July 26, 2024
WARNER ROBINS, Ga. – A veteran pastor, evangelist and seminary professor has been elected chairman of the Georgia Baptist Executive Committee.
In the role, David Mills, 57, will head the group of 110 ministry leaders charged with guiding the cooperative work of Georgia Baptists.
Mills, who had served as the Executive Committee’s vice chairman for the past year, was elected Tuesday at a meeting at Central Baptist Church in Warner Robins. He replaces Josh Saefkow, pastor of Flat Creek Baptist Church in Fayetteville, who completed his term as chairman and didn't seek another because he was elected president of the Georgia Baptist Convention in November.
“I’m very honored to serve, and I do take it as a place of service,” Mills said. “I am obsessed with the mission of Georgia Baptists. I’d like to see us unified in reaching Georgia and the world for Christ.”
Mills is a former assistant professor of evangelism and associate dean of applied ministries for the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he served from 2006 to 2013.
Bill Compton, pastor of Belmont Baptist Church in Gainesville, said Mills has never aspired to positions of greatness but is driven by a willingness to serve to the Lord and the church with a servant’s heart.
“He is genuinely loving, caring, considerate and willing to help when anyone reaches out to him,” Compton said in nominating Mills for the chairmanship. “There is no question about his character, his leadership abilities, his passion for reaching people with the gospel.”
Compton said Mills will lead with integrity, respectability, and reliability.”
Mills received his undergraduate degree from East Texas Baptist University in 1987. He also received a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C.
An itinerant preacher based in Athens, Mills has been pastor of churches in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The last church he pastored was Beech Haven Baptist Church in Athens.
He has varied experience within the Georgia Baptist Convention, including serving in the evangelism office from 2002 to 2006. Early in his ministry, he also served as youth minister at two Texas churches.
Mills has served as first vice president of the Georgia Baptist Convention and is currently serving a second term on the Georgia Baptist Administrative Committee. He chaired the Resolutions Committee two times.
Mills and his wife, Sherri Michelle, have four grown children.
The Executive Committee also elected Stephen Fountain, pastor of First Baptist Church in Buford, as vice chairman.
Although he’s only 38 years old, Fountain has already been in ministry for 20 years, 11 of those at First Baptist Buford where he initially as student pastor.
Tim Oliver, pastor of Lakeside Baptist Church in Milledgeville, said Fountain has led the church to be engaged in its local community while also renewing its commitment to faithful and generous Cooperative Program giving to reach the world.
“It's young men like this who give me great hope and encouragement,” Oliver said of Fountain in making the nomination.
Fountain and his wife Erin have two children, Emma and Drake.
