INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention on the first ballot, leading a slate of officers that included two new vice presidents and two re-elected secretaries.
Bill Henard, pastor of Porter Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky., was elected first vice president, and John Newland, pastor of Fall Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis, was elected second vice president.
John Yeats, director of communications for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, was re-elected SBC recording secretary — a position in which he has served since 1997. Jim Wells, director of missions for the Tri-County Baptist Association in Nixa, Mo., was re-elected registration secretary for the sixth consecutive year.
John Marshall, pastor of Second Baptist church in Springfield, Mo., was elected to preach the convention sermon at the 2009 annual meeting in Louisville, Ky. Larry Wynn, pastor of Hebron Baptist Church in Dacula, Ga., was elected as the alternate preacher, while Scott Allred, minister of magnification at Hunter Street Baptist Church in Hoover, Ala., was chosen as the music director for next year’s convention.
Five candidates in addition to Hunt were nominated for president: Frank Cox, pastor of North Metro First Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, Ga.; Avery Willis, retired senior vice president of overseas operations for the SBC’s International Mission Board; William (Bill) Wagner, president of Olivet International University in San Francisco; Les Puryear, pastor of Lewisville Baptist Church in Lewisville, N.C.; and Wiley Drake, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, Calif.
Out of the 5,856 ballots cast for president, Hunt received 3,100 votes (52.94 percent); Cox, 1,286 (21.96 percent); Willis, 962 (16.43 percent); Wagner, 255 (4.35 percent); Puryear, 188 (3.21 percent); and Drake, 45 (.77 percent).
Hunt was nominated by Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla.
Traylor said he was nominating Hunt because of his “heart for the nations” and his “heart for the next generation.” Hunt will unite the convention and “forge a hopeful future” focused on the Gospel and connected to local churches, Traylor said.
According to Traylor, Hunt’s heart for the nations has been demonstrated in his church’s mission giving and participation. Last year alone, First Baptist gave $3.3 million to Southern Baptist mission causes, Traylor said.
Over the past 28 years, First Baptist has been responsible for planting 78 new churches, Traylor said. He added that during Hunt’s time at Woodstock, the church has seen hundreds of people surrender to full-time Christian ministry and mission service.
Hunt’s heart for the next generation, Traylor said, has been illustrated through his Timothy Barnabas conferences, which have reached 25,000 young leaders during the past 20 years.
“As you elect him today, you will send an instant message to that young generation that they have a place at the SBC table,” Traylor said. “They love him. You know him. And I believe it’s time we elect him as our convention president.”
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
Of the 2,387 votes cast for first vice president, Henard received 1,748 (73.23 percent) on the first ballot, defeating John Connell, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Savannah, Ga., and Crist Camden, retired pastor of Oconee Heights Baptist Church in Athens, Ga.
Connell received 377 votes (15.79 percent) while Camden received 224 (9.38 percent). Only 33.07 percent of registered messengers cast ballots in the first vice presidential election.
Henard was nominated by Kevin Ezell, pastor of Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky.
Ezell cited Henard’s godliness and generosity as reasons why messengers should elect him first vice president.
“He sacrificially gives to his church and has led his church to be a sacrificial giving church,” Ezell said. “They give consistently over 15 percent to the Cooperative Program. And this year Porter Memorial is celebrating giving over $7 million collectively to the Cooperative Program in the life of that great church. Also he is a giver to the state of Kentucky. He currently serves as the president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.”
Henard is also a “goer,” Ezell said, sharing his faith frequently and teaching others to do the same as assistant professor of evangelism and church growth at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has taken numerous mission trips in the United States and abroad, Ezell said.
Henard serves as chairman of the board of trustees at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention in addition to having chaired the search committee that brought President Thom S. Rainer to LifeWay, Ezell said.
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
Newland defeated Doug Mulkey, pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Canton, Ga., in a runoff election.
Newland received 470 of the 807 votes cast (58.24 percent) while Mulkey received 332 (41.14 percent).
On the first ballot Newland and Mulkey each received 769 votes (30.24 percent) to force the runoff. SBC President Frank Page said June 11 that the election marked the first known tie in an officer election in convention history.
On the first ballot, Brian Fossett, an evangelist from Dalton, Ga., received 582 votes (22.89 percent) and Jim Hamilton, executive director of the Dakota Baptist Convention, received 381 (14.98 percent) out of 2,543 cast.
John Rogers, missions/evangelism team leader for the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana, nominated Newland, calling him a Bible-believing, evangelistic leader. Newland served on the team that developed the strategy for Crossover Indianapolis at this year’s convention and will provide valuable leadership for Crossover Louisville in 2009, Rogers said.
RECORDING SECRETARY
Yeats was the only nominee for recording secretary and was elected when Wells cast the ballot of the convention for him.
Tommy French, pastor of Jefferson Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, La., nominated Yeats.
“John is one of those outstanding leaders that I’ve known for many years,” French said of Yeats. “He is a man of biblical integrity, bold faith and exceptional skills. And since the Lord has brought him to Louisiana to our state convention, we’ve seen some marvelous things happen.”
French also pointed out that Yeats completed a doctor of ministry project at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, studying the role and responsibilities of the recording secretary.
“He has the technical and organizational skill required to do this work, and he knows what it takes to get that work done,” French said.
REGISTRATION SECRETARY
Wells, the only nominee for registration secretary, was re-elected when Yeats cast the ballot of the convention.
When Randall James nominated Wells, he lauded Wells’ service as both a pastor and denominational worker as qualifying him for the office.
“He’s a godly man,” James said. “He’s a humble man, and he’s served the convention faithfully the last six years. He’s made some significant improvements, including express registration as well as online registration. He has blessed the registration process.”
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David Roach is a writer for Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. With reporting by Gary D. Myers of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
