OAK ISLAND, N.C. — N.C. Baptist pastors and ministry leaders celebrated changed lives and prayed for more while also addressing business items and hearing ministry reports during the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s spring board of directors meeting, held May 19-20 at the Fort Caswell Coastal Retreat Center.

After a report to the board on baptisms that took place during the “Fill the Tank” emphasis following Easter, N.C. Baptist Executive Director-Treasurer (EDT) Todd Unzicker announced that a record number of youth are expected to attend summer programs at the state convention’s three camps at Truett, Caraway and Caswell.

Unzicker reported that just under 200 N.C. Baptist churches had reported more than 1,750 baptisms across the state in recent weeks, while looking ahead to the spiritual decisions that are anticipated at the convention’s camps this summer. Each year thousands of children and youth attend N.C. Baptist camps, where hundreds typically trust Christ as Savior, answer a call to ministry or make other significant spiritual decisions. 

“I pray this summer for a mighty harvest,” said Brian Upshaw, N.C. Baptists’ associate executive director-treasurer, during a prayer at the base of the stage in Hatch Auditorium at Fort Caswell, where he was joined by state convention staff and board members from churches whose students will attend one of the N.C. Baptist camps this summer. 

Prior to Upshaw’s prayer that concluded the opening session of the board meeting, Unzicker recognized Merrie Johnson, who this summer will celebrate 25 years coordinating N.C. Baptists’ summer youth weeks at Fort Caswell, which is also celebrating a milestone. This summer marks the 75th season of ministry at Caswell.

In addition to celebrating the public professions of faith through baptism and praying for summer ministry activities, board members took action on a handful of business items and heard a series of ministry reports over the course of the two-day meeting.

Following is a summary of those activities.

Financial report

State convention officials reported that giving to the Cooperative Program from N.C. Baptist churches through the end of April totaled more than $9.1 million, which is about 2.4% below the year-over-year total and about 11.6% behind the budget to date.

Giving to the North Carolina Missions Offering, however, is up more than 25.5% from last year, with more than $509,000 given toward the $2.6 million goal through the end of April. Gifts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering totaled more than $1.5 million, and gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering totaled more than $9.7 million through the end of April.

Additionally, N.C. Baptist officials announced that the state convention received a clean audit from an independent, public accounting firm for the 2024 fiscal year, and the board unanimously approved the audit report. The board voted to allocate 20% of net profits from 2024 into contingency reserves in accordance with state convention bylaws and allocated the remaining 80% into a reserve account to fund pro-life initiatives.

Generosity partnership

Unzicker also announced a new partnership between N.C. Baptists and Christian Money Solutions to provide financial discipleship resources to churches. The goal of the partnership is to train N.C. Baptists in biblical generosity so churches can give generously, save wisely and live on mission together. More information is available at www.ncbaptist.org/generosity.

Personnel items

The board’s executive committee, which met in conjunction with the full board meeting, unanimously affirmed two promotions from among the N.C. Baptist staff to new places of leadership and service. The executive committee serves as the state convention’s personnel committee.

Bradley Norris, who currently serves as the state convention’s human resources officer, was affirmed as N.C. Baptists’ next director of operations. Norris will succeed longtime operations director John Butler, who is retiring in the spring of 2026. Norris will serve alongside Butler as co-director of operations for a season until Butler’s retirement.

Additionally, Phillip Yarborough, who currently serves as director of Truett Conference Center and Camp in Hayesville, was tapped to become the next director of Caraway Conference Center near Asheboro. Yarborough will succeed longtime Caraway director Jimmy Huffman, who is retiring in the latter part of 2026. Yarborough will work alongside Huffman during a transitional period beginning at the end of this summer.

Fruitland advisory team

Board President Robert Hefner announced the recent formation of an advisory team to assist Fruitland Baptist Bible College in navigating the changing landscape of higher education, particularly as it relates to balancing on-campus and online learning. The team was formed at the request of Fruitland President David Horton, in consultation with Hefner and Pat Kilby, who serves as the chair of Fruitland’s board of directors. 

The six-member advisory committee is composed of individuals who possess a mix of experience and expertise in ministry, higher education and nonprofit organizations. Several team members are Fruitland alums or have strong ties to the school.

Members of the team are: Mike Dodson, director of leadership development for Hephzibah Baptist Church in Wendell; Josh Fraley, pastor of Euto Baptist Church in Marshville; Diana Hefner, wife of Robert Hefner and a Fruitland alumnus; Larry McDonald, a member of First Baptist Church of Hendersonville and an administrator at North Greenville University in Greenville, South Carolina; Steve Scoggins, pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church of Hendersonville and a Fruitland faculty member; and Dave Urban, a member of Mercy Church in Charlotte who has a variety of executive experience in marketing and development in Christian higher education.

Scoggins is serving as chair of the advisory team. The team will conduct assessments and offer recommendations for the future of Fruitland’s ministry over the course of the next year.

Additionally, Hefner appointed three members of the N.C. Baptist board’s executive committee to serve on the Fruitland nominating committee. They were: Justin Alexander, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Hendersonville; Jerry Lewis, pastor of Grace Community Church in Marion; and Aaron Swain, pastor of students and operations at Freedom Church in Lincolnton.

EDT search policy

The board also voted to send a proposed policy that would provide future executive director search committees guidance in conducting its work, as well as a proposed amendment to the policy, back to the state convention’s Articles and Bylaws Committee for further study and review.

The board voted last fall to authorize the N.C. Baptist human resources staff to develop the policy based on proposed changes to the state convention’s articles and bylaws regarding the EDT search process that were ultimately approved by messengers at last November’s annual meeting.

Earlier this year, the policy had been approved by the Articles and Bylaws Committee and affirmed by the executive committee of the board of directors.

However, some board members raised questions during this week’s meeting related to the electoral threshold required for a prospective EDT candidate throughout the search process. As written, the policy and the bylaws stipulate that a candidate needs a majority vote in order to be recommended by the board to the convention and a majority vote to ultimately be elected EDT.

After the Articles and Bylaws Committee conducts its review, the policy will come back to the board for consideration.

Bylaw update

The board also voted to recommend completely striking a section from the bylaws related to designating members of the N.C. Baptist Christian Life and Public Affairs Committee to serve as trustees with the Christian Action League. 

In September 2024, the Christian Action League’s board of directors voted to disband the organization, thereby making that section of the state convention’s bylaws outdated.

The proposed bylaw change will now go before messengers attending the N.C. Baptist annual meeting this November in Greensboro.

Next meeting

The next regularly scheduled N.C. Baptist board of directors meeting is slated for Sept. 22-23 at Caraway Conference Center near Asheboro.