FRESNO, Calif. — Fermín A. Whittaker, the longest-tenured executive director of California Southern Baptist Convention (CSBC), died Friday, Feb. 7, at his Nashville home after a lengthy illness. He was 83.

Whittaker served 22 years, February 1995-March 2017, as the CEO of the largest state Baptist convention in the Western United States. Whittaker never saw himself as the Convention’s chief executive officer, but rather the chief encouragement officer to pastors and leaders in CSBC and throughout the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).

One of those whom he encouraged was Pete Ramirez, a young CSBC pastor who now serves as CSBC executive director.

“Dr. Whittaker dedicated 36 years of his life to serving California Baptists — first as a pastor, then, for 22 years as CSBC’s Executive Director. His leadership was marked by grace, vision and a steadfast commitment to the Great Commission. One of his greatest gifts was his ability to make every person feel valued and loved, regardless of their background or ethnicity,” Ramirez said.

“Anabella and I were deeply saddened to hear of the homegoing of our dear friend and mentor. Fermín was a friend to many, but to me, he was a mentor and a brother in Christ.

“In my first year as a pastor, he regularly called me — encouraging me, investing in me, and drawing me into a deeper partnership with CSBC. He invited me to serve on the Executive Board and later as vice chairman for multiple years. Through those experiences, my love for CSBC grew, shaped by his example of servant leadership, faithfulness and unwavering dedication to the gospel.”

When elected to serve CSBC, Whittaker was the first Hispanic elected to lead a state Baptist convention in the SBC. In his new role, he continued to champion language missions as he had during his service at the Home Mission Board, now North American Mission Board (NAMB).

In his retirement announcement to the CSBC Executive Board in May 2016, Whittaker said since his early call to ministry, “I have known the blessings of being a servant of God. I find it amazing that God could take a stuttering kid like me and be a pastor of His church.

“I’ve served Him in Panama, Canada and Georgia. But for the past 21 years He has allowed me to lift His name and proclaim ‘every man, woman, boy and girl’ as a rallying cry for California Southern Baptists to reach our state and world for Jesus. I have been blessed by our God.”

Even though he spent most of his career serving the SBC in denominational roles, Whittaker was always a cheerleader for the local church. In his farewell address, he challenged the Executive Board to call a new executive director “who will lead California Baptists to fulfill our purpose of serving churches as they fulfill their mission of winning their communities and the world to Jesus.”

He also encouraged the Executive Board to call a “man who will keep ‘the main thing the main thing’ as he leads our great convention to new frontiers.”

That “main thing” — evangelism — was at the forefront of Whittaker’s heart, according to Mike McCullough, who served as CSBC associate executive director for almost 20 years.

“I was with Dr. Whitaker often when he would take the time to share Jesus with a stranger and more than once watched as he led the person to accept Jesus as Savior,” McCullough said.

“He is best remembered by always reminding people of our calling to give away the gospel to ‘every man, woman, boy and girl.’ Few may know that he lived those words every day. He loved to share Jesus! The words were more than a catchphrase. They were the words God placed on Fermín’s heart as he led California Southern Baptist churches in combating the lostness in our state,” he said.

McCullough said he “found boldness and courage and godliness in my executive director’s personal example. In many ways, he made a difference in my life. For that alone, I love Fermín and will until I join him in Heaven.”

Kevin James, senior pastor of New Creation Bible Fellowship in Tracy, Calif., and former president of the California African American Fellowship, said, “Dr. Whitaker demonstrated love for every pastor, church, and member of the CSBC. Also, his passion for reaching the lost was infectious. When you were in his presence, it didn’t take long to see his heart’s desire.”

James said Whittaker taught him to “never lose sight of the fact that every man, woman, boy and girl needs to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. He also taught me to look for opportunities to develop relationships and have conversations with others.”

Whittaker “taught me how to show others that I truly care about them. He would make time to talk with me. So now, I’m intentional about opportunities to spend one-on-one time with pastors,” James said.

A primary area of growth during Whittaker’s tenure was the number of new churches started in partnership with NAMB. When he assumed the post in 1995, CSBC had 1,586 congregations, according to the 1994 CSBC Annual. In May 2016, the total was 2,267, according to CSBC data, an increase of 681 (43%).

Another major transition during the Whittaker years was moving from a “church growth” to a “healthy church” platform, with the belief that a healthy church is a growing congregation. CSBC was the first state Baptist convention in the SBC to adopt such a strategy which became widely recognized among state conventions and national agencies.

Migrant ministries, through “Feeding Those Who Feed Us,” flourished during the Whittaker administration. CSBC had been involved in migrant missions for decades, but with the advent of ministries moving onto California migrant center properties, it took off in a variety of ways — food for residents, new clothes and shoes for children, backpacks with school supplies, medical and dental services, and evangelistic outreach opportunities which recorded at least 1,000 professions of faith annually.

This ministry was most dear to Whittaker’s heart, not only because of his ethnic heritage, but also because of his service as a Southern Baptist summer missionary in migrant camps in upstate New York.

During his tenure, CSBC and its entities came of age as the Convention celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2015. During Whittaker’s term, California Baptist Foundation, California Baptist University and Jenness Park Christian Camp, which was owned by CSBC until July 2020, all observed 60th anniversaries.

Whittaker strongly believed in and supported the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptists’ unified budget to support missions and evangelism through state, national and international missions. He championed cooperation because he felt it was the only way to effectively reach California, the United States and the world for Christ. He was a Southern Baptist by conviction, not only because of its strong biblical doctrine, but the cooperative spirit which took the gospel to every corner of the globe.

A native of the Republic of Panamá, Whittaker was a product of Southern Baptist missions. He was saved in a Baptist church under the leadership of a Southern Baptist missionary.

He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1969.

Whittaker preached evangelistic revivals in the United States and other nations, served as a guest lecturer at several Southern Baptist seminaries, and participated in denominational and civic affairs.

His ministry began as a summer missionary for Southern Baptists in New York and California. He served as pastor of the First Bilingual Baptist Church in Pico Rivera, Calif., before becoming a missionary for the Home Mission Board and serving at CSBC.

He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Toronto Baptist Seminary, a bachelor’s degree from California Baptist College, now California Baptist University (CBU), and a doctor of ministry degree from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Gateway Seminary. He also received an honorary doctor of divinity degree from CBU.

Whittaker is survived by Carmen, his wife of 53 years, two sons — Carlos and Eddie — and their wives, two granddaughters and three grandsons.

Services are pending but are expected to be in Southern California, where the Panama native immigrated to the United States.

Because Whittaker wanted “every man, woman, boy and girl” in California to know Jesus, the family has asked that memorial gifts be given to the California Mission Offering (CMO) online or at CSBC, 678 E. Shaw Ave., Fresno, CA 93710.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — This article first appeared at the California Southern Baptist Convention website.)