APEX, N.C. – Evangelist and author Daniel Ritchie will be nominated for first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting this summer in Dallas.
Matt Capps, lead pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Apex, N.C., told the Biblical Recorder that he plans to nominate Ritchie.
“Daniel Ritchie is among the most faithful, consistent, and passionate witnesses for Christ that Southern Baptists have seen raised up in this generation,” Capps told the BR in written comments. “I am eager to see our convention recognize this gospel servant and unapologetically champion the vital ministries of vocational evangelists like Daniel by electing him to serve as first vice president.”
A native of Greensboro, N.C., Ritchie previously served as a student pastor at churches in North Carolina and Arizona before answering a call to become a vocational evangelist and speaker.
Over the past 20 years, Ritchie has traveled the country speaking to churches, schools, camps, conferences, colleges, corporations, sports teams and more, according to his website at www.danielritchie.com. Ritchie also preached during the 2022 SBC Pastors’ Conference in Anaheim, California.
Ritchie has written two books — “My Affliction for His Glory: Living Out Your Identity in Christ” and “Endure: Building Faith for the Long Run.” He has also been a contributing writer to other online ministry outlets and publications.
In “My Affliction for His Glory,” Ritchie shares his life story, which includes being born without arms and struggling with a sense of value and worth while growing up. After placing his faith in Christ during a church youth event at age 15, Ritchie discovered that God had a plan and purpose for his life.
“A man with no arms was never going to fit in a world where everyone has two arms,” Ritchie wrote. “But God had more in store for me than to be a victim of a life defined by the things that I was never going to be.”
Ritchie’s life story and testimony have been featured on Fox News, Focus on the Family and other media outlets.
Ritchie holds a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies from the College at Southeastern (now known as Judson College). He is currently pursuing a master of divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Ritchie has been married to his wife, Heather, for 18 years, and the couple has two children. The Ritchies reside in Raleigh, N.C., where they are members of The Summit Church, a multisite congregation in the Raleigh-Durham area.
According to the most recent data available, The Summit Church reported an average worship attendance of 7,891 and 448 baptisms in 2023. The church reported $810,000 (2.45 percent) given through the Cooperative Program based on $33,061,224 in undesignated receipts. The church also gave $368,500 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and $154,000 to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.
“As a model husband, father, ministry leader, and church member, Daniel Ritchie lives the gospel he preaches, calling hundreds of thousands every year to follow Jesus by both his life-changing testimony and his determination to make Christ known through a bold preaching ministry,” Capps added in his written comments.
The 2025 SBC annual meeting is scheduled for June 10-11 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.
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