SBC Executive Committee turns down president nominee

DALLAS (BP and local reports) – Members of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee on May 1 declined to affirm Jared Wellman as the candidate nominated by the group’s presidential search committee charged with replacing Ronnie Floyd, who resigned in October of last year.

Tensions surrounding the vote included the fact that Wellman, lead pastor of Tate Springs Church, Arlington, Texas, was a member of the search committee until he recused himself Jan. 26.

He had been an ex-officio member of the search team since June 2022 by virtue of his role as chairman of the Executive Committee at the time. He had served on the Executive Committee since 2015 before stepping down in mid-April.

Executive Committee members met at the Grand Hyatt DFW in Dallas, in executive session as mandated by Executive Committee bylaws. The meeting was held in a hybrid format with 11 members joining by Zoom.

The vote total was 50 voting against the recommendation of Wellman and 31 voting in favor, comprising the 81 members present for the meeting. No breakdown of individual votes was released.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed about the outcome of today but I’m hopeful for the future as the new [presidential search] committee begins their work,” said David Sons, lead pastor of Lake Murray Church, Lexington, S.C.; current Executive Committee chairman; and member of the search committee that nominated Wellman.

Sons pledged to do all he could to help ensure the Executive Committee can find its new president.

“I am incredibly thankful for the eight years that Dr. Wellman served as an SBC EC Trustee,” said Willie McLaurin, who will continue to serve as Executive Committee interim president/CEO. Prior to being appointed to the interim position, McLaurin was vice president for Great Commission relations and mobilization at the Executive Committee 

“It was my joy to serve alongside him as he chaired the Executive Committee this past year. I will be praying for Jared and his family,” McLaurin said. “Now is the time for Southern Baptists to unite around living out the great commandment and fulfilling the Great Commission.”

SBC President Bart Barber, senior pastor of First Church, Farmersville, Texas, told Baptist Press, “The sentiment of the Executive Committee was unanimous that Jared Wellman is a godly man, a good Southern Baptist, and a strong leader. Whatever the outcome was going to be today, there were going to be some people who celebrated it and some people who mourned it.

“Everyone can see now that the Executive Committee is not a rubber stamp. It is a collection of people who take seriously our polity and who vote their conscience.”

After the vote, Wellman told the Executive Committee, “It’s been one of the greatest honors of my life to serve the Southern Baptist Convention through the Executive Committee.” He said his “heart is with” the Committee as it serves in the days ahead.

The Executive Committee elected a new presidential search committee from among its members, in accordance with committee bylaws:

— Corey Cain, lead pastor of Seymour Church, Seymour, Tenn.

— Neal Hughes, director of missions for Montgomery Association, Montgomery, Ala.

— Drew Landry, senior pastor of Spotswood Church, Fredricksburg, Vir.

— Sarah Rogers, homemaker, Greenville, S.C.

— Nick Sandefur, senior pastor of Porter Memorial Church, Lexington, Ken.

— Nancy Spalding, certified public accountant, Roseville, Mich.

— David Sons, ex-officio.

The next meeting of the Executive Committee is scheduled for June 12, just before the June 13 kickoff of the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

Mississippi Baptist representatives on the Executive Committee include Brian Cloys, member of Carterville Church, Petal; Dan Lanier, vocational evangelist, Little Rock; and Adam Wyatt, pastor of Corinth Church, Magee.