WHEAT RIDGE, Colo.—Southern Baptists of Texas Convention evangelism director Nathan Lorick was elected executive director of the Colorado Baptist General Convention (CBGC) during a special called session at Applewood Baptist Church in Wheat Ridge, Colo., July 15. Lorick, 36, becomes the youngest executive director among the state conventions associated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

According to a Baptist Press article, the CBGC search team selected Lorick from a pool of 20 applicants. Lorick traveled the state July 11-14 to meet with pastors before being approved by Colorado messengers by a nearly unanimous vote of 75-1.

“We are excited about Dr. Lorick’s election,” Calvin Wittman, search team chairman and pastor of the Denver-area Applewood Baptist Church, told Baptist Press. “We look forward to what God is going to do here in Colorado.”

“When we put it all together, we wanted somebody that understood the past and was connected to the future,” Wittman said. “We had some good candidates, but we really sensed that this was God’s man. We believe that God wants to do something great in Colorado.”

Lorick told the TEXAN that he is grateful for what God has accomplished during his time with the SBTC.

“My time at the SBTC has been an incredible opportunity to link arms with churches all across Texas to take the gospel from one end of the state to the other,” Lorick said. “Alongside a great team, we were able to see God do some incredible things through our 1Cross app, the Gameplan, our One in a Million emphasis, and many other aspects of our evangelism ministries.

“I could not have asked for a better team to work with as we sought to help churches fulfill the Great Commission across the state. I also understand that some people dream of meeting their hero, but I’ve had the privilege and honor of working for mine over the last five years under the leadership of Dr. Jim Richards.”

Lorick also noted his desire to see a movement of God among Southern Baptist churches in Colorado.

“We’re really excited about what God wants to do in Colorado through intentional evangelism, church planting and church revitalization,” Lorick said. “We are believing that God will use us to help spark a fresh movement of his Spirit in the West. We would love prayers as we seek the avenues of ministry ahead and ask that people would not only pray for us but come join us in what God’s doing in Colorado.”

SBTC Executive Director Jim Richards praised Lorick’s leadership of evangelism ministries for the Texas convention over the past five years and expressed excitement for how God will use him in his new role in Colorado.

“Nathan has God’s hand on him,” Richards told the TEXAN. “He pastored a strong Cooperative Program giving church. When the SBTC evangelism director position came open, I knew he was the one to lead us forward. Now as he leaves for a new assignment, I count it a privilege to have served with him. He will do well serving Southern Baptist churches in Colorado. I pray God’s best for him.”

Lorick joined the SBTC staff as director of evangelism in 2012. Prior to that, he pastored two Texas churches—First Baptist Church of Malakoff and Martin’s Mill Baptist Church—as well as serving as student minister at Sylvania Baptist Church in Tyler and First Baptist Church in Waskom. He earned Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity degrees from Liberty University and a bachelor’s from East Texas Baptist University.

Lorick begins his role as executive director of the CBGC on Aug. 1.

ATLANTA—A committee charged with recommending how the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship can “strengthen [its] unity” despite “differing beliefs and practices in matters of human sexuality” has said it hopes to propose in the next six months “a more faithful path forward” in the CBF’s discussion of homosexuality.

The six-member Illumination Project Committee was appointed in June 2016 by then-CBF moderator Doug Dortch to, among other tasks, recommend whether the CBF Governing Board should amend the Fellowship’s hiring policy. The policy currently “does not allow … for the purposeful hiring of a staff person or the sending of a missionary who is a practicing homosexual.”

The CBF was founded in 1991 as a fellowship of churches that objected to the ideology and methods of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Conservative Resurgence.

The committee’s interim report, delivered June 29 during a session of the CBF General Assembly in Atlanta, did not include any specific policy recommendations but noted the committee’s general thoughts as it prepares a final report to be delivered in September 2017 or January 2018.

The Governing Board, which has full authority over the hiring policy, must then decide whether to amend that policy.

The Illumination Project—an emphasis broader than the committee—was launched in June 2016 by the Governing Board “to create a framework to seek out unity on issues where we may not all be of one mind,” according to a video shown as part of the report.

The committee said its work thus far has consisted largely of listening to the stories of Baptists involved in CBF life through a series of 31 two-hour “extensive interviews.” The report noted five personality profiles representing some types of people who participate in the fellowship:

— Those who hold traditional views of human sexuality but want the CBF to emphasize other matters.

— Those who believe “God defined marriage very clearly in Genesis” and the CBF should not allow practicing homosexuals as employees or missionaries.

— Those who self-identify as homosexual and want “peace through affirmation” in the CBF.

— Those who sense tension between the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality and its command to love our neighbors. Fellowship Baptists with this personality profile are not comfortable with advocacy by either side in the homosexuality debate and want churches of differing views to cooperate.

— Those who believe the homosexual lifestyle is morally legitimate and think changing CBF policies to permit that lifestyle among employees and missionaries “will be hard, but it has to happen.”

Illumination Project Committee member Rebecca Wiggs, a Jackson, Miss., attorney, said the personality profiles “serve as witnesses to the profound diversity among us on these matters.”

“Every word” and “every experience” depicted in the profiles was drawn from a Baptist active in the CBF, Wiggs said.

Committee member Paul Baxley, senior minister at First Baptist Church in Athens, Ga., said the early church’s discussion in Acts 10-15 of whether Gentile believers must be circumcised is a model for the CBF to follow in navigating the issue of homosexuality.

“The early church did not rush to a resolution,” Baxley said. When a resolution was proposed, “James [Jesus’ half-brother and a leader in the Jerusalem church] does not ultimately offer an either/or solution. Instead, a way forward emerges that allows the early church to experience a unity strong enough that the mission can continue.”

Applying Acts to the CBF, Baxley stated, “Our committee lives each day in the hopeful waiting for the emergence of a more faithful path forward. We stand before you today not in fear, but rather in the hopeful conviction that together we will see a still more excellent way when the Holy Spirit reveals it to us.”

The CBF must learn from the early church as the fellowship considers human sexuality, Baxley said, because “many believe these matters will be divisive for us and threaten our global mission efforts.”

The committee said it will continue listening to the stories of fellowship Baptists in anticipation of a final report.

Committee chair Charlie Fuller, executive pastor of First Baptist Church in Washington D.C., said the group is “seeking to hear Holy Spirit speak from all of us and to all of us.” The Illumination Project, he added, “will not be telling any church what they are to do regarding this matter or any other.”

Fuller said “the overall objective of the Illumination Project is to develop a toolbox of possible methods that churches and organizations can use to deal with contentious issues. While we develop these approaches, we are also exploring a specific question: How can Cooperative Baptists strengthen our unity in the face of differing beliefs and practices in matters of human sexuality?”

The committee’s written report states, “The Illumination Project is not convened to make affirming statements or take other actions that would disrupt the balance of cooperation among CBF churches and global missions partners.”

Both a video of the committee’s report at the General Assembly and a copy of its printed report are available through the CBF website.

Executive Director cites lack of financial support, “battle fatigue”

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GRAPEVINE They have been called “boots on the ground” and the “point men” of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention: 18 field ministry strategists (FMS) spread across 18 state zones who provide support, information, encouragement and resources to pastors and churches. 

To many, they are the face of the convention.

“The field ministry strategist is tasked with building long-term, healthy relationships between the SBTC and pastors and churches and connecting them to the resources of the convention,” said Ted Elmore, SBTC pastor/church relations associate.

Elmore, who oversees the FMS program, praised the team: “These men are all self-starters and very good at what they do. Some are retired pastors, some bi-vocational pastors, all with local church experience. They are vital to the mission of the SBTC.”

The strategist’s job can be fluid. Needs vary among churches and accelerate in times of crisis.

Gilbert Chavez, FMS of the Central Texas zone that encompasses 200 churches from Waco to San Antonio, contacted Pastor Brad McLean of First Baptist New Braunfels when news broke of the April traffic accident claiming the lives of 14 senior adults from the congregation. 

“I let him know we were praying for them,” Chavez said, explaining that he went to the church to help after the accident, worshiped with the congregation on Sunday, attended most of the 14 funerals and later returned to pray with the staff. “The main thing was to make our presence known as a show of support, and to be available for what the pastor needed,” Chavez said.

Glen Pearce, strategist for the North Texas zone from Bonham south to Burleson, intended to pursue FMS work after retiring from full-time ministry, but “God opened the door early” to serve the region’s 170 SBTC churches last November.

Pearce, pastor of First Baptist in Iowa Park, said he has enjoyed building relationships with church leaders but considers his work with the region’s six pastorless churches significant. 

“I’ve been involved with some of the training of search committees,” Pearce said, explaining that he makes available SBTC resources to facilitate such searches.

When the 46-year-old pastor of First Baptist Church in Lillian died unexpectedly in early May, Pearce stepped in to help the congregation navigate the loss.

“I have tried to help them walk through the struggle and grief and helped them make adjustments: what to do, how to minister to the widow. The church is grieving just like the family. Part of my job is to connect them to people in the state convention who can help,” Pearce said.

Alex Gonzales, pastor of Hickory Tree Baptist Church in Balch Springs and strategist for the zone that covers more than 250 SBTC churches in the Dallas area, considers encouraging his fellow pastors paramount. 

“My job is to try to have face time with the pastors at least once a year,” said Gonzales, at 43 the youngest FMS, who assumed the job in 2014.

Gonzales said he finds satisfaction in helping pastors by offering “the comfort” of a “likeminded pastor who lends an ear and who can relate.” 

“We exist for the churches,” Gonzales said, adding that he informs fellow pastors about the “depth of resources” available through the SBTC. 

Like Gonzales, Wayne Livingston, strategist for what he calls the “Near East Texas” zone, felt called to minister to pastors. 

“I’ve been there. I do understand,” Livingston said.

At times natural disasters such as the spring tornadoes that hit Van Zandt, Rains and Henderson counties require a quick FMS response. Livingston recalled texting Pastor Mark Robinson of Canton’s Crossroads Church on Saturday, April 29, when the first of four tornadoes swept through. “Mark said, ‘Gotta go, there’s a tornado by my house!’” 

With his location in the area, Livingston became the first line of the SBTC’s response to the emergency, conveying raw data and helping find a headquarters for the SBTC DR effort, which Crossroads Church hosted.

While most strategists communicate via email and texts, retired pastor Bill Collier, who covers 170 SBTC churches stretching from Conroe to the Golden Triangle in Southeast Texas, called himself “old school.”

“There’s something about when you sit down that you make a connection. Even with a phone message, you hear a voice,” Collier said. 

Collier said he also becomes acquainted with office staff and other church personnel and ministers.

“Most of what we do is legwork, making the visits,” Collier said. “We are always trying to be an encouragement, reminding pastors of things going on in the state convention,” he said, adding that strategists also encourage participation in SBTC events. 

“The strength of the convention comes from the local churches and active participants. Bottom line, it’s all about the kingdom and what we can do in evangelism and discipleship,” Collier said.

Gilbert Chavez summed up the work of the FMS: “Three things we do: pray for our pastors and churches, encourage them, and connect them with those in our convention to help with a particular ministry need such as deacon training, Sunday school training, finances or building programs.

“We let them know they are not alone.”