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      Northwest Baptist Convention messengers convened February 24 for a special called meeting to elect Lance Caddel, the NWBC’s director of evangelism and church health since 2022, as the convention’s next executive director-treasurer.

      More than 125 messengers and guests representing 51 churches assembled at Pathway Church in Gresham, OR, to consider the NWBC executive board’s recommendation that Lance, 58, succeed Randy Adams, who announced last spring his intention to retire upon election of a new leader.

      By an overwhelming majority of ballots cast by 121 registered messengers during the meeting, Lance was elected to the role. He begins his new duties March 1.

      The NWBC comprises about 520 churches in Oregon, Washington and north Idaho, with a small number located in northern California, operating cooperative mission efforts with a budget of about $4 million annually.

      “We have a phenomenal opportunity and an incredible responsibility,” said Lance, noting NWBC churches scattered across the Northwest minister among a population of more than 12.5 million people.

      He encouraged churches to take responsibility for their calling and their communities, to turn their attention outward toward the world with the hope of the gospel, and to shine bright in the vast spiritually unreached areas of the Northwest.

      “If we do that, I believe God will do great things,” Lance said.

      Before becoming the convention’s evangelism and church health leader, Lance served as an evangelism and church health catalyst for two NWBC regions. In that role, he worked with local churches and groups of ministry leaders to strengthen their missions and discipleship impact.

      From 1996-2018, Lance was senior pastor of Valley Christian Fellowship in Longview, WA. Before that, from 1992-96, he was a church planter/pastor in his home state of Nevada, at Cold Springs Baptist Church near Reno.

      He earned a diploma in theology from Gateway Seminary (2001), a bachelor of Christian ministry from Wayland University (2018) and a master of theological essentials from Gateway Seminary (2020).

      Lance and his wife Lisa are members of Pathway Church and parents of five adult children.

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