CARY, N.C. — Milton A. Hollifield Jr., longtime executive director of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, returned to the Baptist building on Wednesday, Aug. 14 for the first time since his retirement in 2021 to address the staff of the organization he led for nearly 15 years.

Hollifield was the special guest and chapel speaker during the late-summer gathering of N.C. Baptist staff. Hollifield also shared greetings on behalf of the North American Mission Board, where he now serves on a part-time basis in retirement as a special assistant to President Kevin Ezell working with state conventions across the country.

Hollifield led the work of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina from April 2006 until retiring in February 2021, and he served on the state convention staff for more than 27 years overall.

Hollfield’s successor, Todd Unzicker, called Hollifield a mentor, a friend and one of the greatest men he knows.

“I say often that any favor and success that God has given us in our endeavors is because we stand on the shoulders of giants that came before us,” Unzicker said. “Brother Milton led with great integrity, [and] he finished his race and his assignment here well. He led with great unity. He embodied that ‘on mission together’ spirit long before that was something that we were saying all the time.”

Upon his election as executive director-treasurer in May 2021, Unzicker has sought to mobilize N.C. Baptists as a “movement of churches on mission together.”

Unzicker said Hollifield helped make his transition to become N.C. Baptists’ new executive director a smooth one.

“Milton could write a book on how a leader should treat the guy who comes behind him,” Unzicker said. “I knew when I was coming in that I had gigantic shoes to try to fill, metaphorically speaking. And there has been nobody who’s been a greater encouragement in my life than Milton Hollifield.”

Hollified said he is excited to see how God has used Unzicker in leading the work of N.C. Baptists.

“I know God did some great things while we worked together here,” Hollifeild said. “But I said when I left that my heart’s desire was that you would go on and do greater things for the kingdom of God. I want you to be the best that you can be in everything that you do for the glory of God.”

Hollifield encouraged the N.C. Baptist staff toward that end with a message titled “Let Christ be Magnified,” based on Galatians 2:20 and Philippians 1:21.

In his message, Hollifield shared seven ways to magnify Christ in our lives. His seven points were:

• Worship and magnify God daily as you read and meditate on His Word.

• Forsake secret sin and live a life that is holy to the Lord.

• Thank God and give Him glory for life, good health, and other gifts and blessings.

• Serve and minister to others in Christ’s name for His glory.

• Gently share the gospel with others who need an opportunity to accept Christ as Savior.

• Invest yourself in the spiritual development of others.

• Help others in need as God impresses you to do so.

“The main objective of this devotion is to challenge all of us to magnify Christ each day and not just on Sundays,” Hollifield said.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — To listen to a related podcast conversation with Hollifield and Unzicker, click here.)