Johnny Hunt Wins Southern Baptist Presidency
INDIANAPOLIS – Georgia pastor Johnny M. Hunt was elected Tuesday to be the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Hunt, a Native American who pastors the megachurch First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga., received nearly 53 percent of the vote of over 5,000 SBC messengers – representatives of local SBC churches – during SBC's annual meeting and was enthusiastically received at a time of decline.
"My heart and passion is to see as many people as possible embrace Jesus Christ as their personal savior," Hunt said at a press conference after his election was announced. He also expressed passion to have churches fully involved in spreading the Gospel.
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After years of being asked to lead the largest Protestant denomination in the country, Hunt sensed a calling to accept the nomination this year. Hunt, who was among six nominees, succeeds the Rev. Frank Page who served two one-year terms.
