CHAUNCEY CHOSEN TO HEAD CONSERVATIVES

A C. Smith                                                                                                                              Vol. IX, No. 3, March 1996

H, Doyle Chauncey has been tapped by the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia. Chauncey, who is currently on the staff of First Baptist Norfolk as an associate pastor in charge of administration, will begin his work on April 1.

A graduate of Southwestern Seminary and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chauncey formerly worked as the treasurer of the Virginia Baptist General Board. He has high hopes for the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia.

"One ultimate objective would be to bring conservatives together," said Chauncey in a personal interview. "And to unify the body."

While Chauncey does not consider a new state convention a foregone conclusion, he thinks that "we are moving in that direction." He believes it's important to keep conservatives together.

"I think that we need to be very careful that we evaluate and move together as conservatives," said Chauncey. "So that we don't just move without giving consideration to the various factors that are involved. I think that would be something that we would want to examine very, very early on. Is this something that we need to fulfill as far as the SBCV is concerned?"

"Another objective I think is to take a look at Virginia Baptists to see what perhaps is not being done that needs to be done and to look at and evaluate our resources to see where we can plug in so that we are effective in ministry throughout the state. It's not going to be enough for us just to have a fellowship with one another; we need to be on mission, reaching people for Christ. We need to be moving out in outreach and missions. We need to evaluate resources and needs in the state of Virginia."

While Chauncey has up to a year to determine where in the state to locate his office, he expects to spend a lot of time in his car.

"I think early on I will be traveling a great deal, talking with pastors and others throughout the state, trying to get to know as many pastors in those areas as I can. Trying to communicate information, and sometimes correct misinformation that exists out there, and to get good information as to what's happening in our state and our convention. And to try to develop relationships with pastors and people throughout the state.

"I see the executive director as not sitting in an office back in Virginia or back at the beach, but I see the executive director in an automobile going from region to region meeting with pastors in particular. And sharing a vision of where we're going. I'm not sure of what that vision is now. I'd like for it to be a corporate vision of the leadership of the SBCV and not just one man's vision of what needs to be done, but that we develop a vision together of who we are and what we're here for."

Bob Melvin, who is president of the SBCV and pastor of Spotswood Baptist Church, Fredericksburg, believes that the election of a full-time executive director will move the SBCV closer to state convention status.

"I really think that the hesitancy on the part of many of those who were there at the last meeting who voted against a state convention was with the intent that once we called an executive director we would vote to do it.

"I'd really be surprised if it didn't happen at the next SBCV meeting," said Melvin.

"Pastors I talked with told me that they thought it was premature before we had a person in place to lead us on a day by day basis to build the base and develop."

"I think Doyle brings with him abilities far beyond what we had anticipated. To begin with, he served as a pastor. He has served as a business administrator. He really has excellent credentials in management. He has served as treasurer of the BGAV. So he brings business and professional expertise in. He brings pastoral expertise in. He's serving now as an associate to First Baptist in Norfolk. He has such a broad knowledge and many degrees of approach and understanding. He'll do us well. I think the SBCV is really fortunate. I'm really excited about the prospects."

Terry Harper was a member of the search committee, which chose Chauncey.

"We had a large number of resumes," said Harper, who is pastor of Colonial Heights Baptist Church in Colonial Heights. "That was narrowed down to a long list of about 12 people. We asked each of them to fill out a rather lengthy questionnaire. We sent out 12 and got: back about nine. And that was narrowed down to a short list of five. Then we interviewed five people. I believe three of them were in-state and two of them were out-of-state. And one of those [of the two] had some strong ties with Virginia. The final two we interviewed two or three times. I know we met with Doyle three times.

"We agreed we were not going to bring anybody until we could have unanimous agreement. There were times early in the process when I wondered if we were going to do that: since we had good diversity on the committee. The Lord brought us together.

"Each one of the ones brought: some very special attributes. And we agreed that each one of the five could do a wonderful job. So the question: was which one is God's man."

A reliable source reported that Chauncey did not initially apply for the position, but that he was asked to submit a resume' after a number of people around the state suggested him to the search committee.