RICHMOND — Christopher J. Backert has joined the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's emerging leaders team in a new part-time position as emerging church strategist.
In announcing Backert's appointment, Susan McBride, emerging leaders team leader, said, “Chris will help Virginia Baptists reach the post-modern culture by working hand-in-glove with Baptist collegiate ministry to create emerging church worship experiences on our college and university campuses.”
Chris Backert
Greg Alexander, collegiate/young adult ministry strategist for the VBMB, also emphasized the importance of this new ministry: “Chris comes with great skills and training to assist us in reaching ‘post-moderns.' Many people in this category are 20-35 years old and are in college communities, and we need to make an intentional effort to reach them because they represent the future of Virginia Baptists.”
As emerging church strategist, Backert will work closely with Baptist collegiate ministry to develop emerging church worship experiences that offer the gospel to those influenced by a post-modern/post-Christian culture, to mobilize college students to be involved in strategic church-planting locations during college and upon graduation, to work with existing churches in understanding their necessary role in reaching emerging generations, and to foster an awareness of the need for missional/emerging church plants among Virginia Baptists.
“I'm excited to be part of crafting the future of Christ's mission among the BGAV,” said Backert. “I believe that through planting and re-planting churches, revitalizing existing congregations, and developing innovative leaders for the church, the future can be even brighter than the past and present.”
Before coming to the VBMB, Backert served as lead pastor of New Life Christian Fellowship in Blacksburg and as executive director of the Ecclesia Network. He has also held ministry positions as co-director of the E4 Project for Teleios, regional director of the Mid-Atlantic Division of Great Commission Ministries, regional coordinator for Emergent Ministries, and Community Pastor at Crossroads Church in Odenton, Md.
A Maryland native, Backert is a graduate of Philadelphia Biblical University and Liberty Theological Seminary and is currently working on a doctor of ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary with an emphasis on designing denominational and church networking structures for the 21st century.
His wife, Rachel, is manager of organizational development for Medicorp Health Systems.