October 1, 2026
GRIFFIN, Ga. — One year after McIntosh Baptist Church faced the possibility of closing its doors, its pastor, Daniel Sanderson, has been named “Replanter of the Year” by the North American Mission Board.
Founded in 1894, McIntosh Baptist Church in Griffin had a rich history of service to the community, but in recent years faced the tragic reality of significant decline. Only a few faithful people who had invested their lives in the church remained, and they were reluctant to see the doors of the church closed and the property sold.
Sanderson later said the church’s history still mattered to Griffin.
“The church was tired, and they didn’t know what to do,” Sanderson said. “They didn’t know what the future held for them. The former pastor said they didn’t want to put a 'for sale' sign on this church. The church is more than 130 years old, and they didn’t want to see it die. Neither does the community. Half of the people in Griffin got married here, and the other half got baptized here, so the community doesn’t want to see it go away.’”
Former McIntosh pastor Kevin Murdock approached Frank Nuckolls, Flint River Baptist associational missionary, to see if he could offer some hope for the church’s survival. Thomas Hill, pastor of Crestview Baptist Church in Griffin, was also brought into the discussion and did not want to see the keys of the church turned over to someone else.
Nuckolls was asked if he saw any likely options for the church, and one of his suggestions was the possibility of a replant. But he realized the first step in the replanting process was to get McIntosh to agree to the idea.
The turning point came when the church voted unanimously to allow the association to initiate the replant.
“We knew that we needed a special person to accomplish our objectives and began to pray for God’s direction,” Nuckolls said. “We did not have anyone in mind and made a list of the characteristics and qualifications we hoped to find in the person we needed to be the lead replanting pastor. Several good candidates were considered, but Daniel Sanderson impressed us. It was clear to our team that he was the one.”
When Sanderson toured the city of Griffin, he sensed the community could become both home for his family and a mission field for the church.
“It just seemed like my family culture,” Sanderson reflected, “and I thought we would thrive as a family in that environment and that by God’s grace we could be a blessing to Griffin.”
Chelsea, Daniel’s wife and partner in ministry, said the family’s confidence rested in the character of God.
“God is fully wise, fully in control, fully good, and fully powerful, and we can rest in Him because He promises that all things work together for good to those who love Him,” she said. “That removes all the anxiety about this world and the state of the church and about what will happen to our family.”
Sanderson brought to McIntosh an affable spirit, energy, and Christ-honoring fervor, accepting the challenge with a joyful heart and a yielded spirit. He also understood that leading a church into a new season would require both conviction and compassion.
“Change is hard,” Sanderson affirmed, “but good leaders know how to provide comfort and create change all at the same time.”
In the past year, McIntosh Baptist Church has shown signs of renewed health and has become a more Kingdom-minded church. At the NAMB 2026 Replant Summit, where nearly 400 pastors and church leaders gathered, Sanderson and McIntosh were highlighted as an example of a church experiencing new life through replanting.
Regarding the recognition, Sanderson declared, “Receiving the ‘Replanter of the Year’ award made me deeply grateful for the many people who have contributed to the work at McIntosh. Truly, there is no aspect of our church that does not bear the fingerprints of others. Church replanting requires significant sacrifice, perseverance, and faith. This award is a testimony to those realities and to the many people who have played a part in the McIntosh story.”
Mark Clifton, executive director of NAMB’s Replant Team, has often stated, “Nothing about a dying church brings glory to God, but a Kingdom-minded church will receive God’s gift in abundance and will continually be renewed.”
Through a partnership with the Flint River Baptist Association, the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, and the North American Mission Board, a church that once faced the possibility of closing its doors is now being held up as an example of what God can do through a healthy, God-honoring fellowship on mission for Christ.
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