Bob Mayfield, former AZSBC facilitator, dies

Bob Mayfield, longtime ministry leader who served with Arizona Southern Baptists before joining Oklahoma Baptists state convention staff, died March 4 after a protracted battle with cancer. He was 65.

Mayfield left his home state of Texas to become minister of education at First Baptist Church in Chandler in 1996. In 2000, he joined the staff of the Arizona Church Growth Board as church ministries director and became the interim president three months later. When the Church Growth Board disbanded with the AZSBC reorganization in 2001, he joined the state convention staff as church ministries facilitator.

“We are saddened to hear about the loss of Bob Mayfield,” said David Johnson, AZSBC executive director. “I have heard from people around our state and across the country about the impact Bob made for churches to reach people through Sunday School and Bible study. Arizona Southern Baptists were blessed to have Bob serve on our convention staff for several years, and we still hear of the fruit of his work among us. Our hearts go out to the Mayfield family, and we pray God’s comfort and peace for them in this difficult time.”

Keith Henry, retired AZSBC church ministries facilitator who served on staff with Mayfield, said, “Bob was a great mentor and friend to me. Bob loved to equip Sunday School teams who would travel all across our state working with churches and associations to strengthen their Bible teaching programs. He had a passion for Sunday School and for discipleship. Bob loved to encourage churches and challenge pastors to have an intentional strategy for discipleship. Every Arizona Baptist I know would say it was a privilege to serve with this godly man.”

Mayfield left Arizona in 2005 to join Oklahoma Baptists’ staff in a similar position.

He held a degree from Texas Tech University and a master of arts degree in religious education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mayfield was a frequent speaker at Lifeway Sunday School events and managed a wide array of online training websites. He was author of two books – Missional Pivot Points and The 5 C’s of a Missional Group.

Hance Dilbeck, executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists, said, “Bob was a faithful servant. His leadership and passion for the Lord showed in many areas of life and ministry, including Sunday School, small groups ministry and evangelism. His ministry through the years has reached countless people, and because of his ministry, many people have come to know the Lord. Please be in prayer for his wife, Tracy, and their two grown children, Mary Kathryn and Zachary.”

–The Oklahoma Baptist Messenger contributed to this story.