February 6, 2025
ATLANTA — Georgia Baptists will once again recognize their “Legislators of the Year” at the 11th Annual Georgia Baptist Pastors Day at the State Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 6.
Each year, Georgia Baptists, through the Public Affairs Committee, recognize a Senate and House member with an award, thanking them for their extraordinary service to Georgia and God’s Kingdom on earth.
This year, Sen. Chuck Payne (54th District, Dalton, Ga.) and Rep. Matthew Gambill (15th District, Cartersville, Ga.), will be honored.
These men are exemplary leaders on standing for the right principles in government. The statement on the plaque they will be given reads: "Given in grateful appreciation for your leadership and commitment to Godly principles as you represent your constituents at the State Capitol."
Sen. Payne is a Republican and has served the communities of Gordon, Murray, and Whitfield counties. He was first elected to serve as State Senator of the 54th Senate District in January of 2017.
He is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military and Homeland Security, and the Senate Committee on Assignments. He also serves as the Vice Chairman on the Senate Committees on Science and Technology, and Education and Youth, as Secretary of the Senate Committee on Higher Education, and as Ex-Officio on the Senate Committees on Children and Families, and Public Safety.
Sen. Payne served four years (1984-1988) in the Army and the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC. In 1988 he moved back to Dalton and began his 30-year career of public service to troubled youth and their families with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. He retired from the Department of Juvenile Justice with 30 years of service on October 31, 2016.
Sen. Payne has always maintained his affinity for working with youth. In his 30 years with the Department of Juvenile Justice, he helped countless kids who found themselves on the wrong side of the law, and many give him credit for helping to turn their lives around. He’s volunteered to coach little league sports for both boys and girls, having coached basketball, softball, baseball and football over the course of many years.
Throughout his 28 years of volunteer service, “principle above politics” has remained the focus of his efforts in building consensus of conservative ideals and principle across North Georgia, devoting the balance of his time to his family and services of his faith.
Sen. Payne and his wife, Angie, have two children, a son, Chaz Payne, and daughter, Heather Johnson, and son-in-law, Daniel Johnson, as well as three grandchildren, Jet, Jonah, and Judah. They are members of Grove Level Baptist Church, in Dalton, Ga.
Rep. Mathew Gambill is a Republican and was elected to the House of Representatives In 2018 in District 15. This district encompasses Cartersville, Emerson and Allatoona, along with portions of unincorporated Bartow County.
Rep. Gambill currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Higher Education, Human Relations and Aging, Insurance, Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, and Natural Resources committees.
He is currently the Business Development Manager for Parrish Construction Group. In this role, he is responsible for leading Parrish’s industrial and higher education initiatives, driving revenue, maintaining and growing business relationships, and is a key part of the implementation of new business. Prior to joining Parrish, he spent 4 years in business development with NFP Corporate Benefits, and prior to that over 14 years building relationships in the public and private sector serving as Executive Director for the Georgia Association for Career & Technical Education.
He is very active in his community and is a member of the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Economic Developers Association, serves on the Board of Directors of the Indian Springs Holiness Camp Meeting, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bartow County, Recovery Bartow, and is the Past Chair of the Boys and Girls Clubs Georgia Area Council and Murphy Harpst Children’s Home.
Committed to faith and family, Rep. Gambill and his wife Danae are the proud parents of three children, Mary Harris, David, and James. His uncle, Joe Frank Harris, represented Bartow County in the Georgia House of Representatives for 18 years prior to serving as Georgia’s Governor from 1983-1991. The Gambills are members of Tabernacle Baptist Church where they are actively involved.
Georgia Baptists are grateful for such men as these in the state legislature. We should also pray that more people like them will run for office and get elected. We need more of God’s “salt and light” in leadership around our state and nation.
Please make plans now to attend the Pastors Day at the State Capitol this year. It is not just for pastors. It is for all leaders and church members in our state. Please check out this information and registration link.
