Glen owens,Longtime Florida Baptist Leader,Dies at 79
A dedicated servant of the Florida Baptist Convention for 27 years,Glen Owens,passed away on Thursday,November 13,2025,at the age of 79. His decades of service encompassed numerous leadership roles and a commitment to strengthening churches across the state.
owens’ career with the Florida Baptist Convention began in 1989, when he joined as assistant executive director under newly elected leader John Sullivan.He quickly established himself as a trusted advisor, becoming known as Sullivan’s “most trusted advisor and confidant,” as recognized in a resolution honoring him upon his retirement. Following Sullivan’s departure in 2015, owens stepped into the role of interim executive director, a position held by only two others in the convention’s history.
Beyond his administrative duties,Owens demonstrated a profound dedication to pastoral care. He served as an interim pastor for over 80 Florida Baptist churches, offering guidance and support during periods of transition. According to a resolution of recognition, he provided “wise and healing counsel to troubled congregations,” demonstrating a unique ability to minister to churches facing significant challenges.
Even after retiring from the Florida Baptist Convention in 2017,Owens remained actively involved in ministry. He continued to focus on his passions – strengthening churches, encouraging pastors, and sharing his faith. Most recently, he served as senior adult pastor at North Jacksonville baptist Church.
“Glen was a great encourager to me personally,” stated Stephen Rummage, the current executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention. “His steady joy, his kindness and his unwavering commitment to the gospel have left a lasting imprint on our convention and on countless lives.”
A colleague described Owens as a man of unwavering integrity, stating, “He was easy to know and a man of deepest integrity. In 30 years, I never questioned his integrity. He was not a compromiser. It never ran in his blood. When he knew something was right, he stood by his stuff.” The relationship between the two men ran deep, with the colleague adding, “He’s the best friend you could ever have. We were more like brothers than friends.” Their friendship originated decades earlier at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Born in El Dorado, Arkansas, Owens was raised in Louisiana, where he accepted Christ at age nine and was baptized at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Crossroads. prior to his work in Florida,he served churches in Texas,Louisiana,and Georgia.
Owens is survived by his wife, susan; two children, kent Owens and Kathleen Ow
A funeral service will be held on Monday, November 17, 2025, followed by a celebration of life service at North jacksonville Baptist Church. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the North Jacksonville Baptist Church Building Fund at 8531 N Main St, Jacksonville, FL 32218, or online at www.njbc.org.
Expanded News Report:
Why did Glen Owens die? Glen Owens, a prominent figure in the Florida Baptist Convention, died Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the age of 79. While a specific cause of death was not released, his passing marks the end of a decades-long career dedicated to strengthening churches and supporting pastors
