FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wake Forest, NC – May 5, 2026
Baptist21, a voice for Southern Baptists in the 21st century, is pleased to announce the appointment of Pastor Ben Lacey as its next Executive Director, effective May 1, 2026. A trusted and emerging leader within the SBC, Lacey brings the theological clarity, cooperative spirit, and pastoral wisdom needed to help strengthen Baptist21’s mission—to strengthen cooperation among Southern Baptists by celebrating our shared confessional heritage, Baptist ecclesiology, biblical complementarity, and commitment to the Great Commission. Baptist21 remains committed to this mission while understanding theological clarity is not an enemy to Christian charity.
Ben completed his undergraduate studies at Liberty University and a Master’s degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Ben has served on staff at multiple churches in the SBC from varying perspectives, including The Met Church near the DFW area, North Richland Hills Baptist, Prestonwood Baptist, and Capitol Hill Baptist Church, where he served as an Elder. Ben currently serves as the Lead Pastor of Trinity River Baptist Church in his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, a thriving congregation Ben helped plant three years ago. In addition to his work as a pastor, Ben also emcees the Cross Conference, an annual gathering of 16,000+ college students making a significant impact for Christ among younger generations. Ben has been married to his wife, Meagan, since 2013. Ben and Meagan have five children together: Norah, Eva, Lydia, Moriah, and Elijah.
Upon the hiring of Ben Lacey, previous Executive Director and B21 Founder, Nate Akin, said, “Ben has become a trusted friend and a man I trust both because of conviction and disposition. He loves the confessional heritage and cooperative mission of the SBC, and he leads with the kind of clarity, courage, and charity that our moment requires. I’m grateful for his willingness to serve and confident that under his leadership, Baptist21 will continue to strengthen and serve Southern Baptists for years to come.” With Ben in place, Nate will shift to serving as the chairman of the board for B21.
The B21 Board views Lacey’s appointment as a significant step forward in advancing its mission to serve Southern Baptists in the years ahead. For more information, visit www.baptist21.com.