October 1, 2026
HAZLEHURST, Ga. — B.J. Holliday, the new associational missions strategist of the Consolation Baptist Association, said his path to the role reflected two different ways God often leads. Sometimes, he said, the Lord opens a door only slightly, requiring faith and careful discernment. Other times, God “just swings the door wide open.”
His new work with the mostly rural association began in January after that door had clearly opened. The association consists of 31 churches in Appling and Jeff Davis counties. Holliday said most of those churches are smaller congregations, with average attendance generally ranging from 70 to 75 people. A few run 100 to 125, and only one or two average more than 150. He pointed to First Baptist Church of Hazlehurst, where Brad Waters is pastor, as the association’s largest church, averaging about 350 in Sunday morning worship.
Holliday, 61, grew up in the Bethlehem and Statham communities in Barrow County. He graduated from Shorter University in 1988 with a concentration in sociology, psychology, and religion. While there, he met his wife, Teresa, a native of Lafayette, Georgia, who has spent her career teaching, primarily in private Christian schools. She now teaches at First Academy at First Baptist Douglas. They have two married adult children and recently welcomed their first grandchild.
Holliday’s ministry journey has included travel and music as well. During college, he sang with the Continental Singers, touring the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Since then, he has served on church staffs in a variety of roles, including youth minister, music minister, minister to senior adults, missions, administration, and, most recently before accepting the AMS position, pastor.
Reflecting on his move into pastoral ministry, Holliday said he initially felt unprepared and unsure of how to lead and came to understand that God was intentionally placing him in a position where he would have to depend fully on Him. “The Lord was basically saying, ‘That's good. It’s right where I want you, because you don't know what to do and you're going to have to depend on Me!”
As he was considering his most recent ministry transition, Holliday knew the Consolation AMS position was open but did not believe at first that he should pursue it. He said he had mostly dismissed the possibility until his wife urged him to reconsider.
The following week, two respected friends, in separate conversations and different locations, unexpectedly asked whether he had considered serving as an AMS. Both told him they believed he would be well-suited for that kind of role.
That prompted Holliday to pray more seriously about whether the Lord was directing him. After speaking again with his wife, she encouraged him to contact Fred Anderson, pastor of First Baptist Baxley. When Holliday called to ask where he should send a résumé, Anderson told him to send it directly to him because he was chairman of the search committee, though résumés had stopped being accepted a couple of weeks earlier.
The following Monday, Holliday received a call asking when he could meet with the committee.
Looking back over his years in ministry, Holliday said God has used life experience to prepare him for this assignment. He believes those experiences allow him to relate to pastors and church leaders in the struggles they face. “There's not too much a pastor could be going through that I can't relate to,” he explained. “God can use that because I can sit there and have sympathy and empathy, feeling their hurt and pain. I can say to them, ‘God's there. He's got a purpose for this.’”
Holliday said his top priority is to see more churches actively involved in the association, not merely in financial support, but in shared mission. His desire is to bring churches together around a unified purpose of proclaiming Christ and reaching their communities with the gospel.
One effort he has already emphasized is the upcoming Fourth of July, which coincides with the 250th anniversary of the nation. Holliday sees that milestone as an opportunity for churches to engage their communities and share the gospel. He has encouraged churches in the association to work with local officials and ask how they can help as July 4 celebrations are planned.
His interests outside of the ministry and family include reading and travel.
As he begins this new ministry, Holliday asks for prayer that he would remain attentive to the Lord’s leadership, listen carefully to the needs of those he serves, and have the wisdom to respond well.
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