SCOTT DEPOT, W.Va. (BP) — Eric Ramsey was elected executive director-treasurer of the West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists by the WVCSB Executive Board during a special called meeting Feb. 1 at the state office in Scott Depot.
“West Virginia Southern Baptists are a Gospel-passionate people whom God has utilized for half of a century to declare His glory among our neighbors and the nations,” Ramsey said. “[My wife] Gaye and I are humbled and grateful to be joining our hearts and our hands with West Virginia Southern Baptists to run to the darkness with the light of the Gospel.”
Ramsey assumed his new role immediately and will begin work in the convention’s offices Monday (Feb. 10). He had served as the associate pastor of First Baptist Church of Fort Smith, Ark., since 2015 and previously held roles with the North American Mission Board and Tom Cox World Ministries, a global missions organization.
“We trust Eric will help lead West Virginia Baptists in a growing commitment to missions, both locally and globally,” said WVCSB president Mason Ballard.
A 15-person executive director search committee was appointed in July 2019, and an executive director profile was developed to process candidates for recommendation to the WVCSB Administrative Committee and Executive Board.
“Our search committee prayerfully sought God’s leadership,” search committee chairman C.J. Adkins said. “I believe that Eric and Gaye will prove to be a true gift to this convention as we enter this exciting decade and approach our 50th anniversary.”
Ramsey holds an undergraduate degree from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., and a master of arts in communications (emphasis in theology and missiology) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He has an honorary doctorate in theological education from The Baptist Theological Seminary of Trujillo in Trujillo, Peru.
He succeeds Bill Henard, WVCSB executive director from 2015-19, who now pastors First Baptist Church in Athens, Tenn.
Ramsey has been married to his wife Gaye for nearly 32 years. They have two children, Andrew and Alisha.
