Co-leaders of Alliance of Baptists are gone, interim named

Both co-leaders of the Alliance of Baptists have stepped down from their roles, and an interim director has been named.

News of the personnel change came via an email Tuesday morning, Feb. 3, from the group’s board of directors.

In 2021, the Alliance named Elijah Zehyoue and Carole Collins co-directors, after the retirement of Paula Clayton Dempsey, who was director of partnership relations. Collins previously served as director of operations and finance. Zehyoue previously worked with New Baptist Covenant and has served as associate pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., since 2014.

“Following the board of directors’ annual review and planning cycle, the Alliance will be entering a new chapter of organizational leadership,” the email said. “As part of this transition, Carole and Elijah have chosen to step down from their roles as co-directors. We are deeply grateful for their years of service and dedication to this community. Elijah has offered the Alliance a prophetic voice that has pushed us to be bolder, more honest and more faithful in difficult moments. Carole has given years of steady leadership, deep relational care and commitment to this community.”

The board further explained: “As part of its ongoing responsibility to steward this community well with transparency and accountability, during the annual review, the board of directors identified systems that were not as strong or clear as they needed to be. The board takes these issues seriously and is diligently working to ensure the Alliance continues to grow and operate with integrity. As a result, the board is updating internal policies and procedures to strengthen our organizational practices. These updates reflect our commitment to continuous improvement and to serving this community with excellence.”

April Baker, pastor of Glendale Baptist Church in Nashville, has been named interim director. She has been part of the Alliance since its beginning, serving on the board and on various committees and task groups. She also served on the search committee that called Zehyoue and Collins as co-directors.

The Alliance of Baptists formed in 1987 in response to schism within the Southern Baptist Convention. More recently, the small denomination of about 140 congregations has been outspoken in its work on anti-racism.

“What has not changed, and will not change, is our shared mission,” the board email said. “The Alliance remains committed to creating a theological home rooted in beloved community, continuing the long and unfinished work of becoming an antiracist organization and partnering with people and communities around the world as we seek justice, restorative healing and hope together. These leadership and organizational changes are a part of the Alliance’s continuing evolution, and we remain firmly grounded in the purpose that has guided us from the beginning.”