027
Mary Terry (Layperson)
Church: First Baptist Charlottesville 1st Term, term to expire 2027
VIRGINIA BAPTIST MISSION COUNCIL
Baptist General Association of Virginia
ELECTED MEMBERS
2025
Andre Amaral, Capital Region
Ben Boyd, Capital Region
Leroy Bradshaw, Southside Region
Jim Bunce, Central/Valley Region
Brian Burdett, Northern Region
Connie Cruze, Southwest Region
Dan Davis, Southside Region
Russell Goodrich, Tidewater Region
Steve Hagan, Northern Region
Greg Harrell, Southwest Region
Lynette Johnson, Southwest Region
Rebecca Jordan, Southside Region
Sam Maxwell, Northern Region
Alan Miller, Northern Region
Anne Mitchell, Tidewater Region
Steve Nethery, Central/Valley Region
Matt Parron, Tidewater Region
Troy Pearson, Central/Valley Region
Cindy Phillips, Southside Region
Thomas Saunders, Central/Valley Region
Allan Smith, Northern Region
Greg Soult, Capital Region
Carter Tan, Capital Region
Pamela Vaughan, Capital Region
Andy Wood, Southwest Region
Patrick Wood, Tidewater Region
2026
Debby Ashley, Central/Valley Region
Phil Bailey, Central/Valley Region
Danielle Bridgeforth, Northern Region
Tim Brown, Southwest Region
Ben Caldwell, Tidewater Region
Samuel Alexander (Alex) Crocker, Tidewater Region
Michael Edwards, Capital Region
Joy Eure, Northern Region
Lee Foster, Southside Region
Andrew Garnett, Tidewater Region
Bob Gordon, Northern Region
Chad Harris, Southside Region
Mike Hatfield, Southwest Region
Jonathan Hilliard, Southside Region
Robert Lee, Tidewater Region
Linda Mays, Southside Region
Mark Miller, Capital Region
Jennifer Mullins, Capital Region
Kristen Old, Tidewater Region
Rupert H. Rose, Jr., Capital Region
Richard Sandberg, Capital Region
Terry Semones, Southwest Region
John H. Stone, Central/Valley Region
Nancy Gail Swanson, Southside Region
David Vogt, Central/Valley Region
Shawn White, Southwest Region
Austin Williams, Central/Valley Region
Donna Winebarger, Southwest Region
2027
Kris Aaron, Southwest Region
Richard Abbott, Tidewater Region
Patricia Pat Craft, Southwest Region
Josh Crews, Southside Region
Kevin Crowder, Tidewater Region
Travis DeBusk, Southwest Region
Kyle Dobyns, Capital Region
Philip Elliott, Northern Region
Brenda L. Evans, Capital Region
Doug Frazier, Central/Valley Region
Laura French, Southside Region
Eric Gilchrest, Northern Region
Melinda Graham, Northern Region
Denise Harcum, Capital Region
Brenda Hastings, Northern Region
Warren Johnson, Tidewater Region
Mac Jordan, Capital Region
Lynn Marstin, Southside Region
Tyler Phillips, Central/Valley Region
Jake Roudebush, Central/Valley Region
John Ryland, Tidewater Region
Heather Saunders, Northern Region
Susan Smith, Southwest Region
Jerry Stanfield, Southside Region
Susan D. Stone, Tidewater Region
Judy Vicars, Southwest Region
Catherine White, Southside Region
Tom Williams, Capital Region
Matt Winters, Central/Valley Region
Greg Wissinger, Central/Valley Region
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM THE VIRGINIA BAPTIST EXECUTIVE BOARD
• Treasurer’s Report
RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE APPROVED
• Recommendations and Reports from the Virginia Baptist Executive Board
• Resolutions of Appreciation
• Election of Virginia Baptist Executive Board Nominees
• Election of Virginia Baptist Executive Board Chair
• Report of the 2025 Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions
• 2026 Proposed Cooperative Missions Budget Allocation
• 2026 Proposed World Mission Causes
TREASURER’S REPORT
Distribution of Gifts Received as of September 30, 2025
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS FROM THE VIRGINIA BAPTIST EXECUTIVE BOARD
1. Approved Rachel Pierce to serve as vice chair of the Executive Board for 2025.
2. Approved study leave for Dean Miller (Impact Missions) in 2025.
3. Approved Uptick bylaw additions and changes.
4. Recommended that the Committee on Program for the 2025 Annual Meeting move upon recommendations made by the Task Force regarding more women platform speakers and featured sessions.
5. Formed a subcommittee to review and assess the most recent BGAV Personnel Policy Manual.
6. Approved the 2025 Alma Hunt Allocations.
7. Approved the 2025 housing allowances for 2 staff members.
8. Approved Kristin Olson (Layperson), Haymarket Baptist Church, to fill the unexpired term of Mike Bradley, term to expire 2027.
9. Received the full 2024 audit report from Keiter.
10. Approved study leave for Lisa Watson (Missio Alliance) in 2025.
11. New Ascent Steering Council members were approved: Kelly Legg, Matt Lake, and Patti Duckworth.
12. Approved a proposed draft job description for a Chief Operating Officer.
13. Recommend the following nominees to serve on the Executive Board, terms to expire 2028: Roberta Anderson (Minister), Bethlehem Baptist Church; Annette Bennett (Layperson), Providence Baptist Church; Allen Jessee (Minister), Highlands Fellowship; Diane Mosby (Minister), Anointed New Life; and John Sawyer (Minister), James River Community Church.
14. Recommend the nomination of John Sawyer (M), James River Community Church to serve as chair of the Executive Board in 2026 and approved Allen Jessee (M), Highlands Fellowship to serve as vice chair of the Executive Board in 2026 and Angie Frame (M), Passion Community Church to serve as secretary of the Executive Board in 2026.
15. Approved Michael Duncan (Minister), Grace Hills Baptist Church, to fill the unexpired term of Rachel Pierce, term to expire 2026.
16. Approved a Resolution of Appreciation for Tiffany McKillip Franks
17. Approved a Resolution of Appreciation for Randy Myers.
18. Approved a Resolution of Appreciation for Valerie Carter Smith.
19. Approved the 2025 housing allowance for 1 staff person.
20. Approved the 2026 housing allowances requests for ordained staff.
21. New Ascent Steering Council members were approved: Arthur Jones, Donna Lee Lamothe, Adam Stadtmiller.
22. Approved the salary scale for 2026.
23. Approved the $7,193,750 Cooperative Missions budget goal for 2026.
24. Approved the Treasurer be authorized to distribute all funds received after January 9, 2026, in accordance with the 2026 budget.
RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION FOR TIFFANY FRANKS
Whereas, Dr. Tiffany M. Franks, the first woman to serve as President of Averett University, retired January 5, 2025, after nearly 17 years of distinguished service and 37 years in higher education leadership;
Whereas, under her leadership, Averett achieved record enrollment, secured over $60 million in philanthropic support, launched new academic and athletic programs, and advanced significant campus enhancements;
Whereas, Dr. Franks prioritized restoring Averett’s relationship with the Baptist General Association of Virginia, affirming the University’s Baptist heritage and fostering a strong partnership with West Main Baptist Church to provide a minister of youth for the church and chaplain for Averett;
Whereas, in 2022 she received the Courageous Leadership Award presented annually by the higher education consulting firm Credo to honor outstanding higher education administrators for their commitment to student success; and for her collaborative and inclusive stewardship of the institution, contributions to the community, and passionate advocacy on behalf of students;
Whereas, before joining Averett, she served as Executive Vice President at Greensboro College in North Carolina; Whereas, she holds a B.A. from Ohio Dominican University, an M.S. from The Ohio State University, and a doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania;
Whereas, she is recognized for her student-centered leadership, community engagement, and dedicated service to the Danville region;
Therefore, Be it Resolved, that the Executive Board of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, meeting September 9, 2025, expresses deep gratitude to Dr. Tiffany McKillip Franks for her exemplary leadership and service, and offers prayerful support to her and her husband, Joe, in the next chapter of their lives;
Be it Further Resolved, that we ask the messengers of the Annual Meeting of the BGAV on November 11, 2025, at Highlands Fellowship, Abingdon, Virginia to express on behalf of all Virginia Baptists our gratitude to God and our deepest appreciation for the contributions of Dr. Tiffany McKillip Franks.
RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION FOR J. RANDY MYERS
Whereas, Rev. J. Randy Myers retired after 13 years as Executive Director of GraceInside, leading Virginia’s state prison chaplain service with vision, compassion, and dedication;
Whereas, his leadership expanded GraceInside into an organized ministry of 33 chaplains serving 24,000 men and women in 40 state prisons, strengthening its mission to bring God’s Word to “the least of these;”
Whereas, Rev. Myers’ career combined ministry and corrections, including service as Vice-President of GraceInside and Religious Advisor to the Virginia Department of Corrections;
Whereas, Rev. Myers is an ordained Baptist minister who served several churches in full and part-time ministry positions. A pianist, vocalist, puppeteer and impressionist, Rev. Myers frequently performed for various church and community functions;
Whereas, A native of Powhatan County, Virginia, Rev. Myers holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia. He also completed a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree –with a specialization in Christian Education – from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina;
Therefore, Be it Resolved, that the Executive Board of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, meeting September 9, 2025, expresses deep gratitude to Rev. J. Randy Myers for his faithful leadership and ministry, and offers prayerful support to him, his wife Tammy, and their family in this new chapter of life;
Be it Further Resolved, that we ask the messengers at the annual meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia on November 11, 2025, at Highlands Fellowship, Abingdon, Virginia to express on behalf of all Virginia Baptists our gratitude to God and our deepest appreciation for the contributions of Rev. J. Randy Myers.
RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION FOR VALERIE CARTER SMITH
Whereas, Dr. Valerie Carter Smith retired January 31, 2025, after faithfully serving as Executive Director/Treasurer of the Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia (WMUV) since 2014;
Whereas, Valerie served in Virginia Baptist life as a missions leader since 1988 and has been a blessing to Virginia Baptists as Director, Hillside Center, Richmond, VA, 1988 – 1998; as Associate of Christian Social Ministries, WMUV, Richmond, VA, 1998 – 2003; and as Associate Pastor for Glocal Ministries, Bon Air Baptist Church, Richmond, VA, 2003 – 2014;
Whereas, Valerie acknowledges the influence of WMU leaders who mentored her since the beginning of her ministry journey in Virginia. Among these are J. Earlene Jesse, former WMUV Executive Director/Treasurer, June Bass at Bon Air Baptist Church, and Ann Brown, former WMUV president and chair of the WMUV Search Committee that led her to WMUV;
Whereas, her leadership included serving and mentoring marginalized women, inspiring women to engage in missions, strengthening multigenerational and multicultural ministry, and guiding WMUV through its 150th Anniversary, the publication of Roots & Wings, and the organization’s rebranding of WMU of Virginia to HerMission as fitting tributes to the faithful WMUV women who came before her and a clarion call to the next generation;
Whereas, she published widely on missions and social ministry, presented papers and lectures from her expertise in missions and sociology, taught in higher education, and represented Virginia Baptists through national and international leadership;
Whereas, Valerie has served on the Baptist World Alliance, Commission Race and Gender, 2015-2020; as a Baptist Theological Seminary, Trustee, 2010-2016; on the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Advisory Council, 19861989; and as a member, Association of Black Sociologists;
Whereas, Valerie has served as Adjunct Professor, Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Richmond, Virginia, and as Associate Professor of Sociology, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Richmond, Virginia;
Whereas, Valerie holds the Doctor of Ministry, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, the Master of Science, Sociology, Virginia Commonwealth University, the Master of Divinity, Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA, and the Bachelor of Arts, Sociology (Minor: Religious Studies), Adelphi University, Garden City, New York;
Therefore, Be it Resolved, that the Executive Board of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, meeting September 9, 2025, expresses deep gratitude to Dr. Valerie Carter Smith for her exemplary service and leadership among Virginia Baptists and especially in the Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia, and offer prayerful support to her and her husband, Eldridge, in the next chapter of their lives;
Be it further resolved, we ask the messengers of the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia meeting at Highlands Fellowship, Abingdon, Virginia on November 11, 2025, join in thanking God and expressing appreciation for her faithful contributions to Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia and Virginia Baptists.
NOMINATIONS TO THE VIRGINIA BAPTIST EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Virginia Baptist Executive Board nominates the following persons to serve on the Virginia Baptist Executive Board.
TERMS TO EXPIRE NOVEMBER 2028
Roberta Anderson (Minister), Bethlehem Baptist Church (Capital), second term
Roberta Anderson currently serves as Associate Minister for Bethlehem Baptist Church, Richmond, VA. She is an active Member of HerMission (formerly WMUV). Roberta is a graduate of Virginia Union University’s Samuel DeWitt School of Theology, where she earned a Master of Divinity degree with an emphasis in Christian Education in 2010. She earned a Master of Arts Degree in Education and Human Resource Development from George Washington University and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from Saint Paul’s College. Roberta is currently serving on the Virginia Baptist Executive Board.
Annette Bennett (Layperson), Providence Baptist Church (Southside), first term
Annette is a career public school educator (40 years), culminating with seven years of service as the Superintendent of Appomattox County Schools, where she led a school system with approximately 400 employees and an annual budget of $37,000,000. She is retiring from that position in June 2025. She is the daughter of the late Coan Agee, who pastored three BGAV churches over a 54-year career. In her local church she serves as a deacon, secretary of the deacons, Sunday School director and teacher, and adult choir director. She has previously served on committees for personnel, scholarships, pastor search, and building and grounds. She has also served on Appomattox Association committees.
Allen Jessee (Minister), Highlands Fellowship (Southwest Region), third term
Allen Jessee has served in ministry for over 30 years. He has lived in Southwest Virginia his entire life and graduated from Emory and Henry College with a degree in Chemistry. Allen continued his education at Liberty University, receiving his master’s degree in biblical studies. He then graduated from Luther Rice Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree and returned to Liberty University for his Doctor of Ministry. Allen started Community Heights Church in Claypool Hill, VA, and pastored that congregation for 25 years. He then joined the staff of Highlands Fellowship, becoming Lead Pastor in 2012. He has since retired as their Lead Pastor but is now Pastor of Regional and Global Networks. Allen currently serves on the Virginia Baptist Executive Board and chaired the board 2024-25 year.
Diane Mosby (Minister) Anointed New Life (Capital Region), first term
Dr. Diane Mosby is the founding pastor of Anointed New Life Baptist Church, located in Henrico, VA. She is a committed servant of God who reaches beyond the walls of the church to seek those who are lost and to invite them into a relationship with Jesus. She has led the church to support a mission in the Philippines. She is a preacher, teacher, author, and past president of the AAFVA. She is an innovator who can study what is and seek creative options for what can be. She formerly worked in state government.
John Sawyer (Minister), James River Community Church (Capital Region), second term
John Sawyer responded to God’s call to vocational ministry in 2006 and currently serves as pastor of James River Community Church. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Averett University and a Master’s in Ministry Leadership from Portland Seminary at George Fox University. John has worked since 2009 with Dr. Peter Scazzero and Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, training and equipping pastors around the world to implement these discipleship courses across diverse denominations and cultures. In 2014, he founded Bridging RVA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting people, groups, and causes to advance the common good. John has served BGAV in various leadership roles, including two years as chair of the Committee on Christian Life. He currently serves on the Virginia Baptist Executive Board.
ELECTION OF VIRGINIA BAPTIST EXECUTIVE BOARD CHAIR
John Sawyer (M), James River Community Church
John is currently serving on the Executive Board, term to expire 2025.
Note: See pages 18–19 for overall proposed 2026 budget.
$7,193,750
$4,750,000 2026 PROPOSED COOPERATIVE MISSIONS BUDGET ALLOCATION
VIRGINIA MISSIONS & MINISTRIES
$4,750,000 66%
VIRGINIA MISSIONS & MINISTRIES
$429,500 6% BGAV PARTNERS IN VIRGINIA
BGAV PARTNERS IN VIRGINIA
Averett University
Baptist Extension Board
Bluefield University
Center for Baptist Heritage and Studies
EverBless Foundation
Fork Union Military Academy
GraceInside
Hargrave Military Academy
HerMission (formerly WMUV)
HopeTree Family Services
LifeSpire of Virginia
Oak Hill Academy
Virginia Baptist Historical Society
WORLD MISSION CAUSES
$2,014,250 28%
WORLD MISSION CAUSES
BGAV + ASCENT MINISTRIES
BGAV + PARTNER MINISTRIES
BGAV + SBC MINISTRIES
helping congregations and leaders engage and participate in
Leadership
helping leaders experience growth unique to their context and specific to their ministry passion, giftedness, and focus
Church Development
helping churches maximize their Kingdom impact in this challenging season of ministry
Community Development
helping churches connect with their respective communities including the surrounding population they aim to serve
Resource Development
providing reliable sources of support through a wide array of resources to our diverse demographic of congregations and leaders
2026 PROPOSED COOPERATIVE MISSIONS/ BGAV BUDGET ALLOCATION
(Funds received over the budget goal will be distributed according to the contributing churches’ allocations.)
VIRGINIA MISSIONS AND MINISTRIES
Mission Development - helping congregations and leaders engaging and participating in God’s greater mission
• Congregational Field Strategists: dedicated support and personalized assistance to help local churches, pastors, and leaders network and thrive in their ministry context
• V3 Church Planting Movement: a grassroots church planting movement with the practices of boundarycrossing mission, locally-rooted presence, life-forming discipleship, and tight-knit community
Leadership Development - helping leaders experience growth unique to their context and specific to their ministry passion, giftedness, and focus
• Coaching Network: helping leaders establish where they are presently in their lives and where they think God is calling them to move toward in the future
• Uptick: investing in a generation of Jesus shaped leaders of today so they can be equipped to lead effectively and effect change in their communities tomorrow
• Eagle Eyrie Conference Center: a Christian environment where leaders discover, develop, and nurture their spiritual lives
Church Development - helping churches maximize their Kingdom Impact in this challenging season of ministry
• Impact Missions: striving to connect churches and leaders with hands-on mission opportunities as they seek to serve Christ and thrive as disciples in their local, national, and global communities
• Fresh Expressions: providing opportunities for congregations and leaders to reach unengaged people by developing new Christian communities and transforming congregations through innovative mission practices
• Camp Piankatank: a serene camp setting where Christian hospitality, high adventure, and relationships create an environment for spiritual growth and discipleship
• Emergency Assistance for Ministers: providing support and resources for renewal, restoration, and revitalization to pastors and ministers experiencing mental, economic, and personal hardships
• Church Staff Benefit Support: providing life and disability insurance to participating pastors and ministers through GuideStone
Community Development - helping churches connect with their respective communities including the surrounding population they aim to serve
• Kairos Initiative: connecting young adults and college students to the heart of the local church through leadership development and vocational discernment toward missional living
• Missio Alliance: coming together under a common commitment to provide a safe place to address what faithfulness to Christ looks like for today’s church in the face of new cultural challenges
Resource Development - providing reliable sources of support through a wide array of resources to our diverse demographic of congregations and leaders
• Executive Director’s and Treasurer’s Offices: leading the mission and ministries of BGAV alongside the Executive Board, Mission Council, standing committees, churches, and partners to administer the vision and business of BGAV and Cooperative Missions
• Marketing and Information
Offices: connecting church leaders to the resources of BGAV through news delivery in print and digital formats, customized marketing and demographic reports, promotion of events, BGAV annual meeting, and technical solutions for all team member
• Facilities Support: maintenance and infrastructure needs of BGAV offices
How to Choose Your Church’s Mission Giving
2026 PROPOSED WORLD MISSION CAUSES
1. That the 2026 Virginia Baptist Cooperative Missions Budget Allocation totaling $7,193,750 be adopted.
2. That the Treasurer be authorized to distribute all funds received after January 9, 2026, in accordance with the 2026 budget.
2026 PROPOSED COOPERATIVE MISSIONS GIVING PLANS
BGAV
This means that 100% of your church’s contributions go to support BGAV missions and ministries. Your giving helps our missions, ministries, and partners across Virginia to advance the Kingdom.
You may also consider supporting other ministries in addition to BGAV that align with the mission and values of your congregation. To allocate a portion of your giving to one of these groups, choose one of the following giving options:
BGAV + ASCENT MINISTRIES
This means that 72% of your giving goes to support BGAV’s Cooperative Missions and 28% goes to support initiatives of the Ascent Movement around rural churches, evangelism and discipleship, leadership development, and mission engagement.
BGAV + PARTNER MINISTRIES
This means that 72% of your giving goes to support BGAV’s Cooperative Missions and 28% goes to support national and international ministry partners and initiatives:
• Kingdom Advance New Mission Initiatives
• Reaching Virginia
• Mission Development & Relief
• Leland Seminary
• Baptist World Alliance
BGAV + SBC MINISTRIES
• Ministerial Education Fund
• Baptist Joint Committee
• Ministering to Ministers Foundation
• BGAV News & Resources
This means that 72% of your giving goes to support BGAV’s Cooperative Missions and 28% goes to support initiatives and ministries of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).
Of course, your church may want to support more than one of these ministry groups! If that is the case, choose the giving option below:
CUSTOM GIVING
This means your giving designations are customized by your church between BGAV, Ascent Ministries, Partner Ministries, and/or SBC Ministries. Your church must file a letter of explanation with the Treasurer’s Office to create a Custom Giving designation
2025 ALMA HUNT OFFERING FOR VIRGINIA MISSION
Philippians 3:14
MISSION FORWARD
OFFICIAL REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES FROM THE BGAV
• Committee on Boards and Committees
• Nominations to the Committee on Boards and Committees
• Nominations to the Virginia Baptist Mission Council
• Christian Life Committee
• Program Committee
• Religious Liberty Committee
• Resolutions Committee
• Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds Committee
COMMITTEE ON BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
Official Report
The Committee on Boards & Committees, in accordance with the charge given to us by the Baptist General Association of Virginia, has spent the last several months working in partnership with local pastors, lay leaders, associations, and BGAV staff to provide leadership that represents the diversity of gifts and experience that is necessary for the ongoing Kingdom work to which Virginia Baptists are committed. As we have talked with so many people all around our state this year, we have been reminded of how rich the ministry of the BGAV is and how blessed we are with the Spirit-given gift of cooperation. We would like to thank all of those who brought recommendations to our committee for consideration. We could not accomplish our task without your invaluable guidance and input. We would also like to thank the BGAV staff for their commitment to ministry and missions and for always standing ready to support our work as a committee. We are deeply grateful for each individual who has agreed to serve on a committee or board representing the BGAV. As you read over the slate of nominees, please take a moment to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for their willingness to serve and a petition for our Lord’s wisdom and grace to guide them in their tasks.
The Committee on Boards & Committees presents this slate of nominees to the gathered assembly of the Baptist General Association of Virginia and moves the acceptance of these nominations.
In Christ,
Mark Olson, Committee Chair
Caleb Bittler
Alan Buchanan
David Donahue
John Grieser
Todd Latham
Larry Perkins
RG Rowland
Pam Turner
Rebecca J. McKinney (By Virtue of Office - Past President)
W. Shelton Miles III (By Virtue of Office – President)
Wayne D. Faison (By Virtue of Office – Executive Director)
Committee on Christian Life Terms to expire November 2028
Alan Adkins (L)
Josh Beeler (M)
Tony Reynozo (L)
Committee on Memorial Terms to expire November 2028
Edith Kennedy (L)
Vicki Bohannon (M)
Bob Gordon (M)
Committee on Program Terms to expire November 2028
Roland Brown (M)
Perry Chang (M)
Steve Nethery (M)
Mechanicsville Church
Glen Allen 24059 Mechanicsville
Madison Heights Church
Madison Heights
Madison Heights 24572
First Baptist Church Alexandria 22303 Alexandria
Haymarket Church
Haymarket
Kings Grant Church
Virginia Beach
Bealeton Church
Gainesville 20155
Virginia Beach 23451
Bealeton 22712 Bealeton
Collinswood-Agape Church
Chesapeake 23322 Portsmouth
Grace Chinese Baptist Church
Glen Allen 23059 Manakin
Spring Hill Baptist Church
Stanardsville 22973 Ruckersville
Committee on Religious Liberty Terms to expire November 2028
Bill Davis (M)
Scott Flanders (L)
Kathryn Wetzel Johnson (L)
Laurel Hill Baptist Church Verona 24482 Verona
Columbia Baptist Church
Fairfax 22023 Falls Church
Glen Allen Church
Glen Allen
Glen Allen 23059
Committee on Resolutions
Terms to expire November 2028
Roger Austin (M)
Rusty Mullins (M)
Bridgewater Baptist Church
Harrisonburg 23801 Bridgewater
Gayton Baptist Church Mechanicsville 23116 Richmond
Debbie Thurman (L) First Baptist Church
Lynch Station 24571 Altavista
Scholarships & Ministerial Education Funds
Terms to expire November 2028
Greg Anderson (M)
Belmont Baptist Church Charlottesville 22901 Charlottesville
Jack Dunham (M) Spring Hill Church
Ruckersville 22968 Ruckersville
Carolyn Taylor Smith (L) Mount Tabor Church
Glen Allen 23060 Richmond
II. THE FOLLOWING TO BE DULY ELECTED BY THE GENERAL ASSOCIATION
Ministers Relief Fund
None needed this year.
III. THE FOLLOWING TO BE APPROVED BY THE BAPTIST GENERAL ASSOCIATION, ELECTION TO BE MADE BY THE RESPECTIVE INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES
GraceInside (formerly known as Chaplain Service Prison Ministry of VA, Inc.)
None needed this year.
Fork Union Military Academy Term to expire 2028
Harry Johnson (L)
Fork Union Military Academy Term to expire 2029
Smithfield Church
Suffolk 23434 Smithfield
Christopher Head (L) Bonsack Church
Roanoke 24019 Roanoke
Hargrave Military Academy
None needed this year.
Oak Hill Academy Terms to expire 2030
Todd Fuller (M)
Joel Jackson (L)
Gayton Baptist Church Richmond 23233 Henrico
Northstar Church Blacksburg 24063 Blacksburg
Averett University
None needed this year.
Bluefield College Term to expire 2029
Craig Stout (L)
First Baptist Church Princeton, WV 24740 Princeton
John Leland Center for Theological Studies Terms to expire 2029
Sam Maxwell (M) Manassas Baptist Church Manassas 20110 Manassas
Chad Moutray (L) First Baptist Alexandria 22315 Alexandria
Baptist Extension Board
None needed this year.
Center for Baptist Heritage and Studies Term to expire 2029
Rick Clore (M) Orange Church Orange 22960 Orange (to serve a second term)
HopeTree Family Services Term to expire 2029
Nichelle Jones-Williams (L) Mount Tabor Church Richmond 23238 Richmond
EverBless Foundation Terms to expire 2029
Leigh Anne Baggs (L) Second Church
Manakin Sabot 23103 Richmond (to serve a second term)
William E. (Gene) Watson (L) Farmville Church
Farmville 23901 Farmville (to serve a second term)
LifeSpire of Virginia Term to expire 2028
Dan Carlton (M) Culpeper Church
Culpeper 22701 Culpeper
Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty Term to expire 2030
Sarah Amick (L) Richmond’s First Church Richmond 23220 Richmond
Adam Tyler (M) Farmville Baptist Church
Keysville 23947 Farmville
Jim Bunce (M) Marlow Heights Baptist Church Front Royal 22630 Front Royal
Baptist World Alliance None needed this year.
NOMINATIONS TO THE COMMITTEE ON BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
Nominations from the BGAV President and 2 Vice-Presidents
Terms to expire 2028
Rachel Pierce (M) Ashland Church Hanover 23069 Ashland
O. Bryan Taliaferro, Jr. (L) Beale Memorial Church Centercross 22437 Tappahannock
TBD
NOMINATIONS TO THE VIRGINIA BAPTIST MISSION COUNCIL
The regions nominate the following persons to serve on the Virginia Baptist Mission Council.
CAPITAL REGION
2028
Andre Amaral (Minister)
Second Baptist Church, Richmond 2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Pastor Andre Amaral serves the Portuguese Language Ministry at Second Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and a master’s degree in Arts in Ministry from Carolina University. With a background in Systems Analysis and Business Management for non-profits, Andre brings both technical and pastoral insight to ministry. He was ordained by Orla Rio Baptist Church in Brazil. Married to Alessandra, they have three children—Andre Gabriel, Ana Leticia, and Ana Gabriele—and together they serve with a heart for missions and sharing God’s grace across cultures.
Ben Boyd (Minister)
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church 2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Ben Boyd is the pastor of Mount Olivet Baptist Church, where he has served since 2022. A graduate of The College of William and Mary and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Ben has been in pastoral ministry for eight years, including service at Mount Gilead Baptist Church in Goochland, Virginia. He is passionate about helping churches discern and pursue God’s calling for the future. Ben and his wife, Mary Beth, have been married for 10 years and are the proud parents of three children.
Roger Crump (Minister)
Powers Memorial Baptist Church 1st Term, term to expire 2028
Dr. Roger D. Crump serves as pastor of Powers Memorial Baptist Church in Hopewell, Virginia. A native of North Carolina, he holds a B.A. in Religion and History from Mars Hill College, an M.Div. with Languages from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. from the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Roger has served in ministry for over four decades, including roles in youth, music, and pastoral leadership across Virginia and North Carolina. He and his wife, Patricia Huckabee Crump, have been married since 1975 and have two grown children, Trent and Rosa.
Carter Tan (Minister)
Grace Chinese Baptist Church, Richmond 2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Pastor Carter Tan leads the English Ministries at Grace Chinese Baptist Church of Richmond and serves as IT Business Relationship Manager at the International Mission Board (IMB). He holds an M.Div. and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Leadership at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Carter also earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Mississippi State University. With more than 20 years of experience in ministry and organizational leadership, he is passionate about equipping leaders, fostering multiethnic collaboration, and advancing the global mission of the church. Carter lives in Glen Allen, Virginia, with his family.
Pamela Vaughan (Layperson)
Mount Tabor Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Pam Vaughan serves in the development office at VCU Health and is an active leader at Mount Tabor Baptist Church, where she participates in Missions and Community Outreach, Multimedia, and Finance ministries. She helped lead her church’s effort to adopt a family from Somalia and continues to engage with WMUV and RCFN initiatives. Known for her focus and attention to detail, Pam brings vision and dedication to every project she undertakes. Her forward-looking approach reflects her commitment to serving God and the community with excellence.
CENTRAL/VALLEY REGION
2028
Roger Austin (Minister)
Bridgewater Baptist Church
1st Term, term to expire 2028
Roger Austin has served as pastor in several Virginia churches since 1990, including congregations in Rocky Mount, Hot Springs, Danville, Broadway, and Bridgewater. Before entering ministry, he helped manage Capon Springs and Farms, a resort in West Virginia. His teaching focuses on sound Christian doctrine and wholehearted discipleship, encouraging believers to follow Jesus with commitment and compassion. Roger emphasizes the importance of honoring and respecting others as an expression of Christian love.
Skyler Daniel (Minister)
Manly Memorial Baptist Church 1st Term, term to expire 2028
Skyler Daniel serves as pastor of Manly Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington, Virginia. A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, he holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Lee University and an M.Div. from Wake Forest University. Skyler’s ministry experience includes roles as associate pastor, university chaplain, and missionary in Bucharest, Romania. He is the author of Life Wisdom from a Smooth Jesus and a Clumsy College Pastor, a devotional for young adults. Skyler and his wife, Ronella, have two children and are passionate about helping people experience authentic faith in community.
Michele Heath (Layperson)
First Baptist Church Winchester 1st Term, term to expire 2028
Michele Heath serves as Administrator for the Shenandoah Baptist Association, a role she has held for more than 26 years. Deeply committed to both the local church and association, she believes in their mutual mission to strengthen and support each other. Michele is an active member of First Baptist Church in Winchester, where she has served in numerous capacities over the years. She and her husband, Jim, live in Winchester and have two children and three grandchildren. In her spare time, Michele enjoys reading, sewing, and spending time with her family—especially her grandchildren, who lovingly call her “Nano.”
Steve Nethery (Minister)
Spring Hill Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Steve Nethery has served as pastor of Spring Hill Baptist Church since 2016. He was previously the founding pastor of Sunrise Community Church, which later merged with Lee Memorial Baptist to form Horizon Church. Earlier, he served as a Church Planter Strategist with the Portsmouth Baptist Association and as Minister to Youth, College, and Outreach at Jackson Memorial Baptist Church. Originally from North Texas, Steve began ministry as a youth minister while pursuing college and seminary studies. His ministry reflects a deep passion for church planting, community engagement, and spiritual growth.
Tom Saunders (Layperson)
Rose Union Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Tom Saunders is owner of Saunders Brothers, Inc., and an active member of Rose Union Baptist Church. He currently serves as deacon chair and previously chaired the Finance Committee from 2021 to 2022. Tom is married to Lyn, and together they have three children and five grandchildren. He is committed to his church’s mission and the importance of servant leadership within the congregation and community.
NORTHERN REGION
2028
Doug Duty (Minister)
Salem Baptist Church
1st Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Doug Duty serves as pastor of Salem Baptist Church. He and his wife, Deborah, have been married for over 40 years and have traveled to 28 countries together. Doug served in the U.S. Army for 13 ½ years, including four years at the White House, and has pastored churches in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. He previously served as a police chaplain with the Prince William County Police Department and now serves with the Caroline County Sheriff’s Department. Doug is certified in Christian Leadership Coaching and Relationship Coaching and serves on the Empowering Leaders Team for NorthStar Church Network. He and Deborah have five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Richard Goddard (Layperson)
Columbia Church
1st Term, term to expire 2028
Richard Goddard is a member of Columbia Church in northern Virginia, where he has lived for the past 13 years. A graduate of Truett Seminary at Baylor University, he currently works at International Justice Mission. Originally from Florida, Richard has a strong commitment to justice, faith, and community service. Outside of work and church, he enjoys baseball and good barbecue. His life reflects a passion for both faith and advocacy in the pursuit of a more just world.
Sam Maxwell (Minister)
Manassas Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Sam Maxwell serves as pastor at Manassas Baptist Church, where he and his wife, Yuris, have ministered since 2022. Before returning to Virginia, Sam served at First Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama, and has been active in various roles within the BGAV over the years. His ministry is marked by a deep love for people, a passion for local and global missions, and a commitment to helping churches thrive in their calling.
Alan Miller (Minister)
Orange Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Alan Miller serves as pastor of Orange Baptist Church, where he began ministry in 2008 as Minister of Worship and Music and later Associate Pastor before being called as Pastor in 2017. He earned B.A. degrees in Religion and Music from Furman University and a Master of Divinity from Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Alan and his wife, Mary Beth, are the parents of three children. He is also an active member of the Virginia Baptist Male Chorale and enjoys singing with his father and brother in their family trio.
Allan Smith (Minister)
Mechanicsville Baptist Church, Gordonsville
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Allan Smith, a native Virginian raised in South Carolina, serves as pastor of Mechanicsville Baptist Church in Gordonsville. He earned a B.A. from the University of Virginia and an M.Div. from Duke Divinity School. Allan has served in a variety of ministerial roles across South Carolina, Virginia, Texas, and North Carolina. He values the local church as a place where people of all backgrounds can worship and grow together in faith. Allan believes the church is called to help believers discover their identity in Christ and engage deeply with the surrounding community in God’s redemptive work.
SOUTHSIDE REGION
2028
Leroy Bradshaw (Minister)
Jonesboro Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Leroy Bradshaw serves as pastor of Jonesboro Baptist Church. He is dedicated to guiding his congregation in faith, discipleship, and service within the community. His ministry reflects a strong commitment to preaching the gospel and fostering spiritual growth among his church family.
Joyce Jones (Layperson)
Falling River Baptist Church
1st Term, term to expire 2028
Joyce Jones is a lifelong member of Falling River Baptist Church, where she has served faithfully in missions and leadership for many years. Following a 37-year career in surgical and family practice nursing, Joyce now enjoys retirement on her beef cattle farm with her husband of 45 years, George. She has participated in numerous mission efforts including Impact! Virginia, the Bland Ministry Center, and CrossRoads Camp. She leads her church’s Women on Mission group, serves as recording clerk, and is active in Sunday school. Joyce and George have two children, Clint and Celia, and she continues to serve with a deep heart for ministry and community care.
Doug Lee (Minister)
Rocks Baptist Church
1st Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Doug Lee serves as pastor of Rocks Baptist Church in Pamplin, Virginia, where he has ministered since 2017. A Texas native, Doug committed his life to Christ during his college years and was later called into ministry while working for Exxon. He earned an M.Div. with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Seminary in 1990. Doug pastored two churches in Texas before serving 20 years with the International Mission Board alongside his wife, Laura. Now Missionaries Emeritus, they returned to Virginia to be near family. Doug enjoys outdoor activities and leatherworking and cherishes time with his children and grandchildren.
Kristen White (Minister)
Antioch Baptist Church
1st Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Kristen White has served as pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Red Oak since 2018. She previously spent 20 years in various ministry roles through BGAV churches and WMUV (now HerMission). Kristen holds degrees from Mary Washington College and Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. She and her husband, Nathan, live in Clarksville with their four children. Her ministry reflects a strong commitment to community, discipleship, and the empowerment of women in ministry.
TBD
2028
Connie Cruze (Minister)
Melrose Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Dr. Connie Cruze serves as Associate Pastor and Minister of Music at Melrose Baptist Church in Roanoke, Virginia. Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, she holds Master of Divinity and Master of Church Music degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctorate in Worship Studies from the Institute of Worship Studies. Ordained in 2005 by First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Connie has served bi-vocationally in 15 churches since 1998. Her extensive mission experience spans the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and numerous Latin American and Caribbean nations, where she has served as both Spanish and Haitian Creole translator.
Lynette Johnson (Layperson)
Friendship Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Lynette Johnson is a lifelong educator and ministry leader, holding a B.A. from the University of Virginia–Wise. She taught elementary school in Lee County for 21 years and has served in numerous church leadership roles for over 45 years, including youth ministry, WMU, and missions. Lynette has led Acteens and Co-ed Student ministries in short-term mission projects across South Carolina and Tennessee and currently serves as Missions Coordinator for the Powell River Baptist Association. Married to Michael, she is the proud mother of two adult children and grandmother to five. Her ministry reflects a lifelong dedication to nurturing faith across generations.
Kevin Rosenfeld (Minister)
First Baptist Church of Galax
1st Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Dr. Kevin Rosenfeld serves as pastor of First Baptist Church of Galax, Virginia. Born in upstate New York, he earned an A.O.S. in Culinary Arts and a B.S. in Food Management from Johnson & Wales University. After a successful career as a chef—including work for Julia Child and Frank Sinatra—he followed God’s call to ministry, earning an M.Div. (2000) and D.Min. (2008) from Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Kevin and his wife, Linda, have two sons, Joshua and Elijah, and a dog named Ruby Mae. He enjoys the mountains, golf, music, and cheering for the New York Yankees.
Lisa Wolfe (Layperson)
Abingdon Baptist Church
1st Term, term to expire 2028
Lisa Wolfe serves as Minister to Students at Abingdon Baptist Church, where she has led student ministries since 2022. A native of Jonesville, Virginia, Lisa brings over 14 years of full-time ministry experience in youth leadership across three churches. Her ministry focuses on students in grades 6–12 and their families, and she also serves as a team leader on WMU of Virginia’s Human Trafficking Team for Hope. Lisa enjoys reading, writing, volleyball, interpretive movement, and adventure recreation, finding joy in helping young people grow in faith and mission awareness.
Andy Wood (Minister)
First Baptist Church St. Paul 2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Andy Wood serves as pastor of First Baptist Church in St. Paul, Virginia. A retired U.S. Navy sailor, he served aboard the USS Stennis, USNS Apache, USS Mahan, and USS Cole, with shore assignments that included training and emergency management roles. Andy’s ministry experience includes service as men’s minister and youth pastor at churches in Virginia and Illinois before entering full-time pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Dania, have four children, ages 10 to 24. Andy brings a servant’s heart and a leader’s discipline to both church and community ministry.
2028
Russell Goodrich (Minister)
Cape Charles Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Russell Goodrich has served as pastor of Cape Charles Baptist Church since 2000. He and his wife have three children and two grandchildren. His ministry is marked by a long-term commitment to serving his congregation and community with faithfulness and care.
Dawn Hughes (Layperson)
Azalea Baptist Church
1st Term, term to expire 2028
Dawn Hughes is an active member of Azalea Baptist Church, where she serves on the Spiritual Leadership Team, chairs the Outreach Committee, and participates on the Missions Team. A devoted wife, mother, and advocate, Dawn homeschools her two teenage children, one of whom is autistic. She has served as PTA vice president, nonprofit board member, and resource specialist for the Autism Society of Tidewater Virginia. Dawn organizes community events addressing food insecurity and supports local homeschool groups. She believes in serving Christ through love, inclusion, and compassion for others.
Julius Morrow (Layperson)
Woodland Heights Baptist Church
1st Term, term to expire 2028
Julius Morrow is a U.S. Air Force veteran who came to faith in Christ in 1975 and was called into ministry in 1977. A preacher and teacher of the Word of God, he is dedicated to reaching the unsaved, proclaiming the gospel, and exposing the works of darkness. His ministry centers on sharing the hope of redemption and anticipating the return of Jesus Christ. Julius continues to serve faithfully at Woodland Heights Baptist Church.
Matt Parron (Minister)
Great Fork Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Rev. Matt Parron serves as Senior Pastor at Great Fork Baptist Church in Suffolk, Virginia. He previously served as Associate Pastor at Parkview Baptist Church in Newport News. Matt earned a bachelor’s degree in Leadership from Old Dominion University and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife have three daughters and seven grandchildren. Matt’s ministry is centered on discipleship, pastoral care, and equipping believers to serve Christ faithfully.
Patrick Wood (Minister)
Smithfield Baptist Church
2nd Term, term to expire 2028
Dr. Patrick Wood serves as Senior Pastor of Smithfield Baptist Church. He holds a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. With 19 years of ministry experience, Patrick is passionate about leadership development and church health. He and his wife, Jen, have three children and enjoy traveling, time at the beach, and cheering for University of Alabama football.
CHRISTIAN LIFE COMMITTEE
Official Report
It would be difficult to overstate the significance of immigration as a subject of public discourse in the United States today. Border policy remains a hotly contested issue throughout American politics, the legal standing of immigrants across diverse circumstances has fallen under intense scrutiny, and the exact extent of the government’s authority, as well as the predictability of the legal processes involved in these matters, appears markedly unclear. While ignorance of these realities has been a luxury for many, that naivete is quickly eroding – especially for those who know immigrants as friends or family and are accustomed to the precarious nature of their situations.
The purpose of this report is to offer churches and individuals in the BGAV simple guidance as we seek to bear witness to Christ within these complexities. Without reservation or qualification: our presiding assumption as a Committee is the love of God and the love of neighbor (Matthew 22:37-29) – mandates which hold fast in our dealings with all people, regardless of who they are, where they reside, or where they were born. For us who were once foreigners and strangers but have since been made members of God’s household, the possibility that everyone can be brought near by the blood of Christ demands that we ultimately submit our behavior to the compassion of God’s Kingdom over and against any merely-secular assessment of citizenship (Ephesians 2:13, 19).
In fact, scripture makes it plain that the love to which we are commanded arises out of a fundamental identity with the predicament of immigrants. In Deuteronomy 10:18-19, Moses reminds Israel of this very thing: He – God – defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Because God loves the foreigner and commands us to do the same, it is essential for the BGAV to consider what shape this love must now take in the current moment, and to resist whatever pressures are mounting to resist it – whether they are conditions of the state (e.g. the criteria for deportation, prerequisites for acquiring work permits, etc.) or conditions of the heart (e.g. racism or xenophobia).
Who are immigrants?
The word “immigrant” can refer to people within a variety of situations, and so it is important to understand exactly who is described by the term and how these individuals may or may not fit into the cultural assumptions we draw about their lives and their families. Technically speaking, an immigrant is any person who is permanently residing within a nation in which they were not born. Legally speaking, however, the United States defines an “immigrant” as anyone included within a set of diverse categories,1 including naturalized citizens, permanent residents, refugees or asylees, those with “twilight status,” and those without legal status to reside in the country – referred to frequently as “undocumented” or “illegal.” Strictly speaking, international students are not typically considered immigrants due to their express intention to return home upon completing their studies. Practically, however, these students face many of the same challenges and have recently, for these reasons, come under additional scrutiny.
The legal nature of immigrants in these categories is not only complicated but also subject to constant reevaluation and change. Those seeking to make the United States their home are often facing steep challenges: not just learning curves pertaining to the language and culture, or the procedures of the law, but extended periods of uncertainty as they wait for certain confirmations or assurances – many years, in some cases. There is a pervasive myth amongst many born in the United States that anyone who desires to emigrate to the US can do so through official channels so long as they remain persistent, patient, and compliant – but that supposed meritocracy simply does not exist. In reality, not everyone is eligible to attain a visa to reside or work in America nor is it possible to simply choose to become an American citizen through a tedious but ultimately accessible process. Many who long for a “better life” among us simply do not qualify for any extant legal pathway – leaving the “American Dream” of the early 20th century largely unattainable.
Historically speaking, it may also be worthwhile to consider the role that coerced immigration has had in shaping our nation’s current demographics – especially as that involves the African American community and the plight of chattel slavery. If there is a deep-seated misconception about just how accessible the United States is for well-meaning, law-
1 Migration Policy Institute provides these categories in their own ‘explainer’ document, Who Is An Immigrant? https://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/ files/Explainer-WhoIsAnImmigrant-PRINT-Final.pdf
abiding aspiring immigrants, there is an analogous misconception regarding the systemic effects of forced immigration through the Atlantic slave trade that took place for over three centuries. These effects are still felt today.
Here in Virginia specifically, immigrant populations have been growing. The number of immigrants in our state has increased from 5% of the population in 1990 to 13.5% in 2023. Estimates vary but the number of those immigrants who are in the state illegally ranges from 250 to 275 thousand persons – around 3% of the total population. Notably, two thirds of all immigrants in the commonwealth reside in Northern Virginia.
What does the Bible say about immigrants?
Let us not forget that the Christian Church is the largest multi-cultural and multi-lingual movement in the history of the world. No other religion or nation comes close. But this reality arises not from technical definitions set in place by legislatures or executives, but by a theological conviction in the Kingdom of God and its transcendence over and against all secular borders and national allegiances. Furthermore, the Bible speaks often about the plight of the immigrant and God’s mercy in providing materially, socially, and spiritually for their needs. In light of these realities, therefore, our Committee finds it necessary to remind the BGAV of some of the more significant and relevant Biblical teachings on this topic:
1. Acts 17:26-28 (NIV)
“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’”
When Paul seeks a foothold for the gospel amongst the elites of Athens atop the Areopagus, his strategy includes an uncompromising assertion in the common origin of all people – and it is precisely this common humanity that Paul then uses to comfort and assure the Greeks that God, who is also the Lord of the Hebrews, remains accessible and knowable to them. Here and in other passages (e.g. the “image of God” in Genesis 1:27) we see a clear scriptural polemic against all identitarian and nationalistic claims that would limit God’s work to a particular people. Just as God tells Abraham at the beginning of Israel’s story, the plan all along has been for the blessing of God to extend “to the nations” (Genesis 12:3).
2. 1 Corinthians 9:20-22
To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like the one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like the one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
Paul’s evangelistic “strategy” not only includes making a deliberate decision to re-adopt his own identity as a Jew, but his choice to place himself within the shoes of the Greek in order to share the gospel as needed. Similarly as Christians, therefore, we are not afforded any luxury of resisting solidarity. In our dealings with immigrants – regardless of their status – our priority must be to inhabit their position as best we can in order to minister to them through the gospel. We trust God to curate our opportunities as his followers, and those he places within our reach become our responsibility.
3. Mark 12:29-31 (NIV)
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
When Jesus is asked to identify the most important command in Israel’s Law, he does not provide a single answer but refers both to the love of God and to the love of neighbor. Lest we be tempted to sidestep the later, as many who heard Jesus’ teaching were themselves, Christ’s response to the expert of the law in Luke 10 (the Parable of the Good Samaritan) not only assures us of our obligations to love those we consider to be enemies, but more pointedly, our obligations to extend love beyond our own cultural and ethnic communities – i.e., to the foreigner turned neighbor amongst us – perhaps even as a result of immigration.
4. Leviticus 19:33-35 (NIV)
‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
The mandate that immigrants be treated as those who are “native born” is as strong a statement against nativism and xenophobia as could be imagined. For good reason, the Hebrews were tempted, just as are we when reading their history in the Old Testament, to understand themselves as uniquely and eternally privileged. This stoked a disposition within them to resist foreigners and refrain from showing compassion. But here in Leviticus, God reinterprets their origin story in Egypt as, not just a story about God’s unique provision for them as a nation, but ample motivation to care for others who have experienced what they once endured. God’s people are essentially immigrants – and he reminds them frequently of this fact. For this reason, our compassion is appropriate.
5. Deuteronomy 10:18-19 (NIV)
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.
If it is true that God has instructed the church to care for the sojourner and immigrant within it, Deuteronomy reminds us that this is not merely a command God institutes, but an example he sets. Ultimately, as we know, we love because God has first loved us (1 John 4:19) – and in this passage, the “foreigners residing among [us]” are the definitive objects of that love. God himself is their defender. If they receive the material provision they need –even at our hands – it is to his credit alone. Some may be familiar with a certain “preferential option for the poor,” in which God assures the poor of his unique care. The same could be said of the foreigner; that there is, at the same time perhaps, a “preferential option for the immigrant.”
6. Numbers 15:15-16 (NIV)
The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord: The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.’”
Not only are immigrants amongst the Hebrews assured of God’s love, but they are also to receive a kind of equal protection under the law. Given the story thus far in the Old Testament, it is a remarkable statement to read that the Hebrew and the foreigner should abide by the same rules (“laws and regulations) – and moreover, should exist as “the same before the Lord.” There may be political implications here for the state – but those extend beyond the purview of this report. Instead, it is simply notable to mention that immigrants are elevated to the status of God’s people – without condition – as a result of God’s perspective; he shows no partiality (Romans 2:11).
7. Deuteronomy 27:19 (NIV)
Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow. Then all the people shall say, “Amen!
Similar to the previous passages, we are here assured that punishment accompanies the mistreatment of immigrants. God’s instructions to the Hebrews are not toothless – and because of his love for them, his instructions are not simply suggestions, but requirements punishable by his “curse.” As a Committee, we recognize that issues related to legality burden our interactions with immigrants and make discerning our response to their situations more complicated. But we should be assured that all people among us – foreigner included – deserve justice and that God’s retribution awaits those who “withhold” this justice from anyone.
8. 1 Peter 1:1
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.
This greeting out of Peter’s first letter only goes to describe the reality of the early church and its selfunderstanding in relation to the regions and municipalities it inhabited. Like the Hebrews, the Church has been a people scattered across the world – exiled in its own kind of diaspora; not due to persecution alone, but due
to the very nature of the gospel as it comes to incorporate the body of Christ across borders and languages, etc. To be a part of the church is to exist within a global family, and our allegiance to one another and to God far outweighs any of the particular identities we may carry as legal citizens (or “undocumented” residents).
Most of the public and political discussions around immigration have focused on the “legal” or “illegal status” of individual persons. Again, these legal parameters are complex and in constant flux, even if governed with the best of intentions. But as citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20-31), it is paramount that we as the church neither burden ourselves with the unique responsibilities of the state (maintaining order, securing a border, establishing policy, etc.) nor allow the state unilateral authority to dictate our behavior in relation to other people. In fact, receiving scripture as the sole authoritative rule of life frees the Church to respond to immigration with renewed consistency and compassion, even when the policies of governments, and the resulting legal and political circumstances of immigrants, change unexpectedly. It is simply not incumbent upon the church to support, maintain, or police certain immigration policies. Rather, the kind of submission the Bible requires involves choosing to pursue justice, for the sake of love, for anyone and everyone we encounter – anyone God understands as our “neighbor.”
What are some basic steps we can take to obey the calling we see in scripture?
It is all too easy to avoid action altogether when an issue as confusing as “immigration” comes into view – to be paralyzed or even apathetic. But the Church must act and do something if it is to minister in Jesus’ name as he intends. Knowing just how complicated an issue like immigration can be, our Committee would like to make the following suggestions as individuals and congregations within the BGAV seek to bear witness to Jesus in their unique contexts:
1. Understand the legal parameters around your role as an advocate and the status of immigrants you may be trying to help. Spend time researching what is allowed, what is prohibited, and what options may be afforded to you and your neighbor. Consider the following online resources as you learn:
- “Red Cards/Tarjetas Rojas,” from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)2
- “Immigration Enforcement Action: What Churches Need to Know,” by Heather Kimmel3
- “What to do if ICE Comes to Your Church,” by Sarah Einselen4
- “Sanctuary Congregations and Harbouring FAQ,” by the ACLU5
- “What To Do if Immigration Approaches, Arrests, or Detains You,” by the National Immigration Law Center6
2. Brief those in your congregation on basic protocols surrounding your church’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. In short, ICE has the legal authority to enter the “public” spaces of your church campus and make arrests should they have a valid warrant or “probable cause.” They may only enter “private” spaces using a judicial warrant signed by a judge (an administrative warrant does not grant them that access). Furthermore, no one is required to cooperate with ICE or to answer questions. There are very few examples of ICE actually coming to a church.
3. Seek to better understand your unique, local situation. Get to know the immigrants in your own community, personally. Exegete your context down to the level of individuals. Make any changes to your church’s life and ministry that might make the congregation more accessible and permeable to immigrant communities. Your church can easily become a source of information for families in need and while information alone may not always be enough – or may even, at times, justify inaction –providing education about the complexity of the system is a great place to begin. Also consider starting ministries directed specifically to those individuals – e.g. ESL, Exchange Student Bible Studies and hosting programs, etc. The impact of Christian witness on international students can be profound and when some of
2 https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas
3 https://www.ucc.org/immigration-enforcement-action-what-churches-need-to-know/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=unitedchurch-of-christ&utm_content=b6128e33-3f86-4c39-93c1-fb8f643b6f49&utm_campaign=social-media
4 https://sojo.net/articles/news/what-do-if-ice-comes-your-church
5 https://www.aclu.org/documents/sanctuary-congregations-and-harboring-faq
6 https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/KYR-What-To-Do-if-Immigration-Approaches-Arrests-or-Detains-You-Eng.pdf
these students seek to remain in the US and change their status, American friends, churches and other organizations – when called upon to support this change – should be willing to do so. Continue your brainstorming here:
- “Immigrant Welcoming Congregations,” The United Church of Christ7
What do we do now?
Our Committee is painfully aware of the insufficiency of a report like this in addressing every moral dilemma or explaining every procedural complexity. But in an effort to encourage future action, we would suggest working through the following questions as individuals and as churches:
Reflect on these questions as individuals:
• Are you close friends with any immigrants or international students? If not, have you taken full advantage of the opportunities you have to do so? Have you ever invited an immigrant into your home? Who has God allowed to cross your path recently?
• In Matthew 28, with Jesus’ teaching on the Sheep and the Goats, we are told to expect Jesus’ presence amongst the poor and marginalized. When you think of the immigrants around you – do you see Jesus in them? Are you cognizant of, not just the responsibility to minister in his name, but the opportunity to commune with him when you do?
• Are you personally struggling with the complexities of ministering to immigrants? If you are – does that struggle end in apathy or action? If you aren’t – have you too quickly resolved the complexities around your own ethical obligations as a Christian?
• How deliberately have you sought to develop sympathy for the plight of immigrants? Have you allowed prejudice and paranoia to create suspicion, or have you intentionally cultivated love and mercy?
Reflect on these questions as a congregation:
• What needs to change in our church in order to reach and share the gospel with immigrant communities in our context? What opportunities for the Kingdom are we not yet availing ourselves of?
• What church policies and procedures need to be reevaluated or reiterated given the current political conversations about immigration occurring in our country? How can we ensure that our church is an accessible and safe space for immigrant families?
• How can we build support and enthusiasm within our congregation for programs that support and minister to immigrants (e.g. ESOL, counseling, even friendship)?
• What needs do the immigrants around your church face? What local partnerships ought we to seek out as a congregation in order to better care for the immigrant population around us?
Conclusion
Although, the political discourse surrounding immigration remains divisive, the fundamental commands we have received from Jesus remain unwaveringly clear. And so it seems evident to the Committee that the category of “immigrant” or “foreigner” is implicated directly in Christ’s instruction: because the immigrants who live among us are also our neighbors, we must love them as we love ourselves.
This simple observation may not solve every moral dilemma or yield every innovative strategy that obedience to Christ in these days will require, but it is more than capable of providing the Church with direction for our hearts and minds. So may the God who took on the flesh of a human being for our sakes – and not only that, but the flesh of an infant refugee (Matthew 2:14) – provide us the rich reserves of stamina, clarity, and creativity necessary to love as he loved first.
7 https://www.ucc.org/what-we-do/wider-church-ministries/global-hope/refugee-and-migration-ministries/immigrant-welcoming-congregations/
Respectfully submitted,
Reed Bernick, Chair
Roger Austin
Christian Esleck
Keith Robinson
Anita Roy
Lee Royce
W. Shelton Miles III, by Virtue of Office
Wayne D. Faison, by Virtue of Office
PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Official Report
The Program Committee is responsible for preparing the order of business for the annual meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia and assuring that worship is emphasized during the meeting. We are grateful to Highlands Fellowship of Abingdon for hosting our annual meeting this year. We are blessed by their warmth and hospitality.
Our theme for this year is Mission Forward, based on Philippians 3:14: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Our main speakers are Tim Brown, Cindy Wiles, Karl Johnson, and Wayne Faison. We will be led in worship by Highlands Fellowship and Chosen Road.
It is our prayer that our time here will be refreshing and inspiring and will challenge and encourage us to Decide, Worship, Learn, and Gather around God’s mission for our lives, churches, and communities.
The Program Committee makes the following Motion:
1. that the program, as printed, be adopted as the agenda for the 2025 meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia
2. that the times on the program are indicated merely as a guide
3. that to expedite discussion, debate on all matters will be limited to three minutes per speaker, and that speakers, pro and con, be alternated
4. that future dates and sites for the Annual Meeting be affirmed as:
• 2026: November 9-11, 2026, in Virginia Beach
• 2027: November 8-10, 2027, in the Richmond area
• 2028: November 13-15, 2028, location to be determined
Respectfully submitted,
Alan Miller and Stephen Gray, Co-Chairs
Julia Andrews
Marco Capayachi
Mary Gilley
Sylvia Hobgood
Tom Rosemeier
Marcus Vaughan
Sylvia Wade
Eli Withers
W. Shelton Miles III, by Virtue of Office
Wayne D. Faison, by Virtue of Office
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMITTEE
Official Report
Each year, the Religious Liberty Committee of the BGAV is charged with “reporting to the General Association annually on the nature and importance of religious liberty and the separation of church and state, citing violations in principle and practice, and suggestions for correcting same.” It is also instructed to “make available information relating to the subject with the view of safeguarding these cherished principles.” This mission has been an essential part of the uniquely Baptist witness of the BGAV from its very beginning, and the need to safeguard our cherished principles of religious freedom and the separation of church and state, as well as helping churches wrestle with what this principle looks like in practice in our current context, is as vital as it has ever been.
This year, our report covers both aspects of our charge from the General Association.
Under our directive to report on religious liberty and cite violations of principle and practice, the Religious Liberty Committee notes one specific example that is part of a broader and worrying trend. This year, a case (St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond) rose to the level of the United States Supreme Court challenging the long and principled practice of religious charter schools receiving no public funds to use for general operation, including religious education; the school, as plaintiff, challenged the decision of the Oklahoma Supreme Court to withhold such funds. The US Supreme Court, in a 4-4 decision (Justice Barrett recused herself), did not find in favor of the plaintiff, allowing the decision of the state court to stand.
The BGAV has historically opposed the diversion of government funds to parochial schools, and in the Religious Liberty Committee report of 1980 was the recommendation that churches oppose “all efforts to divert funds at any government level from the support of public education to that of church-related schools.”1 The Baptist Joint Committee, in its amicus brief on the Drummond case, pointed to the nation’s history of our government avoiding the funding of religious education, and explained that changing that course would “forsake a foundational constitutional commitment”; the brief stated directly, “The state may not directly fund religious instruction. That line has long preserved both faith and freedom. It should be respected here.” 2 And Richard Land, former chair of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, essentially concurs, as he expressed in a March 21, 2025 article in Baptist Press:
“In the present Drummond case, public funds would be directly funding a charter public school, a school operated by Catholic officials to propagate the Catholic faith. While non-Catholic students could apply and attend this school, they would be taught within a framework that promoted the Catholic faith. (Let me be clear that I would oppose a “Baptist” charter school just as vehemently as I oppose a Catholic charter school. Indeed, I would oppose it because I am a Baptist and I believe in separation of church and state.)
“What is being proposed is a public school paid for with public tax money. Consequently, all taxpayers, whatever their faith commitment or lack thereof, would be forced to subsidize that which they believe violates their faith affirmations… .I also want desperately to maintain the wisdom of our Establishment Clause and to protect religion from public money which will lead inevitably to government interference with religion (“with the government’s shekels, sooner or later come the government’s shackles!”).” 3
The 2024-2025 Religious Liberty Committee of the BGAV agrees with our 1980 forebears, our colleagues at the Baptist Joint Committee, and Dr. Land. We urge the BGAV and its churches to continue to oppose such efforts to fund religious schools, which are engaged in activities of religious devotion and education, with public funds, as such efforts are a form of establishing religion with government funds and a violation of our abiding commitment to religious liberty and the separation of church and state.
1 Religious Liberty Report from the 1980 Book of Reports of the Annual Meeting of the BGAV
2 https://bjconline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025-04-07-St.-Isidore-v.-Drummond-bsacBJC-CCAR-CBF-ELCA-UCC-InterfaithAllianceEspicopal-MPAC-NCJW-URJ.pdf
3 https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/first-person-should-religious-charter-schools-be-funded-by-public-tax-money/
This particular case, and the surrounding conversation over public funding of private religious schools, takes place against the backdrop of Christian nationalism and a particular framing of our national narrative as a Christian nation. Decadeslong debate over issues such as prayer in schools and the display of religious teachings (such as the Ten Commandments) in public or governmental spaces has reemerged as a major point of contention in many states. The formation of a new federal Religious Liberty Commission and efforts to abolish the Johnson Amendment point to worrying trends to withdraw guardrails that keep religion from exerting undue influence on government or government from establishing religion in inappropriate ways in public life amidst a pluralistic society. Many states continue to struggle with balancing the need for protecting vulnerable communities with the need to protect the religious liberties of faith-based organizations. Finally, the influence of Christian nationalism – which “seeks to merge Christian and American identities” and “demands Christianity be privileged by the State and implies that to be a good American, one must be Christian”4 –is gaining traction with an increasing number of American Christians.
With such attention given to issues involving religious liberty and the separation of church and state, the Religious Liberty Committee is honored to continue to promote the historic Baptist understanding of these core freedoms for all people – freedoms created not by constitution or legal decree, but by the God who creates us all – and the Committee is committed to providing resources for Virginia Baptists to encourage our understanding of these principles and equip our churches to proclaim the Good News that is found in our freedom under God’s loving provision. That freedom includes the liberty to seek God, respond to God, and embrace God, not through coercion, but through the liberty of love that Christ has shown to us. This is the historic Virginia Baptist perspective: that each person is free to worship God in whatever manner they understand best, or not worship God at all; that the State provides no favor to any religious group or privilege to any particular faith over another; that no religious expression or practice be required by the State; and that all persons of faith, or no faith at all, are equally treated by the law. This Virginia Baptist perspective parallels that of many other Baptist organizations, including the Southern Baptist Convention as reflected in its 2024 resolution “On Defending Religious Liberty.” That resolution states, “Our Christian witness is better preserved by the separation of church and state,” and resolves “that we oppose any effort to establish a state religion of any nation, including the United States of America; that we refute the idea that God has commanded any state to establish any religion or any denomination; and we reject any government coercion or enforcement of religious belief.”5
With these principles in mind, the Religious Liberty Committee of the BGAV has been and continues to be at work to help BGAV churches better understand and safeguard the principles of religious liberty that are part of our Virginia Baptist DNA. Activities of the committee include:
• Participation in Religious Liberty Day: Each year, on the anniversary of the enactment of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, the Religious Liberty Committee invites interested Virginia Baptists to join it in visiting the State Capitol in Richmond to meet with legislators and legislative aides, providing information on religious liberty and advocating for religious freedom. The committee is making plans to visit the Capitol again on January 16, 2025, to share Virginia Baptist perspectives on religious liberty.
• Educational Videos: For each of the last two years, the committee created and published videos that told the story of religious liberty in colonial Virginia: the story of Elder John Weatherford in 2023 and the story of the meeting of John Leland and James Madison in 2024. We are premiering at this year’s annual meeting a third video, telling the story of Thomas Woolsey and the Overmountain Men; this was made possible through the generous support of EverBless.
• Curriculum: In conjunction with the Virginia Baptist Historical Society, the committee continues its work on updating and augmenting the VBHS Heritage Tours: “Freedom Trails, Sites Associated with the Baptists and Religious Liberty.”
• Breakouts: At the 2025 BGAV Annual Meeting, the Religious Liberty Committee is offering a learning lab on approaching religious liberty from the perspective of the Golden Rule. In addition, we are hosting an information session that will showcase the three videos that have been produced for the use of BGAV churches. The Religious Liberty Committee of the BGAV is at work resourcing BGAV churches and safeguarding the religious liberty principles that Virginia Baptists have cherished for generations. We look forward to continuing this work in 2026.
4 https://www.christiansagainstchristiannationalism.org/statement
5 https://www.baptistpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2-On-Defending-Religious-Liberty.pdf
Respectfully submitted,
Adam Tyler, Chair
Sarah Amick
Rick Clore
Warren Johnson
Alan F. Livers, Jr.
Nettie Stokes
Teresa Wallace
W. Shelton Miles III, by Virtue of Office
Wayne D. Faison, by Virtue of Office
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE
RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION
We, the messengers to the 202nd meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, are grateful to God for the high calling of His ministry which brings us together as the Body of Christ here in Abingdon, Virginia on November 10-12, 2025.
We also express appreciation to those who have worked to facilitate this annual meeting:
We thank the leadership and members of Highlands Fellowship for welcoming us into their facility and providing such gracious hospitality to their sisters and brothers in Christ.
We are grateful to the Program Committee for giving meaningful structure to our time together, and to all the program speakers and participants for their important and inspiring contributions.
We acknowledge the committed work of our BGAV staff as they continue to serve Virginia Baptists, our churches, our ministers, and the people of our communities under the wise and visionary leadership of our Executive Director, Wayne D. Faison.
We appreciate the elected officers of our state association who have served us so well: First Vice President, Stephen R. Adkins; Second Vice President, Mary E. Withers; Clerk, Timothy N. Madison; Assistant Clerk, Jean Dart; and Parliamentarians, Richard Martin, Adam Tyler, and Bill Bryan. We are especially grateful for the dedicated leadership of our President, W. Shelton Miles III, for his faithful ministry to and among Virginia Baptists.
Finally, we resolve that as the Baptist General Association of Virginia, we will continue the work to which we have been called by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, sharing the good news of His grace and inviting others into His Kingdom.
Respectfully Submitted,
Phil Peacock, Chair
Debbie Dajon
Edith Kennedy
Harold Massie
Dayne McNabb
Whitney Russell
Greg Versen
Horace Wade
Patrick Wood
W. Shelton Miles III (by Virtue of Office)
Wayne D. Faison (by Virtue of Office)
SCHOLARSHIPS AND MINISTERIAL EDUCATION FUNDS COMMITTEE
Official Report
The Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds Committee oversees financial awards “to further the educational development of (a) persons who are preparing for the Baptist ministry and (b) emerging leaders of all ages.” (Constitution, Article VII, Section D, The Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds.)
Eligible Virginia Baptist students may receive assistance through:
• BGAV College Scholarships providing aid for undergraduate education;
• BGAV Ministerial Education Funds which support undergraduate or graduate education in preparation for vocational ministry; or,
• BGAV Nontraditional Ministry Education Scholarships that allow individuals to capitalize on opportunities to secure training and continuing education for work in the local church.
• BGAV Internship Grants made available to churches who want to provide internship opportunities in ministry settings With the generous gifts, partnerships, and prayers that enable these scholarship funds, BGAV Churches have been able to assist 100 individuals who are a part of 71 different churches in our Association, to the tune of $107,070 (see chart below for details).
We are excited to announce a broadening of our support by offering a new scholarship opportunity: Funding toward Continuing Education, particularly for pastors of churches that are unable to fund conferences and educational seminars to refresh and inspire their servant leaders.
The purpose of the BGAV Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds was, and is, to invest in the lives of students and ministers of our cooperating Virginia Baptist Churches, tangibly demonstrating that the Baptist General Association stands in partnership with individuals who are called, preparing for, and serving as leaders of our congregations.
I express my gratitude to all the members of this committee and to the Resourcing Team of the BGAV for their exceptional work.
Respectfully submitted,
Pastor Jim Bunce, Chair
Kris Clifford
Tracey Garrett
Steve Gibson
Diane Grant
Dana Jackson
Melanie Lassiter
Paula Lufsey
Holly Hill McConnell
Tyler Phillips
Jerry Sinkfield
Katie Toler
Virginia Erin Waddell
W. Shelton Miles III, by Virtue of Office
Wayne D. Faison, by Virtue of Office
MISSION FORWARD
ANNUAL REPORT OF BGAV
Official Report
BGAV EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT: “OUR BELOVED ASSOCIATION”
Over the past few months, I’ve had the joy of traveling across the Commonwealth of Virginia to have lunch with many of our Virginia Baptist pastors and partners. What began as an effort to personally thank our congregations for their continued support of the mission and ministries of BGAV has become something much more meaningful.
As I prepare to move from my “junior to senior” (third to fourth) year as BGAV’s executive director, I’ve been encouraged by the heartfelt desire I’ve witnessed among our pastors and partners to reconnect more deeply with one another. One of the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the relational distance it created. Many of us lost touch with each other during that season because of physical separation. But now there’s a renewed longing—a hunger—to come back together, to rekindle the bonds that make our associational life so vital.
I use the word “us” intentionally. I’m not only a leader at BGAV—I’m also a fellow pastor in a BGAV-participating church. I, too, miss the rich fellowship and shared moments with my brothers and sisters in Christ. The ideal of association isn’t just part of our name; it’s part of our DNA.
Our forebears wisely chose to identify us not as a convention, but as an association. That distinction matters. I once heard someone say, “Virginia Baptists are anything but conventional,” and I believe that’s still true. What holds and binds us together is not uniformity, but relationship—a shared commitment to walk together in mission and ministry.
Even our most recent vision statement reflects this emphasis: “Becoming greater agents of mission together with our networks of churches, partners, and leaders, impacting the kingdom locally, nationally, and globally with the gospel of Jesus Christ.” This vision is a call not only to action, but to connection—to be the body of Christ, working in harmony for a greater purpose.
My prayer, as we forge further ahead into our post-COVID reality, is that we will join each other in making a clarion call for all Virginia Baptists to embody and emulate one of our strongest core values: being Relationally Rich. I believe if we nurture and strengthen this value, we’ll begin to see the fulfillment of what scripture promises: “Eyes have not seen, and ears have not heard what great things God has in store” for our Virginia Baptist family.
Let us move forward together in beloved association with one another.
This 2025 Annual Report of BGAV features stories of how our Virginia Baptist family is collectively making strides to move BGAV’s mission forward through our five banner areas: Navigating Cultural Change, Leveling Up Their Skills, Finding Their People, Knowing Their Neighbors, and Getting the Tools They Need.
NAVIGATING CULTURAL CHANGES: MISSION DEVELOPMENT
EQUIPPING CHURCHES TO ENGAGE AI WISELY
Liz Baker of Nimbology is helping BGAV churches explore how AI can serve ministry. She met with Field Strategists this spring and was be featured at the July Fanning the Flame event, where she taught leaders to guide their congregations through the opportunities and challenges of AI with clarity and faith. Post-event workshops will go deeper for those ready to integrate AI into their ministry work. Baker will also lead a Learning Lab on this topic at BGAV’s annual meeting in Abingdon in November.
A NONTRADITIONAL PATH TO THE PASTORATE
Brian Barnes’ journey to become pastor of Azalea Baptist Church was shaped by service, not seminary. After 20 years in the Navy, he served as unpaid youth leader, was ordained, and filled multiple ministry roles over 13 years before being called as pastor. Brian has participated in training through Grassroots Seminary, AXIS, and remissioning cohorts. He is now developing Greenhouse, a discipleship model that emphasizes relationships and lifelong learning—reminding us that future pastors may already be sitting in our pews.
DISCIPLESHIP RHYTHMS TRANSFORMING COMMUNITY
Simple Rhythms Church in Abingdon, planted by Craig Barber in 2022, uses three rhythms— UP (communion with God), IN (community), and OUT (mission)—to form disciples. Over 50 Huddles have launched, including one among nine students at Emory & Henry University. Their approach is people-centered, focusing on embodying Jesus’ presence on campus. Simple Rhythms is becoming a model for how churches can form deeply rooted disciples in a changing culture.
LEVELING UP THEIR SKILLS: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
UPTICK ALUMS INVESTING IN UPTICKERS, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Uptick alum Kristen Old now leads an online huddle for Uptick women and recently joined the Virginia Beach retreat to connect with new participants. Fellow alum Kenny Daniel uses Uptick’s semicircle tool to help church members—and camp counselors—discover rhythms of rest and work. His “river time” practice invites counselors to daily spend 15 minutes with God at Little Piney River, sustaining them through the summer. These leaders show how Uptick’s impact multiplies as alumni pour back into others.
ORCUTT BAPTIST
CHURCH IMAGINES A NEW FUTURE
For more than a century, Orcutt Baptist Church has adapted to meet community needs. Today, Pastor Ben Caldwell is leading the congregation through courageous conversations about reconnecting with their city. Two teams—a 15-member listening group and a six-member steering team—are guiding this discernment, helping the church dream of new futures marked by deeper community engagement and spiritual renewal. Orcutt’s process is not about tweaking programs but aligning hearts with God’s mission for their neighborhood.
CHAPLAINCY PARTNERSHIP CONNECTS VA AND TX BAPTISTS
When Virginia Agape International Baptist elder Dusic Kwak sought prison approval for a choir visit, BGAV’s Rev. Todd Combee and Texas chaplain Don Lacy stepped in to make it happen. Together they coordinated a June 2025 visit to the Coffield Unit, where Chon Ki Yi ministers. This collaboration is a beautiful example of cross-state partnerships strengthening chaplaincy work and offering encouragement to those serving behind bars.
FINDING THEIR PEOPLE: CHURCH DEVELOPMENT
ENJOYING NATURE WITH GOD AND OTHERS
Jamie Simpson, a Special Education teacher, comes alive outdoors—hiking through trails where awe of nature reminds her of God. When she encountered the vision of Fresh Expressions, she wondered if others might want to connect with God in creation too. With a willing heart, she launched a Meet-Up group and invited strangers to join her on the trail.
Three people showed up for the first hike. Sitting together by the river, Jamie shared, “The awe of nature reminds us of God.” One participant quietly replied, “Yeah… only I don’t really know what God is.” Jamie realized this was a sacred opportunity—not just to hike but to help others discover who God might be.
Drawing from her background in education, she thought, “I’m going to have to scaffold God!” and laughed. Now each hike is an experiment in spiritual discovery, offering gentle invitations to wonder. This Fresh Expression is still young, but God is already present—meeting hikers in their questions, their conversations, and the beauty of creation.
REDEPLOYING DISASTER RESPONSE EQUIPMENT FOR LOCAL MINISTRY
Passion Community Church, caretaker of an Impact Disaster Response Quick Response Unit (QRU), recently used the unit to feed Impact Mission Camp campers—testing it for future local outreach. The church now envisions an ongoing food ministry near its campuses, a direct answer to prayer for their leader. Richmond’s First Baptist Church, caretaker of a shower unit, has launched a weekly shower ministry with St. Paul’s, providing dignity and care to neighbors in need. These efforts show that disaster-response assets can fuel everyday ministry, extending their Kingdom impact year-round.
EASTERN SHORE IMPACTING POLAND
Eastville Baptist Church turned BGAV’s global sponsorship into a personal partnership by supporting Polish church planter Samuel Skrzypowski in Bydgoszcz. Over five years, they’ve prayed together via Zoom and encouraged one another. At the same time, BGAV supports Pastor Mikula, planting a church for Ukrainian refugees in the same city. The two pastors collaborate closely, creating a thriving ministry network. Eastville’s engagement reminds us that many church planters still wait for such partnerships—an invitation for more BGAV churches to connect globally.
KNOWING THEIR NEIGHBORS: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
FAMILIAS UNIDAS RETREAT – PORTLAND, OR
On June 14, 15 Latino/a pastors and community leaders gathered for a Familias Unidas retreat to dream about strengthening families as part of an Lilly-grantfunded initiative of Missio Alliance. Despite citywide protests disrupting travel, they shared meals, prayers, and stories about parenting between cultures and generations. The atmosphere was one of hope and purpose, a space to breathe amidst city chaos. Familias Unidas is more than a program—it is a commitment to walk with families, equipping them spiritually and relationally for the challenges they face every day.
STUDENT INSPIRES CHURCH TO SUPPORT UKRAINIAN CHILDREN
After a mission trip to Romania, JMU BCM student Christian Esleck returned home deeply moved. He rallied his church, Second Baptist Richmond, to partner with BGAV and Fundatia Providentia, raising funds to send 64 children and 10 adults from war-torn Ukraine to a summer camp in the Romanian mountains. Their original goal was just 40 children, but through partnership, even more found refuge, joy, and care. This relationship is continuing as Second Baptist explores an ongoing partnership with the Ruth School in Romania, where BGAV Impact Missions also has an ongoing partnership.
CONTEMPLATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY AS SACRED SPACE
At the March 2025 Missio Alliance Awakenings Gathering, leaders were invited to slow down during a Contemplative Photography Walk led by Amy Hall, pastor and founder/executive director of Shalom Creatives. Phones became tools to notice beauty—sunlight through trees, shadows dancing on pavement, patterns in leaves. This pause offered more than rest; it became a spiritual practice, a way to process the conference’s teaching and encounter God through creation. What began as a walk turned into sacred ground, reminding leaders that beauty is part of discipleship.
GETTING THE TOOLS THEY NEED: RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
NEW SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MINISTERIAL GROWTH
The BGAV Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds Committee created a new scholarship initiative to support pastors and staff pursuing continuing education. This effort answers the growing call for financial assistance so ministers can strengthen their skills and their congregations. BGAV continues to walk alongside churches and leaders discerning a call to ministry, offering resources to support their journey.
FAITH & FIELD LAUNCH
In October, BGAV’s marketing team is launching Faith & Field, a monthly print publication dedicated solely to BGAV churches. Replacing The Baptist Paper’s BGAV edition, Faith & Field will deliver inspiration, practical resources, and ministry news to pastors, leaders, and laypersons. Its name honors BGAV’s heritage while calling churches to mission today, helping congregations stay connected to the broader movement across Virginia and beyond.
DATA-DRIVEN MINISTRY THROUGH BUILDING FOR HOPE
In summer 2025, BGAV collaborated with Building for Hope to deliver customized Ministry Profile Studies using ArcGIS technology and ESRI tapestry segmentation. These tools help congregations better understand their communities and use their facilities for greater impact. Building for Hope is currently guiding its second cohort through a two-year journey of repurposing underutilized facilities and physical assets to advance mission and deepen neighborhood engagement.
Photos from Missio Alliance’s Contemplative Photography Walk
Philippians 3:14
MISSION FORWARD
ANNUAL REPORTS OF MINISTRY PARTNERS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND SHARED MINISTRIES
MINISTRY PARTNERS:
• Baptist Extension Board
• Center for Baptist Heritage and Studies
• EverBless Foundation
• GraceInside: Virginia’s Prison Chaplain Service
• HerMission
• HopeTree Family Services
• LifeSpire of Virginia
• Virginia Baptist Historical Society
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS:
• Averett University
• Bluefield University
• Fork Union Military Academy
• Hargrave Military Academy
• Leland Seminary
• Oak Hill Academy
SHARED MINISTRIES:
• Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty
• Baptist World Alliance
• Campbell University
• Gardner-Webb University
• International Mission Board
• McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University
• Ministering to Ministers
BAPTIST EXTENSION BOARD
Annual Report
The Baptist Extension Board was organized in 1940 during the church building boom that followed World War II. The 15-member board is comprised of both clergy and lay leaders who volunteer their time to serve. In the subsequent 85 years, its loan fund has grown to more than $20 million through interest on loan repayments and allocations from Virginia’s Cooperative Missions contributions.
By lending money at attractive interest rates, the Baptist Extension Board assists churches, mission congregations, and district associations that are not able to secure full commercial financing. Loans are usually issued over a maturing period of 12 to 15 years. The interest rate is currently 5.95% for a first mortgage loan and 6.70% for a second mortgage loan. Interest rates are reviewed and adjusted by the Board at regularly scheduled meetings.
During the first eight months of the 2025 fiscal year, there were two loans approved totaling $2,765,000. These funds were requested for new construction projects, land purchases and renovations to existing church facilities. As of August 31, 2025, the Baptist Extension Board, Inc. services 40 loans with a combined balance of $10,277,627.
Loans granted by the Baptist Extension Board are a Virginia Baptist investment in outreach. Several Virginia Baptist church starts in the last 85 years have significantly impacted their communities because of the financial assistance received from the Baptist Extension Board, Inc.
Visit our website at www.bgav.org/beb/ to obtain information about the loan application process or call our office at 1-800-ALL-BGAV.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
*Charles Tilley, President
~Tim Burnett, Vice President
*Audrey Holmes, Recording Secretary
*David B. Washburn, Treasurer
*Wayne D. Faison, Executive Director
Terms to expire in 2026
~Angelee Godbold (1st Term)
~Tim Burnett (1st Term)
**John Saunders (2nd Term)
Terms to expire in 2027
P. Duaine Fitzgerald (1st Term)
*Charles W. Tilley (2nd Term)
~Darl Wilburn (1st Term)
Terms to expire 2028
*Audrey Holmes (1st Term)
**Allan Smith (2nd Term)
Brian Hughes (1st Term)
Terms to expire 2029
**Robert E. Lee IV (2nd Term)
Bill Emory (2nd Term)
TBD
*Member of the Executive Committee by virtue of office
** Member of the Executive Committee by virtue of election
~ Alternate Executive Committee Member by virtue of election
CENTER FOR BAPTIST HERITAGE & STUDIES
Annual Report
The Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies stands as a partnership of the BGAV, the University of Richmond and the Virginia Baptist Historical Society. From its inception, the Center was envisioned as an educational vehicle to enhance understanding of Baptist principles and to engender opportunities for research and exploration of the Baptist tradition, especially utilizing the material record of Virginia Baptists maintained by VBHS.
The ministry performed by the Center offers creative and challenging resources to assist individuals and congregations in cultivating deeper awareness of the Baptist heritage, including the legacy of freedom that shapes our spiritual identity. The Center provides materials and experiences that encourage a more meaningful grasp of Baptist heritage and through which current issues may be explored. The mission of the Center has four dimensions:
1. To champion Baptist distinctives and Baptist heritage,
2. To provide educational opportunities related to Baptist distinctives, history and heritage,
3. To make available Baptist records and historical materials, and
4. To serve as a research center for undergraduates, scholars, and local church historians.
The mission continues, across Virginia and beyond.
The Center’s Heritage Fellows program continues, with an emphasis on aligning the Fellow’s research experience with their academic and professional goals. The program provides an in-depth introduction to Baptist history and heritage over the course of one academic year, as Fellows pursue supervised research using the VBHS collections on topics of their choice. More broadly, the experience strengthens future Baptist leaders by deepening their engagement and critical reflection on the principles, polity and historical currents that give shape to the tradition. As young scholars contributing to the field, Fellows earn a stipend for their work, currently $4,000 per academic year, linked to four progress gates along the way.
For 2024-2025, Catherine Storke (William and Mary) took her second year in the program to finalize content for an animated video series using the framework of Walter Shurden’s The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms. Early in the process, the Center obtained Dr. Shurden’s blessing for the project. Due to the ambitious nature of this venture, Storke served two consecutive years as a Heritage Fellow. The initial video, “Bible Freedom,” was screened at the 2025 VBHS Annual Meeting during dinner, while the remaining segments remain in final production at the time of this report. We are grateful for Catherine’s creative and thoughtful work as a Fellow, and look forward to her next steps, as she prepares for law school.
For 2025-2026, Sam Turner (Emory & Henry) returns for his second year. Sam is researching the historic Baptist witness of religious liberty against the backdrop of current efforts to impose religious teaching through public education. He has been studying the 18th c. manuscripts at VBHS, such as John Waller’s letter from the Middlesex jail, and argues that the early Baptists would not have supported contemporary efforts to force the teaching of Christianity through taxpayerfunded schools, which he believes they would have found contrary to freedom of conscience. His research interest includes the controversy over a General Assessment and Madison’s reply, known as the Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Establishments. We are eager to see the outcome of his work.
The Center continues collaborating with other BGAV partners whenever possible, such as introducing the history of Baptists and other dissenters in Colonial Virginia during the Baptist Joint Committee’s Fellows program held in Williamsburg in recent years. This unique program begins with a walking tour of points of interest for religious freedom, which originally was developed by Nathan Taylor and Cory D.B. Walker in 2018, and has been co-led annually by Taylor and various scholars since the program resumed, post-Covid. For 2025, Taylor again offered the Baptist Heritage lecture following the walking tour with the BJC Fellows, who are from all over the U.S. Taylor also represented the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies by collaborating with BJC on a first-of-its-kind Religious Liberty Immersion experience, held in Richmond, in January 2025. While the experience was disrupted by the regional ice storm and Richmond water crisis that very same week, we were able to have meaningful conversations, which included an informative visit to the historic Gillfield Baptist Church in Petersburg, laying the groundwork for future Immersions.
Our longstanding host community, the University of Richmond, continues to call upon the Center with a renewed level of interest in understanding its Baptist origins, which brings new generations of students into deeper engagement with the historic role of the Baptist tradition.
To reach as many as possible with the unique insight that it is charged to offer, the Center continues its commitment to increasing access to the material collections of the VBHS. As the primary sources of Virginia Baptist history, these irreplaceable collections form the foundation for the educational work of the Center. A variety of challenges, such as the rapid deterioration of records and the significant expense of technology and personnel remain at play. Along with these issues comes immense opportunity. Since the mission of the Center entails “making available Baptist records and historical materials,” and “serving as a research center for undergraduates, scholars, and church historians,” the fulfillment of that mission requires providing the elements necessary to make it a reality. With this backdrop, the Center continues, alongside VBHS, to develop the infrastructure needed to make the materials more available digitally, and in increasing collaboration with the University. We look forward to facilitating increased access to original materials for the Center’s Fellows, who are usually non-residential. Researchers in general will be able to make more extensive use of the materials toward greater understanding of Baptist history and heritage (mission pillar 2). Expanded use of major equipment purchased in recent years is already helping us to make great advances in this regard.
Thus, the leadership of both the Center and VBHS continues advocating for stronger financial support of these ongoing advancements. The generous support of BGAV for the Center is deeply appreciated and vital for fulfilling this special mission. The work is more urgent than ever, from the need to lift up Baptist heritage formation, to the prevalence of false narratives about religious freedom that are commonly promoted in society.
The Center continues to support staff visits to local churches, preaching and teaching on our Baptist heritage of dissent and related topics. Please contact the Center if your church would like to schedule a preaching or teaching experience on Baptist history and identity.
We are grateful to “BGAV Baptists” for making it all possible, as we share this heritage of soul freedom with current and future generations.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
BGAV
Richard Clore (2025) - Chair
L. Richard Martin (2026)
James Ryland (2027)
Jocelyn Henry-Whitehead (2028)
University of Richmond
Ellis West (2026)
John Gordon (2028) (pending)
Sid Rodriguez (2028) (pending)
Craig Kocher, University Chaplain (standing)
VBHS
Joseph Lewis (2025)
Dennis Sacrey (2025)
Vivian Clingenpeel (2025)
Herbert Browning (2025) – Vice Chair
Executive Director
Nathan Taylor (standing)
EVERBLESS FOUNDATION
Annual Report
A CENTURY OF SERVICE AND IMPACT
In 2024, the EverBless Foundation celebrated its 102nd year of service—continuing a rich legacy of supporting the church and strengthening communities across generations. Building on more than a century of experience, we remain committed to helping individuals, churches, and ministries advance the mission of the church through comprehensive estate planning, trusted financial management, and impactful educational initiatives.
OUR SERVICES
Estate Planning
From our founding to today, helping individuals create a lasting giving legacy has been at the heart of EverBless’ mission. This past year, we guided clients through the creation of estate plans that included wills, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, endowed scholarships, and donor-advised funds. We also faithfully manage and distribute charitable gifts and endowed funds in accordance with donor wishes—ensuring their generosity continues to bear fruit for years to come.
Financial Management
As of August 2025, EverBless manages $289.8 million in assets, serving more than 300 churches and nonprofit organizations. Partnering with Mercer, one of the world’s leading investment advisors, we provide strategic oversight so our ministry partners can focus on their core mission. Our disciplined, low-cost investment approach supports a variety of designated accounts, including building funds, missions, cemetery care, endowments, children’s ministry, and scholarships.
Donor-Advised Funds
We continue to expand our donor-advised fund program, enabling individuals and families to give with purpose, flexibility, and impact. These funds allow donors to direct their charitable giving to the causes they care about most— efficiently and effectively.
Bible Study Curriculum
To encourage generosity and spiritual growth, we offer Unstoppable—a Bible study on living generously. Available for free via streaming, download, CD, or USB, this resource has reached hundreds of individuals and numerous churches. Many participants have taken steps to create wills and planned giving tools as a result of the study.
Scholarships
In May 2025, EverBless awarded $336,000 in scholarships to 121 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and seminary degrees. These awards are made possible by visionary donors whose planned gifts continue to invest in the next generation of Christian leaders and ministry servants.
2024 IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
This year, EverBless:
• Added $27 million in new assets under management.
• Distributed $10.9 million to more than 300 churches, mission groups, schools, and nonprofit organizations.
• Supported ministries such as the Baptist General Association of Virginia, HopeTree Family Services, the Virginia Baptist Historical Society, LifeSpire, and HerMission—extending our reach to communities in need both locally and globally.
MISSION FORWARD
As we step into 2025, EverBless remains steadfast in our mission: to serve the church and its communities through faithful financial stewardship, life-impacting educational initiatives, and comprehensive estate planning services. With gratitude for the past and hope for the future, we look forward to another year of growth, service, and Kingdom impact.
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” - Proverbs 11:14
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Leigh Anne Baggs, Manakin-Sabot
Ann F. Brown, Gretna
Joy C. Burroughs, Disputanta
W. Edward Clingman, Jr., Mechanicsville
David J. Fairchild, Midlothian
Janet C. Garrett, Glen Allen (Board Secretary)
Britton L. Glisson, Doswell
Leah S. Hopper, Richmond
Benjamin A. Jamison, Palmyra
Charles G. Key, Henrico
Lawrence L. Peacock, Jr., Annandale (Board Chair)
Benjamin D. Sillmon, III, Midlothian
Robert L. Smythers, Blacksburg
Patrice R. Stokes, Henrico
William E. Watson, Farmville
Robert A. Whitehead, Quinton
GRACEINSIDE: VIRGINIA’S PRISON CHAPLAIN SERVICE
Annual Report
Introducing GraceInside’s New Executive Director and Director of Operations
Executive Director Chaplain Nick Meyer (left) and Director of Operations Mr. Lee Hargrave (right)
In 2017, I became known as “Chaplain Meyer” when I began serving at Coffeewood Correctional Center, where I ministered until January 2025. I am humbled to serve as the Executive Director of GraceInside, as we now enter our 105th year of ministry. I look forward to continuing to partner with BGAV, one of the founding partners of our ministry!
GraceInside works closely with many sister-ministries. Here’s a glimpse of what the support of BGAV is making possible through our team of 30 chaplains so far in 2025:
• Kairos hosted weekends in 14 facilities, engaging 282 volunteers and graduating 366 participants.
• Prison Fellowship is operating residential academies at St. Brides and Fluvanna, with plans to expand to Lawrenceville and Deerfield.
• PF Grow holds twice-weekly programs at Coffeewood, Indian Creek, and Lawrenceville.
• Passion Community Church conducts weekly “God Behind Bars” services (including communion and baptisms) at Nottoway and the Virginia Correctional Center for Women.
• Kingsway Prison and Family Outreach sends birthday and holiday cards, as well as Christmas gifts, to the children of incarcerated individuals.
• Bon Air Baptist Church maintains a decades-long prison ministry, including correspondence courses and holiday greetings for inmates.
• Prison Discipleship Ministries offers worship services in Greensville, Sussex I, State Farm, and Beaumont.
So much is happening! Did you know that each of these sister ministries—and more than 3,000 volunteers actively serving across Virginia—relies on our chaplains to facilitate their ministry? The fields are ripe for harvest, the laborers are few, but God is raising up many faithful workers.
During my time at Coffeewood, I witnessed firsthand the vibrant, life-changing impact our partner ministers had on the 1,000 men incarcerated there. Whether through preaching, revival services, music, or mentoring, these faithful workers bring the good news of Jesus Christ and a message of hope and transformation by his grace.
GraceInside is excited to announce the recent hiring of our first Special Assignment Chaplain for Hispanic Inmates,¡Gloria a Dios! Since April 2025, we’ve expanded chaplaincy coverage by over 200 hours per month at six facilities: Red Onion, Wallens Ridge, Beaumont, CVCU #13, Coffeewood, and Haynesville. These expansions are only possible because of the generous and faithful support of partners like BGAV. We are deeply grateful.
Chaplain Luis Medrano, hired August 2025 as our first Special Assignment Chaplain for Hispanic Inmates in two facilities
Baptism at Coffeewood Correctional Center
GraceInside chaplains are present when and where few others can be: during lockdowns, making rounds in the infirmaries, visiting hospice patients, ministering in segregation units, and walking alongside inmates after news of death, divorce, or parole denial. Our chaplains build trust, earn respect, and become the hands and heart of Jesus inside Virginia’s prisons.
GraceInside has a contract to provide faith-based services for the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC), which provides about two-thirds of our annual budget of $1.5 million per year. The remaining one-third comes from private donors, churches, and associations like BGAV.
In 2025, we’re able to supplement our contract with an average of 800 additional ministry hours each month. Even with 3,600+ hours monthly, this still amounts to less than two hours of contact per inmate per year—a sobering reminder of the need to continue growing our ministry in this vast mission field.
Chaplain Carl Melvin (Beaumont) with inmates during Memorial Day Event
GraceInside has been “sent by the Church to nurture faith and hope in Virginia’s prisons.” As a Chaplain, I understood my work to be an expression of the wider church’s call to remember those in prison. Now, as the Executive Director, my work is reminding the churches of Virginia that all of us have a stake in a vibrant, well supported GraceInside prison ministry. We are incredibly grateful to the BGAV for being a pillar of support from the very beginning, and for your faithfulness in our shared calling to “remember those in prison.”
To Him be glory in the church forever!
Chaplain Nick Meyer Executive Director, GraceInside
HERMISSION (FORMERLY WMUV )
Annual Report
FROM WMUV TO HERMISSION: A BOLD STEP FORWARD
The Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia (WMUV) has entered a new chapter in its long history of equipping women for Kingdom work. With prayerful consideration and a desire to connect more deeply with today’s generation, the organization has embraced a new name: HerMission.
This rebranding is not a departure from the WMUV’s legacy but a fresh expression of it. For over 150 years, the WMUV has championed missions, developed leaders, and mobilized members across Virginia to live out the Great Commission. That same calling continues under the banner of HerMission, with renewed energy and vision for the future.
The name HerMission reflects both identity and purpose. It highlights the unique role of women in God’s mission while inviting every woman to see herself as an essential part of His story. HerMission is a community where members are equipped, inspired, and sent—locally and globally—to serve and lead with courage.
Through this transition, HerMission remains rooted in its historic values: prayer, discipleship, leadership development, and mission engagement. Yet, it also embraces innovation, opening new doors for younger generations to connect with the organization’s mission in relevant and meaningful ways.
HerMission is more than a new name. It is a renewed call to live on mission, to walk in purpose, and to join hands with women across Virginia and beyond in advancing the Kingdom of God.
HERMISSION HAS NEW LEADERSHIP
Dr. Bethany Warren Hunter was installed as the new Executive Director/Treasurer of HerMission on September 6, 2025, after beginning her work in July. A passionate leader with a deep commitment to God’s mission, Dr. Hunter brings vision, energy, and experience to guide HerMission into its next season of ministry.
Dr. Hunter succeeds a legacy of faithful leadership within the organization, formerly known as the WMUV, and steps into her role at a pivotal time coinciding with its rebranding. As Executive Director/Treasurer, she hopes to provide oversight, strategic direction, and spiritual leadership as HerMission continues its long-standing work of equipping and mobilizing women for Kingdom service.
With a background in education, Dr. Hunter is excited for this new chapter of her life. She looks forward to helping women discover and live out their God-given calling. Her passion for discipleship and missions aligns with HerMission’s purpose of inspiring women to serve and lead both locally and globally.
Her installation marks a new chapter for HerMission, one that honors its heritage while embracing fresh opportunities for growth and impact. Under Dr. Hunter’s leadership, HerMission seeks to expand its reach, strengthen partnerships, and empower women of all generations to pursue the mission of God with courage and faith.
CROSSROADS CAMP & CONFERENCE CENTER (CCCC )
CrossRoads Camp continues to be a place where we cultivate space to experience God. Summer camp numbers continue to increase with 25 staff members and 400 campers participating in CrossRoads programming this summer. In addition, we hosted nearly 1,000 additional “campers” from six different organizations during the summer camping season. Overall, CrossRoads is on track to host up to 41 different organizations this year with thousands of people experiencing the beauty of our mountain retreat.
Reverend Kenny Daniel, Operations and Pastoral Director, has exciting plans for CrossRoads over the next ten years. There are several projects that we hope to undertake to rejuvenate the facilities and ensure our space continues to be utilized for years to come. Plans are also underway to host a small group of interns to live, serve, and learn as they plan for life after high school. That program will likely start in Fall 2026.
CrossRoads welcomes groups of all ages to spend a night or two (or five!), enjoy delicious food, walk the trails, hike to The Rock, and just be with God in one of the beautiful corners of His creation.
ALMA HUNT OFFERING (AHO) FOR VIRGINIA MISSIONS
The AHO is cooperative giving that allows HerMission and the BGAV to engage in programs that provide missions education and involve people in hands-on ministries. HerMission staff lead in the facilitation of the production of the promotional materials sent to the churches. This year, our focus testimonies in the prayer guide highlighted the ministries of CrossRoads Camp, Shine (teen girl conference), and Sisters Who Care. In May, we hosted an RA derby car race at Bonsack Baptist Church in Roanoke, VA, and three boys went to the national race in Dallas, TX. The Children’s Council again coordinated Mom & Me where elementary-aged daughters retreated with their moms as they learned about missions and what it means to be “Cherished and Chosen.” The HOPE: Mental Health Team continues to partner with churches for Mental Health First Aid training as well as other support programs. The Alma Hunt Offering brings Virginia Baptists together as we keep our focus on missions!
PARTNERSHIP UPDATES
HerMission is in its third and final year of partnership with Villa Milagro in Cajamarca, Peru. Our work there includes feeding hungry families, distributing protein-rich bread to schools, leading Bible school programs in some of the more isolated schools, and supporting clean water projects by distributing water filters. In 2024 and 2025, teams also hosted women’s conferences at a partnering church. While the team was there in July, they were able to meet a well-drilling volunteer and get a video of the new well funded by the 2024 Abigail Girls!
HERMISSION, WMU, AND THE LOCAL CHURCH
Despite the rapidly changing church and denominational landscape, Virginia Baptist women are continuing to mobilize the entire church to be on mission. Women are facilitating outreach opportunities in their churches that engage members to learn about missions, pray for missions, give to missions, and do missions. There are certainly fewer churches with traditional WMU groups, but our hope is that a new look, a new brand, and new pathways for membership will engage more women. The new audiences in HerMission are not privy to the traditional model but are connecting in areas of interest to be on mission that include praying, giving, and going as well!
HERMISSION LOOKING AHEAD
HerMission will continue to host its annual events, and Mission Strategists are working with their council members for an exciting year in 2026. Whether it’s Shine, Mom & Me, Sisters Who Care, Women’s Getaway, la Conferencia de Mujeres, or a retreat or week of summer camp at CrossRoads, there is something for everyone! Stay connected with our bi-monthly HerMission Highlights email newsletter and follow HerMission on Facebook and Instagram to see photos of events and important announcements.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Lucianne Warren, President (through June 30, 2025)
Casey Ogden, Vice-President/Secretary (Interim President)
Penny Cole
Heidi Craft
Heather Furrow
Anette Greenwood
Claudia Hatfield
Rhonda Luckie
Lauren Pillow
Emilie Simpson
Shirley Smith
Emma Sorrells
Melissa Thompson
Winnie Wang
Executive Director/Treasurer:
Dr. Valerie Carter Smith (through June 30, 2025); Dr. Bethany Warren Hunter
HOPETREE FAMILY SERVICES
Annual Report
HopeTree Family Services (formerly the Virginia Baptist Children’s Home & Family Services) serves more than 1,000 individuals and family members annually through a variety of programs and services in locations across the state. We exist to offer hope to create strong, healthy, resilient individuals, families, and communities across Virginia through the following programs:
• Developmental Disabilities Ministry (DDM) – offers group homes, Sponsored Residential and Community Engagement to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Treatment Foster Care – out of home care provided by trained foster parents
• HopeTree Academy – a fully-accredited private day school, on our Salem campus, for middle and high school students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
• Therapeutic Group Home – time limited, residential services for youth ages 11 to 17 on our Salem Campus
• Family Centered Treatment – an evidence-based model that provides services and support to families in their homes to keep children safe and thriving in their home environment
• Clinical Services – provides outpatient counseling to individuals and groups and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy on our Salem campus.
Our programs provide quality services to our youth, adults and families. Some key outcomes and impacts include:
• Our Equine Psycho-assisted therapy went to full-time status.
• Outpatient Counseling services for the community in Salem started.
• Family Centered Treatment obtained “full implementation,” nearly six months ahead of schedule. Additionally, 73% of families served either stabilized their placement or were able to reunify their family. 79% of families served wither stayed at their current level of care or stepped down to a lower level of care at the time of discharge from services.
• Foster Care had 26 children in our care to achieve permanency. Sixteen children were returned home or were placed with relatives and nine were adopted by HopeTree Foster Parents.
• HopeTree Academy graduated six students in May and saw a 40% decrease in suspensions compared to the 2024 school year.
• Therapeutic Group Home had ten youth step down to a lower level of care, indicating a successful discharge. Residents attended several off-campus trips throughout the year, including a trip to Busch Gardens.
• Installed a new wheelchair ramp to Kessee Chapel.
• A comprehensive, three phase renovation project began for all our DDM group homes. To date, we have completed Phase 1 and have made significant progress on Phase 2.
• We introduced the new Learning & Development department to oversee the organization’s training and capacity development of our team.
• Hired a new Revenue Cycle Management team to better manage our billing and payments for services
• The organization’s first Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer was hired to oversee the philanthropy, marketing and communications, grant writing and business development efforts.
• HopeTree received a second approval from the Salem Planning Commission and City Council to rezone our campus to “Planned Use District,” which will pave the way for the complete ReDesign of our campus by integrating our property with a mix of housing and commercial opportunities.
• Our Chaplain has continued his efforts to serve our residents and share the gospel. His weekly devotionals, Monday morning prayer, and ministry to our residents and students is bearing fruit. One of our residents was recently baptized!
In addition, HopeTree spent the past 12 months focusing on improving our internal structure and processes that will enable us to be more efficient, effective, and consistent across the organization. This focus is also improving organizational alignment and will aid in our expansion efforts to serve more individuals and families. In the last year, we have implemented NetSuite (accounting and donor engagement platform), Compliance Pro (Policy storage), People Element (Employee Engagement platform), a new Electronic Medication Assistance Record (eMar), and a new Policy Review and Approval process.
LOOKING AHEAD
HopeTree is excited about the coming year and some major projects that will be undertaken. Some of them include:
• Chapel renovation project (Phase 2) – Raising $80,000 to replace the roof, renovate our gymnasium restrooms, and upgrade our workout facilities and equipment for our residents and students. Phase 1 completely renovated our sanctuary and added a new restroom, in addition to the installation of the chapel ramp.
• AI integration – HopeTree is planning to integrate Artificial Intelligence into the organization, specifically around progress notes, individualized service plans, and auditing.
• Expansion efforts – HopeTree is looking for expansion opportunities in Southwest Virginia, Norther Virginia, and the Shenandoah Valley
• Campus and Capital Campaign – we plan to engage in a capital campaign, to raise more than $2 million for our campus redesign project.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Term Expires December 2025
Bert Browning - BGAV
Bill Bryan
George Fletcher
Derek Hicks
Richard Martin
Carla Shepherd
Term Expires December 2026
Kim Baskette
Ron Clark
Mike Elmore
Melissa Jackson
Laura Riha
Patrick Wood - BGAV
Term Expires December 2027
Sydney Gustafson
Morgan Meador
John Mizell
Pat Shaffner
Kim Turner
Dick Wright - BGAV
Term Expires December 2028
Chuck Clement
Stephanie Cook – BGAV
Bill DeWorken
Trinette Randolph
Diane Romanello
Lucianne Warren
LIFESPIRE OF VIRGINIA
Annual Report
LifeSpire of Virginia (formerly Virginia Baptist Homes) now serves more than 1,700 senior adults aged 62 to 100+ in five continuing care retirement communities in Virginia: Culpeper, Newport News, Richmond, Daleville and Lynchburg. We also provide services to seniors who prefer to stay at home and age in place in the Richmond area through a program called AgeSmart. Originally implemented as Lakewood at Home to provide services to members in the Richmond area, we are excited to share that AgeSmart, our ‘continuing care retirement community without walls’ is expanding to provide services across the Commonwealth in all our localities. LifeSpire’s mission is to empower individuals with choices in purposeful living.
Resident services available include independent residential, assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing care. Providing a full continuum of care gives security and peace of mind to residents and their loved ones. Residents know they will receive care that promotes dignity and quality of life. They will remain among friends, and couples will be able to visit should one or both of them need healthcare services. Members in the AgeSmart program are provided long-term care services in their home, with the peace of mind that if they need higher levels of care, services will be provided in house at one of our communities. LifeSpire of Virginia continues to meet human needs in the name of Christ.
Asking for help is very difficult for many people as they age, especially for those who have worked hard all their lives and have been able to meet their own needs. The supportive environment provided by our faith-based communities allows residents to access services without feeling they are a burden to others. Residents and staff truly are a family, and this helps assure a smoother transition through major life changes. Our objectives are to provide:
• A full continuum of care on-site in a Christian environment;
• Wellness programming that enhances the spiritual, emotional and physical aspects of life with a goal of preserving independence, dignity, and freedom;
• Services that allow residents to use and share the skills, talents, and personal interests that enhance their lives and the lives of others;
• A support system that enhances the lives of residents physically, emotionally, and spiritually;
• Enhanced dignity, choice, and independence that help preserve self-esteem.
In addition to physical and emotional needs, residents know that should they need financial assistance, funds will be made available for anyone qualifying for such assistance. LifeSpire has never asked a resident to leave due to their financial need, which is a great source of comfort for residents. This continues to be a goal that LifeSpire strives to meet. During 2024, the VBH Foundation provided $1,224,000 to 44 residents in our five communities. Of those, 57% were Baptist, 86% were female (74% which were widows), and 69% were 90 years old or older. Six residents aged 100+ are receiving financial subsidies.
In 2026 LifeSpire will celebrate its 80th anniversary. Founded as Virginia Baptist Homes with the support of the BGAV, this milestone will give us a chance to honor our past while we continue to look to the future with growth opportunities that will give us the opportunity to serve even more older adults.
We look to the future with promise and hope that Virginia’s senior adults will have the best choices for active and joyful living.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Officers of the Corporation
Jonathan R. Cook, President/CEO
Tracey Jennings, Executive Vice President/Chief Operations Officer
Robin Ransom, Interim Chief Financial Officer
J. Peter Robinson, Chief Marketing Officer/Assistant Secretary
John Jung, Secretary
Christine Moran, Assistant Treasurer
Officers of the Board
Nelson Harris, Chair
Sara L. Marchello, Vice Chair
James A. Bales
Sharon Brooks
Brian Carlton
Daniel Carlton*
R. Scott Cave
Matthew Cobb
Nelson Harris
John Jung
Sara L. Marchello
Samuel Oakey
Arne Owens
Jim Poats
Susan Rucker
Priscilla Shuler*
Gary Thomson
Jim Vaught
Trish White-Boyd
*BGAV representative
VIRGINIA BAPTIST HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Annual Report
Now in its 149th year, VBHS continues to serve the BGAV family and the public as the dedicated custodian of Virginia Baptist history. Today, it is one of the oldest and longest-running Baptist archives in the world with an unbroken history of preservation. This work includes management and stewardship of the extensive archives, library, art and artifacts entrusted to the Society, as well as responding to regular requests from churches and other researchers.
The Annual Dinner and Meeting of the Society was held at River Road Church, Baptist, Richmond, on June 3, 2025. Marilee White offered greetings on behalf of BGAV at the beginning of the program. Wm. Loyd Allen, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Church History and Spiritual Formation at the McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, and member of First Baptist, Waynesboro, offered the keynote lecture, “Seeing Virginia Baptist Spirituality Again…For the First Time.” Allen walked through the rich tradition of spirituality and religious experience exemplified by the early Virginia Baptists and noted that the Baptist principle of soul freedom connects with the spiritual longing that many express today. “Baptist spirituality undergirds everything that is truly Baptist.” Following the lecture portion, VBHS Executive Director Nathan Taylor engaged Allen with conversational follow-up questions. One highlight of the evening was recognition of Darlene Herod’s 40 years of dedicated service as research assistant. During the business portion, in addition to affirming the re-appointment of those members of the Executive Committee eligible for a second term, and the continuance of all officers in their current roles, Rev. Sara Hubble of Freemason Street Baptist Church, Norfolk, was welcomed as a new member. Taylor expressed gratitude to Rev. Dr. Valerie Carter Smith in absentia, as she rolled off the Executive Committee. The Society remains grateful for the hospitality offered by the staff and congregation of River Road Church.
The work of the Historical Society to assist Virginia Baptist churches with records preservation is ongoing. While statistics for 2025 are still accruing, as of 2024, the Society’s church records repository now includes more than 4,569 church record books from 516 different churches (some still being processed). These records, as well as the Society’s archives and library, are constantly consulted by researchers. In 2024, the staff responded to at least 246 different researchers (198 VBHS; 48 University Archives); this figure does not reflect how many times each researcher accessed/ consulted the materials, as assisted by staff. The collections continue to grow, with 906 items being added to the Baptist files (2024), while 46 regular acquisitions were added to the Baptist Collections alone. Numerous archival collections continue to be received by VBHS. Congregations regularly experience major anniversaries and often take stock of their existing records, turning to VBHS for assistance, as do those at the end of their life cycle. We continue to receive the personal/family papers of Virginia Baptist figures, including, thus far in 2025: Rob Sandford; Chevis Horne; David Hepburn; Cecil J.D. Parker; and also the records of Stockton Memorial Baptist Church in the event of its closing. A large case clock made by Aubrey Ray Pentecost, Jr. was added to the gallery.
VBHS continues to play a vital role in helping the University of Richmond to explore and understand its origins and history as a Baptist institution, especially regarding the complexities of race and the early Baptist pursuit of religious liberty and an educated clergy. VBHS and its various collections serve as critical resources in this work. University classes consulting the VBHS collections for academic research continue to be highlights of the year and introduce those beyond Baptist life to this story. It is important to understand the vital role that VBHS plays in assisting both emerging and established scholars by sharing our expertise and making these unique primary sources available. VBHS remains a major repository for understanding American history, American religious history and more, as evidenced by frequent citations in these fields, which have included Pulitzer Prize winning and NYT bestselling books.
VBHS actively seeks to strengthen its financial capacity for saving and sharing the collections so that they will be available for present and future generations. Current methods of digital preservation and protecting centuries-old materials require significant financial and long-term commitments to ensure that our Virginia Baptist history is available for the future. All of this is becoming more expensive, and the collections continue to grow. Funding remains critical for adequate, professional staffing. VBHS is grateful for the ongoing support of BGAV, as we tell our story together. We invite all churches to be sure that their memberships are up to date, which is one way to strengthen our capacity to carry out this work on behalf of Virginia Baptists. Major gifts from individuals and churches are needed to safeguard the collections and the work required to sustain them for the future.
Executive Director Nathan Taylor continues to relish visits to Virginia Baptist churches for preaching and presentations on Baptist heritage, especially for the many anniversaries and other occasions that occur each year. Highlights since the last report include: Second Baptist, Petersburg’s 170th; Central Baptist, Richmond’s 125th; the dedication of North Pamunkey Baptist Church’s historical marker; the Alma Hunt mission moment at River Road Church, Baptist; Beale Memorial’s 150th; as well as a presentation on preserving local church history with the Petersburg Baptist Association ministers’ conference. Church groups and others continue to visit the Virginia Baptist Heritage Gallery for an educational encounter on the history of Baptists in Virginia through the art and artifacts of the VBHS. Taylor also participated in the annual meeting of the Baptist History and Heritage Society, held in Waco, TX, and began serving a term as vice president of the organization. In July, Taylor participated in the World Congress of the Baptist World Alliance, held in Brisbane, Australia, where he visited the Queensland Baptist archives and began serving a term as vice chair of the Commission on Baptist Heritage & Identity. Taylor also participated in a Baptist historians’ seminar at Mercer University on historic Baptist conceptions of religious liberty and the rise of Christian nationalism.
We look forward to celebrating the 150th anniversary of VBHS in the year ahead. As always, we seek to deepen and enrich our collective sense of rootedness in this free and faithful tradition.
Finally, please join with us as new or ongoing friends and members who share a passion for this work! Memberships are one simple way to help preserve the material history of Virginia Baptists, to ensure that we know who we are and that the story continues. For more and/or to update your membership, please visit us at baptistheritage.org.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2026
Joseph T. Lewis, President
Robert S. Ryland
Herbert O. Browning, 3rd Vice President
Dennis Sacrey, 1st Vice President
Robert Brown
2027
Herbert Ponder
Nancy Stanton McDaniel
Ellen Gwathmey
Adam Tyler
Tim Madison
2028
Jacqueline Brooks
Mike Hatfield
Robert McKinley
Dan Carlton
Ann Carter
2029
Sara Hubble
Alan Miller
Vivian Clingenpeel, 2nd Vice President
Beth Fogg
John Miller
Ex officio
Nathan L. Taylor, VBHS, Executive Director
Wayne Faison, BGAV, Executive Director
William P. Tuck, Immediate Past President
AVERETT UNIVERSITY
Annual Report
AVERETT UNIVERSITY: WHO WE ARE
Since 1859, Averett University has grown and developed into a dynamic institution that serves students of all ages, offering more than 30 undergraduate majors, minors and special programs (on-campus and online), along with 10 master’s programs that help drive the regional economy and quality of life. Averett enrolls a diverse student body of approximately 1,350 students from nearly 33 different states and 30 countries and boasts an alumni network of over 29,000 that spans the globe. Some of our distinctive offerings include degree programs in Aeronautics, Biological Sciences, Business, Equestrian Studies, Health & Sport Science, Hospitality Management & Tourism, Nursing, and Teacher Education. Our mission is to prepare students to serve and lead as catalysts for positive change, fostering a sense of global community.
At Averett, we understand that relationships are the key to future success, which is why we foster a strong community atmosphere on campus and online. Our students feel a true sense of belonging, supported by our unwavering dedication to their success. We equip our students with skills for a lifetime of success, knowing that personal growth and community well-being are interconnected. With a legacy of over 166 years, our influence is felt far and wide. This is All Averett, where we are committed to student success.
A TIME OF TRANSITION
Averett University’s Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr. Thomas H. Powell as the university’s 16th president as of May 1, 2025.
Dr. Powell brought a wealth of experience in the world of higher education. He is president emeritus of Mount Saint Mary’s University, where he led the university from 2003-2015. In addition, he served as the president of Glenville State University in West Virginia from 1999-2003 and was the interim president of Frederick Community College from 202122.
After a brief period of retirement following his 12 years at Mount St. Mary’s, Dr. Powell accepted and held the position of president of Saint John’s Catholic Preparatory School in Frederick, Maryland from 2015-2021. His experience in higher education includes stints as the dean of the College of Education at Winthrop University from 1994-1999, and dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Montana State University-Billings from 1990-1994. He also served on the faculty at MSU-Billings and the University of Connecticut. While serving as a professor of special education at Connecticut, he was the first director of UConn’s Program of Excellence on Disabilities.
Dr. Powell earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in special education from Montana State University-Billings, followed by a Doctor of Education in special education from Vanderbilt University.
SPIRITUAL LIFE
Nearing two full years as Averett University’s chaplain, Rev. Sean Timmons has grown campus Spiritual Life offerings. Through his work, this area has seen increased participation and has focused more on service to the entire Averett Community.
Spiritual Life sponsors multiple weekly opportunities for the community to gather, worship and learn together. Among these are weeknight Late Night Worship Services, a Thursday morning Prayer Service and a Sunday evening Christian Student Fellowship. Rev. Timmons also has worked with Student Engagement to offer programming throughout the semesters, particularly during the stressful exam weeks. He also writes a weekly message for students entitled “The Chaplain’s Corner.”
Spiritual Life has also responded to specific needs within both the Averett Community and the home communities of our students. During the fall, Averett’s Spiritual Life department, in partnership with West Main Baptist Church, teamed up with other local churches and nonprofits to facilitate a hurricane relief ministry that collected much-needed relief supplies (clothing, water, food, essentials) for the stricken areas in northwest North Carolina. After the materials were collected, Rev. Timmons arranged for the Averett Aeronautics department to fly the supplies directly to the affected areas, utilizing untapped potential of the entire Averett community.
Through all the varied efforts, Spiritual Life has maintained its commitment to student fellowship. Included in this focus is the interfaith learning spaces and the prayer and meditation room that are available to all students and members of the Averett Community.
SIGNIFICANT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
Aeronautics and AU Aviation Services: Enrollment in Averett’s Aeronautics academic program is expected to nearly double over the next four years, and it remains our fastest-growing major. Averett proudly operates as the fixed-base operator (FBO) at the Danville Regional Airport, where our customer service has earned widespread acclaim within the aviation community and our success has also far surpassed initial expectations. This FBO is a fully integrated, practical learning environment for our students, providing invaluable hands-on experience.
Working in tandem with the City of Danville and Danville Community College, Averett is pleased to help drive the launch of the region’s first Aviation Maintenance Training program. Both institutions are diligently working alongside the City to assist in securing funding to offset the cost of the training facility. The new Aviation Training facility, slated to be housed adjacent to the Averett University Flight Center, will accommodate the teaching and learning needs of Averett’s growing Aeronautics program and the new Aviation Maintenance program delivered by DCC, scheduled to open in 2026.
Hospitality Management and Tourism: There is a growing interest and need for hospitality management in our region, and Averett’s minor in Hospitality Management & Tourism was designed to address just that. Last fall, Averett collaborated for a second time with Virginia Tech to host the region’s second Hospitality Management and Tourism Summit. The event was a success and further solidified that Averett is to become a recognized and reputable name within the hospitality industry.
Through grant funding from the City of Danville, Averett offers a free hospitality leadership training program, called “Elevating Hospitality Excellence,” that prepares mid- to high-level hospitality management and business leaders with necessary skills, procedures and tactics to better manage employees and improve quality of services to guests. Participants have opportunities throughout the series to sit for nationally recognized certifications offered through the American Hotel and Lodging Association and the National Restaurant Association.
Nursing: Averett’s School of Nursing continues to adapt in response to health care industry needs. In May, nearly 40 nursing students graduated from Averett’s traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program based in Norfolk. Averett nursing graduates go on to work and learn at a wide variety of medical facilities in the region and beyond, practicing in a diverse range of services lines or working toward becoming clinical instructors and professors.
AVERETT ATHLETICS
Averett student-athletes continue to succeed, whether in competition or in the classroom.
Averett had a school-record number of student-athletes earn 2024-25 Old Dominion Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honors. Averett totaled 184 student-athletes with a 3.25 grade point average or higher — demolishing the highest single-year total in school history. On the national and regional level, Averett had 35 student-athletes earn academic honors from national organizations, including the College Sports Communicators All-District teams.
In competition, multiple Averett student-athletes distinguished themselves by earning All-State recognition by Virginia Sports Information Directors. A men’s golfer earned Division III All-America honorable mention and qualified for the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championship. Two Averett wrestlers earned berths in the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship, with one earning All-America honors with a third-place national finish. Averett’s men’s tennis team won the ODAC title and earned a berth in the NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis Championship, winning its first match.
For the year, Averett boasted 39 all-conference selections, three conference rookies of the year and three conference scholar-athletes of the year. Two coaches earned ODAC Coach of the Year honors.
CLOSING MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT THOMAS H. POWELL
“Since 1859, Averett University has played a special role in the history of Virginia, preparing leaders to serve their communities. During the past 166 years, Averett has continued to grow and evolve, right alongside Danville and the greater region.
We certainly face some major financial challenges and are in a period of recovery. We are doing all we can to right the ship, and with help, we will get back on track as a contemporary, robust, faith-based university in our community.
As we recover, Averett will be in a period of renewal, with enhanced focus on our premier programs like aeronautics, teacher education, biology, business, nursing, sports management, and hospitality. These will be augmented by a new core curriculum focusing on the truth and beauty of the liberal arts and our Christian faith. Additionally, we will be adjusting our tuition and fees to better ensure our programs are affordable.
Despite our challenge, the Averett spirit of resiliency remains, and we continue to support our students through every sacred interaction we have with them.”
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Emma Maddux Kozlowski – Chair
Hayward Majors – Vice-Chair
Linda Hutson Green ’85 – Secretary
Ellen E. Beville ’87
Kirk Bidgood
Lenora Billings-Harris
Richard Brown ’90*
Sarah L. Collie
Gary Collins ’80, ’82
Hampton Wilkins ’73, ’87
Kris Willard
* BGAV appointed
BLUEFIELD UNIVERSITY
Annual Report
Bluefield University is a place where students can “Go Further.” Located in Bluefield, Virginia, we are a Christ-centered learning community committed to developing servant leaders who are poised to transform the world. Whether oncampus or online, students enrolled in one of our seven graduate or forty undergraduate degree programs develop both technical and soft skills to thrive in their future careers.
In partnership with the Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) and the Appalachian College of Pharmacy, we form the Harvey W. Peters Research Foundation family of schools. This unique partnership creates a direct pipeline to professional healthcare degrees. Coupled with a dynamic student experience, Bluefield University is equipping students to build and serve their communities.
A BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE
On October 16, 2024, Dr. Steven D. Peterson was inaugurated as the 10th president of Bluefield University. During his inaugural address, titled “Blueprint for the Future”, Dr. Peterson outlined his vision and goals for the institution. Bluefield University will continue to enhance its educational programs and foster a culture of innovation. We are committed to expanding opportunities for students to succeed personally, spiritually, and professionally.
The 2024-2025 academic year was a time of building and restoration under Dr. Peterson’s leadership. Key projects included facilities improvements, academic expansions, and significant growth in our online programs.
In January 2025, the Hugh I. Shott, Jr. Foundation generously awarded Bluefield University a $400,000 matching grant for the much-needed renovation of Alumni Hall, a dormitory that had been closed due to fire damage and deferred maintenance. Thanks to the overwhelming support of our community and donors, additional funds were raised in time for construction to begin in the Spring of 2025.
We have witnessed God’s providence in this project, with funds coming together quickly and work completed at an incredible pace. The renovation was finished in just eight months, and Alumni Hall reopened in time for the Fall 2025 term. The building, which now accommodates 46 additional students, underwent a complete refresh—updating bathrooms, common areas, and student rooms—creating a modern and welcoming living space.
The traditional campus has also experienced growth, with 236 freshmen and 250 returning students. The reopening of Alumni Hall has added 50 more residential students, increasing our campus capacity. With our graduate and online programs included, Bluefield University’s total enrollment for the 2024-2025 academic year is 1,130 students.
ONLINE CAMPUS GROWTH
Bluefield University’s Online Campus has experienced a 14% growth year-over-year, driven in part by the generous support of the Harvey W. Peters Research Foundation. Their investment in our digital infrastructure, staffing, and marketing has had a significant impact. We are proud to report that Bluefield University now serves students in 32 states, extending our reach as far as Alaska.
Open House event for Alumni Hall
STRATEGIC HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIP GROWTH
This fall, we are launching a new cohort for the highly sought-after Master of Health Science in Anesthesia (MHSA) program, in collaboration with the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM). The program, offered on VCOM’s Spartanburg, South Carolina campus, prepares students to become anesthesiologist assistants.
Through partnerships with VCOM, the Appalachian College of Pharmacy, and our Master of Arts in Counseling and Nursing programs, Bluefield University is addressing the growing healthcare shortage in the Appalachian region.
MASTER OF MINISTRY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM LAUNCH (MAML)
Set to launch in January 2026, the Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership (MAML) is a 36-credit hour online graduate program designed to prepare students for effective ministry and church leadership. This program equips graduates with the knowledge and skills to lead confidently, teach faithfully, and implement meaningful initiatives within their congregations and communities.
The program blends Biblical interpretation, theological reflection, leadership development, and practical ministry experience, all in a format that allows students to grow both spiritually and professionally. Students can complete the program entirely online, with optional in-person gatherings each semester to foster connection and collaboration with their peers.
CHRIST-CENTERED COMMUNITY
We also want to extend an invitation to you. Join us in the work God is doing at Bluefield University. Visit us on campus and consider sending your students—of all ages—to experience a Christ-centered education. Here, they will be developed into servant leaders, equipped to transform the world.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
David L. Bailey, Jr.
Roger Collier*
Julie H. Johnson
Howard A. Mayo IV
Sarah J. Reid
Dixie Tooke-Rawlins
Rebecca E. Beckett
Rodney Hale
Elizabeth Keene*
Donna Payne
John G. Rocovich, Jr.
Michael A. Wade
William S. Winfrey, II K. Lamont Woods
* BGAV representative
Cindy Carter*
Robert A. Houck
Christopher Lawson
Jackson E. Reasor, Jr.
Craig F. Stout*
L. Mori Williams
FORK UNION MILITARY ACADEMY
Annual Report
ABOUT FORK UNION MILITARY ACADEMY
Fork Union Military Academy is a private, college-preparatory, Christian boarding school for boys located in Fluvanna County in Virginia. Founded in 1898 by Dr. William E. Hatcher, the Academy offers an extensive college preparatory program for boys in grades 7 through 12, as well as for recent high school graduates seeking a one-year postgraduate program to better prepare for the college of their choice whether it be for academic or athletic purposes.
We continue to be proud of the diversity of our Cadet Corps. The Academy enrolls students from throughout the United States and from every socio-economic background. Our international enrollment includes students from 16 different countries. Approximately 50% of our Corps of Cadets are persons of color.
THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Our Upper School and Eighth Grade utilize a One-Subject Plan of study. The school year is divided into five terms, with approximately thirty-six days per term. One academic subject is taken by each student each term. One Carnegie unit of credit is earned for the successful completion of each academic subject. An array of electives is available, as well, with each offering academic credit. Our seventh graders follow a more traditional academic schedule involving core academic subjects and seminar classes to enhance their academic experience.
BGAV AFFILIATION
In 1913, the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) began supporting the Academy financially, recognizing the school’s unique Christian service and ministry to young people. Even with diminishing financial support, the BGAV and Fork Union Military Academy have provided thousands of young men a sound education that is grounded in Christian values, that prepares them for higher education and for life, and that trains them for service and leadership in church and community.
OUR SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS
During the school year, Fork Union cadets attend chapel services four times a week. In recent years, many cadets have gone through believer’s baptism during our chapel services after a public profession of faith before their peers. Academic class days begin each morning with a devotion in the classroom. Opportunities to emphasize the service aspect of the Christian faith are afforded to cadets through local mission partnerships with BGAV churches. Bible studies are offered on campus during the school year, and are well-attended by faculty, staff, and cadets.
THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC SESSION
In September of 2024, 283 young men from 28 states and 16 foreign nations arrived on our campus to begin the 127th academic session. Approximately 65% were FUMA cadets the previous year, and 256 of them were boarding students.
On May 23rd, the FUMA Alumni Association welcomed 43 new members as the class of 2025 received their diplomas.
Although these young men were awarded over $4M in academic and athletic scholarships, of most importance to us is that none left our care without having had the good news gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed, explained, and demonstrated before their eyes by our staff and faculty.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
We speak often at Fork Union Military Academy of our founder, Dr. William Hatcher, a prominent Baptist preacher, and we know that the stewardship of his beloved school now rests on our shoulders. As good stewards of God’s provision, we have no debt. We accept no federal or state money, and we have success in abundance in our alumni. Staying true to these facts, however, becomes increasingly difficult each year, as the cost of operating this institution rises.
We want to reach more young men, not less. With an enrollment of approximately 300, we are the largest boarding military high school in Virginia, and one of the largest in the country. We’ve intentionally been on the very edge of financial sustainability since our founding in 1898, because we believe that boys matter more than money. We educate, develop, and inspire young men. We build character. We teach leadership. Boys become men at Fork Union, and we believe the world needs more bright, fit, and faithful young men with a Biblical worldview …not fewer.
In past years we have seen churches help defray the costs of tuition for one or more students from their congregations. We invite more BGAV churches to consider sponsoring such scholarships for their church members, or to consider making mission contributions to Fork Union Military Academy’s Annual Fund that we can use to provide more Access Scholarship grants to deserving young men.
Please continue to pray with us that we will meet our fundraising campaign goals for this year and the coming years. Young men—and this nation—will surely benefit when we do.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mr. George K. Anas, II
Mr. Stephen Ashby
Mr. Kendrick Ashton, Jr.
Mr. David R. Barrett
Mr. Lee S. Briscoe
COL Thierry G. Dupuis
Mr. Edward N. George, Jr.
Col. Stuart G. Harrison, USA (Ret.)
The Honorable Christopher T. Head (BGAV)
Mr. Henry O. Jackson
Dr. Harry E. Johnson, Sr. (BGAV)
Mr. Martin L. Ledbetter
Dr. Jose A. Mera
Dr. Adam Metwalli
Mr. John Larry Miles
Mr. Chad Percy
Dr. Rob Pochek
Mrs. Paige L. Pruett
RADM Frank F. Rennie, IV, USNR (Ret.)
Mr. Geoffrey S. Stiff
Mr. Jamal Thomas
Mrs. Allison W. Unnerstall
Mr. William J. Vakos, Jr.
Mr. Richard H. Wall
Mr. Jeffrey N. Weatherspoon
Mr. Cory Wessel
Administration:
CAPT Mark E. Black (Ret.), President
COL Steve Macek, Chief of Staff
COL Brian Bodine, Academic Dean
LTC Charlie Coulter, Commandant of Cadets
MAJ Ben Jamison, Chaplain
Trustees Emeriti:
COL Sammie D. Barr
Mr. James F. Cerza, Jr.
Mr. A. Douglas Dalton (BGAV)
Dr. Emerson D. Farley, Jr.
Mr. J. Wesley Hall, Jr.
Mr. Curtis Hathaway
Mr. David K. Hunt (BGAV)
Dr. Russell A. Johnston
Mr. J. William Price, III
Mr. George C. Turner
HARGRAVE MILITARY ACADEMY
Annual Report
HARGRAVE AND THE BGAV: A PARTNERSHIP GROUNDED IN FAITH
In September 2024, Hargrave Military Academy celebrated 115 years of building young men into leaders of character prepared for lifelong success. The academy’s mission and work is grounded in the institution’s Christian faith and values. In 1913, Hargrave began its relationship with the Baptist General Association of Virginia when the association made its first gift to the Academy.
HEALTHY AND GROWING
As in the previous three years, the 2024-25 school year opened with double digit enrollment growth. In an educational landscape that offers more choices than ever before, Hargrave continues to be an attractive option for families seeking a boy-centric, Christian education. In short, discerning parents with many options are choosing Hargrave for their young man.
FOSTERING ACADEMIC SUCCESS
On May 22nd and 23rd Hargrave celebrated our newest alumni in our Baccalaureate and Commencement services. Families and friends of our graduating cadets joined us in Cheatham Chapel where 41 young men from 15 states and 6 countries received their diplomas. These young men, who hailed from as nearby as Virginia and North Carolina, were joined by international cadets from Rwanda, Kenya, Canada, New Zealand, and Kuwait.
Like the more than 20 graduating classes that preceded them, the Class of 2025 achieved a 100% college acceptance rate. As a group, they received 107 acceptances to 71 unique colleges or universities, earning over $4.3 million in scholarships. Forty-four percent of graduates were offered scholarships, with a median award of $45,000/yr. This year’s college acceptances included a wide variety of schools from United States Service Academies, Senior Military Colleges, flagship state universities, large Christian Universities, and many smaller public and private institutions. It is notable that 32% of acceptances for this year’s graduates were to institutions with a strong affiliation with a church or denomination.
Particularly notable in this year’s class were four graduates who earned a total of seven appointments to the U.S. Service Academies (U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point). Three of these four graduates enrolled in the Naval Academy, and one enrolled at West Point.
The college admissions results is only one metric of the value of a family’s investment of time and resources to place their son in a Christian boarding school environment.
In our ongoing efforts to further enhance the experience of our cadets, in the 2025-2026 school year, Hargrave will be implementing a new daily schedule. Each academic day will begin with a 90-minute lab block which will provide handson learning experiences across a variety of disciplines that will meet the needs of our diverse student body. Academically advanced cadets will be challenged with STEM, arts, AP, and dual enrollment opportunities while cadets needing academic support will benefit from additional access to academic support services. Cadets involved in national level athletics programs with college-level aspirations will benefit from the additional flexibility the schedule provides in managing a demanding academic and athletic schedule.
DISCIPLING YOUNG MEN
Discipleship in the Christian faith and worship continue to be hallmarks of the Hargrave experience. Hargrave understands both the power of the peer and the critical importance of addressing the ministry needs of young men.
Two programs exemplify the power of peer mentorship: the Company Cadet Chaplain program and the cadet praise band, Encounter. Cadet Chaplains serve as the hands and feet of Christ to their peers. Under the supervision of the academy’s Chaplain in ministering to the Corps of Cadets, Cadet Chaplains facilitate pre-planned devotions to encourage the discipline of daily Bible reading and prayer among their peers. Under the guidance of the Hargrave Music Director, a cadet praise band was successfully re-launched. Encounter provides an opportunity for Cadets to use their musical talents in service to God and their fellow cadets. This year Encounter plans to increase the frequency of the performances (at chapel and beyond), and add new members to the strong foundation laid in the 2024-25 school year.
Thanks to the generous sponsorship of a Hargrave alumnus, we are pleased to announce the addition of a new full time staff position in the Academy’s faith department, dedicated to re-launching and sustaining a Young Life ministry on campus. The Young Life-Hargrave partnership will be another means to build relationships with the young men in our care and introduce them to Jesus Christ. Through campus events, activities, and in partnership with local Young Life leadership, cadets will have the opportunity to explore the Christian faith, and develop a closer walk with God. We are grateful for this opportunity to expand our faith program to meet the needs of our cadets.
We know that faith is indispensable to the development of young men, and at Hargrave faith is intentionally modeled, taught, and practiced. Featured programs like the Encounter praise band, Cadet Chaplains, and the Young Life ministry supplement our time-honored activities: twice-weekly chapel services, a mandatory Bible survey course, community service projects, and worship with local churches. Together, these programs strengthen our efforts to disciple young men in the Christian faith.
HARGRAVE AND THE BGAV: A VALUED PARTNERSHIP
For the second year in a row, Hargrave was pleased to host a BGAV Impact Mission Camp on our campus. Despite the brutal June heat, the team completed a number of service projects before retiring to our campus for respite, recovery, and fellowship in the cool of the evening. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve these young people as they put their faith into action in our local community. We are excited about this ongoing partnership and look forward to serving these young people again next year.
Hargrave’s administration, faculty, staff, families, and alumni are sincerely grateful for the long-standing bond between Hargrave Military Academy and the Baptist General Association of Virginia. We covet your prayers for the 2025-26 school year, for our ongoing fundraising campaigns, and for the wisdom and patience necessary to build young men into leaders of character prepared for lifelong success. We warmly invite BGAV churches and agencies to partner with us to support young men and their families in their dream of having a Hargrave education. We are grateful for the generosity of the BGAV, its churches, and individuals who directly or indirectly provide support for scholarships and other directed funds. This support makes a unique and otherwise unattainable experience possible for these young men.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Honorable Sloan Gibson, Chairman
The Honorable Randolph Beales
Mr. Mike Beck
Mrs. Hayako O. Cook
Mrs. Jessica Dalton
Mr. Ben J. Davenport, Jr.
Mr. Proctor Dean
Mr. Chuck Dowdy
Mr. Jim English
Mr. Fin Gaddy
Mr. A. W. Hamilton
Mrs. Holt Hooper
Mr. R. J. Lackey
Mr. David Miller
Mr. Keith Morgan
Mr. Thomas Nichols
Dr. John O’Bannon*
Mrs. Cindy Cline Reid
Administration:
Mr. Eric Peterson, President
Mr. Wesley McClure, M.Div., Assistant Head of School
Dr. Jimmy Tung, Academic Dean
Mr. Michael Washington, Chaplain
LTC Sam Redding, USA, Retired, Commandant of Cadets
Ms. Amanda Weishaar, Athletic Director
* BGAV representative
LELAND SEMINARY
Annual Report
The need for Christ-centered leaders represents one of the greatest needs facing our culture today. Preparing theologically educated and passionate leaders trained to bring God’s love to a hurting and fractured world represents the heart of Leland’s programs. Through equipping, encouraging, and empowering pastors, church leaders, and ministry volunteers, Leland’s mission of sending out transformational leaders for the global ministry of Jesus Christ continues to grow in effectiveness and reach.
Leland Seminary exists as the seminary for the church, and Leland continues to offer programs that are urgent and relevant to the growing needs of leaders and congregations in Baptist life and beyond.
LELAND ADVANCES
Celebrating a Successful Launch - In 2024, Leland partnered with Ruakh Arts to launch a Graduate Certificate in Worship Arts (GCWA), and in June, the first cohort graduated. The conclusion of the one-year program culminated in a showcase and powerful worship service held at Third Church in Richmond, VA. The second GCWA cohort began this Fall.
New Programs Underway – To meet the rising need for theological and ministry training, Leland has been working to launch training certificates. Our training certificates are non-degree programs designed to equip seasoned and new leaders in specific areas of ministry. We eagerly await the start of three new training certificates launching this Fall. The Executive Certificate in Remissioning, Children and Youth Ministry Leadership Certificate, and Certificate in Christian Leadership for Ministers and Church Leaders of Spanish-Speaking Congregations are flexible, ministry-focused certificate programs designed to equip leaders for impact in their churches and communities.
A New Location – In August, Leland held an open house at First Baptist Church Winchester. We anticipate future enrollment from residents of Winchester and West Virginia. We give thanks for and celebrate new programs and opportunities while underscoring our strong commitment to growth in Leland’s core Master’s programs (MDIV, MTS, MCL) and the School of Ministry Diploma program, through continuous evaluation of program structure and flexibility to facilitate increased accessibility.
Continued Equipping – Leland’s Diploma in Theology was created to provide theological, biblical, and ministerial equipping to those who don’t have a bachelor’s degree. The Diploma program also creates a pathway for students to enter one of our master’s or graduate certificate programs upon completion of the Diploma in Theology. Over the past seven years 20% of our Diploma graduates have been accepted into a degree or graduate certificate program at Leland.
Embrace Your Calling – We know that discerning a call to seminary can be challenging for many. We’ve created an eBook, “How Do I Know if God Is Calling Me to Seminary”, to aid those trying to discern if God is guiding them to seminary.
CELEBRATING GROWTH
In a recent report from our Board of Trustees, Leland acknowledges and celebrates the increased giving and enrollment during the 2024-2025 academic year. Leland also welcomes new board members, Rev. Dr. Christ Cadenhead of Bonsack Baptist Church in Roanoke, Rev. Dr. Bryan Jones, Executive Director of NorthStar Church Network, and Rev. Dr. Paul Shepherd, pastor of First Baptist Church in Merrifield.
We are grateful for our board members and value the insight they provide as we strive to equip transformational leaders for the global ministry of Jesus Christ.
LELAND’S PARTNERSHIP WITH VIRGINIA BAPTISTS
Leland Seminary expresses sincere gratitude for the partnership with the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Because of your generous gifts, our students receive scholarships, and our institution becomes strengthened by your financial and prayerful support. Having entered a founding covenant as an educational institution with BGAV in 2004, Leland remains joyfully committed to the vision and purpose of the BGAV, and to BGAV churches, their leaders, and congregations.
Leland also expresses deep gratitude for the many Virginia Baptist associations and churches that partner with Leland to make our mission to equip pastors and church leaders increasingly successful.
LELAND’S PROGRAMS
Leland offers the following programs:
• Master of Divinity (MDiv)
• Master of Theological Studies (MTS)
• Master of Christian Leadership (MCL)
• Graduate Certificate in Christian Leadership
• Graduate Certificate in Biblical Justice Formation
• Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Leadership
• Graduate Certificate in Trauma & Healing Ministry
• Graduate Certificate in Worship Arts
• Diploma in Theology from Leland’s School of Ministry
Leland’s master’s degrees are accredited by The Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Leland is also a member of the Washington Theological Consortium.
WHAT’S NEW AT LELAND?
Leland Seminary assists in hosting Truett Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry Program in Northern Virginia. Leland led a recruitment campaign this past Spring, recruiting BGAV pastors and ministers as members of the first Truett Doctor of Ministry Cohort in Northern Virginia. Leland’s President, Dr. Ken Pruitt, and the Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program, Dr. Preben Vang, served as professors for the first seminar in October of this year. Applications for the second cohort are being accepted.
OAK HILL ACADEMY
Annual Report
Oak Hill Academy provides a safe, Christ-centered, nurturing and structured environment to high school-aged girls and boys of all backgrounds who are seeking an academic and cultural alternative to the standard school setting. Our goal is to help our students grow into young men and women who think critically about their place in the world and their contribution to their communities. We are thankful that enrollment at the Academy often serves as a springboard for our student’s growth in body, mind, and spirit.
The Academy completed its 146th academic session on May 17, 2025, with 31 graduates receiving high school diplomas and college acceptances. It was a great year as Mr. Micah Kurtz began his tenure as President of Oak Hill Academy.
The enduring connection between Oak Hill Academy and Young’s Chapel Baptist Church dates to the very founding of the school. The idea of the Academy was first proposed by the YCBC congregation, and after working for several years to bring the idea to life, the school doors opened in the fall of 1878. Since then, the church and the Academy have enjoyed a seamless relationship of amazing depth. OHA is unique among church-affiliated schools. We are proud of our Baptist affiliation, and the spiritual growth of our students is important to us. That’s why every Sunday morning for the past 146 years our students have made the short walk from campus to the sanctuary of the church to hear God’s Word, and to enter in to and experience congregational life. They stand as we sing the storied hymns of our faith, pray for those on the prayer list, and often add their own concerns to the list. They participate in the workings of the church by singing in the choir, helping pass collection plates or serving on work teams. They help with children’s ministry, work the sound board, and help with VBS. Truly what our students experience here is unique among Christian schools and an amazing blessing to them and to the congregants.
The very foundation of Oak Hill Academy rests on our heritage as a Baptist, mission-based school, and elements of this heritage are notable throughout our programming. Our mission statement is displayed universally in school literature and refers to our Baptist heritage. Our administration is committed to proudly promoting the tenets of our faith and our dedicated Christian faculty view their work here as an opportunity to minister as they help their students reach their goals. Each day begins with corporate prayer and devotion at our morning assembly. Each graduate is required to have taken at least one religion course as part of our requirements. And there are abundant extracurricular opportunities designed to help students grow in faith, including a youth group, a girls bible study, and ample opportunities to serve in our community. Our students are regularly involved in such ministries as tutoring at the local elementary school, working at our local food bank, or assisting in church service projects. Our emphasis, in this diverse student body, is to demonstrate how to love our neighbors as ourselves, as Jesus commanded.
Oak Hill Academy enrolled 140 students during the 2024-2025 school year, and they hailed from eighteen U.S. States, the District of Columbia, and around the world. Our International Students were from 24 countries, including Canada, China, Indonesia, Bermuda, Senegal, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Ukraine, Mexico, and others. Graduates from 2025 are now attending some of the finest colleges and universities in the world. Of particular interest, several years ago the Academy began establishing admissions articulation agreements with regional colleges that shared similar core values as our school. To date we’ve established thirteen such agreements, whereby our students can gain admission and in some cases, guaranteed scholarships to attend. These agreements have become important in our college placement practices, and we are thankful for our post-secondary partners.
In the classroom, Oak Hill Academy’s curriculum is designed to challenge the brightest students with honors courses and dual college credit courses, while also providing structure and support for students who may require additional assistance or accommodation. Our student/teacher ratio is 9 to 1, and each night we host a mandatory study hall to help our students achieve. Student life outside the classroom is filled with clubs and activities, weekend socials, special events, leadership programs, and spirit-building events to keep campus lively and our students well-balanced. The comprehensive fee per student for the 2024-2025 school year was $41,550, and our operating budget was $6,902,021. The BGAV contributed 0.003% of our budget. In our efforts to assist as many students as possible in accessing our school program, Oak Hill was awarded over $950,000 in scholarships or tuition reduction for students in need of financial assistance.
One hundred and forty-six years ago a group of Virginia Baptists envisioned a place of learning and living for the children of this beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain region. And while the constituents of the Academy may now arrive at our campus from afar, the mission of the school continues unabated. We are proud of our Baptist heritage, we accept the challenge of our mission, and we look forward to the continuation of a healthy and productive covenant relationship of ministry with the Baptist General Association of Virginia.
ADMINISTRATION
Mr. Micah Kurtz, President
Mr. Mike Rodgers, Associate Head of School for Enrollment and Development
Mr. Aaron Grubbs, Assistant Head of School
Mrs. Rhonda Bowen, Chief Financial Officer
Rev. Chris Luper, Campus Pastor
BAPTIST JOINT COMMITTEE FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Annual Report
OUR MISSION
For 89 years, the Baptist Joint Committee (BJC) has been unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding and advancing religious liberty for every individual. Rooted in the Baptist tradition of “soul freedom,” we stand firm in defending the foundational freedom outlined in the First Amendment—advocating for the free practice of religion while opposing its governmental imposition.
The Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) is a longtime and crucial partner in our work, along with numerous BGAV churches and individuals involved in those churches. Our work includes advocacy before the United States Supreme Court, engagement with Congress and the executive branch, mobilization of supporters across the country to engage on issues in their state and local communities, raising awareness through our work with the media, and supporting local organizing efforts.
OUR VALUED RELATIONSHIP WITH BGAV
BJC deeply values its enduring partnership with Virginia Baptists and extends sincere gratitude for the ongoing collaboration with BGAV. Together, we are dedicated to the shared mission of educating Baptists and the broader community about our rich legacy of religious liberty. While our work is national in scope, we consistently emphasize Virginia’s critical role as a cradle of religious freedom.
BGAV’s representation on the BJC Board of Directors ensures that Virginia Baptists play a vital role in shaping and guiding our efforts. This partnership builds upon the deep historical roots of religious liberty that began with the courageous witness of early Virginia Baptists like John Leland, who famously met with James Madison to advocate for the inclusion of religious freedom protections in the Bill of Rights. This tradition of promoting religious liberty continues today through our collaborative efforts with BGAV, ensuring that future generations benefit from the freedoms that Virginia Baptists fought so valiantly to secure.
SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS
BJC filed amicus briefs in critical litigation at the U.S. Supreme Court and in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. BJC led a brief in the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board vs. Drummond case, bringing 10 diverse religious organizations together to argue that religion must not be compelled and that the government should not fund religious beliefs. The Supreme Court deadlocked on this issue by a 4-4 tie, meaning that the lower court ruling that held that the funding of religious schools is unconstitutional held. This was a significant victory, though this issue may return to the court in future terms.
BJC led an amicus brief filed in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in the Roake vs. Brumley case challenging the Louisiana law requiring the posting of the 10 Commandments in public school classrooms. BJC and four other religious organizations argued that the government’s role is not to teach religious beliefs, and that the Louisiana law elevates one set of religious beliefs over all others. In June, the 5th Circuit agreed and held the law to be unconstitutional. BJC has worked on legal strategy with the litigating groups as similar laws were passed in Arkansas and Texas, and we will continue to be a strong voice as this case will likely eventually go to the U.S. Supreme Court.
We continue to use creative and impactful communication strategies to bring our perspective on church-state law and policy to the broadest audience possible. BJC’s Respecting Religion Podcast finished its 6th season in June with an expanded listenership, averaging approximately 1,500 downloads per episode. The podcast also won a “Best in Class” award from the Religion Communicators Council for an episode from the 5th season titled “But … is it Christian nationalism?” We also continue to get our message out through international, national, state and local earned media, with more than 150 media placements so far in 2025, as well as more than 50 interviews with media, including on podcasts.
BJC fully onboarded an advocacy database to make mobilization of a growing list of nearly 50,000 contacts across the country more efficient and effective. Since January, BJC constituents have submitted more than 24,000 communications to their elected officials. BJC also updated our Christians Against Christian Nationalism webpage to make calls to action more prominent and to make it easier for diverse groups to join our movement.
The BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation successfully hosted two experiential programs this year: the Religious Freedom Immersion Experience in Richmond, VA in January 2025 and the 10th annual BJC Fellows seminar in Williamsburg, VA in July 2025. The BJC Center also released an updated edition of African Americans and Religious Freedom and is working on a youth curriculum to be released in early 2026.
We have continued to expand the Christians Against Christian Nationalism initiative, investing more in local organizing work happening in communities around the country. We have a growing number of local groups committed to religious freedom and opposing Christian nationalism in their communities, with 16 local groups in the process of formation, including in Central Virginia.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Together, we are making a difference in ensuring that faith freedom for all remains a cornerstone of our nation’s values. We look forward to another year of shared ministry and advocacy as we work to protect the freedoms that are foundational to our faith and to our democracy.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS OF SEPTEMBER 2025
Anyra Cano (Board Chair)
Sofi Hersher Andorsky (Vice Chair)
Christopher The (Secretary)
Emily Hull McGee (Treasurer)
Amanda Tyler (ex officio)
Rahmah Abdulaleem
Alyssa Aldape
Doug Avilesbernal
Paul Baxley
R. Todd Blake*
Timothy “Tee” Boddie
Lynn Brinkley
Valoria Cheek
Leslie Copeland
Christopher Crowley
Kendrick Curry
David Cooke
Jaimie Crumley
Kristen Donnelly
Wayne Faison*
George Gilbert
Jenny Hodge*
Lisa Harris Lee
Keisha E. McKenzie
Katie Moore
Kristen Muse
Ania Norori
Keyon Payton
Curtis Ramsey-Lucas
Stephen Reeves
Lauren Reliford
Jesse Rincones
Meredith Stone
Megan Thomas*
Philip Thompson
Allyson McKinney Timm
Samuel Tolbert
Keisha Patrick Wilson
Jeff Woods
Elijah Zehyoue
* BGAV representative
BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE
Annual Report
Our Vision: The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is a global movement of Baptists sharing a common confession of faith in Jesus Christ bonded together by God’s love to support, encourage, and strengthen one another while proclaiming and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit before a lost and hurting world.
Our Beginnings: Founded with a vision to unite Baptists from “every land” in mission and service, the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) began in 1905. From its earliest days, the BWA has hosted gatherings and provided opportunities for Baptists from around the world to pray, worship, fellowship, and serve together with a commitment to “One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.”
Our Membership: The BWA is a fellowship of 283 Baptist church organizations in 138 countries and territories comprising 53 million Baptists in 178,000 churches worldwide.
Our Mission: Networking the Baptist Family to Impact the World for Christ
We accomplish our mission through the following five ministry areas:
• Worship, Fellowship, and Unity
• Mission and Evangelism
• Aid, Relief, and Community Development
• Religious Freedom, Human Rights, and Justice
• Theological Reflection and Transformational Leadership
WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, AND UNITY
Centered in Jesus Christ and rooted in deep spiritual life, we strengthen our worldwide family through ongoing gatherings; pastoral presence; mutual friendships; and the cultivation of worship, fellowship, and unity.
In the past year, the BWA:
• Celebrated the 23rd Baptist World Congress in Brisbane, Australia, July 7-12 – a joy-filled gathering of 3,600 Baptists from 130 countries. Joining in person or online, participants engaged in meaningful times of worship, fellowship, Bible study, and breakout sessions focused on contemporary issues facing the church. The Congress also included two pre-conferences, the Baptist Women’s Summit and the NxtGen Leadership Summit, as well as an Aid and Development Track, Preaching Symposium, and Mission Conference.
• Welcomed nine Baptist unions/conventions into membership from the countries of North Macedonia, Senegal, Samoa, Mongolia, India, Rwanda, Angola, and the USA. Four Baptist groups were accepted as BWA Member Partners in the category of education: Campbellsville University (KY), Hardin-Simmons University (TX), International Baptist Theological Study Centre (The Netherlands), and No More Violence International (Argentina/ TX). Groups were also accepted in the areas of mission – Baptist Mission Australia; aid – Texans on Mission; media – The Alabama Baptist, Inc.; and financial advising – HighGround Advisors (Baptist Foundation of Texas).
• United more than 10,000 prayer partners weekly in prayer with the BWA Team utilizing the “Baptists One in Prayer” guide, which facilitates prayer for every country in the world over the course of the year. As part of our commitment to multilingual engagement for this prayer movement, the guide is now available in French, Portuguese, and Spanish.
• Released the annual BWA Baptist Vulnerability Index, identifying BWA Baptists living in contexts facing the highest levels of war, persecution, hunger, and livelihood. This resource serves as a guide throughout the year for prayer, giving, and advocacy.
MISSION AND EVANGELISM
Compelled by the Great Commission, we lead with a passionate commitment to Gospel witness in every context and people group, foster multidirectional partnerships that connect individuals and churches, and encourage global mission and evangelism.
In Mission and Evangelism, the BWA:
• Officially launched the 2033 Acts 2 Movement at the 23rd Baptist World Congress – a call to Holy Spirit prayer and unprecedented collaboration in global mission. In anticipation of the 2000th anniversary of the birth of the Church, the Acts 2 Movement seeks to mobilize the whole of the Baptist family in prayerful pursuit of a global Pentecost, that in the Holy Spirit, overflows in church renewal and holistic Gospel witness in every language around the world. Each of the five Paths – Bible Path, Witness Path, Care Path, Neighbor Path, and Religious Freedom Path – corresponds to one of the BWA’s five core ministry areas. To join the movement, visit https://acts2movement.org/.
• Expanded the BWA’s Global Baptist Mission Network with the addition of Asia Pacific Baptist Mission, the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society, the Fiji Baptist Convention Mission, the Africa Baptist Mission Board, and the Baptist Evangelism Church Planting and Missions Network of the Baptist Union of Southern Africa as new members. The GBMN, representing more than 7,000 missionaries worldwide, aims to facilitate relationships among Baptist mission leaders and movements, provide thought leadership in the field of mission, identify and reach new mission fields, collaborate between agencies and mission personnel, and curtail resource waste and avoid unnecessary duplication.
• Celebrated the month of May as Evangelism Emphasis Month and urged Baptists to focus on united prayer and personal evangelism.
• Provided grants to support evangelism initiatives around the world including:
» Partnering with the Jamaica Baptist Union in an evangelistic tent initiative which resulted in 200 people reached, 90 made decisions for Christ, and 16 baptized.
» Partnering with the Baptist Convention of Venezuela in their “Jesus Transforms Venezuela” project. Over 700 Baptist churches were mobilized to share the gospel of Christ in towns and cities of Venezuela resulting in 2,500,000 Venezuelans hearing the good news, 125,000 disciples made, 10,000 new believers baptized, and 10,000 bibles distributed to new disciples.
AID, RELIEF, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Challenged to generously love our neighbor, we respond to people in need; collaborate in times of crisis; network agencies; support sustainability and creation care; build capacity; empower local church engagement; and resource aid, relief, and community development.
In Aid, Relief, and Community Development, the BWA:
• Distributed BWAid grants to projects in both fund categories and stood in solidarity with Baptists around the world.
• Responded to an increasing number of flooding disasters resulting in unprecedented numbers of displaced persons, destruction of property, increased food insecurity and the proliferation of waterborne diseases, disproportionately impacting women and children in already vulnerable communities. BWAid supported flooding-related projects in almost all regions – from Kenya to Bosnia and from St. Vincent to Nepal.
• Mobilized the Baptist family to pray and give through the “Stand in the Gap” campaign in response to the rapid deceleration of government humanitarian aid across the globe.
• Facilitated the BWA Forum for Aid and Development (BFAD) which was chaired by Dean Miller (Virginia). This network of more than 20 Baptist aid agencies mobilized for collaboration and impact.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND JUSTICE
Committed to a biblical understanding of the image of God in every person, we defend an ethic of life; support religious freedom for all; stand in solidarity with the marginalized; advocate at every level; train and network proactively; and mobilize for religious freedom, human rights, and justice.
In Religious Freedom, Human Rights, and Justice, the BWA:
• Deepened and expanded our high-level advocacy and engagement on behalf of those facing persecution around the world through the 21Wilberforce Global Freedom Center.
• Published and promoted over 50 stories and 80,000 emails about people, issues, and campaigns focused on building the capacity of local leaders, churches, and institutions to achieve sustainable change in defending freedom of religion, human rights, and the rule of law.
• Hosted quarterly discussions with the Timothy Fellows cohort, a group of young leaders from around the world, connecting them with experts in the field of international religious freedom to strengthen their leadership skills and deepen their involvement in regional peacebuilding efforts.
• Facilitated several rounds of consultations and dialogues in Nigeria with senior Christian and Muslim leaders and government officials, and hosted a consultation with 23 Nigerian pastors, lawyers, imams, academics, and NGO representatives to discuss the documentation of violence against religious communities.
• Led a training in South Asia to equip 18 Baptist convention leaders with essential peacemaking tools and knowledge and traveled throughout the region to meet with academic leaders, church representatives, and community advocates gathering insights and support for the establishment of a peacebuilding center in the region.
• Continued BWA Women’s Stand Against Domestic Violence Initiative, including co-hosting a workshop at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, to raise awareness and provide resources to prevent violence against women. Find out more at StandAgainstDV.net.
• Led a delegation advocating at the United Nations for the addition of an 18th Sustainable Development Goal focused on racial justice.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Called to discipleship, we advance multicultural and multilingual training, empower next generation leaders, encourage meaningful dialogue and praxis, and engage in relevant theological reflection and transformational leadership.
In Theological Reflection and Transformational Leadership, the BWA:
• Established, in partnership with Baylor University, a first-in-the-world BWA Program and Center to offer clergy and lay leaders training on global Baptist history, polity, beliefs, leadership, evangelism, and integral mission. Housed in Truett Seminary, the Center will offer academic and scholarly education, research, support, and practical engagement to educate and support leaders in the global Baptist movement, including the development of a graduate-level online BWA Global Leadership Certificate.
• Continued to enroll students in the Horizons program, a 24-module online training offered in 14 languages to equip youth and children’s leaders to effectively reach and disciple the next generation. Offered at no cost, the training addresses both practical and theological facets of ministry leadership. To date, more than 1,000 students have participated worldwide.
• Honored Virginia Baptist Laura McDaniel at the BWA Women Global Leaders Luncheon, where she received the inaugural Global Leadership Champion Award. She was recognized for her visionary leadership and strategic implementation of the first global Uptick cohort, which featured representatives from all seven women’s continental unions. The Uptick/BWA Women partnership has continued to thrive with the second cohort graduating in June and the next cohort launching in 2026.
• Mobilized 14 BWA Commissions of more than 350 global Baptist leaders around the world working together to address the most critical issues today such as evangelism and mission, religious freedom, peace building, racial justice, doctrine and theology, and dialogue with other Christian worldwide communions.
• Celebrated the publication of Good News for the World: Baptist World Alliance Resolutions and Statements, 1905-2023, edited by BWA Historian Lee Spitzer with a preface from BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown, printing in one volume the more than 400 resolutions and statements issued by the BWA since its founding in 1905. This is the first time these documents have been compiled into one encyclopedia, and for many of them, the first time they have ever been published.
This is a brief glimpse into the kingdom impact of the BWA, accomplished by the grace and power of God with the faithful support of Virginia Baptists. Thanks be to God!
STEWARDS
Karl Johnson, BWA Chair, Jamaica
Lynn Green, BWA Vice Chair, United Kingdom
Jerry Carlisle, Trustee Committee Chair, USA
Elijah M. Brown, General Secretary & CEO, USA (Virginia)
TRUSTEE COMMITTEE (ABOVE, PLUS)
Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, Ghana
Fernando Brandão, Brazil
John Kubichek, USA (Virginia)
Melody Maxwell, Canada/USA
Lone Møller-Hansen, Denmark
Wissam Nasrallah, Lebanon
Samaresh Nayak, India
Albert Reyes, USA
Jan Sæthre, Norway
Adebola Samson-Fatokun, Nigeria
Warren Stewart, USA
Additional BWA governance includes a Global Council of approximately 400 people with representatives from all 283 Member Partners in 138 countries and a Leadership Council of approximately 70 people.
VIRGINIA BAPTISTS ON BWA GLOBAL COUNCIL, LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS, 2025-2030:
James Baucom, Elijah Brown, Valerie Carter Smith, John Kubichek, Joseph Lewis, Jesse McCain, Laura McDaniel, Anna Miller, Dean Miller, Elizabeth Newman, Craig Sherouse, Andrey Shirin, James Somerville, Nathan Taylor, John Upton, Angelique Walker-Smith, and David Washburn.
CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY DIVINITY SCHOOL
Annual Report
Campbell University Divinity School enters its 30th year of providing Christ-centered, Bible-based, and Ministryfocused theological education with a spirit of change in our midst. Our dean of 15 years has returned full-time to the classroom, and a long-time Divinity School faculty member transitioned to become our new dean. The school has also welcomed three new faculty members.
We continue to pursue new possibilities of ministry through programs funded by the Lilly Endowment. In addition, graduation found us celebrating the accomplishments of our students as they stepped out in faith into new ministries, while a summer trip to Turkey reminded us our faith is rooted in the journeys of those who have gone before.
Dr. Andrew Wakefield returned to the classroom as Professor of New Testament & Greek and James R. Coates Chair of Christian Divinity. Dr. Barry Jones became the Dean of the Divinity School & Lewis E. and Martha Barnes Tyner Chair of Bible.
New faculty joining the Divinity School are Dr. Mary Dance Berry - Assistant Professor of Old Testament, Dr. Jillian Marcantonio - Assistant Professor of Christian History, and Dr. Andrew Roby - Associate Professor of Church Music & Worship and Gay T. & Haskell A. Duncan Chair of Church Music.
Four student cohorts are now enrolled in the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry Online-Hybrid degree. Classes meet online in the evenings. Students gather on campus for a retreat each semester.
In March over 100 participants gathered from 9 churches to attend the first Empowering Families for Spiritual Formation retreat. Campbell Divinity faculty, staff and students provided tangible ways for faith communities to nurture spiritual formation in children. And this fall, Empowering Families hosted a Family Fun Day on Campbell’s campus which included participating in worship and attending a Fighting Camels’ football game.
Campbell University Divinity School is also eager to serve churches - not just through its degree offerings, but through a variety of resources, programs, and opportunities. Our faculty and staff regularly assist congregations through pulpit supply, retreat leadership, Bible studies, consultation, topical studies, and interim pastorates. We understand our calling as a school to be a resource for churches, and we invite churches to call on us to help them be the body of Christ, carrying out God’s mission in the world.
Even in the midst of change, the mission statement which shaped our founding 30 years ago continues to guide us as we move forward...Christ-centered, Bible-based, Ministry-focused, faithfully relying on the One who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). We are honored to be in partnership with the Baptist General Association of Virginia in seeking “God’s mission for our lives, churches, and communities.”
GRADUATION & HOODING SERVICE 2025
On an evening celebrating new beginnings, there were several bittersweet goodbyes shared at Campbell University Divinity School’s Spring commencement ceremony, held inside a packed Hobson Performance Center on Friday, May 9. Thirty-three candidates earned their graduate degrees, 25 receiving a master’s degree and eight a Doctor of Ministry degree.
RETREATS
For those degrees where a majority of the classroom work is accomplished online, students attend periodic in-person retreats. Gathering on the steps of Taylor Hall are students from the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry - Online Hybrid and Master of Arts in Faith and Leadership Formation programs led by Dr. Andy Wakefield (left) and Dr. Cameron Jorgenson (right).
BIBLE LANDS STUDY TOUR
The theme of this year’s study tour was The Seven Churches of Revelation. Our Campbell Divinity caravan journeyed (May 10-20, 2025) from Istanbul to Ephesus, Pergamon, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and more.
GARDNER-WEBB UNIVERSITY
Annual Report
INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW
Founded in 1905 by forward-thinking individuals in the community, Gardner-Webb University has evolved from a Baptist high school into a nationally-recognized university and model for Christian higher education. The founders’ vision is reflected in the motto inscribed on the University’s seal: “Pro Deo et Humanitate,” For God and Humanity. Students emerge ready to impact their chosen professions and make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others.
FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP/ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
This year, the University experienced meaningful growth made possible by leadership in action across the entire community. Gardner-Webb strengthened core areas such as student success, academic excellence, and financial stewardship.
Gardner-Webb received the largest single gift to the University in more than 25 years, an extraordinary act of generosity that reflects the confidence donors have in Gardner-Webb’s direction. GWU also secured its first-ever federal grant, a $2.2 million award through the Health Resources and Services Administration to expand mental health counseling training in Western North Carolina through the College of Health Sciences. This achievement reflects the dedication of the academic community to advancing Gardner-Webb’s role as a regional leader in workforce development and mental health care.
On the University’s annual day of giving—Double Dawg Day—donors surpassed $2.8 million in contributions, showcasing the collective leadership of alumni, students, and friends who believe in the mission. Moreover, the University’s endowment surpassed the $80 million mark, a significant milestone that reflects years of strategic financial stewardship and long-term vision.
Gardner-Webb’s academic community continues to lead through innovation and partnership. The University is part of the 2024-25 FirstGen Forward Network. Powered by FirstGen Forward, this initiative is committed to transforming and advancing the experiences and outcomes of first-generation students.
A new partnership with the Foothills Workforce Development Board allows Gardner-Webb to provide employee training services through the Searight PACE continuing education program and offer additional scholarship opportunities to Gardner-Webb students who are majoring in healthcare and other skilled degrees. The Board’s mission is to facilitate the delivery of workforce development programs in McDowell, Rutherford, Cleveland and Polk counties and to provide scholarships to students in those counties who need skills for the workforce.
Another collaboration with the local schools and community college is helping create pathways to a Gardner-Webb degree in health sciences that is rooted in both Christian values and professional readiness. With a Community-Based Initiative grant from The Golden LEAF Foundation, Gardner-Webb held a Summer Bridge Program for rising 11th and 12th to explore health care fields through lab work, simulations, networking and job shadowing. The goal of the program is to address regional health care workforce shortages, particularly in nursing and allied health professions.
Gardner-Webb University demonstrated excellence in health care and counseling education, as multiple academic programs posted exceptional licensure exam results for 2024. The Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program celebrated a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).
Similarly, the Hunt School of Nursing announced outstanding performance across its programs. Graduates of the traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN and ABSN) achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam, while the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program earned an impressive 90 percent pass rate.
In the realm of counseling, Gardner-Webb’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Master of Arts in School Counseling programs also upheld a 100 percent licensure pass rate—an achievement sustained over several years. Additionally, every graduate seeking employment found work in their field, with many hired before completing their degrees.
Further, Gardner-Webb received full compliance status from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) following its Fifth Year Interim Report. This reaffirmation confirms that all university operations—including academics, governance, facilities and student services—meet the commission’s rigorous standards. Gardner-Webb is accredited to confer associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, along with certificates and diplomas at approved levels.
The Fifth Year Interim Report is a standard requirement for all SACSCOC-accredited institutions. Gardner-Webb’s next comprehensive review is scheduled for 2027, and campus teams are actively gathering input and preparing the next Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).
Additionally, the University’s Department of Music earned renewed accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), further affirming the strength of its Bachelor of Arts in Music and Bachelor of Music programs.
In December and May, GWU celebrated the graduation of more than 900 students, awarding Gardner-Webb’s 25,000th bachelor’s degree along the way.
MISSIONS
This year, Gardner-Webb sent student mission teams to serve around the globe, including in Kenya, Haiti, Western North Carolina, and the Dominican Republic.
Through Houses of Hope in Kisumu, Kenya—a ministry of North Carolina Baptists on Mission—a 10-member team from Gardner-Webb helped to build four homes in four days. They also purchased food for a children’s program, witnessed in the villages, and played games with the children.
“Preaching Jesus through baseball,” that’s how a member of the Gardner-Webb baseball team summarized the group’s trip to the Dominican Republic during the 2024 Fall semester. The 48 players were joined by 10 coaches and other chaperones, including Vice President and University Chaplain for Christian Life and Service Dr. Josh Parrott. They ministered to groups of all ages for five days.
Every major league team has a baseball academy on the island, and 10 percent of the major league players are from the country. The Runnin’ Bulldogs experienced the joy of playing baseball with children, as well as the excitement of contending with aspiring MLB players at the Pittsburgh Pirates facility.
Just hours after Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina in September 2024, Gardner-Webb began collecting donations for the hardest-hit areas. Two fall benefit concerts on campus raised donations for First Baptist Church in Asheville and N.C. Baptist on Mission.
Over spring break, two mission teams served in Fletcher, Waynesville, and Swannanoa, helping Samaritan’s Purse and N.C. Baptist on Mission rebuild homes.
Even closer to home, the campus witnessed powerful moments of spiritual transformation, as students made public professions of faith. A total of 59 individuals were baptized across campus, including 11 who took that step in the pool at Bost Gym. These public professions of faith are a powerful reminder that Gardner-Webb’s Christian mission remains alive and active.
ATHLETICS
Gardner-Webb’s student-athletes continue to lead by example. The Runnin’ Bulldogs won conference championships in Men’s Soccer and Men’s Tennis, along with individual championships in wrestling, track and field, and swimming. More than 335 student-athletes earned Presidential Honor Roll recognition in the Big South, with 41 earning a perfect 4.0 GPA. The athletic programs are not only competitive; they reflect the academic integrity of the University.
SUMMARY
Gardner-Webb is a special place, not because of buildings or rankings, but because of the people who lead with conviction, passion, and faith. Leadership is not tied to position or permanence. It is revealed through service, trust, and a deep commitment to something greater than ourselves.
Report
Mc AFEE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AT MERCER UNIVERSITY
Annual Report
When Jesse Mercer founded Mercer University in 1833, he and other Georgia Baptist leaders envisioned an institution that would provide students with a classical and theological education. Their concern was for young preachers and for members of area Baptist churches. Mercer knew these churches desperately needed pastor-leaders who understood scripture and could clearly articulate their Christian beliefs.
Over the intervening years, the institution begun by Jesse Mercer has developed into a university of far-reaching influence, while remaining committed to an educational environment that embraces the historic Baptist principles of intellectual and religious freedom. Today, more than 9,000 students are enrolled in 12 schools and colleges on campuses in Macon, Atlanta, Columbus, and Savannah; three medical school sites in Macon, Savannah and Columbus; and at four Regional Academic Centers around the state.
In recent years, both pastors and students who seriously examined the opportunities for seminary-level training expressed a need for new educational alternatives within the Baptist tradition. After careful consideration of the issues and after an extensive feasibility study, the University’s Board of Trustees in June of 1994 voted to establish a School of Theology.
The McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University attracts students who have looked critically at the options and who seek a theological education that will best prepare them for ministry in the next century.
McAfee School of Theology offers the following degrees:
• Master of Divinity (Residence and Online)
• Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (Residence and Online)
• Master of Theological Studies (Residence and Online_
• Doctor of Ministry
In addition to Masters Degrees, McAfee offers the following Graduate Certificate Programs:
• Theological Studies
• Spiritual Care
• Church Leadership
• Ethics
• Trauma and Theology
One of our fastest-growing options is with our Combined Degree Programs:
• MDiv and Master of Business Administration
• MDiv and Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• MDiv and Master of Science in Organizational Leadership
• MDiv and Master of Music in Church Music
• MACM and Master of Science in Organizational Leadership
• MTS and Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• MTS and Master of Music in Church Music
McAfee includes nearly 1000 alumni, approximately 150 students, seventeen full-time and adjunct faculty, and a devoted staff. Churches throughout the southeast support the school in their budget and hundreds of other individuals faithfully give to scholarships, operations or other school-related causes.
McAfee has more than $29 million in endowments and this previous year received $240,000 in gifts to the annual fund and an additional $765,000 towards scholarships and other endowed gifts. Four years ago McAfee received a grant just under one million dollars from the Lilly Foundations “Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative.” Three years ago McAfee received a grant from the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center to work with the School of Medicine in the area of faith and healthcare. This grant was for nearly $500,000.
McAfee School of Theology is grateful for its partnerships with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship National, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia, Alliance of Baptists, Baptist Women in Ministry, CenterForm Atlanta, New Baptist Covenant, Passport Camps, and Seminary Stewardship Alliance.
MINISTERING TO MINISTERS FOUNDATION
Annual Report
Since 1994 Ministering to Ministers has provided support to ministers, their families, and congregations, during one of the most traumatic crises in ministerial life: a forced termination from a church or place of ministry. Part of the Pastoral Excellence Program of the Center for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary, this ministry offers help, hope and renewal for ministers in crisis.
Ministering to Ministers offers spiritual, emotional, and legal guidance to clergy and their families. Its primary focus is clergy who have experienced a forced termination or are in acute conflict with their congregations so as to make continuing ministry together untenable.
“I came to the retreat feeling as though I was nearly alone going through this experience but quickly felt surrounded and upheld by people who had been there; they had been there, too. I had reservations as the retreat drew nearer, such that it would dredge up issues that I was trying to let go of. Instead, the retreatants and faculty did just the opposite, helping me to release some of the anger I was storing up and to move forward.” said a recent retreat participant.
Ministering to Ministers has dedicated itself to a larger investment in health promotion and conflict prevention and transformation in the relationship between pastors and their churches before they endure debilitating and destructive experiences.
Ministering to Ministers helps churches, associations, and BGAV pastors through:
• The Wounded Ministers Retreat for Clergy and Spouses. Held annually Richmond VA, Atlanta GA and Montreat NC, this signature event offers clergy and their spouses an opportunity to share in a restorative experience with ministry peers. Led by trained facilitators, the retreat offers peer group support and group therapy led by psychiatrists or psychologists. 65 ministers and spouses attended the 2024-2025 retreats.
• Providing immediate support to clergy and their families who are experiencing personal or professional crisis due to deteriorating congregation--clergy relationships through counseling and referrals to legal counsel if necessary. Over 35 pastors and ministers called MTM seeking support during 2024-2025.
• Providing resources to ministers for assessing their relationship with their church and establishing optimal terms for employment in their ministry contexts. In 2024 MTM published When A Pastor is Fired: Addressing the Silent Epidemic of Clergy Forced Terminations (Didache Press).
• Offering programs and courses for personal and professional development focused on pastoral intelligence, vocational development, and conflict transformation. In 2024 MTM offered “What’s Next for Me? Discerning Your Next Call,” and “Pastor, Do You Have a Minute?” a series on clergy and mental health.
• Offering coaching programs to raise the emotional maturity and conflict transformation skills of all parties in churchminister relations. These programs are designed to promote health and conflict prevention between clergy and their churches by establishing strong initial foundations, healthy dispute resolution, and mediation. Ministering to Ministers comes alongside ministers to affirm the individual’s worth and the authenticity of their call, amid the challenges in ministry. We strive to reclaim ministers wounded in toxic situations and forced terminations through wellness retreats, personal counseling, legal counsel, and professional and personal development programs.
As a result of interventions and support, we witness clergy able to continue to respond to God’s call to service and ministry. Many of these ministers are enabled to resolve situations and stay in their ministry position, some rise to serve new churches, and others move forward to serve in new work or positions.
Significant and tragic losses to the BGAV and its churches, in terms of ministerial education, training, and years of vocational experience may be avoided through redeemed careers and the affirmation of personal vocational calling to ministry.
In summary, Ministering to Ministers provides for the BGAV, its pastors and ministers, support and the hope for healthier clergy-church relationships, renewal, leave-taking without conflagration, and, importantly, retention of terminated pastors for church service.
Ministering to Ministers
Center for Lifelong Learning Columbia Theological Seminary
BOARD OF TRUSTEES, COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Elizabeth Goodrich. Chair
Mel Walker. Vice Chair
Kathy Wolf Reed. Secretary
T. Denise Anderson
Katie Owen Aumann
Elizabeth Clayton
Joe Clifford
Laura Conrad
George W. Dunaway
Florida Ellis
Dr. Victor Feliberty-Ruberté
Michele Garren
Guy Griffith
Byeong Cheol Han
Brian C. Henderson
Christopher A. Henry
Lesa Kastler
Rebekah Close LeMon
Joseph “Clay” Meux, Jr.
Danny C. Murphy, Sr.
Rodger Nishioka
John F. Oglesby
Pen Peery
David Powers
Sam Rutland
Alan Rousseau
Will Scott
Joseph “Joe” F. Scrivner
Francis Junghoon Son
Claire Tate
Alan Thornburg
Rafael Lemos Viana
D. Scott Weimer
Damon P. Williams
Magda Yrizzary
MISSION FORWARD
CONSTITUTION/BYLAWS OF BGAV
• Constitution/Bylaws
• Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation
CONSTITUTION/BYLAWS
Baptist General Association of Virginia
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this body shall be the Baptist General Association of Virginia, hereinafter referred to as the General Association.
ARTICLE II
Purpose
The object of the General Association shall be to furnish the Baptist churches of the General Association a means of cooperation for the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and for the advancement of the Redeemer’s Kingdom by all methods in accord with the Word of God. There shall be full recognition of the autonomy of the local churches.
ARTICLE III
Meetings and Composition
Section A: Meetings
The General Association shall meet annually. Special meetings may be called by the president or a vice president with the concurrence of a majority of the officers of the General Association. Meetings and voting may take place in person and/ or electronically in accordance with applicable law.
Section B: Composition
The General Association shall be composed of the officers of the General Association and messengers elected by Baptist churches which follow the New Testament teaching of salvation by grace and believer’s baptism by immersion, and which cooperate with the General Association. Each church contributing financially at least $500 during the previous fiscal year, according to the treasurer’s report, to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget shall be entitled to two (2) messengers; to a total of three (3) messengers for $750; a total of four (4) messengers for $1000, and to one (1) more messenger for each additional $600; provided that no church shall be entitled to more than fifteen (15) messengers. If $500 is more than two percent (2%) of a church’s total annual receipts, such church is entitled to two (2) messengers, provided it contributes financially at least two percent (2%) of its total annual receipts to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget. The Cooperative Missions Budget as adopted by the General Association is the preferred way Virginia Baptists express their unity in mission and ministry. Cooperative Missions is Virginia Baptists’ long-standing commitment to the Cooperative Program.
Section C: Cooperating Churches
Cooperating churches of the General Association shall be identified as one of the following, and shall be entitled to benefits, publications and services as indicated:
Participating – A church contributing financially to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget shall be named on the group exemption roster for IRS as exempt from Federal income tax under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code under the General Association’s blanket exemption from Federal income tax. Such a church shall be eligible to participate in annuity benefits for staff, and receive all publications and services.
Watch care - A church unable to contribute financially, as a new start and/or hardship, to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget may be named on the group exemption roster for IRS as exempt from Federal income tax under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code under the General Association’s blanket exemption from Federal income tax; may receive annuity benefits for staff, and publications and services for up to five (5) years in accordance with policy; and may receive mentoring and/or shepherding for proactive special ministry needs.
Affiliate – A church contributing financially only one (1) of the three (3) preceding fiscal years to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget shall be named on the group exemption roster for IRS as exempt from Federal income tax under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code under the General Association’s blanket exemption from Federal income tax; however, such a church shall not be entitled to receive annuity benefits for staff or to receive publications and services. If such a church makes no contributions financially for five (5) years to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget, that church shall be removed from the list of churches named on the group exemption.
A church shall be deemed to have contributed financially when it has given either (a) at least $500, or (b) at least two percent (2%) of its total annual receipts, during the previous fiscal year, to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget.
ARTICLE IV Officers
Section A: Officers of the General Association
The officers of the General Association shall be a president, first and second vice presidents, an executive director, a treasurer, and a clerk.
1. President. Upon nomination from the floor, the president of the General Association shall be elected for a one (1) year term on the second day of the annual meeting of the General Association.
2. Vice-Presidents. Upon nomination from the floor, the first vice president shall be elected for a one (1) year term at the annual meeting of the General Association. Upon nomination from the floor, the second vice president shall be elected for a one (1) year term at the annual meeting of the General Association.
3. Clerk. Upon nomination from the floor, the clerk shall be elected for a one (1) year term at the annual meeting of the General Association.
4. Executive Director. The executive director shall be nominated by the Virginia Baptist Executive Board, hereinafter referred to as the Executive Board, shall be elected by the General Association, and shall serve until his/her successor is elected. Nominations for this office may be offered from the floor of the General Association any year at the time of the nomination of its annually elected officers.
5. Treasurer. The treasurer shall be nominated by the Executive Board, shall be elected by the General Association, and shall serve until his/her successor is elected. Nominations for this office may be offered from the floor of the General Association any year at the time of the nomination of its annually elected officers. The treasurer shall receive all funds contributed to the General Association, pay over such amounts as are specified by the contributors for particular uses according to their directions (provided that, in the opinion of the treasurer, said uses comply with accepted General Association causes), distribute any amount not specified according to the instructions of the General Association, and make an annual report of all receipts and disbursements. All checks for paying of funds of the General Association shall be signed by the treasurer and countersigned by such other persons as may be designated by the Executive Board. The treasurer shall ensure that the duties of stewardship education and financial resources development are performed. The treasurer shall serve under the direction of the executive director and shall perform such other fiscal and management duties as may be assigned by the executive director.
Section B: General Provisions
1. All nominees shall be resident members of Baptist churches contributing financially to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget.
2. Multiple nominations for any one office shall be elected by ballot. Single nominations for one office shall be elected by voice vote. A majority vote of those present and voting shall be required for election to all offices.
3. Election of other officers shall follow in order after the election of the president.
4. No seconding speeches shall be permitted for any nomination.
5. Elected officers shall assume their respective offices at the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected, and hold office for a term of one (1) year or until their successors are elected.
6. In case of the death, resignation, disability or ineligibility of the president, the vice presidents in the order named shall succeed to the office of president and shall complete the term of said office.
7. In case of the death, resignation, disability or ineligibility of the first vice president and/or the second vice president, or of the succession of either to the office of president, the resulting vacancy or vacancies shall be filled by the Executive Board for the unexpired term(s).
8. In case of the death, resignation, disability or ineligibility of the executive director, treasurer, or clerk, the Executive Board shall make provisions for the continuance of the work until the office is filled by election at a General Association annual meeting.
9. The responsibilities of the officers of the General Association shall be those usual to the respective offices, plus those specifically outlined in the Constitution/Bylaws. The president and executive director shall be non-voting ex officio members of all committees of the General Association.
ARTICLE V
Virginia Baptist Executive Board
Section A: Members by Virtue of Office
The members by virtue of office shall be the president, the first vice president, the second vice president, the immediate past president, the executive director, and the treasurer.
Section B: Members from the General Association
There shall be fifteen (15) members at large from the General Association. Upon nomination by the Executive Board, five (5) members shall be elected annually by the General Association for three (3) year terms. Four nominees shall be from among the candidates submitted by the Mission Council and the fifth nominee may be one of the candidates submitted by the Mission Council or another eligible Virginia Baptist. A member having served three (3) consecutive terms shall not be eligible for reelection until at least one (1) year has elapsed following his/her previous service. The nominees shall reflect a wide representation of Virginia Baptists, including both laypersons and ministers. Any vacancy occurring between the sessions of the General Association may be filled by the Executive Board from among the candidates submitted by the Mission Council for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Section C: Chair of the Executive Board
Upon nomination by the Executive Board, the chair shall be elected annually by the General Association for a one (1) year term. The chair shall be a current member of the Executive Board.
Section D: Meetings
The chair shall set the date, place and time of meetings. A majority of voting members shall constitute a quorum. Meetings and voting may take place in person and/or electronically in accordance with applicable law.
Section E: Responsibilities
1. The Executive Board shall have entire management of the matters committed to its trust and shall carry out such plans as may seem judicious, provided they are in strict accordance with the Articles of Incorporation, with the Constitution/Bylaws of the General Association, and with such instructions as may from time to time be given by the General Association. Although the Executive Board shall not have authority to control and direct the agencies, institutions and shared ministries of the General Association, it is instructed and commissioned to maintain liaison with and to study the affairs of these agencies, institutions and shared ministries in search of acceptable solutions to problems which may arise. The Executive Board shall keep records of its proceedings and make an annual report to the General Association.
2. The Executive Board shall act in the interim for the General Association on such matters as the officers of the General Association may determine to require action before the next meeting of the General Association, and the Executive Board shall report such action to the next annual meeting of the General Association.
3. The Executive Board shall serve as the Finance Committee of the General Association, and shall present a proposed budget to the General Association each year at its annual meeting.
4. The Executive Board shall advise and consult with the executive director in staff personnel matters, including the consideration of new staff positions, the election of assistant executive directors and team leaders, and personnel policies.
5. The Executive Board shall study and recommend changes to the Constitution/Bylaws of the General Association.
6. The Executive Board shall advise and consult with the executive director in strengthening the work of the General Association, including objectives, plan or organization, assignment of responsibility, and matters of general policy.
Section F: Church Membership
All members of the Executive Board shall be resident members of Baptist churches contributing financially to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget. Only one (1) member from any one (1) church may be elected a member of the Executive Board; however, this restriction shall not apply in the case of persons who serve by virtue of office. If a member of the Executive Board becomes a member of a church not participating with the General Association, his/her membership is automatically terminated.
Section G: Membership Restrictions
No person serving as a member of a board or committee, no trustee, no employee or independent contractor of either the General Association or any Virginia Baptist agency, institution or shared ministry receiving funds from the General Association, or his/her spouse, shall be eligible to serve as a member of the Executive Board. These restrictions shall not apply to members or pastors of churches which receive financial assistance from the General Association, nor shall they apply to persons who may serve as members of the Executive Board by virtue of office.
ARTICLE VI
Virginia Baptist Mission Council
Section A: Members by Virtue of Office
The members by virtue of office shall be the president, the first vice president, the second vice president, the clerk, the immediate past president, the executive director, and the treasurer. If a member of the Mission Council is elected to any of the above-named offices, he/she shall complete the term to which he/she was elected as a member of the Mission Council.
Section B: Members from the General Association
There shall be fifteen (15) members from each of the regional clusters of the General Association and six (6) members from churches which are not in a regional cluster. The regional clusters shall annually nominate five (5) members for three (3) year terms. The churches not in a regional cluster shall nominate two (2) members for three (3) year terms. The nominees shall be elected by the General Association on the second day of the annual meeting. A member having served two (2) consecutive terms shall not be eligible for reelection until at least one (1) year has elapsed following his/ her previous service. The nominees shall reflect a wide representation of Virginia Baptists, including both laypersons and ministers. If a vacancy has occurred during the preceding year, the regional cluster shall also nominate a member to fill the remainder of the unexpired term.
Section C: Chair of the Mission Council
The President of the General Association shall serve as the chair of the Mission Council.
Section D: Meetings
The chair shall set the date, place and time of meetings. A majority of voting members shall constitute a quorum. Meetings and voting may take place in person and/or electronically in accordance with applicable law.
Section E: Responsibilities
1. The Mission Council shall submit a slate of fifteen (15) potential nominees to the Executive Board every year before May 1. The Mission Council is directed to see that this slate reflects a wide representation of Virginia Baptists,
including both laypersons and ministers.
2. The Mission Council shall provide timely counsel to the Executive Board, serve as liaisons between the General Association and the local churches, and serve as ambassadors for the General Association.
Section F: Church Membership
All members of the Mission Council shall be resident members of Baptist churches contributing financially to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget. Only one (1) member from any one (1) church may be elected a member of the Mission Council; however, this restriction shall not apply in the case of persons who serve by virtue of office. If a member of the Mission Council becomes a member of a church not participating with the General Association, his/her membership is automatically terminated.
Section G: Membership Restrictions
No employee or independent contractor of the General Association or his/her spouse shall be eligible to serve as a member of the Mission Council. These restrictions shall not apply to persons who may serve as members of the Mission Council by virtue of office.
ARTICLE VII Committees
Section A: Committee on Credentials
The president and two (2) vice presidents of the General Association, acting as a committee, shall appoint, at least thirty (30) days before the annual meeting, a Credentials Committee of seven (7) members to serve at the forthcoming meeting. Any questions regarding the registration or status of messengers shall be referred to this committee for decisions and the committee shall report to the General Association.
Section B: Tellers Committee
The president and two (2) vice presidents of the General Association, acting as a committee, shall appoint, at least thirty (30) days before the annual meeting, a Tellers Committee of six (6) members to serve at the forthcoming meeting. This committee shall collect and count ballots, count standing votes and report the results to the Chair, and accomplish other tasks as may be directed by the Chair.
Section C: Committee on Boards and Committees
The Committee on Boards and Committees shall consist of the immediate past president of the General Association and nine (9) members, at least four (4) of whom shall be laypersons and at least four (4) of whom shall be ministers . The president and two vice presidents of the General Association, acting as a committee, shall nominate three (3) members to be elected annually at the General Association meeting for three (3) year terms. However, no person shall be nominated to the Committee on Boards and Committees who holds membership on other committees or boards, or is an employee of the General Association or its agencies, institutions or shared ministries.
1. This committee shall nominate qualified persons to the standing committees as outlined in this Constitution/ Bylaws. Prior to presenting its report, this committee shall share with each nominee the duties and responsibilities associated with the service for which he/she is nominated, and obtain the nominee’s acceptance of said duties and responsibilities.
2. This committee shall nominate persons to the boards of trustees of all agencies, institutions, and shared ministries of the General Association in accordance with their respective charters.
3. This committee is encouraged to solicit suggestions as to qualified persons to serve on the boards and committees of the General Association. The committee is directed to see that proper distribution of membership on boards and committees reflects a wide representation of Virginia Baptists, including both laypersons and ministers. The committee shall not nominate any person to serve as a trustee of any board of any agency, institution or shared ministry of the General Association who is currently serving as a General Association nominated member on another board of any agency, institution or shared ministry of the General Association, nor shall an employee or
independent contractor of the General Association be nominated to serve as a trustee of such boards. However, this restriction shall not apply to any agency, institution or shared ministry which, by its bylaws or board policy, requires a specific employee of the General Association to be a member of its board. All trustees who are nominated by the Committee on Boards and Committees are eligible for consideration to succeed themselves for a second term. After two (2) terms on the board of any agency, institution or shared ministry, a trustee is not eligible for nomination to that board for at least one (1) year. Members of the Committee on Boards and Committees or their spouses shall not be nominated to other committees or boards.
4. All nominees shall be resident members of Baptist churches contributing financially to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget. Prior to presenting its report of nominations to the General Association, this committee shall determine the eligibility, availability and willingness of each proposed nominee to serve, if elected; and this committee shall include in its report to the General Association the place of residence and the church membership of each nominee.
Section D: Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds
The Committee on Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds shall consist of nine (9) members, at least four (4) of whom shall be laypersons and at least four (4) of whom shall be ministers. Upon nomination from the Committee on Boards and Committees, three (3) members shall be elected annually at the General Association meeting for three (3) year terms.
1. No person serving as a member of a governing board, no trustee, no employee or independent contractor of an educational institution whose students are eligible for financial assistance from the General Association, or his/her spouse, shall be eligible to serve as a member of this committee.
2. This committee shall oversee the awarding of financial assistance from the BGAV Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds to further the educational development of (a) persons who are preparing for the Baptist ministry and (b) emerging leaders of all ages.
Section E: Other Standing Committees
The Committees on Program, Christian Life, Memorial, Religious Liberty, and Resolutions shall consist of nine (9) members each, at least four (4) of whom shall be laypersons and at least four (4) of whom shall be ministers. Upon nomination from the Committee on Boards and Committees, three (3) members of each committee shall be elected annually at the General Association meeting for three (3) year terms.
1. The Committee on Program. This committee, in consultation with the president, shall prepare the order of business for the annual meeting of the General Association, and arrange for speakers, reports, and special events of the program; consult with the host association concerning necessary arrangements and committees; and make available to the office of the executive director, by September 15, information and photographs for advance publicity, and for the printing of the program. The committee is instructed to give priority to business sessions, providing adequate time for the discussion of needs, problems, and opportunities. The committee shall recommend at each annual meeting the time and place of the meeting for at least two years in advance, giving careful consideration to the need for adequate auditorium, parking, and hotel facilities. Also, the committee may recommend at each annual meeting the speakers and/or special events for at least one year in advance. The committee shall assure that worship is emphasized during each annual meeting of the General Association. The second vice president of the General Association shall be an ex officio member of the committee.
2. The Committee on Christian Life. This committee shall study the social environment in which we live and its relation to Christian ethical standards. It shall point out in its annual report the problems confronting Christian conscience, and suggest relevant Christian teaching that should serve as a guide for attitudes and responses.
3. The Committee on Memorial. This committee shall collect and prepare for distribution biographical data concerning deceased pastors and other Baptist leaders, and shall conduct a memorial service at each annual meeting.
4. The Committee on Religious Liberty. This committee shall report to the General Association annually on the nature
and importance of religious liberty and the separation of church and state, citing violations in principle and practice, and suggestions for correcting same. This committee shall make available information relating to the subject with the view of safeguarding these cherished principles.
5. The Committee on Resolutions. This committee shall prepare and submit to the General Association for action those resolutions which it deems proper and which further the purpose of the General Association as set forth in Article II of this Constitution/Bylaws. This committee shall report to the General Association as scheduled in the adopted order of business on all resolutions referred to it, with or without recommendation or amendments.
Section F: General Provisions
1. The incoming president of the General Association shall appoint the chair of each standing committee by December 15 following his/her election, and the chairs shall hold office for a term of one (1) year or until their successors are appointed. No person may serve as chair of the committee for more than two (2) years consecutively. The appointee may be an existing member of the committee or an additional member of the committee. If such appointee is not serving an elected term on the committee, the appointed term on the committee shall be for one (1) year to coincide with the year of appointment as chair. The appointee shall have had at least one (1) year’s previous service (not necessarily consecutive) on the committee.
2. No standing committee member, having served a full or partial term, shall be eligible for reelection to the same committee until after one (1) year has elapsed. All members of standing committees shall be resident members of Baptist churches contributing financially to the Virginia portion of the Cooperative Missions Budget.
3. A vacancy occurring in the membership of any of the standing committees between the sessions of the General Association may be filled by the president of the General Association for the remainder of the unexpired term.
4. Any standing committee member, absenting himself/herself from committee responsibilities for one full year without just cause given to the chair of that committee, shall be replaced by the president of the General Association for the remainder of the unexpired term upon written request of the chair of that standing committee.
5. Committees are expected to fulfill their responsibilities effectively and expeditiously, keeping meetings to the minimum number required. Committee chairs are instructed to schedule meetings, after consulting with the office of the executive director concerning dates, and to see that preparatory planning and research is done by members or others who are responsible.
6. Reports of committees will be received by the General Association at its annual meeting. However, no committee report, except from the Committee on Resolutions and the Committee on Credentials, shall be received, nor shall any of its contents or recommendations be approved by the General Association, unless such report has been submitted not later than September 15 and published on the General Association website before the annual meeting, or unless such report has been made available to the messengers at registration. Such recommendations requiring approval shall appear at the conclusion of the committee’s report.
ARTICLE VIII
General Provisions
Section A. New Relationships. No new relationship with an agency, institution or shared ministry shall be created by the General Association until the proposal has been studied by the Executive Board. Any motion involving the authorization of any new relationship shall be referred to the Executive Board for study and recommendation to the General Association at its next annual meeting.
Section B. Consideration of Business. Matters introduced after the end of the first day of an annual meeting may not be considered at that annual meeting except by unanimous consent.
Section C. Voting Requirements. The General Association shall not authorize any new relationship with an agency, institution or shared ministry which involves the expenditure of money except by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the messengers present and voting, which affirmative vote shall be not less than twenty percent (20%) of the messengers registered at such annual meeting.
Section D. Policy Changes. All motions which would change the policy of the General Association or recommend changes to the policy of any agency, institution or shared ministry connected with the General Association, shall be made in writing and presented on the first day of the annual meeting. Action on such motion shall occur on the second day of the annual meeting.
Section E. Non-budgeted Expenditures. Any proposed action involving the obligation or the expenditure of funds not provided in the Cooperative Missions Budget of the General Association shall be referred to the Executive Board for study and for such action as it may deem appropriate.
Section F. Publishing of the Constitution/Bylaws of the General Association. The Constitution/Bylaws of the General Association shall be published each year in the Book of Reports provided for the messengers to the annual meeting, and in the General Association’s Annual.
Section G. Definition of Minister. Wherever used in the Constitution/Bylaws, the word minister shall be interpreted to mean a person who is an ordained minister, or who is recognized by his/her church as being in church related service, and in no way is intended to imply that laypersons are not engaged in ministry.
Section H. Assistants to Clerk. The clerk of the General Association may appoint two (2) assistants.
Section I. Resolutions. A resolution is defined as the expression of the opinion of registered messengers and in no way establishes the policies of the General Association. Only registered messengers, the Executive Board, and committees of the General Association are eligible to submit resolutions to the annual meeting of the General Association. Resolutions from messengers must be received in writing by the office of the Executive Director no later than October 15 and shall be referred to the Committee on Resolutions. Resolutions from the Executive Board or committees, and resolutions submitted for action by the Committee on Resolutions, must be published in the Book of Reports; or be published on the General Association website in advance of the annual meeting of the General Association; or be available to the messengers at registration. Adoption of any resolution shall require three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the messengers present and voting.
ARTICLE IX Parliamentary Authority
To protect the rights of all the members and to ensure that the will of the General Association prevails, the rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the General Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution/Bylaws and any special rules of order the General Association may adopt.
ARTICLE X
Amendments to the Constitution/Bylaws
The Constitution/Bylaws may be amended only on the second day of the annual meeting by an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the messengers present and voting, which affirmative vote shall be not less than twenty percent (20%) of the messengers registered, provided that said amendments have been offered in writing and presented on the first day of the annual meeting. All amendments thus adopted shall become effective at the close of the annual meeting at which they are adopted.
Approved by the Baptist General Association of Virginia, November 12, 2014.
Amendments approved by the Baptist General Association of Virginia, November 11, 2015.
Amendments approved by the Baptist General Association of Virginia, November 16, 2016.
Amendments approved by the Baptist General Association of Virginia, November 16, 2022.
Amendments approved by the Baptist General Association of Virginia, November 15, 2023.
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
Baptist General Association of Virginia
Under the provisions of the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act, Chapter 10, Title 13 .1 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended (the “Act”), set forth below are the amended and restated articles of incorporation of Baptist General Association of Virginia:
I.
The name of the corporation is “Baptist General Association of Virginia”.
II.
The corporation is incorporated as a continuation of, and the direct successor to, the unincorporated association more commonly known as the “Baptist General Association of Virginia” founded in 1823 (the “Association”). The corporation is organized and shall be operated for religious, educational and charitable purposes within the meaning of§ 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”), including without limitation, to (a) furnish the Baptist churches of the corporation (which Baptist churches shall not constitute “members” of the corporation, as that term is used in the Act) a means of cooperation for the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, (b) advance the Redeemer’s Kingdom by all methods in accordance with the Word of God, ( c) assist and foster missions in the dissemination of Christianity, (d) assist persons preparing for the Baptist ministry, (e) nominate trustees of agencies, institutions and shared ministries whose charters require the same to be done by the corporation, (f) take, have and hold and enjoy by purchase, grant, gift, devise or bequest, estate both real and personal, (g) receive, collect and disburse money for missionary, educational and benevolent causes as may be determined to be in compliance with the objectives and purposes of the corporation, and (h) continue the mission, conduct and operations of the Association.
The corporation shall have all powers and authority now or hereafter conferred upon nonstock, not-for-profit corporations organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia; provided, however, that (a) no part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its officers, Executive Board Members (as defined below), or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth above, (b) no substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as provided in§ 50l(h) of the Code), and the corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office, and ( c) notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (i) by a corporation operated exclusively for religious, charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of, and exempt from federal income tax under, § 50l(c)(3) of the Code (or corresponding Section of any future federal tax code), or (ii) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under § 170( c )(2) of the Code ( or corresponding Section of any future federal tax code).
III.
In compliance with§ 13.1-814 of the Code of Virginia, the corporation shall not have the authority to issue shares of stock. No dividend shall be paid out and no part of the income of the corporation shall be distributed to its Executive Board Members or officers, except that the corporation may pay compensation in a reasonable amount to its Executive Board Members or officers for services rendered.
IV.
The corporation shall have no members.
V.
The registered office of the corporation shall be located at 2828 Emerywood Parkway, Richmond, Virginia 23294, in the County of Henrico, Virginia and the registered agent shall be Rev. David Washburn, an individual who is a resident of the
Commonwealth of Virginia and an Executive Board Member (as defined below) and whose business address is the same as the address of the initial registered office.
VI.
Subject to and expressly restricted by those limitations set forth in the director agreement of the corporation (the “Director Agreement”), which is intended to be, and shall be interpreted as a “director agreement” within the meaning set forth in Section 13.1-852.1 of the Act ( or any successor statute thereto) and pursuant to which certain provisions of the Act are thereby waived, and the corporation’s constitution/bylaws (the “Constitution/Bylaws”), the corporation’s management and affairs shall be vested in an executive board (the “Executive Board”, which Executive Board shall constitute and be the corporation’s “board of directors” as that term is defined in Section 13 .1-803 of the Act). The number of Executive Board Members, the powers, authority and responsibilities of the Executive Board, the manner of their election and all other matters concerning the Executive Board and the Executive Board Members shall be set forth in, the Director Agreement and the Constitution/Bylaws.
VII.
To the full extent that the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act, as it exists on the date hereof or may hereafter be amended, permits the limitation (which limitation shall be (i) $1 or the minimum amount allowed to be stated by such Act if a specific dollar amount is required to be stated or (ii) the full extent of the limitation set forth in such Act if no specific dollar amount is required to be stated) or elimination of the liability of Executive Board Members or officers, an Executive Board Member or officer of the corporation shall not be liable to the corporation for monetary damages. Any amendment to or repeal of this Article shall not adversely affect any right of protection of an Executive Board Member or officer of the corporation for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such Executive Board Member or officer occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.
To the full extent permitted and in the manner prescribed by the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act and any other applicable law, the corporation shall indemnify an Executive Board Member or officer of the corporation who is or was a party to any such proceeding by reason of the fact that he is or was such an Executive Board Member or officer or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The Executive Board is hereby empowered, by majority vote of a quorum of disinterested Executive Board Members, to contract in advance to indemnify any Executive Board Member or officer.
The Executive Board is hereby empowered, by majority vote of a quorum of disinterested Executive Board Members, to cause the corporation to indemnify or contract in advance to indemnify any person not specified in Section 2 of this Article VII who was or is a party to any proceeding, by reason of the fact that he is or was an employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, to the same extent as if such person were specified as one to whom indemnification is granted in Section 2.
The corporation may purchase and maintain insurance to indemnify it against the whole or any portion of the liability assumed by it in accordance with this Article VII and may also procure insurance, in such amounts as the Executive Board may determine, on behalf of any person who is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against or incurred by any such person in any such capacity or arising from his status as such, whether or not the corporation would have power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Article.
VII.
In the event there has been a change in the composition of a majority of the Executive Board after the date of the alleged act or omission with respect to which indemnification is claimed, any determination as to indemnification and advancement of expenses with respect to any claim for indemnification made pursuant to Section 2 of this Article VII shall be made by special legal counsel agreed upon by the Executive Board and the proposed indemnitee. If the Executive Board and the proposed indemnitee are unable to agree upon such special legal counsel, the Executive Board and the proposed indemnitee each shall select a nominee, and the nominees shall select such special legal counsel.
The provisions of this Article VII shall be applicable to all actions, claims, suits or proceedings commenced after the adoption hereof, whether arising from any action taken or failure to act before or after such adoption. No amendment, modification or repeal of this Article VII shall diminish the rights provided hereby or diminish the right to indemnification with respect to any claim, issue or matter in any then pending or subsequent proceedings that is based in any material respect on any alleged action or failure to act prior to such amendment, modification or repeal. Reference herein to Executive Board Members, directors, officers, employees or agents shall include former Executive Board Members, directors, officers, employees and agents and their respective estates, heirs, executors and administrators.
VIII.
For any period during which the corporation is a “private foundation” as defined by Section 509 of the Code, and only during such period(s), the corporation shall be subject to the following restrictions and prohibitions: the corporation shall distribute its income for each taxable year at such time and in such manner as not to become subject to the tax on undistributed income imposed by §4942 of the Code; the corporation shall not engage in any act of self-dealing as defined in §4941(d) of the Code; the corporation shall not retain any excess business holdings as defined in §4943(c) of the Code; the corporation shall not make any investments m such manner as to subject it to tax under §4944 of the Code; and the corporation shall not make any taxable expenditures as defined in §4945(d) of the Code.
IX.
It is the intent of the corporation to continue the works and services described in Article II above in perpetuity, and there is no intent to dissolve the corporation. However, to preserve and maintain the corporation’s non-profit, taxexempt status, this Article IX shall provide for the distribution of the corporation’s assets upon any dissolution of the corporation.
Accordingly, upon the dissolution of the corporation, the Executive Board shall, after making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all of the assets of the corporation (a) for one or more of the exempt purposes of the corporation within the meaning of §501(c)(3) of the Code or (b) to a fund, foundation or corporation, or more than one such organization organized and operated exclusively for charitable, scientific, religious or educational purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under §501(c)(3) of the Code.
X.
These articles of incorporation may not be amended or restated, whether in whole or in part, without the affirmative vote of at least ninety-percent (90%) of the Executive Board Members then currently serving.
Ministerial
Nontraditional
Education
Church
College
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”