April 18, 2024
Ron Holman, associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Albany, died Sept. 5 after an extended battle with cancer at Wilson Hospice House. He was 49.
Ron HolmanA native of Marietta, Holman is a graduate of Walton High School, Georgia Tech, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. During his more-than-25-years of ministry Holman served as a ministry intern at Roswell Street Baptist in Marietta; youth pastor at Oak Park Baptist in Algiers, LA; senior pastor at Perryville Baptist in Perryville, KY; and pastor of married young adults at First Baptist Church in Orlando, FL before coming to his position at First Albany. He was also the director of Alumni Relations for NOBTS as a doctoral students and was serving as the seminary's National Alumni President at the time of his death.
Holman is survived by his wife of 23 years, Stacy; their children Rylan, Raley, and Raegan, all of Leesburg; his parents, Ray and Carroll Holman, of Big Canoe; and siblings Tad Holman, of Woodstock, Robert Holman, of Big Canoe, Robin Fox, of Acworth, and Ryan Holman, of Big Canoe. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for contributions to be made to the Ron Holman Evangelism Scholarship Fund c/o New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 3939 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA, 70126.
Former Georgia Baptist pastor Virlon Griner died Sept. 2 at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Jacksonville, FL. He was 85.
A resident of Blackshear for that last 33 years, Griner was born in Adel. He was educated in his hometown's public schools before going to South Georgia College in Douglas and then Valdosta State University. He'd move on Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he'd earn his Bachelor of Divinity and Master of Divinity degrees.
Virlon GrinerBeginning with answering a call to preach at 19, Griner served several congregations including Kennebec Baptist in Willow Springs, NC, and in Georgia Waverly Hall Baptist, Emmanuel Baptist in Blackshear, First Baptist Jefferson, First Baptist Cochran, and Carver Baptist in Douglas. He also was interim minister at churches in Baxley, Waycross, Mershon, Blackshear, Dublin, Screven, Darien, Patterson, Bristol, Hoboken, Waynesville, and Jesup.
From 1983-93, Griner was the Southeast Area administrator for the Georgia Baptist Children's Home in Baxley and from 1993-94 the director of Family Ministries for the Georgia Baptist Children's Homes in Atlanta. In addition, he served as moderator for Pulaski-Bleckley Baptist Association and as a trustee for the Georgia Baptist Children's Homes, 1978-83 and 2010-14.
He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Mary, of Blackshear; children Ann Bonds, of Marietta, Kip Griner, of Humble, TX, Gwen Riggins, of Fitzgerald, Kathy Howard, of Valdosta, and Karen Lee, of Alma; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Longtime Southern Baptist minister, former international missionary, and former Sarepta Baptist Association director Bob Nash died Aug. 31 at Halcyon Hospice in Atlanta. He was 81.
Bob NashBorn in Athens, Nash graduated from Jefferson County High School, Truett-McConnell College, Mercer University, and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He answered a call to the ministry as a teenager and was ordained at Oconee Heights Baptist Church. He'd go on to serve as pastor of Bethel Baptist in Tiger, Musella Baptist Church, and Baconton Baptist Church. During seminary he was pastor of Oakland Heights Baptist Church in Salisbury, NC and after graduation, answered a call to Arlington Street Baptist in Greenville, SC as pastor.
In 1964 the Southern Baptist Convention's Foreign Mission Board appointed Nash and his wife, Janet, to the Philippines as missionaries. There, Nash served as a church planter in Cotabato City on the island of Mindanao and in Cebu City in the Visayan Islands as a part-time mission administrator. During his 30-year ministry, he'd serve as full-time administrator for the Philippine Baptist Mission, associate to the area director for Southern Asia and the Pacific, based in Singapore, and as president of the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary.
In addition, he was interim pastor of Clark Field Baptist Church in Angeles City, Philippines and Calvary Baptist Church in Bangkok, Thailand. Nash, in 1991, became a human needs and community development consultant at the Foreign Mission Board. In retirement he served as pastor at a number of northeast Georgia churches and as development officer for Heart Ministry, Inc. in Lavonia and at Penfield Christian Home.
Nash is survived by his wife, Janet, sons Rob and David, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Todd Crosby and his wife, TeresaThe Associate Pastor Search Committee of First Baptist Church Eastman recently recommended the church extend a call to Todd Crosby to serve as associate pastor of discipleship, evangelism, and administration.
A native of Baxley, Crosby previously served at pastor of First Baptist Church in McRae, a position he'd held since November 2011. Prior to that he'd been a pastor in Indiana at Parkwood Baptist Church in Clarksville and Living Word Fellowship in Newtonville. His first pastorate came with a Georgia congregation, Wesley Chapel Church in Alma, from 1998-2000. He was ordained at Satilla Baptist Church in Baxley.
In denominational service, he's presently a member of the Executive Committee of the Georgia Baptist Convention, moderator of Telfair Baptist Association, and acting director of missions for Telfair Baptist Association. A graduate of Southern Seminary – where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and is closing in on completing his Master of Divinity – he and his wife Teresa have two grown children, Kristen and Jacob.
Keith IveyKeith Ivey has been called as area missionary for the Northeast Area Missions Program. Ivey's ministry area will cover Habersham, Liberty, and Rabun County Baptist associations, which began Sept. 1.
Ivey will continue his longtime involvement through Georgia Mountain Resort Ministries in addition to leading the Northeast Area Missions Program.
Bethsaida Baptist Church in Dublin held revival services Aug. 27-30 with evangelist Bart Ponders preaching and Rhon Carter, worship pastor from First Baptist Statesboro, leading music. Senior Pastor Brad Ball reports six salvations with four baptisms, with "a great spirit in the services and ... the altar filled up with people. If you were not careful, you could trip over someone because there were so many people at the altar. God did a work in many of our families' lives."
Bethsaida Baptist Church in Dublin held revival services the last week of August, with six attendees making prayers of salvation. SBC.NET/Special
