Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Paul Baxley, to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Decatur, Ga., as executive coordinator, effective in March. He comes from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Athens, Ga.
Tanner Blankenship, to Northstar Church, Blacksburg, Va., as worship minister.
Tim Boone, to First Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tenn., as interim minister of congregational life.
Melissa Fallen, to Glen Allen (Va.) Baptist Church, as senior pastor. She comes from the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, were she was director of admissions and recruitment.
Sammy Frame, now serving as pastor of Chesterfield Baptist Church, Moseley, Va.
Nathan Gerber, to First Baptist Church, Ingleside, Texas, as pastor.
Trey Gilliam, now serving as full-time pastor of First Baptist Church, Ahoskie, N.C.
David Gregg, to American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago, as regional executive minister.
Randy Hall, to First Baptist Church, Lexington, N.C., as interim associate minister, effective in March.
Clint Kimmel, to Sugar Land (Texas) Baptist Church, as associate pastor of worship and arts.
Ben Leslie, to Gardner-Webb University, Boiling Springs, N.C., as interim president, effective Feb. 1. Currently he is provost and executive vice president at the university.
Phill Martin, to The Church Network, Richardson, Texas, as CEO, effective in July.
Jimmie Miles, to First Baptist Church, Ashland, Va., as pastor of administration and discipleship. He comes from Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Glen Allen, Va., where he served as senior associate pastor.
Linda Northup Moore, to Cross Mills Baptist Church, Charlestown, R.I., as pastor.
Suzii Paynter, to Pastors for Texas Children, Fort Worth, Texas, as ministry co-director.
Jennifer Davis Rash, to The Alabama Baptist, as president and editor and chief. Previously she was executive editor and in 2016 was named editor-elect upon the retirement of editor Bob Terry.
Wes Richardson, to First Baptist Church, Lexington, N.C., as interim music director.
Shawn Shannon, to Tallowood Baptist Church, Houston, Texas, as minister of spiritual formation. She comes from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Waco, Texas, where she was director of Baptist Student Ministries.
ORDINATIONS
Robin Priddy, ordained to ministry on Jan. 20 by First Baptist Church, Waco, Texas, where she serves as associate pastor to children and activities.
Dezo Louise Schreiner, ordained to ministry on Dec. 30 by First Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo.
DEATHS
Jimmy R. Allen, 91, died Jan. 8 in Brunswick, Ga. He was the last moderate president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1978-1979). In 1999 he was named as one of the most influential Baptists of the 20th century. He served as pastor of First Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas, from 1968 to 1980. He served as president and CEO of the Radio and Television Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. From 1960 to 1968, he was director of the Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. From 1973-1978 he served as president of Americans United. He was instrumental in launching both the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the New Baptist Covenant. He is preceded in death by his wife, Wanda; and two sons, Michael and Stephen. He is survived by his wife, Linda; a son, Benjamin; and three grandchildren.
Dan Cromer, 66, died Jan. 5 in Kinston, N.C. In roles as minister of music or pastor, he served churches in Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina. He is survived by his wife, Lisa; devoted family Alena Cromer, Aline and Rogerio Botelho-Gindro, Brent and Dana Cromer Gribbins (Valarie, Juliane and Isadora), and Sean and Kimberly Cromer Anderson (Clyde, Scarlett, Ella and Grafton).
Steven Hollingsworth, 68, died Dec. 27 in Augusta, Kansas. An American Baptist minister, he was pastor of Central Baptist Church in Augusta. He is preceded in death by his wife, Rachel; and son, Phillip. He is survived by two sons, Nathan and Micah; and two granddaughters.
Richard “Lanny” Horton, 76, died Jan. 12 in Culpeper, Va. He served as pastor of Sparta (Ky.) Baptist Church; Stukeley Hall and Cosby Memorial Baptist churches, both in Richmond, Va.; Providence Baptist Church, Red House, Va.; and associate pastor at Broaddus Memorial Baptist Church in Richmond. His longest tenure was as director of missions for the Shiloh Baptist Association. He helped establish the first Hispanic church in Culpeper. He is survived by his wife, Sheila; son, David; daughters, Gina Hughes and Wendy Horton; and five grandchildren.
Bailey Smith, 79, died Jan. 14 in Duluth, Ga. He served two terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1980-1982), helping to sustain the conservative resurgence of the SBC. He led churches in Texas, Arkansas and New Mexico before being called as pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, Okla. In 1985 he became a vocational evangelist for three decades. He is survived by his wife, Sandy; three sons, Bailey and Josh; and eight grandchildren.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 1-4-19
Transitions for the week of 12-21-18
Transitions for the week of 12-14-18
Transitions for the week of 12-7-18