ST. LOUIS -- The Rev. Jack Graham, pastor of Dallas-area Prestonwood Baptist Church, was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) June 11 during the group's annual meeting. He faced no opposition.
Graham will lead the nation's largest Protestant denomination - 16 million members - for one year, according to the Baptist Press. He'll be eligible for nomination to another one-year term during SBC's 2003 meeting in Phoenix.
Graham has called on the SBC to step up missions efforts and take the gospel to all nations. Prestonwood, the congregation he has pastored since 1989, gave $1.2 million to missions causes in 2001, according to the Baptist Press. More than 12,000 people attend the church's weekly worship services.
Outgoing president James Merritt's keynote speech was disrupted by gay-rights activists, according to the Associated Press. Protesters from the group Soulforce claimed Southern Baptist teachings lead to violence against gays, bisexuals and transsexuals. Fifty protesters were arrested after marching onto the convention floor, according to the AP.
Fewer than 9,500 SBC delegates had registered for the two-day convention, AP reported. SBC officials had expected more than 10,000 delegates.
