FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2007
Geoffrey A. Hammond recommended as president-elect
Of North American Mission Board, SBC
Full board of Trustees to vote at Special Called March 20-21 meeting
ALPHARETTA, GA.—The President Search Committee of the North American Mission Board trustees today recommended that Dr. Geoffrey A. Hammond become the agency’s next president. Hammond is Senior Associate Director of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia.
NAMB’s full board of trustees will vote on the recommendation at a March 20-21 special called meeting in Alpharetta. If approved, Hammond would become NAMB’s president-elect, officially beginning his duties at the May 8-9 Board meeting and starting full-time on May 22, according to committee chairman Greg Faulls.
“Dr. Hammond has proven himself to be a successful leader, strategist, and practitioner in church planting missions and evangelism throughout his ministry career,” Faulls said. “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.”
Hammond, 49, was born in Nigeria to missionary parents serving with the Foreign Mission Board, SBC. He earned the equivalent of a Business Degree in Administration in Zimbabwe, passing the final examination of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators (UK). He is a graduate of Spurgeon’s Seminary in London, England, as well as earning the Doctor of Ministry Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, majoring in Evangelism and Missions.
He has served throughout his career as pastor, church planter, staff member of mega-churches, IMB missionary to Brazil, seminary professor, director of missions, NAMB appointed missionary, church planting strategist, and for the past five years as a Senior Associate State Executive. “Hammond understands missions at every level. He has proven skills and experience planting churches and strategically directing church planting in associations and a state convention. He is gifted in leadership and adept in the areas of business administration. He is bilingual and has a grasp of the complexity and diversity of the harvest field and clearly understands the importance and dynamics of NAMB’s relationships with her state partners,” said Faulls. “In addition he is fully supportive of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.”
Hammond and his wife, Deborah, have two sons: Timothy and Nicholas.
“Our president search committee has been thorough and prayerful in seeking God’s man for NAMB,” said Bill Curtis, Chairman of the Board. “I can say with confidence that the search committee has worked diligently on the behalf of Southern Baptists and the Board throughout this process, and they look forward to bringing a report on the journey and to presenting Dr. Geoff Hammond at the March Board meeting.”
Curtis also said, “I wish to express my gratitude to every member of the NAMB staff. During the past year I have observed our wonderful staff rise to every challenge with faith and cooperation. As we prepare to move into a new phase of NAMB’s history, I am confident that the staff and our committed missionaries will continue to rise as they work together in advancing evangelism, church planting, and the strengthening of churches throughout North America.”
“As a third generation missionary, my heartbeat has always been reaching people with the Gospel no matter where they live,” said Hammond. “I believe the North American Mission Board is the greatest missionary agency for reaching North America for Christ and it is the greatest honor of my life to be nominated for this position.”
The recommendation of Hammond follows an intense ten-month search that began with the committee’s commitment to continually pray, follow a thorough, patient process, and resist outside political maneuvers. “We determined what we were going to do was seek God’s man. There was never a predetermined person. We were faithful to follow our process and allow God to reveal His choice,” Faulls said. “We considered a wide variety of candidates from all corners of Southern Baptist life: pastors, seminary professors, state executives, missionaries, evangelists, as well as staff members of denominational agencies.”
NAMB, an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, is led by a 60-member board of trustees. Last April 2006, after the resignation of former president Dr. Bob Reccord, then board chairman Barry Holcomb appointed a nine-member search committee: Chairman Greg Faulls (KY), Vice-Chairman David Crump (OK), Dennis Culbreth (VA), Ellie Ficken (AL), Terry Fox (KA), Barbara McCormick (SC), Michael Palmer (ID), Ryan Palmer (MD), and Jeff Shirley (TX).
NAMB is the largest Missions Agency commissioned to reach North America. In partnership with State Conventions the agency appoints over 5,000 missionaries throughout the United States and Canada for the primary purpose of evangelization and church planting. Southern Baptists support the work of NAMB primarily through Cooperative Program giving and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.
Posted by Marty Duren in SBC, News, NAMB