Greg Addison, the Associate Executive Director of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) has announced his plan to leave his current position to join the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) as the Executive Vice President. In his new role, Addison will work alongside long-time Arkansas Baptist and current SBC President & CEO Dr. Ronnie Floyd.
Addison joined the ABSC in 2014 after serving two terms as the President of the ABSC. Dr. J.D. “Sonny” Tucker, Executive Director of the ABSC said, “Greg will be greatly missed because of his vital role on our staff and his incredible ministry to Arkansas Baptists. However, we are excited he will continue to be a ministry partner serving the SBC.” Reflecting on his time at the ABSC, Addison remarked, “It has been an honor to serve Arkansas Baptists. I have been blessed to support the vision of Dr. Tucker in calling Arkansas Baptists to pray for revival and spiritual awakening, plant more churches to reach more people, and take the Gospel to every part of Arkansas.”
As Associate Executive Director, Addison provided support to Dr. Tucker in administrative responsibilities such as personnel and risk analysis; strategy development for the Dixie Jackson State Missions Offering; and special projects, to name a few. In addition, he also helped establish the communications team at the ABSC and led the emphasis on training churches in matters of sexual abuse and child safety. Addison also served Arkansas Baptist churches directly through preaching and serving as interim pastor at numerous ABSC churches.
Prior to joining the ABSC staff, Addison moved to the state from Memphis,Tennessee in 2002 to become the Senior Pastor at East Side Baptist Church in Paragould. After serving East Side for five years, God moved Addison to First Baptist Church in Cabot where he served until his current role. He was active in ABSC life while serving in both churches and Cooperative Program giving grew substantially in each church. Addison described his time as an Arkansas Baptist saying, “We have been Arkansas Baptists for over 18 years. We have served at every level of the ABSC and ministered to folks all over the state who have become incredible friends. This has become home for us in so many ways. I can never express the blessing of being a pastor in Arkansas and being a part of the Arkansas Baptist family.”
In his new position, Addison will serve in a similar capacity at the SBC Executive Committee supporting Dr. Floyd in his role as President. Dr. Floyd is looking forward to having someone like Addison join the executive team of the SBC. He said, “I am so very grateful God has called Greg Addison here as our Executive Vice-President. With the heart of a pastor, the diligence in his leadership, and with his gifted mind legally, God will use him here powerfully because we are the executive, fiscal, and fiduciary entity of the Southern Baptist Convention.”
Addison’s background, education and career have uniquely positioned him for this opportunity. Dr. Tucker said, “It’s obvious that God’s hand has been on Greg to uniquely prepare him to serve the SBC in this capacity, from being raised under Dr. Adrian Rogers at Bellevue, being a successful attorney, serving on staff with Dr. Rogers, successfully pastoring two of our larger churches, serving as President of the ABSC and then walking by my side as our Associate Executive Director.”