Before becoming executive director-treasurer (EDT) of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina in 2021, Todd Unzicker had a front-row seat to what he calls some incredible, memorable, eventful and challenging times in Baptist life on the national stage while working alongside J.D. Greear during Greear’s tenure as Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) president. This year, as the SBC annual meeting heads to New Orleans, Unzicker will take the stage to deliver the convention sermon to the thousands of messengers in attendance.

Recently, we sat down with Unzicker in his office at the Baptist Building in Cary for a wide-ranging interview about his tenure so far as N.C. Baptists’ EDT, what he hopes to share at the national convention, his perspective on broader Southern Baptist life and more. Here’s a transcript of that interview that has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

You’ve been serving as executive director for N.C. Baptists for about two years now. How are things going?

It’s been great. I’m reminded of the old adage, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” I must be having fun, because I can’t believe it’s been two years. That’s hard to believe. During that time, we’ve talked about being a movement of churches on mission together. I’ve seen churches and associations picking up on the theme “on mission together” on their own and getting behind that.

We’ve also seen an emphasis on what it means to be Baptist, which focuses on local church autonomy while partnering together to reach the unreached, to send our best, to train up the next generation and to serve churches in the community. That’s really been encouraging. It’s been a great two years.

With the SBC annual meeting right around the corner, many will remember that this year’s national convention was originally scheduled to take place in Charlotte. How disappointing was it to see the meeting moved to New Orleans?

N.C. Baptists were excited and prepared to host all of our Baptist brothers and sisters from across the country. We were ready and excited to have it here in North Carolina, but the fact is the annual meeting has outgrown the meeting space that Charlotte was able to provide.

Over the past 10 years or so, we’ve seen increasing attendance at the national convention. That’s a sign that people care and want to be a part of our cooperative efforts. We worked with national leaders to try to find a workable solution, but at the end of the day, and in God’s providence, the meeting was moved to New Orleans.

I know many N.C. Baptists were looking forward to having the national convention here, which would have meant that more N.C. Baptists could attend. I’m confident, however, that we’ll see many N.C. Baptists in New Orleans, and Louisiana Baptists will do a fantastic job as hosts. No matter where the national convention is held, North Carolina is one of the states with the highest number of messengers in attendance, and I’m sure this year will be no different.

Before you were elected to your current role leading N.C. Baptists, you served alongside J.D. Greear on staff at The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham. During that time, you had a front-row seat to national Baptist life during Greear’s tenure as SBC president. What were those years like for you, and what did you learn from those experiences?

My entire time at The Summit Church was incredible. It was an honor to serve as a staff pastor there for 10 years. Those three years with J.D. when he was president of our convention were some of the most memorable and eventful years that I’ve had so far in ministry.

We saw God do a lot of things. There were a lot of great things that happened during his presidency. The people that were appointed to various committees during that time were more reflective of our culture and a Revelation 5 vision, which is something I know he is really proud of. Pastor J.D. was the first one to name a working advisory group to look into how our churches were handling sexual abuse. I know there are a lot of different perspectives about the best way forward, but I think it’s clear that J.D.’s presidency is what really kicked that off.

We also saw the launch of the “Who’s Your One?” evangelism initiative and the “Go2 Years” initiative, and we really put an emphasis on reaching the next generation. Those are some highlights of J.D.’s presidency that we can be proud of, and I’m thankful to have played a small part in all of that.

There were also some challenging times, as well. We had a global pandemic, racial unrest, political unrest and more. Because of the pandemic, J.D. Greear is now the answer to a trivia question as the only SBC president to serve for three consecutive years. Every pastor can relate to the challenges those issues posed in the local church, and J.D. certainly dealt with those as a pastor, as well. Now imagine all that magnified because of his role as SBC president.

With vaccinations, masking, racial tensions, political strife, responding to sexual abuse and more, there were a lot of cultural tipping points during that time, and I had a front- row seat to see how Baptists were responding.

You mentioned abuse reforms. Where are we as a convention related to addressing sexual abuse?

I’m thankful that we’ve seen overwhelming support with regard to taking action on abuse. You’re not seeing these reforms in Hollywood, on Wall Street, on Capitol Hill or in the sports world, but we’re seeing them with Baptist churches. The culture has changed. I can tell because of the work that’s taken place over the past five years.

We have churches calling our office every week that want to know how they can do better, how they can care for victims, how they can support families and how they can protect the vulnerable in their midst. That is a huge culture change we can praise God for.

We have a long way to go, and I am confident that Baptists will continue moving the ball forward. We know the world is watching, and we want everyone to know our churches are safe places for the vulnerable and provide care for the hurting.

At last year’s annual meeting in Anaheim, California, it was announced that you had been selected to deliver this year’s convention sermon in New Orleans. How did you find out about that, and what do you plan to share?

When the committee called me last year in Anaheim to let me know, I thought someone was playing a joke on me. I could think of at least 100 other people who are more deserving. Those who get to preach the convention sermon are often the “who’s who” of Baptist life, and now I feel like it’s going to be the “who’s that?” of Baptist life.

But in all seriousness, it’s an honor. Anytime you get a chance to preach God’s Word it’s an honor, and I don’t take it lightly. I’m excited to share what the Holy Spirit has been showing me and teaching me, and I’m excited to share it with a broader Baptist family that has invested so much in my wife and me. In many ways, I feel like we are products of Baptists at their best.

I was 28 years old when I started following Jesus. My life was in utter ruin until God rescued and restored me. So I want to be sure to say “Thank you” to Baptists for all they’ve done in my life. I also want to talk about who we are, where we’re going and where we’ll end up with eternity in mind – and that’s at Revelation 5 with people from every tribe, tongue, language and nation around God’s throne. I want us to stop and think about the implications of all of that on us as Baptists as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission.

The national convention is always a reminder that cooperation is a hallmark of our Baptist history and heritage. How is our relationship with the national entities?

Our relationship with our global ministry partners has never been better. As N.C. Baptists, we’re grateful to partner with the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board to help get the gospel to the ends of the earth. Our new SendNC church planting partnership with NAMB is an example of how those relationships have deepened.

In addition, our six national seminaries are playing a vital role in training and equipping the next generation. In particular, we are thankful for the role that the partnership between Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Fruitland Baptist Bible College plays in that.

We’re also grateful for the work of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Over the past year and a half, we’ve worked closely with their Psalm 139 Project to place four ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers across the state in places where there is a great need for such resources. We’re continuing to explore ways we can do more through that partnership.

Also, when you look at the track record of N.C. Baptists’ missions giving through the Cooperative Program, we’ve increased the percentage giving to our global ministry partners while also doing more here in North Carolina.

When you add to that gifts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, our total support ranks right up there among the leading states. I think the giving shows that churches are really excited about what’s taking place here in North Carolina, across North America and around the world.

Any final words you’d like to say to N.C. Baptists as we look ahead to New Orleans?

I remind pastors and lay people here in our state that we are N.C. Baptists. While we believe in cooperation and partnerships, whatever other state conventions do or whatever the national convention does, we are still N.C. Baptists.

We’re one of the oldest state conventions, and as 4,300 independent, autonomous congregations standing on the inerrant, infallible Word of God, we are accomplishing the Great Commission as we follow the Holy Spirit’s lead. That’s what God has called me to steward, and that’s what we’re going to be about. We’re going to be a movement of churches who are on mission together.

(EDITOR’S NOTE – This article originally appeared in the June 2023 edition of the Biblical Recorder magazine.)