After eight years as executive director of the Nevada Baptist Convention, Kevin White resigned from his position last month, citing health reasons and saying he had “battled depression and anxiety.”

In a statement Jan. 28 to Baptist Press (BP), the state convention’s executive board said White resigned “for personal reasons concerning anxiety and depression which led him to make some improper decisions while serving as interim pastor at a Las Vegas church.”

White’s resignation, submitted Dec. 1, was accepted by the executive board in a special called meeting Dec. 8. White was placed on administrative leave through Jan. 31.

White did not respond to text messages and voicemails from BP. In December, in a letter to Nevada Baptist Convention pastors, White announced his resignation “with a sad and broken heart.” He wrote he had “battled depression and anxiety” for five years, with it increasing over the last year.

“For the sake of my health,” White wrote, “I believe it’s best for me to step down at this time while seeking God’s plan for my future.”

White is no longer serving as interim pastor at Spring Valley Baptist Church in Las Vegas. Representatives from the church could not be reached.

White’s departure from the position as executive director was initially confirmed to BP Jan. 23 by Nevada Baptist Convention President Damian Cirincione, chair of the convention’s executive board.

Cirincione, who is executive pastor of Shadow Hills Church in Las Vegas, declined comment beyond the executive board’s statement.

The statement said because of the “improper decisions” made while serving at the church, “the President and Vice President immediately placed Kevin on administrative leave pending a full board meeting and acceptance of his resignation.”

The Nevada Baptist Convention also announced Ted Angle was appointed Jan. 21 to serve as interim executive director, effective Feb. 1. A native Nevadan, Angle is a longtime deacon and Sunday School teacher at Fellowship Community Church in Reno. Since 2013 he has served the Nevada Baptist Convention as chairman of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, as a convention trustee and as an executive board member. He has also served as the convention’s president and vice president.

The executive board statement said a search for the next full-time executive director will begin in February.

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press.)