Editor's Note: In the leadup to SBC 2026, we asked supporters of Josh Powell and Willy Rice to share with us why they're lending their support to their preferred candidate. The Baptist Review is a forum for Convention conversation and does not endorse candidates for SBC President.
There are certain people God places in your life at just the right moment. People who may not realize the impact they are making at the time, but years later, you can trace part of your story back to their kindness, encouragement, and faithfulness.
I still remember the first time I met Pastor Willy Rice.
I was a pastor in Central Florida trying to figure out ministry, leadership, and honestly, life. What struck me more than his preaching ability or leadership gifting was his genuine kindness and heart for people. When we met at a conference, he gave me the opportunity to talk—and he listened. Here I was, a young pastor speaking to a megachurch pastor, yet he made me feel valued and encouraged. From that moment on, he has made a tremendous impact on my life, my family, and my ministry.
Over the years Willy has not only been a mentor, but a friend. He has been there in moments of encouragement, wisdom, challenge, and support. He has modeled consistency in ministry and faithfulness over the long haul. He has shown me that being a great pastor is not just about preaching powerful sermons or leading large ministries; it is about loving people well, staying humble, and helping the next generation.
The reason I am writing this article is simple: I want to tell you about my friend.
God has uniquely gifted Willy with the ability to lead people well. If you don’t believe it, just look at his record over the years, especially as Lead Pastor of Calvary Church Clearwater. Twenty-two years ago, God called him back home to serve at his home church. Since then, Calvary has become a pace-setting church in Tampa Bay, across the state of Florida, and throughout the Southern Baptist Convention in evangelism, baptisms, church planting, sending, and multiplication.
In the pastor world, we sometimes regretfully find our identity and value in numbers, and because of that, we can either idolize them or dismiss them altogether. But while numbers should never define us, they are not unimportant; numbers represent people, and people matter to God.
The past 22 years at Calvary have been incredibly fruitful, and we rejoice in what God has done through their church family. In the last ten years alone, Calvary has sent 24 missionaries to the nations through the International Mission Board and helped plant 171 churches across the United States and around the world. Last year, they baptized 409 new believers, and over the years Calvary has consistently been one of the leading churches in baptisms in Florida.
Dozens of men and women have answered the call to vocational ministry and have benefited from Calvary’s residency program. Calvary has also consistently been a leader in Cooperative Program giving and other Great Commission causes.
(Okay, statistics section over. Breathe. Rejoice. Thank God.)
In a day when pastors are falling, churches are declining, and outrage seems to dominate everything, what stands out most to me about Willy Rice is not ultimately the size of the church or the ministry accomplishments. It is his integrity, urgency, compassion, and strong convictions. He is a proven leader who walks the walk.
If you listen to the “X” warriors or the fringe voices online, they may try to paint caricatures of Willy that honestly are just not true. Willy is not crazy. He has not gone off the rails. He has not changed to fit an agenda. He is the same man today that I met over ten years ago.
So, whether Willy becomes president of the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando or not, he is still going to love his family well, stay committed to the Word of God and the work of gospel multiplication, faithfully pastor Calvary, and be my friend. One of the greatest gifts God gives us in life are faithful friends.
I look forward, Lord willing, to many more years of sitting with Willy and talking about life, family, ministry, leadership, and sports. At the end of the day, what a blessing it is to know that God, in His providence, places wise and godly people in your life not just to influence you, but to walk beside you as friends. I am excited to go to Orlando soon to vote for my friend.
Editor's Note: As a part of its commitment to fostering conversation within the Southern Baptist Convention, the Baptist Review may publish editorials that espouse viewpoints that are not necessarily shared by the TBR team or other contributors. We welcome submissions for responses and rebuttals to any editorials as we seek to host meaningful conversations about the present and future of our convention.
Alan Brumback
Alan Brumback and his wife, April, are the proud parents of three children, and he serves as Lead Pastor of First Naples Church in south Florida. He received his B.A. from the University of Kentucky and his M.Div. and D.Min. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Alan has served the Southern Baptist Convention in various capacities, including as a trustee for the International Mission Board.