John V. Upton, Jr.

Project Lead – Church Engagement

John V. Upton, Jr. was elected Executive Director of the Baptist General Association of Virginia during the annual meeting of the General Association in November 2001. He was Executive Director Elect until March 1 when he officially took office. He has served in this position until July 31, 2022 when he retired. At the 2022 Baptist General Association of Virginia annual meeting, he was confirmed as the Executive Director Emeritus.

Before becoming the Executive Director of the BGAV, John had been group leader of the Mission Mobilization Group since 1995. Earlier he was pastor of Urbanna Baptist Church in Urbanna and he and his wife, Deborah, served as missionaries in Taiwan through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board).

In July 2015 he completed a five-year term as President of the Baptist World Alliance that began July 31, 2010.

John, a Norfolk-born Virginia native, is a graduate of Averett College (now University) in Danville, VA, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. The Uptons have two sons, Christopher and Richard; a daughter, Emily; and eight grandchildren.

Education

• Averett College (now University), BA

• Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, MDiv

• Taiwan Language Institute

• International Baptist Theological Seminary, India, DDiv

• John Leland Center for Theological Studies, DDiv

Missions

• Foreign Mission Board Missionary to Taiwan, 1986-1991 (Mandarin-Speaking Missions)

• Group Leader of Mission Mobilization Group, 1995-2002

Pastorates

• Lake Shore Baptist Church, Waco, TX

• Colts Neck Baptist Church, Colts Neck, NJ

• Urbanna Baptist Church, Urbanna, VA, 1984-1986

• Urbanna Baptist Church, Urbanna, VA, 1991-1995