Doers of the Word: 2024 National Convention | July 21-24 | Tampa, FL

Sun. Shower. Sun. Steam. Repeat.

Tampa’s tropical weather certainly met expectations as 4,000-plus Free Will Baptists gathered for the 88th convention of the National Association of Free Will Baptists July 21-24. Brilliant sunshine gave way to towering thunderstorms, followed by sweltering humidity. But the showers didn’t dampen spirits. In fact, no one really seemed to mind. As usual, Free Will Baptists were simply happy to be together. From worship services and seminars to business sessions and fellowship, the denomination came together to consider what it means to be Doers of the Word.

Sunday morning, after Gary Clark (FL) taught Sunday School, Dr. Bob Brown (FL) encouraged listeners to do the Word by embracing trials (James 1). Sunday evening, Josue Suarez (FL) offered a challenge to do the Word by treating others well (James 2). Monday, Chaplain Brad Hanna (VA) reminded the congregation doing the Word means taming the tongue (James 3). Tuesday, Reuben Cason (NC) encouraged listeners to do the Word by enduring suffering (James 5:7-12). Wednesday, following a commissioning service for new church planters, international missionaries, and field workers, Noah Taylor (TN) reminded listeners every believer has a responsibility to do the Word by reaching the world.

This year’s convention music can only be described as powerful, preparing attendees to hear the convicting, encouraging messages. Kevin Justice and the Convention Music Team did a masterful job planning services. Some musical highlights (among many others) included the Ebenezer FWB Church Hispanic Choir from Miami, Florida; “It’s Still the Cross” featuring a 12-voice Convention Ensemble; “Until Then” featuring Chad Donoho and the Convention Choir; “Such an Awesome God” with soloist Audrey Hollifield; and a children’s choir on Wednesday evening.

Attendees gathered Sunday afternoon for washing of the saints’ feet. During the Sunday evening service, they observed the Lord’s Supper, setting a clear tone of humility and service for the convention to follow.

Sweltering Saturday

IMPACT Tampa, the annual outreach and service event held the Saturday before the convention, enjoyed a great turnout this year. More than 100 volunteers from five states and ten churches met at First FWB Church Tampa to assemble 200 bags of supplies for the homeless community then dispersed into smaller work groups. Each group visited one of three locations: downtown Tampa to deliver the assembled bags to the homeless; Eisenhower Middle School for a painting project; and Oak Park Middle School for landscaping, sodding, painting, and assembling furniture. These hardworking teams gave their morning (and early afternoon) to make a difference in Tampa. Sunshine and sweat didn’t slow them down, and volunteers enjoyed serving together.

“We were glad to see such a great turnout,” said Director Ken Akers. “Our volunteers were able to accomplish a great deal despite the heat. IMPACT provides a great testimony and example to the host city. Thanks to all who went out of their way to take part.”

Tori Matlock, Oklahoma church planter and volunteer, said, “The annual IMPACT event provides a great reminder we can impact our own communities. I hope you plan to be part of IMPACT Kansas City next year...but don’t wait until then! See how your church can impact your own community in the meantime.”

More Than Meetings

While the annual convention thrives on worship services, it is much more than a series of meetings and services. The week is punctuated by special events, training (90-plus seminars, workshops, or panels this year alone), fellowship, networking, exhibits, promotional opportunities for denominational and global endeavors, and programs for children and youth. Executive Director Eddie Moody, not mincing words about his feelings, exclaimed, “We need the convention! It is a crucial part of denominational health.”

Serious Business

The convention also provides a forum for the denomination’s annual business session and other meetings of boards and commissions.

General Board. The General Board meeting began Monday, July 22, with a message from Moderator Tim York (TN) from Colossians 2:19, encouraging listeners to have a direct connection to Christ, the Head of the Church, the source of power for life, church, and denomination.

The board heard reports from nine national agencies and four commissions during a two-hour, 30-minute meeting. The board approved three recommendations from the Executive Committee, including a recommendation to approve the 2025 denominational budget of $33.9 million and a recommendation to change the title of the executive secretary of the Executive Office to executive director (requiring a constitutional change). The board also recommended the acceptance of Puerto Rico into the National Association as a district association.

During Tuesday and Wednesday business sessions, delegates heard reports from national departments and agencies and approved all recommendations. When it came to a vote on Puerto Rico, delegates enthusiastically approved the new district with a resounding vote of “¡Sí!”

Executive Office. Executive Director Eddie Moody identified challenges facing Free Will Baptist pastors and churches before introducing solutions offered by the Executive Office: Know Your Community, The Hope Initiative, Bless Every Home, First Aid Ready, pastoral placement and The Shepherding Initiative, Refresh counseling, college-student engagement resources, social media graphics and resources, and printed resources. More details about these resources and tools can be found at nafwb.org/resources.

Moody also addressed significant financial challenges surrounding the National Convention, which has experienced a deficit for five successive years, and expects a loss of $83,000 in 2024. He encouraged the denomination to offset these expenses through 1) increased convention offerings;
2) increased giving to the Executive Office and D6 Family Ministry (which underwrite the costs of the National Convention and Vertical 3 Conference); and 3) an increased number of churches giving offerings directly to the convention. Moody encouraged delegates to give to The Together Way Trust, to help the office get ahead of a difficult financial situation. “You have my word,” Moody concluded. “When you give to us, we will take that money and pour it back into you.”

Richland Ave Financial (Board of Retirement). Director John Brummitt noted overall enrollments and contributions were up in 2023, and 2024 continues these positive trends. Since 2016, funds have grown from $54 million to $120 million. This increase reflects the expansion in participant retirement accounts as well as enrollment of new participants — more than a thousand over the last eight years. Additionally, the board has become more involved in financial training for churches and ministries.

Brummitt celebrated new investment options and strategies, making the Retirement Plan more attractive to potential investors, including a new guaranteed rate plan, an attractive option for investors needing to safeguard their funds. He also pointed to an increased emphasis on communication: social media, Re:Invest podcast, educational materials, and more resources available at reinvestfwb.com. “While the Lord has really blessed our office,” Brummitt concluded, “we don’t think He is done with our department yet!”

Following his report, Brummitt shared the historical basis for the department’s proposed name change to Richland Ave Financial, denoting the location of the first national office building on Richland Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee. Delegates approved the requested change.

Free Will Baptist Foundation. Director David Brown described 2023 as a challenging year, with the department’s first significant outflow of assets. Total assets declined from $114.9 million in 2022 to $82.2 million in 2023, a total of $32.7 million. The downturn resulted from rising interest rates the Foundation could not match immediately, leading investors to take advantage of higher rates elsewhere. (Although $24.5 million reflects a withdrawal by a single investor.)

Brown described this difficult period as a good test for the Foundation’s portfolio, which responded well, and delivered outgoing money in a timely manner. Recent adjustments to the portfolio have made it possible to raise interest rates to 5-5.5%, depending on investment amount. Despite the difficulties, the Foundation enjoyed positive income of $443,000. “We have a proven track record,” Brown continued. “What is happening right now is an aberration. The Federal Reserve generally does not raise [interest] rates this fast.”

Even with the challenges, the Foundation awarded $500,000 in ministry grants in April, bringing the total grants distributed to more than $5 million for 142 ministries. Brown encouraged Free Will Baptists to continue to help make the grant program possible by investing in the department’s demand notes program and charitable investment funds. Estate planning continues successfully, helping 2,654 denominational families to date, with an estimated ministry impact of $38.5 million in estate gifts. Brown encouraged pastors and associations to take advantage of this wonderful resource for Free Will Baptists.

North American Ministries. David Crowe brought greetings on behalf of 52 church planting families who oversee 88 church plants — 34 English-speaking and 54 Spanish-speaking — dispersed across 23 states, two U.S. territories, Canada, and Mexico; 16 chaplains; ten staff families; and nine board member families. He highlighted partnerships NAM has established with each Free Will Baptist department and agency, working together to make a difference in ministry.

Crowe anticipated the August 2024 reopening of the Hispanic Bible Institute in North Carolina on the campus of Parkers Chapel FWB Church, noting the school “will be a game-changer for Free Will Baptist Hispanic ministry.” The Church Extension Loan Fund (CELF) continues to be financially healthy. CELF made $2.3 million in 2023, and finished with more than $900,000 in surplus, even after contributions to the general fund and church planter accounts. The department (including all facets of ministry) finished $880,000 in the black in 2023, and these positive financial trends continue in 2024.

WNAC. Director Ruth McDonald emphasized any woman attending a Free Will Baptist church is part of Free Will Baptist women’s ministry. She expressed delight at meeting Free Will Baptist women across the country during her travels. She noted the continuing missions (and giving to missions) emphasis for the department, with nearly a half million dollars given by women in 2023.

This generosity allowed WNAC to underwrite the expenses of a Bulgarian Women’s Retreat in
2024, bringing the nation’s women together for encouragement, training, and fellowship for the first time in many years. The department offers numerous training and discipleship opportunities for women, including the As You Go podcast, Treasure Bible study guide, scholarships, and more. Because monthly support was down slightly in 2023, McDonald encouraged regular, monthly support from churches and individuals through The Giving Tree to help these ministries continue.

In October, Mexico will host its first Shine! conference for girls and young women. The Shine! 2025 conference will take place February 1 at The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee, and will be available in simulcast. Learn more at shinefwb.com or wnac.org.

Following her report, McDonald honored outgoing board members Amy Johnson (chair), Sarah Sargent, and Kristi Shores.

D6 Family Ministry. Director Ron Hunter Jr. described his report as a “family meeting,” as he addressed difficult topics and offered “plain talk” about the direction of the department. He shared troubling statistics regarding Christian publishing, as many denominational publishing houses have closed or diminished. D6 Family Ministry is facing many of the same challenges as these other publishers — inflation and (the lack of) income.

Production expenses rose while the number of Free Will Baptist churches shrank, reducing the number of churches ordering curriculum, and leading to a shortfall in funding. In response to these challenges and with determination to operate the department responsibly, D6 Family Ministry is making changes where possible to Vertical 3 Conference programming and reducing peripheral (non-essential though important) ministries. Hunter challenged the denomination to support D6 Family Ministry regularly as a “D6 Family Hero” to make it possible to get ahead of the financial challenges.

In conjunction with his report, Hunter honored outgoing board members Mike Mounts (OH) and Chairman Mike Trimble (MI).

IM, Inc. General director Clint Morgan celebrated a 90-year milestone for IM, Inc. The department embraces the legacy of previous generations by continuing the mission and building upon nine decades of work. He thanked the denomination for more than $9 million in contributions to IM in 2023, record giving for the third year in a row. However, he also warned about shortfalls in the general fund, which underwrites the IM office, partnerships, and more.

Morgan spelled out six key tasks for IM and how each was fulfilled in 2023:

1. ministering to 54,737 people’s needs through 155 ministry centers;
   

2. sharing the gospel resulted in 6,319 conversions in 2023;
   

3. discipling new believers reflected by 2,732 baptisms;
   

4. planting churches, with 49 new places of worship, 79 churches self-supporting, and 376 preaching points;
   

5. training leaders through 15 Bible institutes and training centers with 499 students;
   

6. partnering with the Body of Christ to fulfill the Great Commission through 28 partnerships in 41 countries.

In 2023, 1,136 churches met outside North America, and believers beyond the U.S. have grown from 35,537 in 2020 to 57,417 last year. These remarkable statistics surpassed the existing five-year goals set by IM in 2020, and Morgan introduced five “extreme” goals for the next decade:

1. Grow individual donors from 3,609 to 7,000.
   

2. Have 225 IM board-commissioned missionaries.
   

3. Meet three major financial objectives: $1 million WMO; $3 million in the GROW endowment; and $10 million in the CORNERSTONE endowment.
   

4. See Free Will Baptists overseas share the gospel with one million people.
   

5. Double the number of Free Will Baptists outside North America.

“When we see what God has done in, with, and through IM over the past ten years, we could be impressed,” Morgan concluded, “but if we could see where God is taking us, we would be awed!”

Following Morgan’s report, Board Chairman Rodney Yerby honored outgoing board members Mark Price (OH) and Janice Banks (TX). Morgan honored long-time missionaries Donnie McDonald (Japan) and Jerry and Barbara Gibbs (France) as they ended their service with IM.

Welch College. President Matt Pinson observed Great Commission ministry continues to be the heart of Welch’s mission, and the college’s greatest distinction remains its Christian worldview approach to higher education, standing in contrast to widespread secular progressivism throughout higher education.

Pinson highlighted the college’s ongoing commitment to excellence reflected in high rankings among colleges and universities; new academic programs, including the new, fully-online Master of Arts degree in organizational leadership; along with master’s degrees in ministry and humanities, teaching, and divinity.

He identified ongoing challenges facing Christian higher education: lingering post-COVID financial and enrollment issues; the widespread availability of inexpensive online degrees or state-funded degrees; and greater skepticism regarding higher education in general. Welch also deals with a declining number of Free Will Baptist churches. Though reaching a higher percentage of Free Will Baptist young people, the pool of potential students has shrunk. “But God is still meeting our needs,” Pinson encouraged listeners. “He is holding our hands through these difficult inflationary post-COVID days.”

Following his report, Pinson honored outgoing board member Will Beauchamp (FL).

Commission for Theological Integrity. Chairman Matt Pinson invited listeners to attend the 2024 Theological Symposium, October 7-8, on the campus of Welch College. The commission is currently producing a new volume of Integrity Journal and will soon release the premier issue of De Doctrina, an occasional newsletter.

Historical Commission. Eric Thomsen thanked the denomination for improved record keeping, with current minutes coming in better than they have in many years. He thanked Free Will Baptist Foundation for a 2024 grant to produce a devotional book from late board member Dr. Mary Ruth Wisehart, to be released in July 2025. Finally, on behalf of the entire commission, he thanked outgoing commission chairman, Robert E. Picirilli, for 51 years of service. Delegates gave Picirilli a rising vote of thanks after a motion from Welch College President Matt Pinson.

Music Commission. Chairman Doug Little introduced a new initiative called “Grow Your Own Musicians” to help develop music programs in local churches, from training and education to revitalization. “Your Music Commission is doing what we can, any time we can, and wherever we can to come alongside churches and help,” Little concluded. Churches seeking more information can visit fwbmusic.com.

Media Commission. Josh Owens emphasized the commission’s attention to special needs in the online audience after adding Deaf interpretation, Spanish translation, and more. He thanked the Foundation for grants making the expansion possible. In addition to its role at the convention, the Media Commission works with churches and ministries, collaborating, training, and equipping others in media ministry. The commission honored Jeremy Smith for his work and acknowledged the passing of founding Media Commission members Sandy Goodfellow and Guy Owens.

Convention at a Glance

Registration

National Convention – 3,655
Vertical Three – 3,030
Total (Unique) Attendees – 4,103*
*Note: Many attendees register
for both conventions.

Speakers

Sunday School, July 21
Gary Clark (FL)

Sunday Morning, July 21
Bob Brown (FL)

Sunday Evening, July 21
Josue Suarez (FL)

Monday Evening, July 22
CH Brad Hanna (VA)

Tuesday Evening, July 23
Reuben Cason (NC)

Wednesday Evening, July 24
Noah Taylor (TN)

2025 Budgets

D6 Family Ministry - $5,530,250
Executive Office - $1,008,216
Foundation - $2,358,612
IM, Inc. - $10,600,000
NAM (includes Master’s
Men) - $5,000,000
Retirement - $891,750
Welch College – $8,120,408
WNAC - $316,700
Theological Commission - $6,500
Historical Commission - $6,035
Media Commission - $11,150
Music Commission - $8,350

Total – $33,857,971

Elected in 2024

Executive Committee
Chris Dotson (TN)
Reuben Cason (NC)
James Coffelt (OK)

WNAC
Melanie Franks (AL)
Angie Frazier (FL)
Ashley Alphin (OH)

D6 Family Ministry
Kendall Ross (AR)
Kevin Barnett (AR)
Mark Price (OH)

IM, Inc.
Darren Walker (NC)
Casey Cariker (OK)
Paul Etterling (OH)

IM, Inc. – 2026 Unexpired Term
Chris Todd (OK)

Welch College
Tim Campbell (AR)
Theron Scott (SC)
Josue Suarez (FL)

Commissions
Theological – Cory Thompson (OK)
Media – Josh Owens (TN), Isaiah Grimes (VA)
Music – Kevin Justice (NC)
Historical – Philip Morgan (TN)

The following boards did not elect members in 2024: Free Will Baptist Foundation, North American Ministries, Richland Ave Financial (Board of Retirement).

Nominating Committee 2024-25
Jimmy Lawson (MI), Chair
Clint Adams (GA)
Travis Alexander (AR)
Lanney Ard (SC)
Chris Dotson (TN)
Stephen Hood (AZ)
Carol Thompson (OK)

2024 Resolutions Committee
Ken Simpson (MO), Chair
John Collier (TX)
Mark Harrison (CA)
Jason Miller (AL)
Gene Williams (NC)

2024 Vertical Three Conference
Registration – 3,030
Truth & Peace – 129 participants
Competitive Entries: 878
Buck-A-Week Offering: $4,080*

* Initial count may be adjusted.

Contributors

Reporters: Eric Thomsen, Tori Matlock
Vertical Three: Claire Ryan
Photographers: Rodney Yerby,
Sydney McClure, Michael E. Rogers, Jeremy Correa,

Download Photos:
nafwb.yerbyphoto.com