The California Southern Baptist Convention team is available to assist member congregations in every way possible. Our team consists of specialists and assistants who work at the Ministry Resource Center in Fresno and North American Mission Board church planting catalysts. Don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance.

Bill Agee is executive director for California Southern Baptist Convention responsible for leading staff in the primary areas of church planting, church revitalization, evangelism and missions and small church ministries. His passion is to empower the vision of churches to reach their communities and win people to Jesus. His primary goal is to work with California Southern Baptist churches to push back the darkness for 35 million Californians who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. Bill has been married to Pam for more than 40 years. They have a son and a daughter and three grandchildren.

Terry Barone is the Communications Group Leader for California Southern Baptist Convention. His primary responsibilities are to formulate and implement an overall communications strategy for CSBC, and serve as a communications resource for Executive Board staff. He oversees graphic design services and print buying, news and information, video production, website, and social media development. Barone also is responsible for coordinating staging, sound, lights and exhibit area for the CSBC annual meeting each October.


Mike Bivins is volunteer mobilization and Disaster Relief coordinator for the California Southern Baptist Convention. His primary responsibility is to assist churches and individuals to engage in missions and Disaster Relief ministries. Bivins challenges CSBC congregations to be “disaster ready” for when calamity strikes their community.

Jason Blankenship is the leader of the Evangelism and Missions Initiatives Team for California Southern Baptist Convention. As team leader, Jason is an evangelism advocate for CSBC congregations responsible for developing and implementing a plan to assist churches with ministries to evangelize the unchurched in communities throughout the state.

Roger Byrd is a member of the CSBC Church Revitalization Initiatives Team. His primary responsibility is to work with churches in the Count the Cost ministry for new churches and those in need of revitalization. Roger also supports the ministry of music and worship for CSBC congregations, as well as prayer ministry.





Max Herr is a ministry specialist for Human Resources and Church Compliance for California Southern Baptist Convention. His primary responsibilities are to provide consultations/assessments for churches, pastors, staff, and leaders in matters involving church bylaws and governance, finance, budgeting and accounting, insurance, and strategic planning.
Max works with churches to help them remain compliant and up to date with state and federal laws including corporate responsibilities, labor and employment issues, tax regulations and compliance, and the Affordable Care Act.




Ralph W. Neighbour III is the leader of the Church Revitalization Initiatives Team for California Southern Baptist Convention. His primary responsibility is to provide leadership for implementing Count the Cost revitalization strategy for CSBC congregations. He also is responsible for prayer ministries of CSBC.


Pete Ramirez is the associate executive director for California Southern Baptist Convention. His primary responsibilities include leading CSBC ministry teams and advancing the strategies of the Convention. He assists CSBC Executive Director Bill Agee and serves as the chief operating officer of the Convention.


Oscar Sanchez is migrant ministries field specialist for California Southern Baptist Convention. His primary responsibility is to develop plans to train and enlist churches to adopt a California migrant community or center as part of the Convention’s Feeding Those Who Feed Us ministry.

Ken Sartain is leader of the Small Church Initiatives Team for California Southern Baptist Convention working with smaller membership congregations with fewer than 100 members. The newest of CSBC ministries, the team endeavors to learn about, differentiate, address and create initiatives to meet the needs and vision of smaller membership congregations throughout California.

Ross Shepherd is Church Planting Initiative Team Leader for California Southern Baptist Convention. His primary responsibilities are to formulate and implement strategies to start new churches. Ross directs the California funded church planting effort and works with the North American Mission Board to plant other new churches in the Golden State.

Marc Tempesta, a Certified Public Accountant, is the chief financial officer for California Southern Baptist Convention. He also is the leader for the CSBC Business Services Team and provides oversight of risk management, human resources, data management, mail services and facilities management.


