Hunter Street Baptist appoints new senior pastor after long search

Chandler Snyder is the new senior pastor of Hunter Street Baptist Church in Alabama. The congregation voted to affirm his appointment one week after the previous leader delivered his final sermon. Snyder steps into a role that has been central to the church's identity for four decades.

The search for a successor began in October of last year. Bill Decker, the church's executive pastor, served on the 11-person committee tasked with finding the next leader. The group utilized a professional search firm to assist in the process. By January, approximately 1,000 individuals had expressed interest in the position. The committee narrowed the field to three candidates in April.

Snyder currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas. He serves as the vice president for institutional relations at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Although he was not actively seeking a new position, he reviewed the opening after receiving an email about the role. He noted the church's long history and its place within the Southern Baptist Convention.

The new pastor is a native of Lexington, Kentucky. He and his wife, Kelli, began their relationship in high school. They attended the University of Kentucky and helped establish a campus ministry. The couple is married and has three children: Waverly, 16; Elodie, 12; and Atticus, 10.

From 2012 to 2022, Snyder and his family served as missionaries in Africa. They worked in countries including Madagascar and Kenya. The family returned to the United States in 2022 to join the staff at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Decker stated that the committee reached a unanimous decision based on their spiritual discernment. He described the process as a period of prayer and evaluation over the past several months. Snyder indicated that he was drawn to the church because of the legacy of its previous leadership.

Snyder preached his first sermon on August 16. He told the congregation that his goal is to maintain the existing unity and focus on biblical teaching. The church has distributed a 40-day prayer guide for members to use during this transition period.

The previous senior pastor, Buddy Gray, has led the church for nearly 40 years. He announced his retirement nine months before Snyder's appointment. Gray's final sermon took place one week prior to the vote that confirmed Snyder as his successor.