2027 Presidential Nominee Recommendation Letter

The Board of Directors is excited to formally present Rev. Carlton P. Harris as the candidate to serve as the next president of the Evangelical Free Church of America. The presidential affirmation vote by credentialed delegates will take place during the Business Session at the 2027 EFCA One Conference. 

Following a rigorous and targeted search process, we are confident that Carlton is the right leader for this season of ministry in the EFCA. Though a mid-term presidential transition was unexpected, Carlton has led with excellence as acting president, and we look forward to seeing him lead us into continued unity and effectiveness as a movement. 

The process

Nominating a candidate to serve as president may be the single most important decision made by the EFCA Board of Directors. To discern our candidate, the Board appointed a Presidential Search Committee in September 2025 to review all available materials from past EFCA presidential searches and develop a timeline for due diligence. These steps were taken to efficiently work through a multi-stage process and arrive at a point of decision. A presidential profile was developed by the Presidential Search Committee with input from key stakeholders at every level of the EFCA. The profile and process were developed in the fall of 2025 and approved by the Board of Directors in January 2026.

The profile and search process were used to evaluate the acting EFCA president as a first stage. Carlton Harris completed a full application, which included in-person interviews with the search committee in March and an interview with the Board of Directors in April. The committee retained the services of a leading search firm, Carter Baldwin, to develop and deliver an executive profile for Carlton. The committee also utilized materials from the NL Moore and Associates’ 2021 search for the EFCA’s executive vice president of national ministries, which resulted in Carlton joining the EFCA. Access to profiles completed by two top-tier search firms gave the Board greater confidence, highlighting Carlton’s strengths, personality and leadership.

Qualified and tested

Carlton has served admirably as acting president since April 2024. While it was not his aspiration or plan, he answered the call of the Board to lead the EFCA through a complex season of unexpected transitions, after former EFCA President Kevin Kompelien joined Trinity International University in a time of severe need. In the past two years, Carlton has not only maintained ministry and operations but has truly led the national office and our movement of churches as the acting president. 

During this time, Carlton executed in this role extraordinarily well, displaying resilience, humility and the desire to learn and grow as a leader. His mind and heart reflect the best parts of the EFCA’s commitments and ethos, particularly regarding the tensions the EFCA maintains, with unity in essentials and charity in non-essentials. We have seen Carlton become increasingly protective of those commitments as he has navigated this role. His experience and wisdom proved to be critically important and have blessed the EFCA.

Carlton brings a rare combination of pastoral depth, theological credibility and institutional leadership shaped by decades of experience in complex ministry contexts. His leadership is marked by steadiness, emotional intelligence and the ability to guide organizations through prolonged seasons of challenge without losing trust or mission. He is particularly strong in unifying divided communities, navigating cultural and racial complexity, and building relational capital across diverse constituencies. 

Carlton’s credibility with pastors, donors, boards and denominational leaders rests on the consistency of character and a long track record of faithful service rather than on charisma or self-promotion. He leads with patience, clarity and restraint. He is comfortable making difficult decisions while remaining pastorally present and relationally grounded, prioritizing long-term health over short-term momentum.

A compelling and unifying vision

After this thorough process, the Board desires to see our acting president fulfill the calling the Lord has placed on him and see our movement fully express what Carlton captured in the EFCA’s new tagline—Biblical and missional. United and free. He has clear perspective regarding the cultural challenges on the horizon for the EFCA, our churches and our missionaries. In the face of those challenges, Carlton is passionate about leading the EFCA to be more deeply rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ and firmly committed to our shared Statement of Faith. At the same time, he is committed to strengthening the vitality of the EFCA by identifying, equipping and empowering young leaders from a broad range of diverse backgrounds so our movement is prepared with future generations of church leaders.

Through this application and interview process, we were encouraged by Carlton’s clarity and convictions about the strengths and weaknesses of the EFCA. We are excited to see him maximize what is good and redirect what needs to change. Carlton brings the right gifts at the right time to pursue and accomplish our shared mission to glorify God by multiplying transformational churches among all people. The Board fully believes in Carlton and his vision for the EFCA’s future. 

When we consider Carlton’s overwhelming qualifications and his consistent displays of leadership during unexpected circumstances, we believe continuity of direction at the highest level of the EFCA will deepen unity and strengthen ministry momentum across our movement of churches. We are thankful Carlton is willing to continue to lead the EFCA. 

As members of the Board of Directors, we thank you for your ongoing support, encouragement and prayers as we continue to navigate this process, and we look forward to being together at EFCA One next summer. Visit efca.org/presidential-nominee to learn more about the nomination of Rev. Carlton P. Harris and the timeline of events leading up to EFCA One.

In Christ,