GRESHAM, Ore. — Northwest Baptist Convention (NWBC) messengers convened Monday (Feb. 24) for a special called meeting to elect Lance Caddel, the NWBC’s director of evangelism and church health since 2022, as the convention’s next executive director-treasurer.

More than 125 messengers and guests representing 51 churches assembled at Pathway Church in Gresham, Ore., to consider the NWBC executive board’s recommendation that Caddel, 58, succeed Randy Adams, who announced last spring his intention to retire upon election of a new leader.

On a 114-7 vote of registered messengers, Caddel was approved for the role. He begins his new duties March 1.

The NWBC comprises about 520 churches in Oregon, Washington and north Idaho, with a small number located in northern California, operating a cooperative mission effort with a budget of about $4 million annually.

“We have a phenomenal opportunity and an incredible responsibility,” said Caddel, noting NWBC churches scattered across the Northwest minister among a population of more than 12.5 million people.

He encouraged churches to take responsibility for their calling and their communities, to turn their attention outward toward the world with the hope of the gospel, and to “shine bright” in the vast spiritually unreached areas of the Northwest.

“If we do that, I believe God will do great things,” Caddel said. “Every church matters — your church matters.”

He also pledged to help reinvigorate collaborative work among NWBC congregations and various Southern Baptist Convention organizations — locally and nationally.

That includes “treating one another like family” and having “real good conversations” with various groups in planning and developing strategies for working together in the Northwest, he said. “That will go a long way … and help us to better do our job.”

Before becoming the convention’s evangelism and church health leader in 2022, Caddel served as an evangelism and church health catalyst for what the convention calls Regions 2 and 3 — the larger Portland metro area and up into southwest Washington and the Olympic Peninsula. In that role, Caddel worked with individual churches and groups of ministry leaders to strengthen their missions and discipleship impact in their local communities and regions.

From 1996-2018, Caddel was senior pastor of Valley Christian Fellowship in Longview, Wash. Before that, from 1992-96, he was a church planter/pastor in his home state of Nevada, at Cold Springs Baptist Church near Reno.

He earned a diploma in theology from Gateway Seminary (2001), a bachelor of Christian ministry from Wayland University (2018) and a master of theological essentials from Gateway Seminary (2020).

Caddel and his wife Lisa are members of Pathway Church and parents of five adult children.

A six-member search committee unanimously recommended Caddel for executive board affirmation during a Jan. 30 virtual meeting.

“Through our careful review of all candidates and resumes, it became clear that Lance’s qualifications, Northwest experience and vision are a perfect fit for the NWBC,” reported Lance Logue, pastor of Highland Baptist Church in Redmond, Ore., and search committee chairman. “He’s the right leader to guide our convention into the future.”

NWBC president Bryan Bernard, pastor of Redemption Church in Corvallis, Ore., voiced his enthusiasm for the executive director candidate following the search committee’s nationwide search for potential candidates.

“This process was thorough and prayerful,” Bernard said. “Lance Caddel distinguished himself apart from all other candidates. He has a pastor’s heart and the leadership qualities necessary to lead our convention.”

He echoed sentiments from the search committee’s recommendation: “He possesses the expertise to address financial challenges, the passion to see churches planted and leaders equipped and the capacity to unify us as a convention of churches.”

The process for evaluating potential candidates, according to Logue, included assessing the needs of NWBC churches. “We gathered insights from NWBC churches about their hopes and expectations for the next executive director, and we believe Lance aligns with the voices and needs we heard,” he said.

The board voted during its January meeting to move the nomination forward to the full convention after about an hour of discussion with Logue about the search committee’s process and findings, then another 30-minute dialogue with Caddel.

Prior to the Jan. 30 virtual meeting, board members reviewed documents submitted by the search committee and Caddel. Documents included a biographical resume listing Caddel’s vocational ministry experiences, educational achievements, references and basic philosophy of ministry. Other documents included a theological statement summarizing his doctrinal convictions and a 13-page personal information form outlining items such as his Christian testimony, family background, core beliefs, leadership and management styles, areas of personal growth and organizational commitments.

In addition to Logue, search committee members included Bernard (ex officio), Daniel Estrada of Iglesia Bautista el Buen Pastor, Beaverton, Ore., and Vancouver, Wash.; Jennifer Margaris of First Baptist Church, Longview, Wash.; Steve Meek of Dishman Baptist Church, Spokane, Wash.; and Bruce Sloan of Chehalem Valley Baptist Church, Newberg, Ore.