By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (LBM) – Six individuals have been announced as intended nominees for Southern Baptist Convention president.
The following Annual Church Profile information is presented to allow readers to assess the evangelistic effectiveness of the individual’s home church (per capita baptisms) as well as the congregation’s financial commitment to the cooperative missions and ministries of Southern Baptists (Cooperative Program percentage of undesignated receipts). Finally, some personal information is provided about the candidate.
For comparison, the average baptism to worship attendance ratio for the entire SBC is 1:18 (226,919 baptisms, 4,050,668 average worship attendance, 2024 ACP). Also, the Convention average CP percentage is 4.59 percent ($457,417,314 total Cooperative Program gifts for state and national causes, $9,962,910,482 combined undesignated receipts for all congregations, 2023 SBC Annual).
SBC Bylaws, Article X “Election of Officers and Voting” provides a process for runoff elections: “If an officer does not receive a majority of votes cast on the first ballot, subsequent ballots shall carry the names of those who are included in the top 50 percent of the total votes cast in the previous ballot.”
David Allen
Member, First Baptist Church, Sunnyvale, Texas: 14 baptisms, 430 average worship attendance, (1 baptism per 31 worshipers, 1:31 ratio); $1,736,305 undesignated receipts, $21,366 CP (1.2 percent); $36,103 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering; $18,500 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.
Criswell College: W.A. Criswell Chair of Preaching (1998-2004).
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary: board of trustees (1992-2004), vice chair (2001-03), chair (2003-04); distinguished professor of preaching; director, Center for Expository Preaching; George W. Truett Chair of Pastoral Ministry (2004-22); dean of theology (2004-16), dean of preaching (2016-22).
Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary: dean of Adrian Rogers Center for Biblical Preaching (2022-present); distinguished professor of practical theology (2022-present).
Pastor of two Texas churches; interim pastor of 13 Texas, Georgia and New Mexico congregations (names, dates unknown).
Personal: B.A., Criswell College; M.Div., SWBTS; Ph.D., University of Texas, Arlington.
Bruce Frank
Pastor, Biltmore Baptist Church, Arden, North Carolina (2008-present): 384 baptisms, 7,331 AWA (1:19); $14,476,412 UNDES, $235,000 CP (1.62 %); $30,000 LMCO; $15,000 AAEO.
SBC: chair, Sex Abuse Task Force (2021-22); Bible Studies for Life advisory council, LifeWay Christian Resources (2013); president, Pastors’ Conference (2014).
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Humble, Texas (1999-2008). Executive pastor, Metropolitan Baptist Church, Houston (UNK), and pastor of churches in Electra and Bluegrove, Texas (names and dates UNK).
Personal: B.B.A., Texas Tech University; M.Div., SWBTS; D.Min., Luther Rice Seminary (Stonecrest, Georgia).
Mike Keahbone
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Lawton, Oklahoma (2020-present): 59 baptisms, 594 AWA (1:10); $1,405,425 UNDES, $88,832 CP (6.32 %); $29,751 LMCO; $2,325 AAEO.
SBC: Executive Committee (2021-present); Cooperation Committee (2021-22); Sex Abuse Task Force (2021-22); vice-chair, Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force (2022-present); Resolutions Committee (2022).
Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma board of directors (2015-21), vice president (2017-19).
Cherokee Hills Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: pastor (2014-20), associate pastor (2012-14).
Personal: B.S., Mid-America Christian University (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma).
Jared Moore
Pastor, Homesteads Baptist Church, Crossville, Tennessee (2016-present): 3 baptisms, 113 AWA (1:38); $206,256 UNDES, $19,266 CP (9.34 %); $4,679 LMCO; $1,995 AAEO.
SBC second vice president (2014).
Pastor, New Salem Baptist Church, Hustonville, Kentucky (2010-16).
Personal: B.A., Trinity College of the Bible (Newburgh, Indiana); M.A.R., Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary; M.Div., Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Clint Pressley
Pastor, Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Charlotte (2010-present): 69 baptisms, 2,632 AWA (1:38); $9,680,234 UNDES, $232,089 CP (2.4 %); $244,664 LMCO, $73,026 AAEO.
SBC: first vice president (2014-15); vice president, Pastors’ Conference (2013).
SBTS Board of Trustees (2015-present), chair (UNK).
Baptist State Convention of North Carolina board of directors (UNK). University of Mobile board of trustees (UNK).
Pastor of two Mississippi congregations (names and dates UNK). Associate pastor, HGBC (1999-2004). Pastor, Dauphin Way Baptist Church, Mobile, Alabama (2004-10).
Personal: B.A., Wofford College (Spartanburg, South Carolina); M.Div., New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Dan Spencer
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Sevierville, Tennessee (2011-present): 64 baptisms, 1,486 AWA (1:23); $5,972,068 UNDES, $542,915 CP (9 %); $659,425 LMCO, $51,952 AAEO.
SBC: speaker, Pastors’ Conference (2001); Committee on Committees (2005).
Georgia Baptist Convention president (2009-11). Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (2015-19).
Personal: M.A., Liberty University.
SBC 2024: Vice President
Michael Clary
Founding pastor, Christ the King Church, Cincinnati, Ohio (2010-present): 4 baptisms, 201 AWA (1:50); $472,854 UNDES, $792 CP (0.17 %); $0 LMCO, $0 AAEO.
Personal: M.Div., SBTS.
David Crowther
Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Wichita, Kansas (2019-present): 41 baptisms, 557 average worship attendance, (1 baptism per 14 worshipers, 1:14 ratio); $1,455,921 undesignated receipts, $72,635 CP (4.99 percent); $25,833 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering; $992 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.
Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists vice president (UNK).
Previously served churches in North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky (congregations and dates UNK).
Personal: B.A., Anderson University (Anderson, South Carolina); M.Div., SBTS; Ph.D., Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
SBC 2024: Second Vice President
Michael Pardue
Pastor, First Baptist Church Icard, Connelly Springs, North Carolina (2013-present): 4 baptisms, 100 AWA (1:25); $255,661 UNDES, $22,256 CP (8.7 %); $5,570 LMCO, $1,805 AAEO.
Baptist State Convention of North Carolina: president (2020-2022); vice president (2018-2020); Pastors’ Conference president (2015), vice president (2011); board of directors (UNK).
Pastor, High Shoal Baptist Church, Mooresboro, North Carolina (UNK).
Personal: B.A., Gardner Webb University (Boiling Springs, North Carolina); M.A., North Greenville University (North Greenville, South Carolina); Ed.D., SEBTS.
Wesley Russell
Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Pikeville, Kentucky (2022-present): 7 baptisms, 74 average worship attendance, (1 baptism per 11 worshipers, 1:11 ratio); $227,604 undesignated receipts, $550 CP (0.24 percent); $0 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering; $400 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.
