CHELSEA –Tim Cox, senior pastor at Liberty Baptist Church, is following in his father’s footsteps as president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention.

In fact, when Cox was elected to the position in November 2018, he became part of the first father-son combination to serve in the position.

“It’s an honor,” Cox said.

Cox’s father, Henry Cox, is pastor of Durant Chapel Baptist Church in Baldwin County.

Tim Cox nominated his father as president of the Convention in 2004, and then the father returned the favor by nominating his son in 2018.

“He’s my hero,” said Tim Cox, who served as second vice president of the Convention for two years and then first vice president for two years.

Baptist churches are autonomous at the local level but cooperate with one another to further their mission, which Cox said is “The Great Commission” of Jesus Christ: to spread his teachings throughout the world.

There are county associations and then the state association, which is headquartered in Prattville and holds its Convention each year.

The Alabama Baptist State Convention encompasses 2,900 churches, each of which is granted representation at the Convention.

As president, Cox will serve as chief presiding officer of the 2019 Convention.

“When we gather, I moderate,” he said.

Between annual meetings, Convention bylaws provide that the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions will be the “executive, administrative, fiduciary and promotional agency of the Convention.”

Both the State Convention and State Board of Missions support the efforts of Alabama Baptist entities and auxiliary including Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries, Alabama Baptist Historical Commission, Alabama Baptist Retirement Centers, Judson College, Shocco Springs Conference Center, The Alabama Baptist newspaper and the University of Mobile.

Cox said his goal is to keep the organization’s focus on “the main thing.”

“I hope to be able to keep us pointed in the right direction, and that’s the mission of the Great Commission—fan the flame that’s already there,” he said. “I want to serve and invest back into Alabama Baptists. A lot of people have invested into me.”

Cox’s role and responsibilities at Liberty will not change because of his position with the State Convention, he said, though he may at times lean on the Liberty staff for assistance more heavily than he would otherwise.

He will travel to Prattville for meetings during the week but not be required to miss church services on the weekends.

Cox grew up in Bay Minette and attended The University of Mobile and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He came to Liberty Baptist and Chelsea in 1998.