Joseph Adams nominee for BGCT first vice president

Joseph Adams, pastor of First Baptist Church in Hughes Springs and Texas Baptists’ incumbent second vice president, will be nominated for first vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Bill Skaar, pastor of First Baptist Church in Grand Prairie, announced his intention to nominate Adams at Texas Baptists’ annual meeting in Abilene, Nov. 16-18.

“Joseph Adams is one of the outstanding young servant leaders in our convention—part of the group of young leaders the Lord is raising up,” Skaar said.

Adams has “a heart for missions and evangelism” and a “love for people,” Skaar said.

While his church is in a small East Texas town, First Baptist in Hughes Springs is a leader in baptisms and missions giving, he added.

“He is the pastor of a mission-minded church that is committed to the GC2 challenge of loving God, loving people and sharing the gospel,” he said.

Listening and learning

Adams expressed appreciation to Texas Baptists for allowing him to serve this past year as second vice president.

“It has stretched me as an individual, and I feel like I have grown and learned by working with leaders from all over the state,” he said.

“It’s not so much about wanting to have a voice in the room as having the privilege of listening to all the other voices in the room.”

He particularly offered thanks to BGCT Associate Executive Director Craig Christina and CFO Ward Hayes for leading in the development of the Texas Baptists Indemnity Program. The program was created to provide affordable insurance coverage for Texas Baptists’ churches.

The carrier that had provided insurance for his church “dropped us like a junior high girlfriend,” Adams recalled.

First Baptist in Hughes Springs ended up having to absorb a $70,000 increase to maintain property and liability insurance coverage—a burden many churches would not bear, he observed.

“That’s a staff member’s salary. That’s a mission project. That’s money that could go to the Cooperative Program,” he said. “If we can help assist our churches in the area of insurance, we need to do it.”

If elected as first vice president, Adams said, he hopes to help strengthen and connect rural churches and bivocational pastors, who he describes as “the real heroes.”

Church spending 50,000 hours in prayer

Adams voiced his belief “the future is bright” for Texas Baptists if churches stayed focused on loving God, loving people and sharing the gospel.

He underscored his church’s commitment to the GC2 movement, with its emphasis on Christ’s Great Commission and Great Commandment.

First Baptist in Hughes Springs committed to spend 50,000 hours this year in prayer for revival, missions opportunities and the salvation of neighbors and co-workers.

Year to date, church members have spent 27,000 hours praying, and the church has baptized 28 new believers with two more awaiting baptism soon, he noted.

“The mission field is coming to us. If we can reach Texas for the Lord, we can reach the United States for the Lord,” he said.

“There’s room here for all of us in Texas Baptists life if we lay aside our personal agendas and keep Christ at the center.”

Adams was born to missionary parents in Germany, and he grew up primarily in New Mexico, where his father was a pastor.

Before First Baptist in Hughes Springs called him as pastor eight years ago, he served eight years as associate pastor of Mountain Springs Baptist Church in Albuquerque, N.M.

He has served several years on Texas Baptists’ Mission Funding Council.

Adams earned his undergraduate degree and Master of Leadership in Biblical Counseling degree from Liberty University.

He and his wife Lindsay have five children—Elliott, Noah, Emma, Parker and Walker.