At CBF's 2010 General Assembly, then CBF moderator Hal Bass appointed a 14-member task force to move the conversation forward on restructuring the larger Cooperative Baptist Fellowship movement, which includes CBF and partnering ministries.

The 2012 Task Force continued the work begun in an April 2010 retreat convened by CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal and Baugh Foundation President Babs Baugh. The Task Force started its work in August 2010 to address three questions:

1. What is the best model of community that fosters missional collaboration rather than competition for resources?
2. How can we refocus and streamline organizational structures in order to provide leadership and resources for churches and other ministries to respond more effectively to global challenges?
3. How do we help Baptist churches and organizations embrace their identity as partners with this community?

Report from the 2012 Task Force
Read the final report. At General Assembly, these recommendations will be presented for vote. Make plans now to be in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 21-22.

Members of the 2012 Task Force

Stephen Cook
Memphis, TN
Stephen Cook has served as pastor of Second Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee since 2010, having previously served churches in Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina.  A graduate of two CBF-related institutions – Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (MDiv) and Brite Divinity School (ThM) – Stephen has also been active in the Fellowship through facilitating a Peer Learning Group for first-call ministers, served as a facilitator for various state and national CBF events, a member of the local arrangements and steering committees for the 2010 General Assembly in Charlotte, and as moderator-elect for CBFVA.

R. Alan Culpepper
Atlanta, GA
Alan Culpepper is the founding dean of the McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University.  McAfee is a CBF “Identity Partner” committed to preparing men and women for ministry through a program of theological education. Alan grew up as a “missionary kid” in Chile and Argentina, and received his education at Baylor University, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Duke University.  Prior to coming to Mercer, Alan taught New Testament at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky (1974-1991) and at Baylor University in Waco, Texas (1991-1995).  He has actively supported CBF from its beginnings and has attended all but a few of the annual General Assembly meetings. 

Susan Deal
Orlando, FL
Susan Deal is Associate Pastor of Worship Arts at College Park Baptist Church in Orlando, Florida.  She has served in that position since 2001.  She served as Worship Coordinator for the 2007 General Assembly in Washington D.C. In 2008, she served as a facilitator in the discernment process at the General Assembly in Memphis.   Her husband, Tommy, is Associate Coordinator for Florida CBF.

Ray Higgins
Little Rock, AR
Ray Higgins is the coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas, where he has served since 2005.  Previously, he served as pastor of Second Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas for 10 years and as assistant professor of Christian Ethics at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas from 1987-94.  He served as moderator of CBF of Arkansas from 1999-2000 and on the CBF Coordinating Council in 1996-98 and 2003-05.

Laura Hoffman
St. Louis, MO
Laura McMurry Hoffman is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University and Southern Seminary.  She has served churches in Kentucky, Michigan and Missouri.  Laura has also ministered as a hospice and hospital chaplain.  She returned to the classroom this fall and is teaching 7th grade Social Studies at Grand Center Arts Academy.  Laura served as moderator of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship – Missouri 2009-2010.  She currently serves on the National Coordinating Council of CBF. Laura and her husband, Warren, live in St. Louis where Warren is senior pastor of Third Baptist Church.

Hollyn Hollman
Washington, D.C.
Since 2001 Holly Hollman has served as general counsel for the Washington, D.C.-based Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, a 20-year partner of CBF that serves 15 Baptist organizations. Prior to 2001, she worked as an attorney in private practice.



Tony Hopkins
Greenwood, SC
Tony Hopkins is senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Greenwood, South Carolina.  Before coming to Greenwood in 2002, he pastored two other congregations for a total of 16 years.  He teaches Old Testament and New Testament at Lander University in Greenwood.  Tony was moderator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of South Carolina 2008-2009.

Larry Hovis
Winston-Salem, NC
Larry Hovis is the executive coordinator of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, where he has served since 2004. Previously, he served as pastor of The Memorial Baptist Church in Greenville, NC, and First Baptist Church of Mocksville, NC, plus two congregations in Virginia. He was moderator of CBFNC from 2003-2004.


David Hull, Task Force Chair
Huntsville, AL
David Hull has served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama since 2002. Prior to that he was pastor of First Baptist Church in Knoxville, TN for nine years. As a member of the Interim Steering Committee, David was involved in the formation of CBF in 1990-91.  He has served on the Coordinating Council and was the General Assembly Program Chair in 1999.


Kasey Jones
Washington, D.C.
Kasey Jones worked for more than 15 years as a community organizer and advocate.  She received her Masters of Divinity degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. Currently, she serves on the National Coordinating Committee of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and as Moderator for the Mid-Atlantic Region of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.  She is also the first woman and African American to serve as Senior Pastor of National Baptist Memorial Church in Washington, DC.

Ruth Perkins Lee
Auburn, AL
Ruth Perkins Lee serves as Minister of Students with Auburn First Baptist Church in Auburn, AL.  She joined the staff in 2002 after graduating from McAfee School of Theology.  She began serving on the Alabama Coordinating Council in 2006, served as Moderator of AlabamaCBF during 2009-20010, and was a member of the AlabamaCBF Coordinator Search Committee.


Rene Maciel
San Antonio, TX
René Maciel, president of Baptist University of the Américas since August 6, 2007, has invested almost than twenty-five years in higher education and administration with Baptist institutions such as Hardin-Simmons University, Baylor University and the New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home. From 2002-2003, Maciel served as Chair of the Staff Council at Baylor University. He has also served on the Board of Casa Bautista Publishing House in El Paso, Texas and on the Board of Mission Waco.

Connie McNeill
Atlanta, GA
Connie McNeill began serving as the Coordinator of Administration for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Atlanta, Georgia, in March 2005. A native of Missouri, she had been Vice President/COO at Central Baptist Theological Seminary before her move to Atlanta. Prior to that, she had been in Leadership Development and Collegiate Ministries with Baptists in Missouri. For 25 years, Connie was a member of Second Baptist Church, Liberty, MO, an early and strong supporter of CBF. In Missouri, she served on the CBF Coordinating Council and as Moderator.

Jean Kenlan Willingham
St. Petersburg, FL
Jean Kenlan Willingham is currently serving on the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Foundation Board. She is a former Coordinating Council Member (2005-2007). In 2004-2005 she served as the Moderator of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida. Jean is a former Mercer University Trustee and proud alumnus.