Fort Bend pastor nominated for BGCT 2nd VP post

SUGAR LAND—Byron Stevenson, founding pastor of The Fort Bend Church in Sugar Land, one of the fastest-growing churches in the state, will be a candidate for second vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas this fall.

Stevenson's fellow pastor Phil Lineberger, a former BGCT president, announced he will nominate Stevenson when the convention holds its annual session in Amarillo, Oct. 24-26.

Byron Stevenson

"Byron is an outstanding preacher and a really fine pastor," noted Lineberger, pastor of Sugar Land Baptist Church. "I've known Byron since about 1996—quite a few years. …

"He established The Fort Bend Church in 2004 at Sugar Land Middle School. When we built our building here, he asked me several times if he could use it for major functions. Today, they have over 3,000 members and a fabulous church plant. It's one of the fastest-growing churches in Fort Bend County."

Despite the demands of a rapidly growing congregation, Stevenson has maintained his pastoral focus, Lineberger added, noting: "I've seen him tend to them as pastor. He's very relational."

Sugar Land Baptist and The Fort Bend Church have welcomed each other's pastors into their pulpits, he said. "I've preached over there, and Byron has preached over here. He's got a hummin' church; they preached me to death."

Stevenson would make a fine BGCT officer because of his leadership skills and his love for and commitment to the convention, Lineberger stressed.

"Byron is a Baptist—a Texas Baptist," he said. "He serves on the BGCT Executive Board and has been secretary of the African-American Fellowship of Texas. He's strongly supportive of our convention."

Stevenson's wife, Sonya, is executive director of The Fort Bend Church, and they have worked well together to lead their congregation, Lineberger said, adding: "He really has done a magnificent job. He and Sonya both."

Stevenson said he sees service to the convention as returning a blessing, and that is a motive for his willingness to serve as a vice president, if elected.

"This is an opportunity for me to give back to the BGCT, because the BGCT has been such a blessing to me and to my church since our inception," he explained, noting the church was launched with financial support from the convention. "I feel in a sense obligated to give back."

Both Stevenson and his church are "pro-BGCT," he said, particularly citing the convention's focus on missions and starting churches.

""My church has been a BGCT church since its inception," he said. "We believe in the mission of the BGCT and have been in support of missions since Day One.

"At the core of the BGCT is starting new churches. I'm one who can share insight—having planted my church—with new pastors and churches who are wanting to branch out and plant new churches themselves."

Advocacy on behalf of the convention is an aspect of the vice presidency Stevenson would embrace, he said. "If elected, I want to continue to be an ambassador for missions throughout the state. I want to increase the awareness of what the BGCT is doing in the lives of churches throughout the state and continue to forge partnerships amongst the affinity groups … to continue to promote the life of the BGCT.

"The BGCT is a vibrant entity and one that must continue to grow."

Stevenson earned an undergraduate degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., and a master's degree in theological studies from Houston Baptist University. He also studied at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

Before entering vocational ministry, he was an accountant. Prior to founding The Fort Bend Church, he was minister of program development at Brentwood Baptist Church in Houston.

He has traveled in Italy, Egypt, Jordan and Israel.

The Stevensons are parents of two daughters, Claire Alexandra and Cydney Victoria.