November 9, 2026
WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Neal Dose, lead pastor of Mansfield Baptist Church in Mansfield, will be nominated to serve as vice president of the Georgia Baptist Convention during the 204th annual meeting at Second Baptist Church in Warner Robins.
Brady Howard, lead pastor of Glen Haven Baptist Church in McDonough, said he plans to make the nomination.
Howard has known Dose for more than 20 years, dating back to their high school years. Both answered the call to ministry while they were young, and their paths later crossed again as youth pastors in Henry County. Dose served at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough while Howard served at Glen Haven, and the two worked together on ministry efforts in the community.
Since Dose became lead pastor at Mansfield Baptist Church, Howard said the two have continued to encourage one another and cooperate in ministry.
Dose’s life, Howard said, is an example of what pastors hope to see through their ministries. Dose heard the gospel at a young age, came to faith in Christ, was discipled, and eventually surrendered his life to serve the Lord.
Dose surrendered his life to Christ during Vacation Bible School in the summer of 2000 after hearing the gospel from his aunt, Ellie Pearson. He was baptized at First Baptist Church Cordele on Oct. 29 of that year.
“I remember the moment she shared the gospel with our group and the overwhelming realization that I desperately needed Jesus,” Dose recalled. “I became aware of my sin and understood that there was no other hope for forgiveness apart from Him.”
Shortly after that, his family moved to McDonough and began attending Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church.
“I was placed in an environment that fostered discipleship, missions, and ministry,” he said.
Dose said pastors and leaders there invested in him and other students, many of whom were called into ministry and missions. “The Lord used those experiences to shape my heart and eventually lead me toward His call to ministry,” he said.
The morning after graduating from high school in 2009, Dose boarded a plane for São Paulo, Brazil, for a mission trip with his grandfather. Later that summer, he traveled with Eagle’s Landing’s youth ministry to Nairobi, Kenya, where the group served in schools in the slums.
“It was in Nairobi that I first sensed the Lord calling me to ministry,” Dose said. “That summer changed much of the trajectory of my life.”
“Neal is truly one of the finest men that I know,” Howard said. “His love for the Lord, his family, and the church is undeniable.”
Dose began serving as lead pastor at Mansfield Baptist Church on Jan. 1, 2023. The church reported 32 baptisms during the past year and gives more than 7% of its budget through the Cooperative Program.
Dose and his wife, Jessica, have three children, Mary Logan, Ellie, and Charlie.
Dose sees significant opportunities for evangelism across Georgia.
“We see the nations moving into our communities, and we see people looking for hope,” he said. “They aren’t necessarily enamored with the lights or smoke. They just want someone to tell them about the hope of the gospel.”
“We teach the Bible, worship Jesus, and create environments where people can grow in their walk with Christ and go on mission,” he said.
Dose describes himself as a beneficiary of Baptist cooperation. He attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, grew up in a church that began as a church plant, has participated in church revitalization, and now pastors a church that has ministered for more than a century.
“We are obviously better together,” he said.
Dose pointed to 1 Corinthians 12 and Paul’s description of the church as a body with different members.
“When one of us does well, the Kingdom benefits,” he said. “Sign me up for that! When one of us is suffering, we should all feel the weight of that burden and be willing to help.”
“The Cooperative Program allows us to leverage our resources together to accomplish more than we could individually,” Dose said. “It strengthens theological education, supports missions, and helps churches engage in Kingdom work far beyond their own communities.”
Dose said a renewed evangelistic focus among Georgia Baptists begins with three actions: “Pray, Fast, and Act.”
At Mansfield, members have been encouraged to set an alarm for 1:01 each day, a reference to the church’s address at 101 Woodlawn Road, as a reminder to pray. The church has also devoted a week each January to prayer and fasting and plans to expand that emphasis in 2027.
“We can’t allow the expression of our heart’s desire to be where everything ends,” Dose said. “If we are praying for the lost, we ought to be willing to share the gospel. If we are burdened for our communities, we ought to be willing to engage them.”
Dose also pointed to challenges facing churches. "In a culture that seems increasingly opposed to biblical faith, it can be easy for churches to retreat toward what is comfortable and familiar," he said. "But I believe this is a time for us to advance with confidence in the gospel."
“We must continue to emphasize evangelism, but we also have to be committed to discipleship,” Dose said. “We need to develop believers who are strong in their faith, grounded in the Word of God, and prepared to withstand the challenges and temptations of the world around them.”
He also warned against competition between churches.
“I want to see Mansfield Baptist Church grow,” he said. “I want to see more salvations, baptisms, and people attending our church. But I also want to see our members growing in their walk with Jesus.”
“And I genuinely want those same things for the churches around us,” he added. “We tell our church that when surrounding churches are growing and doing well, we will be better for it. And we mean that.”
“I want to see the Kingdom advance across Georgia, and I believe we can accomplish far more when we are working together rather than competing against one another.”
Share with others
