Arizonans elected to SBC trustee, committee posts

Several Arizona Southern Baptists played a role or were elected to positions during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, June 9-10.

Andrew Bailey, pastor of Cross Church Surprise, was chosen to serve as the chair of the Committee on Order of Business for the 2027 annual meeting as part of his 2025-2027 term on the committee. This committee prepares the agenda for the convention and schedules everything that needs a vote. During the course of the convention, the chair gives several updates about the status and schedule of motions.

Jackie Allen, Send Network regional director, was elected as the alternate preacher for the 2027 convention in Indianapolis.

Chad Murrell, lead pastor of Vista Church (formerly First Southern Baptist Church) in Scottsdale, was elected to a trustee term expiring in 2028 with the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). He replaces Anthony Cox, pastor of Mercy Hill Church in Phoenix, who resigned. Murrell was initially elected as an interim trustee at the ERLC’s trustee meeting in March.

SBC Executive Committee members as well as directors and trustees of boards, institutions, commissions and standing committees of the convention are nominated by the Committee on Nominations and elected by messengers. Members of the Committee on Nominations are nominated by the Committee on Committees.

Arizona’s two members on the 2025-2026 Committee on Nominations were William Bagwell, a member of Vista Church in Scottsdale, and Don Vickers, associational mission strategist for Yuma Baptist Association.

Prior to the annual meeting, SBC President Clint Pressley appointed the Committee on Committees, which was tasked with nominating members to serve on the 2026-2027 Committee on Nominations. The two Arizonans on the Committee on Committees were Andrew Marchbanks, executive pastor of First Southern Baptist Church at Sahuaro Ranch in Glendale, and Brian McCoy, lead pastor of Foothills Baptist Church in Phoenix.

Elected at this year’s annual meeting to serve on the 2026-2027 Committee on Nominations were Steve Shook, a member of Foothills Baptist Church in Phoenix, and Ashley Evans, director of missional engagement for the Arizona Mission Network.

Also at the convention this year, during a Gateway Seminary luncheon on Wednesday, June 10, Pastor Jeremy Fass of Silent Hope Church in the East Valley received the distinguished alumni award.

Fass, who is deaf and leads the church with services in American Sign Language, graduated from Gateway Seminary’s Arizona campus with a master of theological studies. He has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and said that his seminary experience has equipped him to navigate the diagnosis.

Another Arizonan with a role at the annual meeting was Eric Woods, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Overgaard and associational mission strategist for Desert Pines Association. He served on the Registration Committee.