RICHMOND — Greg Alexander, who has coordinated the work of Virginia Baptists' collegiate ministers for over three years, will leave his position on Dec. 31.
Alexander and his wife, Roslyn, have been appointed missionaries by the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board to serve in Toronto, Canada, where he will minister among the city's estimated 500,000 college and university students.
Alexander will begin his work as an IMB strategic coordinator for collegiate and church plants on Jan. 26.
Since 2005, Alexander has been on the staff of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's emerging leaders team, serving as collegiate and young adult ministry emerging leader strategist.
In that role he has coordinated the work of about 24 Virginia Baptist collegiate workers on about 26 campuses.
“Greg goes with every prayer and blessing and goodness from us,” said Susan McBride, team leader of the emerging leader team. “He has been the right person at the right time in our collegiate ministry history and we look forward to the exciting future God has, not only for him but for us.”
John Upton, executive director of the VBMB, also expressed his appreciation for Alexander's leadership of Virginia Baptists' collegiate ministry program.
“He introduced to Virginia Baptists new strategies which are currently being implemented and have been highly effective,” said Upton. “We will miss Greg but from our first meeting I knew of his sense of call to missions. So I celebrate that he will take the skills he brought us to campuses in Toronto that have no gospel presence. He goes with our full blessings and prayerful support.”
McBride said she will meet with the collegiate ministers from across the state in January to “craft what the interim will look like.”
“The campus ministers have enthusiastically stepped up to the plate to help out during this time,” she said. “We'll get together in January to divide up responsibilities.”
Upton added, “I would like to assure Virginia Baptists that our commitment to campus ministry remains strong and intact. While finances have been a challenge, we have filled our vacant campus positions this year and anticipate filling Greg's position in the near future.”