Leaders remember Mitch McDonald, longtime ASBC staff member

Mitch McDonald, Arizona Southern Baptist Convention (ASBC) staff member for 22 years, died April 28 after a long illness. He was 64.

McDonald joined the state convention staff in 1998 and, through the years, served as evangelism director, church evangelism facilitator and missions facilitator.

“We are so thankful for the faithfulness of Mitch McDonald serving the kingdom of God and Southern Baptists,” said Monty Patton, Arizona Mission Network (formerly ASBC) executive director. “Mitch loved to serve pastors and churches in our state, helping them discover their evangelistic potential.”

McDonald is remembered for his passion for sharing Christ, genuinely caring about people as individuals, and starting or developing state convention ministries that are still significant today.

“Mitch was known and loved by many,” said David Johnson, director of the doctor of ministry program at Gateway Seminary and former Arizona Mission Network executive director. “He was the one who started Zona and our mission work in the Virgin Islands. He was instrumental in the development of Disaster Relief in Arizona, not to mention his long-term ministry at Foothills Southern Baptist Church in Yuma. There are many people who know Jesus today because of Mitch McDonald.”

The ongoing Zona Camp and Arizona Southern Baptist Disaster Relief ministries are part of McDonald’s legacy.

“Every time I read an article of a young person who met Jesus at Zona Youth Camp, or I see where a Disaster Relief team from Arizona is engaged in ministry, I smile and thank God for the life of Mitch,” said Steve Bass, former ASBC executive director/state missionary. “What an incredible visionary he was. And just think, his impact on Arizona will live on.”

Since Zona began in 2003, more than 14,000 campers have attended, over 1,200 have made professions of faith and about 400 have answered a call to ministry.

“Mitch’s life was marked by a passion to see people come to know Jesus and grow in their faith,” said Chad Murrell, lead pastor of Vista Church in Scottsdale and current Zona Camp director. “I saw that passion firsthand in his relentless commitment to Zona Camp, where he faithfully fought for the mission of reaching the next generation for the kingdom of God. We grieve his loss but rejoice in a life well lived for Christ. ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’”

Disaster Relief has been an active part of Arizona Southern Baptist ministry since at least late 2005. While McDonald initially served through his role as ASBC evangelism director, by the following year, he was the Arizona Disaster Relief team director.

“Mitch and a few other faithful Southern Baptists saw the kingdom value in giving a ‘cup of cold water in Jesus’ name,’” said Patty Kirchner, long-time Arizona Disaster Relief feeding unit manager. “Mitch led DR with enthusiasm, always encouraging new volunteers to grow their skills and availability. AZ SBDR has earned a reputation of excellence across the nation because of the foundation Mitch built.”

McDonald served as a missionary across the United States and around the world, sharing the gospel in 33 countries and preaching in person to more than 1 million people.

In Arizona, he began the Islands Project, a five-year partnership between Arizona Southern Baptist churches and churches in the U.S. Virgin Islands that started in 2008. The project, which included helping with local church ministries such as Vacation Bible School, sports clinics, leadership training and more, grew to include churches on the island of Dominica and Arizona Disaster Relief. The partnership with one Arizona church and a church in Dominica continued into 2020.

At the time of his death, McDonald was pastor of Sun Lakes Community Church in Sun Lakes, where he had served for almost seven years.

Serving in the ministry for more than 46 years, he was also pastor of Foothills Southern Baptist Church in Yuma and College Heights Baptist Church, associate pastor of Faith Community Church and transitional or interim pastor for dozens of churches.

Survivors include his wife, Mona; father-in-law, Bill; son Mike and wife Catherine; son Brad and wife Bekah; daughter Jessica and husband Tony; daughter Christina and fiancé Cody; and grandchildren Reagan, Wyatt, Jane, Jeremiah, Caroline, Heidi, Brooks, Anora and another grandson expected in November.

A memorial service will be held at Sun Lakes Community Church on May 16 at 10:30 a.m. The service will be livestreamed on the church’s Facebook page. That evening, a video of the service will be posted on the church’s website.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in McDonald’s name to Sun Lakes Community Church or Arizona Baptist Children’s Services.