ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Longtime North American Mission Board employee Jerry Daniel died Thursday (Feb. 9). Daniel served as pastor relations resource specialist for NAMB, where he had worked since October 2012. He was 70.

In an email to staff, NAMB President Kevin Ezell said Daniel had “an incredible gift for taking something that was good and making it great.”

“Jerry loved the church and was passionate about connecting churches to the mission field,” Ezell said. “He most recently served on our Pastor Relations Team, where he communicated with pastors every day. …

Daniel’s death comes on the heels of the death of NAMB staffer Clint Clifton in a plane crash last month.

“A loss like this hits hard, and this is the second one we have endured in just a few short weeks,” Ezell said. “I am grateful that Jerry had the hope and assurance of salvation and that he is rejoicing today with our Lord.”

The cause of death was unknown at press time, though Daniel had suffered from heart problems in recent years.

Mark Clifton (no relation to Clint), NAMB’s senior director of church replanting, said on Twitter that Daniel was a “dear mentor.” Early in Clifton’s tenure at NAMB, Daniel took him to lunch and provided insight on his new position.

“He encouraged me weekly including this very morning,” Clifton tweeted. “Longing for that city where we never die.”

Ezell asked his email’s recipients to uphold Jerry’s wife, Beth, their three sons and their grandchildren in prayer.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be made to Send Relief.

(EDITOR’S NOTE – This article was written by a Baptist Press staff member.)