Six candidates announced for the denomination’s top elected post, matching the number who ran in 2008, a convention that was also held in Indianapolis.
The field has more pastors from churches that would be closer to the average size in the SBC, rather than megachurch pastors. Three lead churches with more than 1,000 average attendance for Sunday morning worship services. Two of the candidates have run for the presidency previously.
The field is
▶ David Allen, Sunnyvale, Texas
▶ Bruce Frank, Asheville, N.C.
▶ Mike Keahbone, Lawton, Okla.
▶ Jared Moore, Crossville, Tenn.
▶ Clint Pressley, Charlotte, N.C.
▶ Dan Spencer, Sevierville, Tenn.
Two of the candidates are expressly opposed to the “Law Amendment” to the SBC constitution, which would add the male-only definition of pastor to the denomination’s governing documents. All candidates favor further actions to prevent sexual abuse in SBC churches. Half the candidates lead churches that contribute less than the national percentage average to the Cooperative Program.
The election of SBC President is scheduled to take place at 7:05 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, June 11, at the 2024 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Indianapolis.
See the candidates’ statistics, platform positions, and opinions in a side-by-side comparison below.
David Allen
Vocation: Leads the Adrian Rogers Center for Biblical Preaching at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis
Church: FBC Sunnyvale, Texas
Average morning worship: 430
CP giving: $21,366 (1.2%)
Baptisms: 14
Platform: 1) Strengthen long-term Convention focus on evangelism, missions, and preaching. 2) Support passage of the Mike Law Amendment at the 2024 SBC in Indianapolis. 3) Seek to restore an eroding trust among many Southern Baptists by calling for transparency at every level.
Key Quotes: “…I believe abuse is dealt with and defeated ultimately at the local church level. The local church is where accountability begins. The SBC should do all that is reasonably possible to provide information and training to church leaders regarding all aspects of abuse prevention and survivor care. We need heavenly wisdom to help us to work together to address the issue with biblical principles, genuine compassion, a financially prudent plan, sound legal strategies, and a methodologically wise blueprint for action.”
“If once great civilizations can decay, die, and lie in ruins, once great denominations can too. Some may believe our SBC has become too tangled to unravel. I don’t believe that. The bathwater may be dirty, but there is a baby in it.”
To be nominated by: Texas pastor Danny Forshee
Bruce Frank
Vocation: Lead pastor
Church: Biltmore Baptist Church, with eight campuses around Asheville, N.C.
Average morning worship: 7,331 (all campuses)
CP giving: $235,000 (1.62%)
Baptisms: 384
Platform: 1) A focus on the Great Commission. 2) A tenacity with Sexual Abuse Reform. 3) A renewed commitment an uncompromising and cooperative complementarianism. 4) An emphasis on church revitalization.
Key Quotes: “I think the good work done by Adrian Rogers and the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 committee is sufficient and practiced in well over 99% of SBC churches…
“Southern Baptists are clear about their complementarian convictions and must remain so. But we don’t need to take measures which do more to divide than guide. We can and should affirm complementarianism without restructuring the basis of our cooperation.
“80+% of Southern Baptist churches are plateaued or declining. That can change! We are already starting to see churches previously declining become vibrant again through coaching and resourcing for pastors. Our state and local associations are set up perfectly to assist plateaued congregations in making disciples and impacting their communities with the gospel.”
To be nominated by: Tennessee pastor John Mark Harrison
Mike Keahbone
Vocation: Senior pastor
Church: FBC in Lawton, Okla.
Average morning worship: 623
CP giving: $102,483 (6.06%) budgeted.
Baptisms: 54
Platform:
Two crucial issues: 1) The biblical qualifications of a pastor/the role of women; the Law Amendment. (He does not support the amendment). “I believe that our constitution and statement of faith are already more than sufficient in guarding the biblical qualifications of pastors and elders.” 2) Sex abuse reform (Keahbone is a member of the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force).
Key Quotes: “When a pastor or a victim is going through this [abuse], this is the worst crisis they have ever had to endure. And so, I think it was necessary for us to look at the system and make sure that there wasn’t any kind of systematic process that created this…or helped promote this in any way, shape, or form.
“I don’t look at the dollars as… wasted. I think it was necessary for us to see where we were at and what was going on. I praise God that, so far, it looks like there wasn’t a systematic process that made all these things happen. But what it hasn’t addressed is the definite abuse that we’re seeing in lots of churches all over the country.”
“Part of my vision is to explore and find ways to make the annual meeting more accessible to many of our messengers who are unable to attend because of distance and cost. If we are truly better together, more of us need to be there.”
To be nominated by: California pastor Victor Chayasirisobhon
Jared Moore
Vocation: Senior pastor
Church: Homesteads Baptist Church, Crossville, Tenn.
Average morning worship: 113
CP giving: $19,266 (5.6%)
Baptisms: 3
Platform: To implement: 1) the Law Amendment, 2) financial transparency, 3) biblical ethics which includes abortion abolition and same-sex attraction/desire is a sin, 4) reaching rural communities, and 5) biblically faithful leadership.
Key quotes: “Southern Baptists should be the leading prophetic voice for biblical ethics in America and beyond. The greatest moral issue in the United States is abortion, the murder of over one million babies every year…. The mother who gets an abortion must be held accountable. That’s the only way you’re going to end abortion, so that’s something I want to argue for.”
“Any Southern Baptist pastor who claims there is ‘systemic abuse’ in the SBC, needs to publicly confess how much abuse the churches he has pastored have participated in. You don’t get to claim there is ‘systemic abuse’ and exempt yourself and your churches.”
“Throughout human history, when a nation comes to Christ, it flourishes. But then, subsequent generations that are flourishing because of their grandparents, forget the Lord, and lead the nation into debauchery, and eventually, death. Nations then either repent or perish forever.”
To be nominated by: Oklahoma pastor Dusty Deevers
Clint Pressley
Vocation: Senior pastor
Church: Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C.
Average morning worship: 2,632
CP giving: $232,089 (2.4%)
Baptisms: 69
Platform: Pressley shared his thoughts on running for the SBC presidency in a recent video sharing about these three topics: clarity, cooperation, and courage. Regarding clarity, he said, “I’m thankful for the Law Amendment that I think actually gives some real clarity on how to apply the Baptist Faith and Message.” Having attended and taught at SBC seminaries, seen Southern Baptist missionaries at work, along with pastoring and planting churches, he stated, “I believe that’s what we do best as Southern Baptist, that we cooperate together.” Pressley said it’s going to take courage for Southern Baptist’s to stand for the Bible and say, “this is what we believe” to cooperate together in today’s world.
Key quotes: “I wouldn’t run for SBC president if I didn’t think there was hope. The vast majority of our pastors and laypeople love the Gospel, hate abuse, believe in inerrancy, want a male only clergy, and are ready to get to the mission.
“I don’t deny we have problems. I just deny hopelessness.”
“I think we need to be clear in what we believe. I think we need to be cooperating. I think we need to make sure we are able to stand courage.”
To be nominated by: North Carolina pastor Chris Justice
Dan Spencer
Vocation: Pastor
Church: First Baptist Church in Sevierville, Tenn.
Average morning worship: 1,486
CP giving: $542,915 (9.09%)
Baptisms: 64
Platform: The Tennessee Baptist & Reflector reported, “Spencer loves the Southern Baptist Convention for two primary reasons—the autonomy of the local church and the spirit of cooperation.”
“I understand there are differences between our brothers and sisters in the Southern Baptist Convention, but we have always found a way to come together, to deal with issues as they arise, and to refocus on what we do best together: preaching the gospel, sending missionaries, training pastors, and standing for truth. It is the Cooperative Program that has made us so effective for so long, and that is really my platform.
“I am so thankful for what God has done for the last 100 years through CP. I’m looking forward to celebrating the CP Centennial at the 2025 annual meeting in Dallas. I would like to lead all Southern Baptists to recommit to a unity of purpose through our cooperative giving.”
Key Quote: “I look forward to joining with new EC President Jeff Iorg in building on the best of our past, working through our present challenges, and pressing toward the bright future God has for us. We have proven before how united we can be. I believe we can do it again.”
To be nominated by: Tennessee pastor Chris Kendall