ATLANTA (ABP) — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has hired a Richmond, Va., minister its third "field coordinator," a shared staff position designed to promote cooperation and communication between state and national CBF organizations.
The Atlanta-based CBF and Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship jointly employed Terry Maples, associate pastor for education and discipleship at Huguenot Road Baptist Church in Richmond, as the state's field coordinator.
Ben McDade, coordinator of Fellowship advancement, said Tennessee is the third state CBF organization to adopt the field-coordinator leadership model. The first, Rob Fox, began work with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia, followed a month later by another at CBF in Texas.
Maples
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McDade said Maples salary will be paid jointly by state and national CBF organizations, with the majority of funding from Tennessee CBF. The field coordinators are supervised by the Atlanta staff, McDade said, requiring "a high degree of trust and collaboration between the state and national organizations."
Recently CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal identified how state and national CBF organizations will relate in the future as one of the major challenges facing the movement now in its 20th year.
"Terry brings to this position a wealth of experience in congregational ministry as well as a passion for missions," Vestal said. "We are privileged to have him as a part of the leadership team for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in Tennessee."
McDade said he views the field coordinator as "a model" but not necessarily "the model" for the future. "Regardless of what configuration the relationship may take, I am sensing a renewed commitment from all state/regional/national CBF staff leaders for closer collaboration and integration," he said.
Maples has been at Terry has been at Huguenot Road Baptist Church since 1990. He has an accounting degree from the University of Alabama and a master of divinity in religious education from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. He and his wife, Joan, have two children.
Maples, who will be based in Murfreesboro, Tenn., beginning June 1, said he is excited about his new job. "The Fellowship is my theological home where I find kindred spirits," he said. Tennessee CBF folks are deeply committed to historic Baptist principles and values embraced by the Fellowship."
"I believe the future of Tennessee CBF is bright, and I look forward to serving alongside free and faithful Baptists in Tennessee," Maples said.
Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.