The Committee on Nominations is charged with the task of reviewing the numerous recommendations provided by North Carolina Baptists for service on the board of directors of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) and the boards of the related entities (North Carolina Baptist Foundation, Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina and the Biblical Recorder).

We begin our work with the recommendations sent by N.C. Baptists and those provided by our respective entity heads. We carefully consider whether each candidate meets the qualifications for service as outlined by the convention bylaws. Each name is prayerfully discussed and voted on in committee meetings. We then bring the approved names to the floor of the annual meeting for election by the convention.

The full report from the Committee on Nominations can be found on the BSCNC’s annual meeting website (ncannualmeeting.org), in the November 2023 edition of the Biblical Recorder, on the Biblical Recorder website (BRnow.org) and in the N.C. Baptist Book of Reports. 

N.C. Baptists have good reason to be proud of the 2023 Committee on Nominations, as well as the names to be presented for election. They logged many hours and offered many prayers in seeking to bring nominees who will be people of Kingdom impact. We hope you express appreciation to them for the good work they have done.

It is not too early for N.C. Baptists to begin thinking about whom they will recommend to positions of leadership in 2024. N.C. Baptist church members are diverse in terms of both gender and ethnicity. Please think and pray about the recommendations you will make from large churches, small churches, rural churches, urban churches, new churches, historic churches, men and women, young and old, and potential leaders from across all cultural and ethnic groups. You may submit your recommendations online at ncbaptist.org/recommend or through the N.C. Baptist mobile app. 

N.C. Baptists, we need you! Simply recommending someone to a position of leadership is itself an important act of leadership. Your input is essential to the ongoing effectiveness of the missions and ministries of the BSCNC as we seek to be a movement of churches on mission together.

2023 Committee on Nominations Members

Dennis Thurman, Candler, Chair
Chandler Donegan, Wake Forest
Stephen Duncan, Macclesfield
Kris Estep, Waynesville
Vicki Etheridge, Greenville
Bob Garbett, Crossnore
Phil Goble Jr., Hayesville
Dave Heller, Whiteville
Susan Justice, Southport
Nicholas King, Ellenboro
Zac Lyons, Raleigh
Thomas McDonald, Salisbury
Darrick Smith, Charlotte
Brent Snyder, Weaverville
Eleanor Sun, Cary
Jesse Watkins, Midland
Tammy Weeks, Faison

The Committee on Nominations report follows the BSCNC’s bylaws directive to “nominate persons for election by the Convention to serve as members of the Board of Directors of the Convention, the members of the boards of trustees and directors to be elected by the Convention of the Related Entities, and such other nominations as may be delegated to the committee by the Convention.”

Among other considerations for nominees, the bylaws state “It is desirable that at least twenty-five percent (25%) of members nominated to all committees of the Convention, the Board, and the boards of trustees and directors of the Related Entities shall come from churches with an average weekly worship attendance under 200.” This is indicated in the committee’s report by (O) for 400 and over and by (U) for under 200 in average weekly worship attendance.

The bylaws further direct that, “The Committee on Nominations shall include in its report at a minimum the name, church, home town, association, occupation, and sex of each nominee, the name of the committee or board on which the nominee is to serve together with such summary information as will make clear to this Convention the diversity and breadth of representation provided by the slates of nominees.”

Board of Directors, Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Region 1

• Jason Wise, 2024-2027, Berea (U), Elizabeth City, Chowan Association, Minister, Male

Region 2

• Keith Hudson, 2024-2027, Gateway Community (O), Pikeville, Neuse Association, Minister, Male
• Yvette Ingram, 2024-2027, Freedom (U), Greenville, South Roanoke Association, Layperson, Female

Region 3 

• Zac Hufty, 2024 unexpired term of J. Allen Murray, The Village Church (O), Fayetteville, New South River Association, Minister, Male
• Charles Locklear, 2024-2027, Bethany Christian Fellowship (U), Pembroke, Burnt Swamp Association, Minister, Male

Region 4 

• Brooke Medina, 2024-2027, The Summit (O), Durham, Yates Association, Layperson, Female
• Jacob Reed, 2024-2027, Faith (O), Youngsville, Tar River Association, Minister, Male
• Billy Rice, 2025 unexpired term of Zach Nelson, Watkins Chapel (U), Middlesex, Triangle East Association, Minister, Male 
• Jared Richard, 2025 unexpired term of Virgil Dwyer Jr., Bayleaf (O), Raleigh, Raleigh Association, Minister, Male 
• Matt Searson, 2024 unexpired term of Christina Devlin, Fairview (O), Apex, Raleigh Association, Minister, Male

Region 5

• Charles Fleshman, 2024-2027, Oakhurst (U), Asheboro, Randolph Association, Minister, Male
• Twinkle Poindexter, 2024-2027, Collide (O), Yadkinville, Triad Church Network, Layperson, Female
• William Toburen, 2024-2027, Calvary (O), Winston-Salem, Triad Church Network, Minister, Male

Region 6

• Steve Davis, 2024-2027, River Rock (U), Concord, Cabarrus Association, Minister, Male
• Phillip Morris, 2024-2027, Freedom Biker (U), Monroe, Union Association, Minister, Male
• Brandon Mullis, 2024-2027, Clear Creek (U), Charlotte, Union Association, Minister, Male
• Clint Pressley, 2024-2027, Hickory Grove (O), Charlotte, Metrolina Association, Minister, Male
• Spence Shelton, 2024-2027, Mercy (O), Charlotte, Metrolina Association, Minister, Male
• Michael Smith, 2024-2027, Providence (O), Harrisburg, Cabarrus Association, Minister, Male

Region 7 

• David Cooper, 2024-2027, South Fork (U), Todd, Three Forks Association, Minister, Male
• Rose Gates, 2024-2027, Crossnore First (U), Crossnore, Avery Association, Layperson, Female
• Andrew McKinney, 2024-2027, Minneapolis (U), Minneapolis, Avery Association, Minister, Male

Region 8 

• Jerry Lewis, 2024-2027, Grace Community (O), Marion, Blue Ridge Association, Minister, Male
• Aaron Swain, 2024-2027, Freedom (O), Lincolnton, South Fork Association, Minister, Male

Region 9 

• Justin Alexander, 2024 unexpired term of Alberto Berrio, Hendersonville First (O), Hendersonville, Carolina Association, Minister, Male
• Jason Gaston, 2024-2027, Biltmore (O), Arden, Buncombe Association, Minister, Male
• Stephen Buys, 2024-2027, The Orchard (U), Waynesville, Haywood Association, Minister, Male

Region 10 

• No Vacancies

Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina

• Ray Brickhouse, 2024-2027, Oak Forest (U), Fletcher, Carolina Association, Minister, Male
• Milton Hollifield Jr., 2025 unexpired term of Jerry Jordan, Biltmore (O), Arden, Buncombe Association, Layperson, Male
• Denise Hunter, 2024-2027, Mintz (U), Roseboro, Eastern Association, Layperson, Female
• Marty Johnston, 2024-2027, Supply (U), Supply, Brunswick Association, Minister, Male
• Richard Matthews, 2024-2027, Momeyer (U), Nashville, North Roanoke Association, Layperson, Male
• Eric Segars, 2024-2027, Mount Pleasant (U), Hayesville, Truett Association, Minister, Male
• Matt Sigmon, 2024-2027, Imago Dei (O), Raleigh, NC Miscellaneous, Minister, Male
• Kyler Smith, 2024-2027, Hickory Grove (O), Charlotte, Metrolina Association, Minister, Male
• Nick Smith, 2024-2027, Lake Junaluska (U), Clyde, Haywood Association, Minister, Male
• Jordon Willard, 2024-2027, Weddington First (U), Weddington, Union Association, Minister, Male

Biblical Recorder

• Jessie Bright, 2024-2027, Cedar Creek (U), Fayetteville, New South River Association, Layperson, Female
• Lance Cole, 2024-2027, Reidsville First (U), Reidsville, Dan Valley Association, Minister, Male
• Paul “Toby” Neal, 2024-2027, Freedom (U), Rockingham, Pee Dee Association, Minister, Male
• Eric Simmons, 2024-2027, Summerfield First (O), Summerfield, Piedmont Association, Minister, Male
• Nathaniel Williams, 2024-2027, Cedar Rock First (U), Castalia, Tar River Association, Minister, Male

North Carolina Baptist Foundation

• Steve Adams, 2024-2027, Hickory Grove (O), Charlotte, Metrolina Association, Minister, Male
• Paul Cao, 2024-2027, Vietnamese (O), Jamestown, Piedmont Association, Minister, Male
• Geron Gambill, 2024-2027, Snyder Memorial (O), Fayetteville, New South River Association, Minister, Male
• Erich Hamm, 2024-2027, Oak View (O), Highpoint, Piedmont Association, Layperson, Male
• David Jones, 2024-2027, Faith (O), Youngsville, Tar River Association, Layperson, Male
• Harold Koger, 2024 unexpired term of Coy Jeans, Calvary (O), McLeansville, Piedmont Association, Layperson, Male
• John Rogers, 2025 unexpired term of Melanie Wallace, Asheboro First (O), Asheboro, Randolph Association, Layperson, Male
• Stephanie Tarant, 2026 unexpired term of Terri Howell, Providence (O), Raleigh, Raleigh Association, Layperson, Female