BJC Board adopts updated mission statement, approves move

A new mission statement, new officers, and the move to a new headquarters headlined the 2025 meeting of the BJC Board of Directors.

Composed of representatives from various member bodies who support BJC, the BJC Board includes people from a variety of careers, Baptist denominations, and faith traditions. They gather for business each October, collaborating with each other on the continued work of defending faith freedom for all.

During this year’s meeting, the board debated and approved an updated mission statement for BJC: “Rooted in a Baptist commitment to soul liberty, we are building a movement toward a just society that cultivates and expands religious freedom for all.” Learn more about the process and the statement itself on pages 16-17 of our winter magazine.

The board also heard about circumstances that require a change for BJC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. After being located for more than six decades in the Veterans of Foreign Wars building at 200 Maryland Avenue, BJC’s landlord announced extensive renovations that would displace the staff for more than a year. With the full backing of the board, it became clear that the only viable path forward was to conclude BJC’s lease and move. Read about BJC’s time at our former office on pages 18-21, and be sure to find us at our new address at 500 New Jersey Avenue N.W., Suite 750, Washington, D.C. 20001.

At the end of the meeting, the board elected new officers, each to serve one-year terms. The Rev. Dr. Philip Thompson was elected chairman. Representing the North American Baptist Conference on the board, he serves as Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History at Kairos University/Sioux Falls Seminary in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Rev. Dr. Elijah R. Zehyoue was elected secretary of the board. He is a board representative of the Alliance of Baptists, where he serves as co-director. The Rev. Dr. Christopher The was elected vice chair. Previously serving as board secretary, the Rev. Dr. The is a representative of the Religious Liberty Council on the board. He serves as the Director of Student Research and Initiative Management for The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). Sofi Hersher Andorsky was elected treasurer. Representing the Religious Liberty Council, she previously served as vice chair of the board and made history as the first Jewish person and the first non-Baptist leader to be elected to that position in 2023. Andorsky is Director of Organizing for the Democracy Communications Collaborative at Third Plateau.

“In such a challenging time, it is a weighty honor to be chosen to serve in a leadership role on the BJC Board,” said the Rev. Dr. Thompson. “I look forward to working with the staff and board alike as we live our shared mission of defending religious liberty for all and cultivating a culture of faith freedom in local communities across the nation.” Hear more from him on page 16 of the winter magazine.

“It has been a true blessing to serve as chair of the BJC Board during such a pivotal time for our nation and our faith communities,” said the Rev. Anyra Cano, immediate past chair of the BJC Board. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served alongside such a dedicated board and staff, and I look forward to seeing how this new leadership will build on BJC’s strong foundation.”

This article originally appeared in the winter 2025 edition of Report from the Capital. You can view it as a PDF or read a digital flip-through edition.