S.C. executive director search team announced

Steve Hogg, chairman of the South Carolina Baptist Convention’s Executive Board, has announced the make-up of the search committee for the next executive director-treasurer.

The announcement came May 11 after Gary Hollingsworth shared his retirement plans with the Executive Board on April 26. He will retire on April 30, 2023, which will complete his tenure of seven years and three months as the head of the state’s largest denomination.

The committee includes seven members and one ex-officio, non-voting member:

• Ian Geimer, chairman, pastor of First Baptist, Kingstree

• Tim Coker, pastor of Central Baptist, Darlington

• Steve Cannon, pastor of Millbrook Baptist, Aiken

• Talmadge Tobias, member of Grace Baptist, Sumter

• Donna Gilmore, member of Roebuck Baptist, Spartanburg

• Ben Harr, pastor of Willow Swamp Baptist, Norway

• Steve Hogg, pastor of First Baptist, Rock Hill

• Albert Allen (ex-officio, non-voting), pastor of First Baptist, Newberry, and president-elect of the SCBC

Hogg has requested that Baptists across the state pray for the search team and the process of presenting a new leader to the SCBC. “I ask that each pastor lead the church he serves in praying on a Sunday morning for God to lead us and for His will to be done,” he said. “God already knows who the next executive director-treasurer will be. It is now up to us to seek Him until He reveals to us His choice.”