Lorick elected executive director of Colorado Baptist convention

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.