CARY, N.C. (ABP) — A prominent North Carolina pastor says he expects a conservative to be the next executive director of the Baptist state convention.
Greg Mathis, well-known conservative and pastor of Mud Creek Baptist Church in Hendersonville, said he thinks Jim Royston's successor should reflect the current makeup of the convention. Royston, who has held the top convention post for seven and a half years, announced he is leaving in September.
Mathis says the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina has become more conservative over the past seven or eight years. “I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the committee select someone who is clearly an identified conservative,” he said.
Mathis and Mike Queen, pastor of First Baptist Church in Wilmington, were asked to comment on Royston's tenure and the search for his successor. Mathis and Queen worked closely together during the late 1990s to try to relieve increasing tension between conservatives and moderates. Mathis was convention president. Queen was president of the convention's Board of Directors, then known as the General Board.
Mathis remains a revered figure among conservatives in North Carolina. Queen, while still strongly respected by moderates, has become less involved in statewide issues.
Some other moderates also pulled back from involvement in the convention as conservatives won a string of elections. Some turned to alternatives such as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina and similar regional groups.
Queen said Royston's successor “needs to be executive director for all North Carolina Baptists.”
“It'll be a sad day in North Carolina if we ever get anybody who's not open to everybody in the Baptist State Convention,” he said.
Mathis said he hopes the new executive director will be “fair and open” to all Baptists in the state. “I always want to keep a place at the table for all North Carolina Baptists who want to move forward in missions and evangelism,” he said.
Mathis and Queen agree that Royston has done an admirable job. “He's done the best that he's known how to do, given the diversity of churches and diversity of opinions” in North Carolina Baptist life, Queen said.
Mathis said Royston has been “very fair” and has shown a lot of vision for the convention.