NEW ORLEANS – Tony Merida, founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been named vice president of planter development for the Send Network, the North American Mission Board’s church planting arm.

The announcement was made in a Twitter post and accompanying video by Send Network President Vance Pitman on June 13 during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in New Orleans. Merida will continue as a pastor at Imago Dei, where he currently serves as pastor of preaching and vision.

Pitman said Merida will oversee Send Network’s planter pathway, as well as equipping and development of church planters.

“I’m excited about training our church planters, talking about theology, training and preaching, and really just being a part of this team and what the Lord is doing, and He’s obviously up to some really exciting things,” Merida said in the video announcing his appointment . “So, yeah I’m just happy to be on the team and look forward to contributing.”

Merida planted Imago Dei Church in 2011. He holds master’s and doctoral degrees from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s degree from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky.

Merida has written more than 15 books, including The Christ-Centered Expositor, Love Your Church and multiple volumes in the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series. 

Merida and his wife, Kimberly, have five children.