North Carolina pastor J.D. Greear was elected Southern Baptist Convention president June 12 during the 2018 annual meeting in Dallas, two years after conceding a closely contested election to lead the denomination.Also nominated for president was Ken Hemphill, an administrator at North Greenville University in South Carolina and former president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He was nominated by Brad Jurkovich, pastor of First Baptist Church in Bossier City, La., receiving 2,459 votes, for 31.19 percent.
A total of 7,884 ballots were cast for president from the 9,467 messengers registered at the time. Fifteen ballots--or .19 percent--were disallowed.
In his nomination speech, Whitten said Greear is the "one man that has proven he fits the bill in every way," He wants to lead us "back to the heart of evangelism and missions," Whitten said. He noted Greear’s ...
