South Carolina pastor David Sons has been named chairman of the 2023 Committee on Resolutions for the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, June 13–14, in New Orleans.
Sons is pastor of Lake Murray Baptist Church, Lexington, where he has served since 2015. SBC President Bart Barber made the announcement to Baptist Press on Wednesday, March 29. Barber named Kristen Ferguson, chair of educational leadership and director of online education for Gateway Seminary, as vice chair of the committee.
“Resolutions are an important part of our cooperative work as Southern Baptists,” said Barber, who released the full list of committee members, in a statement. “I anticipate with excitement the work that this top-notch team will produce for our consideration in New Orleans.”
Sons graduated from North Greenville University with a bachelor’s degree in communications, and he received his master of divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Currently serving as vice chair of the SBC Executive Committee, Sons also serves on the EC presidential search committee and chairs the EC study group formed as directed by a messenger motion to evaluate the role of Baptist Press.
“I’m humbled and honored to have been asked to serve our Convention of churches as chairman of this committee,” Sons said. “Resolutions play a critical role to empower messengers to the annual meeting with the ability to speak clearly to important issues in our culture and Convention.
“The resolutions process works best,” he noted, “when the broadest swath of Southern Baptist opinion is represented in a resolution.”
Other committee members include the following:
— Julio Arriola, director of Send Network Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and member, Eagles View Church, Fort Worth, Texas.
— Dani Bryson, member of First Baptist Church Dickson, Tennessee.
— Rob Collingsworth, member of Redemption Story Church, Fort Worth, Texas.
— Jennifer Cook, member of Second Baptist Church Conway, Arkansas.
— Anthony Dockery, pastor of St. Stephen Baptist Church, La Puente, California.
— Kristen Ferguson, member of 11th Street Baptist Church, Upland, California.
— Stacy Gaylord, pastor of LifeWay Church, Billings, Montana.
— John David Laing, minister to senior adults for Meadow Brook Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama.
— Malcolm Yarnell, research professor of theology for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and teaching pastor, Lakeside Baptist Church, Granbury, Texas.
Resolutions
The Resolutions Committee will receive recommended resolutions from throughout the convention for consideration and then will present a slate of resolutions for messengers to the 2023 SBC annual meeting.
The committee may combine, title or retitle, and reword submitted resolutions, and it may also submit resolutions of its own making. The 2023 resolution submission window opens April 15 and concludes no later than 15 days prior to the annual meeting.
“A resolution has traditionally been defined as an expression of opinion or concern, as compared to a motion, which calls for action. A resolution is not used to direct an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention to specific action other than to communicate the opinion or concern expressed. Resolutions are passed during the annual Convention meeting,” sbc.net states. Resolutions are not binding on local churches.
To learn more on how to submit a resolution, click here.
