ORLANDO–Focused on the theme, Out of the Fire: A Call to Evangelism, Florida Baptist messengers gathered for the 163rd Florida Baptist annual meeting Nov. 10-11 at First Orlando, where they celebrated God’s movement throughout the Sunshine State, conducted business, enjoyed fellowship and looked forward to God’s future for Florida with a commitment to four mission imperatives.
Calling attendees to a renewed commitment to evangelism, Mike Orr, Florida Baptist State Convention president in his second term, said, “It is unfathomable that we would not, as Christians, tell others about Jesus.”
Orr focused on Jude 22-23 and stated, “We must evangelize with urgency.” Responding to the urgency requires compassion, courage and clarity.
In a biblical message titled Gospel Demands, Stephen Rummage, Florida Baptists’ executive director-treasurer, focused on Romans 10:13-17 and stated that the Apostle Paul “reverse engineers the gospel.”
Rummage said the Apostle Paul, “starts with the picture on the box—people getting saved—and then he works backward to show what it takes for that to happen.”
The five “gospel demands,” he said are: “crying out to Jesus, trusting Jesus, hearing Jesus, preaching Jesus and sending preachers.”
The. meeting drew 1,450 in attendance, including 1,070 messengers, representing 475 churches, along with 380 guests.
Budget adoption
Messengers approved a 2026 Cooperative Program goal of $29 million to be distributed 51% to Southern Baptist Convention causes and 49% to Florida Baptist Convention causes. The 51/49 split is the same distribution Florida Baptists have used since 2016. The 2026 budget goal is $500,000 less than the 2025 budget goal.
Officers elected
Four Florida Baptist leaders were elected to serve as 2025-26 officers of the Florida Baptist State Convention. Brian Stowe, who has served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church Plant City since 2013, was elected to serve as president. Scott Wilson, lead pastor of First Baptist Church Melbourne, was elected to serve as first vice president. Milvian Lema, a member of First Baptist Church of Pompano Beach, was elected to serve Florida Baptists as second vice president. Janey Frost, who serves at The Point Church (Jackson campus) in Pensacola, was elected to a fourth term as recording secretary.
Mission imperatives
Messengers to the 2025 annual meeting of the Florida Baptist State Convention had multiple opportunities to learn about Florida Baptists’ four mission imperatives: evangelize and baptize, call out and disciple, plant and revitalize churches and give more generously. In presenting the mission imperatives to annual meeting attendees, Rummage said, “Until the world knows that our God reigns and Jesus saves, let’s make it our ambition to start right here and let God use us for His glory!”
Fellowship gatherings
Attendees at the 2025 Florida Baptist annual meeting enjoyed a number of fellowship gatherings. Hispanic, Asian, Haitian and Black multicultural gatherings celebrated how God is moving in their cultural contexts. Hundreds of Florida Baptists gathered for a Cooperative Program 100th anniversary celebration and were encouraged to commit to leading their churches to give $100 more per month through the Cooperative Program for the remainder of 2025 through 2026. NextGen and missions gatherings provided an opportunity to develop mission connections and exchange ministry approaches.
Other business
Messengers approved a resolution of appreciation for Stephens Baumgardner, who retired Aug. 16, 2025, after serving the Florida Baptist Convention in multiple roles since 1983, most recently as director of support services since 2015.
Messengers approved a recommendation from the State Board of Missions to amend Florida Baptist State Convention Bylaw 2 on cooperation. The revision reaffirms the Baptist Faith and Message as the shared theological foundation for cooperation among Florida Baptist churches and goes further by emphasizing that cooperation is more than agreeing on doctrine but also requires demonstration in practice.
In miscellaneous business, Doug Rothenbush, a messenger from First Baptist Church of Merritt Island, presented a motion that the State Board of Missions create a task force or study group to consider the feasibility of five initiatives related to disability ministries. The motion was referred to the State Board of Missions, which will bring its report back to the 2026 Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting set for Nov. 9-10 at First Orlando.
