Georgia Baptists elect new president and vice presidents

With President Robby Foster, pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Valdosta, center, stand newly-elected vice presidents, left to right: Al Wright, pastor of First Baptist Waynesboro; Jack Lee, pastor of Altamaha Baptist Church in Jesup; Brad Boynton, pastor of Spring Place Baptist Church in Chatsworth; and Ken Alford, pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Valdosta. SCOTT BARKLEY/Index[/caption]

WARNER ROBINS – Robby Foster, pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Valdosta, was elected president of the Georgia Baptist Convention at the annual meeting in Warner Robins. For the first time in more than a decade Georgia Baptists elected a president for his first term in an uncontested race.

Danny Henson, the recording secretary of the Georgia Baptist Convention, is the one who instructs the messengers on the voting procedure and oversees the election. Prior to the vote, he announced that there were 966 registered messengers eligible to participate in the election of officers.

Foster was nominated by Jeremy Morton, co-pastor of First Baptist Church Woodstock. When Mike Stone, the presiding officer, asked if there were other nominations there was not a peep out of the messengers and the Valdosta pastor was declared president by acclamation.

Five vice presidential candidates were nominated:

• Brad Boynton, pastor of Spring Place Baptist Church in Chatsworth, was nominated by Eric Rentz, pastor of Ludowici’s First Baptist Church.
• Jean Ward, pastor of East Atlanta Baptist Church, was nominated by Greg Love, pastor of Crossview Baptist Church in Tifton.
• Ken Alford, pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Valdosta, was nominated by Jim Perdue, pastor of Second Baptist Church in Warner Robins.
• Al Wright, pastor of First Baptist Church Waynesboro, was nominated by Bob Jolly, pastor of First Baptist Church of Cumming.
• Jack Lee, pastor of Altamaha Baptist Church in Jesup, was nominated by Brad Waters, pastor of First Baptist Church Hazlehurst.

After the ballots had been counted to determine the outcome of the vice-presidential election Danny Henson, the recording secretary announced the results, stating “First Vice President Brad Boynton, Second Vice President Ken Alford, Third Vice President Al Wright, and Fourth Vice President Jack Lee.

In addition to serving in their elected offices, these men will also become members of the Executive Committee of the Georgia Baptist Convention.