ORLANDO–Four Florida Baptist leaders were elected to serve as 2025-26 officers of the Florida Baptist State Convention during its annual meeting Nov. 10-11 at First Orlando.

President

Brian Stowe, who has served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church Plant City since 2013, was elected to serve as 2025-26 Florida Baptist State Convention president.

He was nominated by Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, who noted that Stowe’s educational credentials include an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, a master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctorate degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Traylor said that Stowe’s undergraduate degree is “all about building and designing, and that makes this dude smart.”

Stowe “has been building a great church for 12 years in Plant City,” a church that gives 6% through the Cooperative Program, Traylor said. “He’s building a great family,” Traylor added, with a wife and four children.

“He will help build the Florida Baptist Convention. He knows our work; he’s done our work, and he will help us build and design our work as we walk forward in the days ahead,” Traylor shared.

Stowe served on the Florida Baptist Convention State Board of Missions for several years: 2016-17, 2017-20, 2021-23. He was president of the board and chaired the Administrative Committee 2019-21.

First vice president

Scott Wilson, lead pastor of First Baptist Church Melbourne, was elected to serve as 2025-26 Florida Baptist State Convention first vice president.

He was nominated by John Marsh, pastor, Bella Vista Baptist Church in Edgewater, who said,

“What really speaks to me about Scott is where he serves.” Wilson was baptized at First Melbourne at 7 years old, and he went to Sunday school and youth group in that church. After his formal education, he was asked to serve on staff at First Melbourne. Two years later, he was called as pastor of the church, where he has served for 14 years, Marsh shared.

“That church knew him from the time he was little until now, and they trusted him and loved him enough to call him to lead them. He’s a man of high character and high giftedness and high ability and piercing intelligence. He has been known by his church and he has been loved, and he will be known and loved by you,” Marsh said.

Wilson served on the State Board of Missions 2019-22 and then served a second term 2022-25, serving as chair of the Denominational Committee 2023-25. He also served on the search team that recommended Stephen Rummage to serve as Florida Baptists’ executive director-treasurer.

Second vice president

Milvian Lema wias elected to serve Florida Baptists as 2025-26 Florida Baptist State Convention second vice president.

She was nominated by David Leiva, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Estrella de Belen in Broward, who said that Lema has “served with her husband, David, in several local churches in Miami Baptist Association and also helped her husband when he worked for the Florida Baptist Convention for 12 years. Currently, she volunteers at the Broward Baptist Association.”

Lema, a member of First Baptist Church of Pompano Beach, served on the State Board of Missions 2022-25 and has been reelected to serve a second term 2025-28. She has served on the Loans Committee. She and her husband have four adult children.

Recording secretary

Janey Frost, who serves at The Point Church (Jackson Campus) in Pensacola was elected to serve a fourth term as Florida Baptist State Convention recording secretary.

She was nominated by her pastor Mitch Johnson, who said, “Janey loves Jesus. She loves her family, and she loves her local church, and she loves this convention.”