M. Clay Warf, longtime president of the N.C. Baptist Foundation, has announced his plans to retire at the end of next year.
Warf informed members of the N.C. Baptist Foundation’s board of directors of his plans during the board’s fall meeting, held in September. When Warf retires on Dec. 31, 2023, he will have served for more than 25 years as the foundation’s president.
“God has graciously entrusted to me the privilege of leading the ministry of the N.C. Baptist Foundation for 25 years,” Warf said. “By announcing my retirement now, our prayer is that I would get to work alongside the incoming president for a period of time to ensure a smooth transition. Just as I want to finish strong, I want to do all that I can do to help the next president of the foundation to have a strong start.”
Rodney Hicks, chairman of the N.C. Baptist Foundation’s board of directors, thanked Warf for his service and praised him for his many accomplishments during his tenure.
“I have known Clay’s passion for the gospel and his servant’s heart well before his tenure with the N.C. Baptist Foundation,” Hicks said. “He has not missed a beat in his 25 years with the foundation as he has led us to heights unimaginable, not just in investment growth, but in services that enhance Baptist life across North Carolina. Even though we are talking about retirement, Clay is a visionary who plans to continue to expand the foundation’s services in his last year.
“Clay certainly has developed a legacy that will be sorely missed, but it’s a legacy that has laid a solid foundation for continued growth and excellence for Baptist life in perpetuity.”
Hicks, who also serves on staff at Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Durham, has appointed a search committee to find Warf’s successor. Robert Howard, longtime member of the foundation’s board of directors, is serving as chairman of the search team.
Other members of the search committee include: John Butler, director of operations for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina; Michael Cummings, a member of the foundation’s board of directors; and Dolly Pierce, chief financial officer of the foundation. Hicks is serving as an ex-officio member of the search team based on his role as chairman of the foundation’s board of directors.
Those interested in applying for the role or recommending prospective candidates for the search committee to consider may do so through a special online application available through the foundation’s website at ncbaptistfoundation.org/job-opportunities.
Under Warf’s leadership, the foundation’s assets under management have grown from $70 million to more than $165.6 million. The foundation also holds another $85 million in certificates of participation that supports its loan ministry. Warf also grew the number of trusts and endowments managed by the foundation and also added professional asset management consultants to assist with investments.
Warf raised the visibility of the foundation’s ministry by hiring area managers in the east and central parts of the state while also providing services that focus on Christian estate planning, academic scholarships, church loans and other local church ministries.
Warf became the fourth president of the N.C. Foundation on April 13, 1998, after serving for nearly 30 years as a pastor in Durham, N.C., and Roxboro, N.C.
Beginning in 1971, Warf served Temple Baptist Church in Durham for 21 years, first as associate pastor and then as senior pastor. Warf later served as senior pastor of Roxboro Baptist Church from January 1993 to April 1998.
As a pastor, Warf developed a heart for biblical teaching on finances and stewardship. When he joined the N.C. Baptist Foundation as president, Warf sought to raise awareness about the role of the foundation in N.C. Baptist churches.
A native of Reidsville, N.C., Warf attended Gardner-Webb Junior College and Wake Forest University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in religion. He went on to earn a master of divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctor of ministry degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Warf has also done clinical pastoral education at N.C. Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem.
Throughout his ministry, Warf has been active in N.C. Baptist life. He has served on the BSC’s general board, resolutions committee and World Hunger Task Force. Additionally, he previously served in a variety of capacities in the Yates Baptist Association and the Beulah Baptist Association.
Warf is married to Sherry Jones. They have three children and seven grandchildren.
The N.C. Baptist foundation is an incorporated agency of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. The foundation serves N.C. Baptists and others by generating awareness about principles of Christian estate stewardship as a means of “financially undergirding churches, institutions and missions endeavors on a permanent basis,” according to its mission statement.
With a single gift of $1,000 in 1920, the N.C. Baptist Foundation became the first Baptist foundation established in the United States.
To date, the foundation has distributed more than $200 million to approximately 575 ministries and charities. The foundation also administers an annual scholarship program that has awarded more than $1.2 million in financial aid since 2016. The foundation also oversees a church loan program that has made more than 200 loans totaling more than $118 million since 2009.
