Fellowship Baptist churches announce new national leader
GUELPH, ON—After a two-year executive search, one of this country's largest evangelical denominations—The Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada—has announced the appointment of a new president. For the first time in the denomination's 53-year history, they've hired a leader from both outside the Fellowship and from outside the country.
While some within the Fellowship reportedly wonder why it was necessary to look so far afield for a new leader, acting president Brian Baxter says it was simply a case of hiring the best man for the job.
"We were looking for the best person possible. The search committee did look first inside Canada; at both Fellowship and non-Fellowship leaders, and then we decided to expand our search into the U.S."
In announcing the appointment, a denominational news release notes that new president John Kaiser has a "rich background" as a college instructor, church planter, senior pastor and most recently as director of church planting for the American Baptist Churches of the West (based in Northern California).
For his part, Kaiser says "there's got to be some desire for a fresh approach, otherwise I'm sure there are many capable people within the Fellowship and within Canada who could take on this role and do it very well." He relates the words of one denominational leader who told him, "your greatest advantage is that you are not one of us. Your greatest disadvantage is that you are not one of us."
By all counts, the Fellowship (made up of 500 churches across Canada) has been stagnant in terms of growth during the past 10 to 15 years. Kaiser—who is by his own admission an innovator—sees that as a challenge.
Speaking with ChristianWeek via telephone from California, he says, "I think the plateau is just decline that hasn't shown up yet," and adds, "I really feel the Fellowship's greatest need is to get back on mission. To get back a focus on the Great Commission; making disciples for Jesus Christ and all that entails. I think we need to learn to major on the majors and minor on the minors."
"The last thing I can do or intend to do is to come in as someone who knows all the answers and is ready to impose something that's worked for me in the past in another setting," says Kaiser. "I need to spend significant time absorbing the cultures across the country and building relationships in a collaborative fashion."
Those within the Fellowship say building such relationships will be critical to Kaiser's ability to succeed in his new role.
"It will take some time for the constituents to get to know Kaiser, and to develop trust and respect for him," explains Ginette Cotnoir, managing editor of the Fellowship's magazine, The Evangelical Baptist.
"He will surely bring new ideas and a fresh vision, but first he must take the time to get to know our churches, our regions and our culture.
"The Fellowship includes a French region with more than 70 French churches in the province of Quebec and parts of eastern Ontario and northern New Brunswick—because of the language and cultural differences of these churches and their leaders, they are likely to represent a particular challenge for Kaiser."
Building such relationships will also be important to Kaiser's own personal job satisfaction, according to David Daniels, associate editor of the Evangelical Baptist, for his primary challenge will be to take an organization that's becoming increasingly decentralized and forge a national vision.
"I know that our search committee was looking for a visionary, innovative leader," says Daniels. "But the structure of the Fellowship is going to frustrate that kind of a person."
With a national office in Guelph, Ontario, and six regions across the country that operate quite autonomously, Baxter says that within the Fellowship, "there is a reporting mechanism, but no chain of command. This means that relationships and the building of relationships and building of consensus becomes very important."
Kaiser is optimistic and says he looks forward to having the opportunity "to see if a national denominational entity could be transformed in such a way that it becomes a real resource, stimulus and blessing to regional organizations and congregations."
The somewhat problematic structure of the Fellowship appears to have been identified at some level, however, as Baxter says "the Fellowship is in the process of restructuring itself, where we'll be rewriting our bylaws."
Goodwill extended
Kaiser appears to have the necessary gifts and abilities to do the task to which he has been called, says Daniels, adding that there will be plenty of goodwill extended to the new president. "The feeling across the Fellowship is that we want this to work," he says.
Baxter says while Kaiser has already proven to be "a very fast study," he has indicated a desire to keep a low profile and learn in the early days, and the Fellowship is keen to give him the time he will need to bring himself "up to speed."
Meanwhile, Baxter says he plans to stay on until the Fellowship's next annual convention in November to help ease the transition.
Kaiser says he also looks forward to working with the leaders of other evangelical movements here in Canada. "I'm very interested in that. I'm a Kingdom-minded person and…I'm ready to get to work with them and collaborate to see many more sections of heaven flying maple leaf flags."
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