June 21, 2024
INDIANAPOLIS (BP) – North Carolina pastor Clint Pressley, elected SBC president from a field of six nominees, begins his term with two newly-elected officers and two officers reelected during the 2024 SBC annual meeting in Indianapolis.
Pressley, senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Charlotte, N. C., was announced as president Wednesday morning, June 12, following the second run-off ballot for the office. In that ballot, Pressley won over Dan Spencer, pastor of First Baptist Church, Sevierville, Tenn., with just over 56 percent of the vote.
Six candidates were placed in nomination for SBC president Tuesday evening (June 11), but the initial ballot failed to give a candidate 50 percent of the vote. The top three candidates – Pressley, Spencer and David Allen, a professor and dean at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary – earned a spot in the first run-off election held Tuesday evening (June 11).
Pressley and Spencer were moved into a second run-off Wednesday morning (June 12). Pressley was announced later that morning as the new SBC president.
President
In the second run-off, Pressley won with 4,244 votes (56.12 percent) out of a total of 7,562 votes cast. Spencer garnered 3,305 votes (43.71 percent). Thirteen votes were disallowed.
In the first run-off Tuesday evening (June 11), 8,537 votes were cast with 30 disallowed. The results were:
The initial ballot Tuesday evening (June 11) counted 8,970 ballots with 15 disallowed. The results were:
First vice president
Brad Graves, senior pastor, First Baptist Church, Ada, Okla., was elected first vice president with 4,072 votes (69.04 percent) out of 5,898 votes cast. He was nominated by Brad Whitt, pastor of Abilene Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga.
Michael Clary, lead pastor, Christ the King Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, received 1,812 votes (30.72 percent). Clary was nominated by Jared Moore, senior pastor of Cumberland Homesteads Baptist Church in Crossville, Tenn.
Fourteen votes were disallowed.
Second vice president
Eddie Lopez, senior pastor, First Baptist Church en Español, Forney, Texas, was elected second vice president in a run-off with Michael Pardue Sr., pastor of First Baptist Church Icard in Connelly Springs, N.C., Wednesday afternoon (June 12).
In the run-off, 3980 votes were cast. Lopez received 2,074 votes (52.11 percent). Pardue received 1,886 votes (47.39 percent). Twenty votes were disallowed.
In the first ballot Wednesday morning (June 12), 5,976 votes were cast. Lopez received 2,304 votes (38.55 percent); Pardue received 2,269 votes (37.97), and Wesley Russell, senior pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Pikeville, Ky., received 1,382 votes (23.13 percent).
Registration secretary
Don Currence, administrative pastor, First Baptist Church, Ozark, Mo., ran unopposed for his sixth term as registration secretary.
Currence was nominated by Dale Lingenfelter, associate executive director and chief financial officer of the Louisiana Baptist Convention.
Because no other candidates were nominated, SBC Recording Secretary Nathan Finn cast the ballot of the convention for Currence, electing him to the position.
Recording Secretary
Finn, executive director of the Institute for Transformational Leadership and professor of faith and culture at North Greenville University in Tigerville, S.C., ran unopposed for his third term as Recording Secretary.
Finn was nominated by Tony Wolfe, executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
Because no other candidates were nominated, SBC Registration Secretary Don Currence cast the ballot of the convention for Finn, electing him to the position.
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This story first appeared in Baptist Press.
