RICHMOND, Va. (BP)—Trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board approved Edgar Aponte, seminary administrator and educator, as vice president of mobilization.
Aponte is director of Hispanic leadership development and instructor of theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. He and his wife, Sara, are members of Christ Covenant Church in Raleigh, N.C.
“Over the course of prayerful conversations with Edgar, we believe that he is the right person to serve IMB as vice president of mobilization,” IMB President David Platt told trustees, noting Aponte’s desire to mobilize the church in the United States to spread the gospel to the nations.
Edgar Aponte In his new role, Aponte will seek to mobilize churches in sending missionary teams evangelize and start churches among unreached people and places.
“Edgar Aponte is an incredibly gifted man of God,” said Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Seminary. “The Lord has blessed him with a wide range of abilities and talents. He excels at whatever he does. This is a sad day for Southeastern and me personally. However, it is a great day for the IMB and the advancement of the kingdom of King Jesus among the nations. He goes to our very close sister entity with my blessing and prayers. This is a great thing for Southern Baptists.”
Prior to his work at Southeastern Seminary, Aponte served at the ministry of foreign affairs in Washington, D.C., on behalf of his home nation, the Dominican Republic. As minister counselor in the political section, he coordinated political relations between the embassy and the State Department, Department of Labor, U.S. Congress and Department of Defense; advised the ambassador and authorities on a broad range of policy issues from a bilateral agenda; and engaged in meetings with other embassies and interest groups about specific regional issues, such as human trafficking and drug trafficking. Previously, he worked five years in banking.
Aponte holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, a graduate degree in corporate finance and a master’s degree in business administration and management. He also earned a master’s degree in Christian ministry from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and expects to complete a doctorate in theological studies with a concentration in systematic theology from Southeastern Seminary this fall.
Based on reporting by Julie McGowan.
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.