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Just as Southern Baptists commissioned its second largest group of missionaries, the denomination's domestic missions agency is considering a recommendation for its new head.
The presidential search committee of the North American Mission Board on Thursday recommended Geoffrey A. Hammond, senior associate director of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia state convention, as the next president.
A vote on Hammond is scheduled to take place at a March 20-21 meeting, over a year since the former head stepped down.
"Dr. Hammond has proven himself to be a successful leader, strategist and practitioner in church planting missions and evangelism throughout his ministry career," said Greg Faulls, chairman of the search committee, according to Baptist Press.
Hammond has served in the capacity of pastor, church planter, International Mission Board missionary to Brazil, seminary professor, and director of missions among other positions. If votes at the upcoming meeting are in favor of Hammond, he would officially take post in May, according to Faulls.
"NAMB is a missions agency in need of a strong leader with the mind of a missiologist and with a vision to strategically mobilize an army of missionaries who will spread the Gospel and plant churches throughout an ethnically diverse North America," said Faulls.
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Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page expressed his full support for the recommendation.
"I told him (Hammond) of my desire to become his greatest cheerleader as he takes on this massive responsibility," said Page, according to the Baptist Press.
The search for a new NAMB head began one year ago after Dr. Bob Reccord resigned amid critical reports questioning his leadership and the mission agency's effectiveness. Reccord left his leadership post with the support and praise of many Southern Baptist leaders.
The search committee has taken its time to find the next president. "We determined what we were going to do was seek God's man," noted Faulls.
Earlier this week, NAMB commissioned 128 missionaries and chaplains, representing 66 ministry locations in 29 states and one Canadian province, for service. The commissioning comes as more believers are calling the United States one of the largest mission fields as it becomes increasingly unchurched.
"We have a lot of people out here who don't know what a Southern Baptist truly is, and who are learning what a home missionary is," said Wayne A. Barber, senior pastor of Hoffmantown Church in Albuquerque, N.M., where the commissioning service took place.
"To most people, missionaries are all in Africa. They don’t realize that we have a home mission field here and that, in fact, New Mexico is a tremendous mission state."
