By William H. Perkins Jr.
Editor
Jon D. Martin has been selected as the next director of the Men’s Ministry Department at the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB). The pastor of First Church, Union, was the unanimous choice of the board’s Executive Committee during their Dec. 1 meeting at Garaywa Camp and Conference Center in Clinton.
“I have been a Mississippi Baptist all of my life and I am excited that God has now called me to invest in Mississippi Baptist churches,” said the 40-year-old Martin. “I am excited to reach out to Mississippi Baptist pastors and laymen to see how we can assist them in ministering to the men in their congregations.”
MBCB Executive Director-Treasurer Shawn Parker said, “I look forward to Dr. Jon Martin joining the MBCB team as our Men’s Ministry director. He brings a strong background in the discipleship of men, extensive experience as a pastor, and a proven commitment to the work of the Mississippi Baptist Convention.
“If our churches are going to rebound from the COVID-19 impact, we need strong leadership from our men across the state. Dr. Martin will be spearheading this effort as we move forward. I’d like to encourage Mississippi Baptists to pray for Jon and his family as they make this transition and begin their strategic work.”
Martin has been pastor of First Church, Union, since February 2010. Prior to that, he was associate pastor of Highland Church, Meridian, from January 2004 to February 2010, and student pastor at East Philadelphia Church, Philadelphia, from May 2002 to January 2004. Degrees held by Martin include:
— Doctor of ministry in church leadership and administration (’13) from New Orleans Seminary. His dissertation was titled, Equipping Selected Men of First Baptist Church, Union, Mississippi, in Servant Leadership.
— Master of divinity with specialization in Christian education (’07) from New Orleans Seminary.
— Bachelor of arts in criminal justice (’02) from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
— Associate of arts (’00) from East Central Community College in Decatur.
— Diploma from Philadelphia High School (’98) in Philadelphia.
“More so than ever before, we all see the great need for a disaster relief ministry in our state,” Martin said. “Mississippi Baptists had units/teams active in every month of the year for the second straight year.
“Disaster relief is in great hands with Hubert Yates, and I look forward to working with him in helping our local churches recruit and mobilize more relief teams so that they can experience firsthand the beauty of being the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need.”
Yates, pastor of Wess Chapel Church, Louisville, was called by the Executive Committee on Oct. 20 to serve as the disaster relief coordinator in the MBCB Men’s Ministry Department, effective Jan. 1. He has been serving as the convention board’s interim disaster relief coordinator.
Martin has served on a number of MBCB committees, including Executive, Budget, Committee on Committees, Executive Director-Treasurer Search, Growing Churches, Leadership Development, Missions Mobilization (chairman), Nominations, and Resolutions. He is currently president of the Mississippi Baptist Pastors Conference.
He is co-host of a Podcast, The Imperfect Church. Recent sermons are available at fbcunion.net.
“The Men’s Ministry Department serves several mission organizations such as Campers on Mission, chaplaincy programs, etc.,” Martin said. “I am eager to meet these missionaries and support their work.
“I am really looking forward to serving under the leadership of Dr. Shawn Parker. His heart for Mississippi Baptist churches, reaching the lost in our world, and Mississippi pastors is evident. He is the leader we need and the kind with whom I am eager to serve.”
Martin is married to Faith Moore Martin, originally from Pelahatchie, and they have two children: Riley Manning Martin, age 16, and Mary Hannah Martin, age 12.
