ATLANTA – Terry Hamrick, coordinator of missional visioning at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, announced he will retire effective June 30, 2012, after more than 15 years as a part of the Atlanta Resource Center’s senior leadership team.
“It has been a joy to be a part of CBF’s many transitions since its beginning,” said Hamrick, 61. “I have focused on transitions in CBF, in congregations, in culture and now in my own ministry. I am excited about where this transition might lead.”
Hamrick plans on continuing his ministry by teaching, writing and working with congregations, but he is still discerning what that next step might be.
The North Carolina native joined the staff in October of 1996 as coordinator of church resources after serving as the minister of education at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, from 1990 to 1996. He transitioned into the coordinator of the Leadership Development initiative in 2000 after the Fellowship’s strategic plan was adopted.
He has been instrumental in leading a partnership with the Lilly Endowment Inc. that has resulted in more than $3 million in grants for the Fellowship’s Initiative for Ministerial Excellence and $1 million for the Ecosystem for Developing Missional Leaders Initiative. This partnership has produced a number of innovative programs, including peer learning groups for church staff ministers, pastoral residencies, funded sabbaticals for clergy, a pastors-scholars studio that brings together seminar faculty with local pastors, doctoral student network and church internships for college students.
Under his leadership, the Fellowship has created more than 90 peer learning groups involving more than 500 ministers, provided 30 seminary graduates two-year residencies in churches, funded 100 sabbatic leaves for pastors and matched 150 students with churches for paid summer internships.
“Terry is a person of vision and passion whose influence in CBF has been transformative,” said CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal. “He loves Christ’s church as much as anybody I know and has given his life to helping local congregations learn how to become the people of God in today’s world. I am deeply grateful for his ministry among us as well as his friendship.”
Hamrick holds a bachelor’s degree from Mars Hill College, a master’s degree in religious education from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctorate in education from the University of Georgia. In addition to serving on the staff at Broadway, Hamrick was minister of education at First Baptist Church, Decatur, Ga.; First Baptist Church, Somerset, Ky.; and DeHaven Memorial Baptist Church in LaGrange, Ky.
Widely published, Hamrick has also consulted with dozens of congregations and led numerous retreats, conferences and seminars.
No decisions on the future of the position will be made until recommendations are returned from the 2012 Task Force and the new executive coordinator is named.
CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.
