FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Following an extensive global search, the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) has appointed verton Jackson to serve as Director of Integral Mission (DIM). In this new executive level position, Jackson will focus on the BWA’s core ministry area of evangelism and mission while providing administrative oversight and leadership in the areas of religious freedom, human rights, and justice as well as theological reflection and transformational leadership.
Everton Jackson (BWA)
As director, Jackson will work in close collaboration with the general secretary to develop and implement an overarching strategy for BWA engagement in evangelism and mission around the world. He will also provide administrative oversight and leadership of commissions, which offer global Baptists opportunities to engage in research, dialogue, and collaborative action around agreed areas of concern to churches and individuals.
Other areas of focus include mobilization of efforts to directly help Baptists and other Christians around the world as they encounter justice challenges such as conflict, persecution, and arrest. He will begin serving in this new role on July 1.
“I wish to join with the BWA leadership to congratulate and welcome Everton Jackson into the BWA staff in his new role as Director of Integral Mission,” said BWA President Paul Msiza. “Everton is bringing with him a great wealth of knowledge and experience from serving in both the Jamaica Baptist Union and the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship. The BWA family is looking forward to being blessed by his gifts, dedication, and sterling leadership. Everton is a pastor at heart, an evangelist, a missiologist, and above all a humble servant of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
A Baptist leader who has served in numerous ministry positions at the local, national, and international level, Jackson comes to the BWA from Calvary Baptist Church of Montego Bay, Jamaica, where he has led the congregation as senior pastor since 2005. He has also served as BWA Regional Secretary / Executive Secretary & Treasurer for the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship since 2010 with previous service as President of the Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU) from 2000-2002, JBU Vice President from 1998-2000, and Director of the JBU Mission Agency (JBUMA) from 1994-1998. He has also served as Chairman of the Peace Management Initiative from 2005-present and as a Commissioner on the Jamaican government’s Commission on Violence Prevention from 2009-present.
“My primary ministry passion is for the holistic transformation of God’s people in God’s world through the liberating power of God’s Word. This passion is inspired by my personal experience of the saving grace of the Gospel of Christ which has led to a deep love for others to have a similar experience. It is my conviction that the Gospel of Christ, properly understood, is sufficient through the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives, perspectives, and socioeconomic conditions,” said Jackson. “I am excited about joining the BWA team not only to help in consolidating the growth experienced over the past ten years in Africa, Asia Pacific, Caribbean and Latin America but to assist in reversing the decline in other regions through creative, innovative and non-traditional evangelistic approaches. I am excited about partnering with the six regions in responding to practical challenges, driven by our conviction to love our neighbor.”
Jackson’s appointment follows a global search, which yielded a diverse pool of 41 applicants with all six BWA regions represented. The candidates included a mixture of men and women as well as a combination of emerging and seasoned leaders. The search was led by an international committee that included BWA President Paul Msiza, BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown, BWA Director of Global Partnerships and Unity Julie Justus, BWA Vice President Dimitrina Oprenova, BWA Vice President Luiz Roberto Silvado, BWA General Council Member Tim Lee, and BWA Commission Member Bob Garrett.
“Rev. Jackson brings vast experience to this role, and I am honored and excited to have him join our BWA team to focus on this vital area of our global ministry,” said General Secretary Brown. “I am also grateful for the impact of Rev. Dr. Trisha Miller Manarin, who faithfully served in a part-time capacity for the last three years as Coordinator for the Division on Mission, Evangelism, and Justice. I want to particularly highlight her incredible work planning the 9th Baptist International Conference on Theological Education (BICTE) held last July, which drew more than 200 participants from 33 countries. With presenters and respondents from each of our six regions, it was a thoughtful time centered on the important ministry of women in Baptist life. Rev. Jackson will be able to build upon the strong foundation laid by Dr. Manarin for kingdom impact for years to come.”
To ensure sufficient time for a thorough search process and in preparation for the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship scheduled for October, Jackson will remain in the role of Caribbean Baptist Fellowship Regional Secretary through the end of the year.
Jackson holds both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Theology from University of the West Indies. He has been married to Cecelia for more than 30 years, and they have one son named Abdu Anthony.
