Odessa pastor to be nominated for president

ROCKWALL?Steve Swofford, pastor of First Baptist Church of Rockwall, said he plans to nominate First Baptist Church of Odessa pastor Byron McWilliams as president of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention during the SBTC annual meeting Oct. 26-27 in Lubbock.

Swofford, a former SBTC president, said McWilliams provides “first of all a role model for what a biblical home and family” should be and is someone with “integrity and authenticity.” Married 27 years to Andi, the native Texas couple has three teenagers.

“Byron is a faithful and trustworthy Great Commission pastor who is deeply committed to personal evangelism and text-driven preaching” as well as international missions. McWilliams serves as an International Mission Board trustee who has led his church to give sacrificially through the Lottie Moon Offering for International Missions.

Swofford praised McWilliams for leading FBC Odessa to affiliate with the SBTC during his five years as pastor there.

“Although very involved in the SBTC through his faithful attendance at the annual meetings and SBTC-sponsored speaking engagements, Byron has never served as an officer of the convention or on the executive board and so his election would not only give us a president from West Texas, but would also continue the SBTC precedent of electing fresh leadership to the SBTC,” Swofford said.