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Ezell gives preview of new NAMB strategy
Baptist Press
January 28, 2011
6 MIN READ TIME

Ezell gives preview of new NAMB strategy

Ezell gives preview of new NAMB strategy
Baptist Press
January 28, 2011

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — North American Mission Board (NAMB) President

Kevin Ezell will propose new strategy, new vice presidents and a staff

reorganization when he meets with NAMB trustees at a board meeting scheduled

for Feb. 9 in Alpharetta, Ga.

The meeting comes almost exactly five months

after trustees voted to call Ezell as the entity’s president last Sept. 14.

Ezell issued a statement Jan. 28 in advance of the board meeting. (The complete

text of the statement is available at the end of this story.)

“I believe NAMB’s strategy needs to revolve around church planting that is

focused on penetrating lostness in North America,” Ezell said.

“We will

mobilize churches to become part of this church planting effort. Then we will

equip them for the task and help them get it done.”

NAMB graphic

When he meets with trustees Feb. 9, North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell will propose a regional approach to NAMB’s strategy implementation.

Ezell added, “This national strategy will be implemented regionally, working in

close partnership with state Southern Baptist conventions in a way that

prioritizes the largest areas of lostness. I am proposing that these five

regions — Northeast, South, Midwest, West and Canada — each have their own

leader who will report directly to me.”

Ezell will present trustees with two candidates as regional leaders. Stephen

Davis, who has served as executive director of the State Convention of Baptists

in Indiana since 2003, is to be considered as vice president-Midwest Region.

Davis “has provided great leadership at the Indiana Baptist State Convention

since 2003 and has pastored for three decades,” Ezell said. “I could not be

happier at the prospect of having Steve in this vital role.”

In addition, Ezell will present Jeff Christopherson as vice president-Canadian

Region. Christopherson currently serves in Toronto as a NAMB church planting

missionary.

“Jeff Christopherson has been one of our church planting

missionaries and is at the forefront of those efforts in Canada. He has proven

his great leadership and mobilizing abilities,” Ezell said.

Ezell said he will present two other vice presidential candidates to trustees

at the meeting as well.

In addition to presenting new strategy plans and vice presidential candidates

to trustees, Ezell will unveil a proposed organizational structure for NAMB

that reflects the entity’s re-defined priorities.

“As I have said over the past months, once we determine our strategy, we will

need to realign our organization in a way that will let us best carry out that

strategy. I will present that re-structuring to our trustees at February’s

meeting,” he said, adding, “There are not any staffing reductions associated

with this re-alignment.”

In order to reduce staffing costs and place more money on the mission field,

Ezell offered a retirement incentive package to Alpharetta-based NAMB employees

in late 2010. Savings from the 99 people who retired or chose a severance

package by year’s end is estimated to be $6 million.

Ezell thanked those who have been praying for him and for NAMB and said, “These

are exciting times, but also critical days as we forge ahead with what I believe

can be a new era of effectiveness for Southern Baptists.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Compiled by staff of the North American Mission Board.)

Full text of Ezell’s statement

I will be presenting several items to our Board of Trustees when I meet with

them February 9 and I wanted to share some of those details ahead of time.

  • Strategy and Approach

I believe NAMB’s strategy needs to revolve around church planting that is

focused on penetrating lostness in North America. We will mobilize churches to

become part of this church planting effort. Then we will equip them for the

task and help them get it done.

This national strategy will be implemented regionally, working in close

partnership with state Southern Baptist conventions in a way that prioritizes

the largest areas of lostness. I am proposing that these five regions — Northeast,

South, Midwest, West and Canada — each have their own leader who will report

directly to me.

  • New Personnel

I have been asking God and others to lead me to those who would be best equipped

to provide leadership for these regions. I am happy to say that I will present

two of those to our trustees in February.

    • VP — Midwest Region — Steve Davis

      I am proposing that Steve Davis, who has provided great leadership at the

      Indiana Baptist State Convention since 2003 and has pastored for three decades,

      should lead our efforts in the Midwest Region. I could not be happier at the

      prospect of having Steve in this vital role.

    • VP — Canadian Region — Jeff Christopherson

      Jeff Christopherson has been one of our church planting missionaries and is at

      the forefront of those efforts in Canada. He has proven his great leadership

      and mobilizing abilities. I will present him to lead the Canadian Region.

These are the only two regional vice presidents we will be presenting to our

trustees at this time, but I will present two other vice president candidates

at our meeting.

  • Organizational Structure

As I have said over the past months, once we determine our strategy, we will

need to re-align our organization in a way that will let us best carry out that

strategy. I will present that re-structuring to our trustees at February’s

meeting. There are not any staffing reductions associated with this

re-alignment.

I want to thank all of those who have been praying for me and the North

American Mission Board during these days of transition. These are exciting

times, but also critical days as we forge ahead with what I believe can be a

new era of effectiveness for Southern Baptists.

Serving Together,

Kevin Ezell

President, North American Mission Board, SBC

January 28, 2011

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