CARY, N.C. — Jim Royston will step down as executive director-treasurer of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
Royston, 57, plans to retire from denominational service and become senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Mooresville, N.C., near Charlotte. He will be presented to the congregation for election July 17.
The North Carolina convention is deeply divided between conservatives and moderates. Recent annual meetings have featured bitter battles over the convention's officers and budget, which currently offers options favored by conservatives and moderates.
But Royston said his decision is spurred by his desire to return to the pastorate. “There's never been a doubt in my mind that in Baptist life the rubber hits the road where congregations impact their communities with the gospel,” he wrote in a column announcing his resignation. “I've missed it.”
The seven-and-a-half years he served as executive “have been the most demanding years of my life, both professionally and personally,” Royston wrote. “I can't say I've 'enjoyed' these years, in the sense of having a rollicking good time. But I've felt tremendously fulfilled to occupy this seat during some very important years in one of the top three Baptist state conventions in the nation.”
Royston sent a letter last week to inform members of the convention's executive committee of his plans. The committee has a regularly scheduled meeting on July 12, in which it could name a search committee. Royston's successor must be elected by a meeting of the state convention — either the annual meeting in November or a special called meeting.
Royston plans to assume the Mooresville pastorate in September. He hopes to spend the remainder of the summer on study leave to work on a book about evangelism among niche groups, like horse lovers and NASCAR fans.
Earlier in his career, Royston was director of missions-ministries for the Metro Baptist Association in Charlotte, and also served as pastor of First Baptist Church of Huntersville, between Mooresville and Charlotte.
“I have loved my time with North Carolina Baptists,” Royston told the Biblical Recorder. “It has been a high honor. I will always love the convention and will support it as long as I am physically able.”
But, Royston said, “I am also excited about returning to the local church, which is my first love.”
“This will give Jeannie and me an opportunity to be together and share more in ministry than was possible with the travel demands of my present position.”
First Baptist of Mooresville was founded in 1882 and has 1,400 members.
–Greg Warner contributed to this story.