Thank you, South Carolina Baptists, for allowing me the privilege to serve as your president this year. The cooperative work we do together as Southern Baptists has been a part of my life from my earliest childhood memories. I remember hearing from both North American and International missionaries at my church who were supported through the Cooperative Program and our special missions offerings.
Every Christmas season, I would collect all the change I could find to give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. I remember my first international mission trip at age 19, which was a partnership between SCBaptists and Romanian Baptists. Because of SCBaptists, my vision was expanded and my heart deepened for world missions.
My eyes were opened on a grander scale to the work of SCBaptists when I was given the opportunity to preach two summers during my college years on one of our SCBaptist youth evangelism teams. I was trained by Bill Mackey and Bobby Jackson to go to churches each week in our state to lead revivals. Those summers, when I was only in my early 20s, showed me all the ways we work together to advance the gospel. When I started hearing about all we did as SCBaptists and seeing all the ministries from a “behind the scenes” perspective those summers, I knew that working together was better.
As I preached in churches throughout South Carolina, I saw firsthand that we are comprised of unique churches in all types of settings, yet we unite together for the sake of the gospel. I learned regardless of a church’s size or location that all churches are a part of something bigger than themselves for God’s glory when Baptists join hands in partnership.
After college, I went to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. I was able to get a theological education and practical training for ministry, thanks to my greater Baptist family. Once again, my eyes were opened to the impact we make collectively in preparing future missionaries and ministers.
And now as I look back over the past 26 years of pastoring churches of all sizes in various parts of our state, I see how every church I have served continues to be part of something amazing that no church could do alone. We call it the Cooperative Program — but for me it is much more than a “program,” it is personal. Our cooperative efforts were a part of my call to ministry, confirmation in my calling, training for ministry and a part of developing this pastor’s heart for how I lead Riverland Hills Baptist Church today.
This is why the theme for this year’s annual meeting is “One.” Our unified efforts have worked, and continue to work today! We rally around One Gospel, doing it as One Family so One More person can hear the gospel both at home and abroad. Our unity of mission is so important that our Savior Jesus Christ prayed for it to happen. Recorded in John 17:23 is Jesus’ prayer, which says, “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” Wow! He prays for us to be perfectly one so the lost world will know that Jesus was sent to save souls.
This is a high calling! Jesus wants to use your church to show broken and hurting people in your community that He was sent for them. I’m excited about this 2026 annual meeting theme, but I am more passionate about applying it in my life and my church each day this year. Let’s not wait until we gather in November to be “One” but start right now, right where God has placed you. We really are better together!
— Ryan Pack, senior pastor of Riverland Hills Baptist Church in Irmo, is 2026 president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.