This list List of Southern Baptist Convention affiliated people includes notable individuals who are or were members of a church affiliated with the

Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The wor ...

(SBC) or who are otherwise affiliated with the SBC.

Presidents, preachers, theologians, authors and missionaries

Deceased

Annie Armstrong Annie Walker Armstrong (July 11, 1850 – December 20, 1938) was a lay Southern Baptist denominational leader instrumental in the founding of the Woman's Missionary Union. Early life Annie Armstrong was born in Baltimore, Maryland to tobacconi ...

(1850–1938) - instrumental in founding the Woman's Missionary Union *

George Washington Baines George Washington Baines (December 29, 1809 – December 28, 1882) was an American frontier politician, editor, teacher, and Baptist preacher in Texas; he was also president and co-founder of Baylor University. Background Baines was born near ...

(1809–1882) - President of Baylor University *

Sion Blythe Sion Blythe (January 1781 – 23 August 1835) was a Baptist pastor who assisted in creation of several churches in North Carolina and Alabama, United States in the early days of the Baptist movement. Blythe was born in western North Carolina in Ja ...

(1781–1835) - Pastor, church founder and revivalist *

James Petigru Boyce James Petigru Boyce (January 11, 1827 – December 28, 1888) was an American pastor, theologian, professor and chaplain who was one of the founders of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Biography Early life James Petigru Boyce was ...

(1827–1888) - Pastor, theologian, author, and seminary professor, founding President of the

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) is a Baptist theological institute in Louisville, Kentucky. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The seminary was founded in 1859 in Greenville, South Carolina, where it was at ...

John Albert Broadus John Albert Broadus (January 24, 1827 – March 16, 1895) was an American Baptist pastor and President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Early life Born in 1827 in Culpeper County, Virginia, Broadus was educated at home and at a priva ...

(1827–1895) - Pastor and professor and President at the

* John G. Burkhalter - Highly decorated U.S. Army Chaplain who served in World War II and the Korean War. * LaVerne Butler (1926–2010) - Pastor, college president *

Benajah Harvey Carroll Benajah Harvey Carroll, known as B. H. Carroll (December 27, 1843 – November 11, 1914), was a Baptist pastor, theologian, teacher, and author. Biography Carroll was born near Carrollton in Carroll County in north central Mississippi, one of ...

(1843–1914) - Pastor, theologian, teacher, and author * Grady C. Cothen (1920–2017) - State Convention Executive Secretary-Director for the

(1961–66), pastor, president of

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) is a Baptist theological institute in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Missions and evangelism are core focuses of the seminary. NOBTS offers doctoral ...

, president of

Oklahoma Baptist University Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) is a private Baptist university in Shawnee, Oklahoma. It was established in 1910 under the original name of The Baptist University of Oklahoma. OBU is owned and was founded by the Baptist General Convention of ...

, and author. * W. A. Criswell (1909–2002) - Pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, author,

President (1968–1970) *

Chuck Colson Chuck is a masculine given name or a nickname for Charles or Charlie. It may refer to: People Arts and entertainment * Chuck Alaimo, American saxophonist, leader of the Chuck Alaimo Quartet * Chuck Barris (1929–2017), American TV producer * ...

(1931–2012) - Founder of

Prison Fellowship Prison Fellowship is the world's largest Christian nonprofit organization for prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, and a leading advocate for justice reform.Mark Oppenheimer ''New York Times'' (April 27, 2012). History Prison Fell ...

and author *

Jerry Falwell Jerry Laymon Falwell Sr. (August 11, 1933 – May 15, 2007) was an American Baptist pastor, televangelism, televangelist, and conservatism in the United States, conservative activist. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, ...

(1933–2007) - Pastor, televangelist, Liberty University founder * Richard Fuller (1804–1876) - Served as President of the

from 1859–1863 * Richard Furman (1755–1825) - First president of the

Triennial Convention The Triennial Convention (so-called because it met every three years) was the first national Baptist denomination in the United States. Officially named the General Missionary Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States of America ...

, President of the South Carolina State Baptist Convention *

Billy Graham William Franklin Graham Jr. (November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American evangelist and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who became well known internationally in the late 1940s. He was a prominent evangelical Christi ...

(1918–2018) - Evangelist, pastor, educator, and founder of the

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) is a non-profit Christian outreach organization that promotes multimedia evangelism, conducts evangelistic crusades, and engages in disaster response. The BGEA operates the Billy Graham Trainin ...

. Billy Graham preached over forty crusades. In addition, Graham established the

Hour of Decision The ''Hour of Decision'' was a live weekly radio broadcast produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. First broadcast in 1950 by the American Broadcasting Company, it was a half-hour program featuring sermons from noted evangelist Bi ...

radio program, Decision Magazine,

Christianity Today ''Christianity Today'' is an evangelical Christian media magazine founded in 1956 by Billy Graham. It is published by Christianity Today International based in Carol Stream, Illinois. ''The Washington Post'' calls ''Christianity Today'' "evange ...

, and

World Wide Pictures World Wide Pictures (WWP) is a film distributor and production company established as a subsidiary of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) in 1951. It is involved in the production and distribution of evangelistic films, the produc ...

* J. D. Grey (1906–1985) - Pastor of First Baptist Church of New Orleans, Louisiana (1937–1972) and SBC President (1952–1954) *

Mordecai Ham Mordecai Fowler Ham, Jr. (April 2, 1877 – November 1, 1961), was an American Independent Baptist evangelist and temperance movement leader. Racism and Anti-Semitism Ham had a reputation for racism and anti-Semitism. He believed and preached ...

(1877–1961) - Radio and traveling evangelist * Brooks Hays -

President from 1958 to 1959 * Herschel Hobbs - President from 1961-1963 * Hosea Holcombe (1780–1841) - Historian and President of the Alabama Baptist State Convention from 1833 to 1838 * Alma Hunt - Executive secretary of the

Woman's Missionary Union Woman's Missionary Union (WMU) is an auxiliary of the Southern Baptist Convention that was founded in 1888. It is the largest Protestant missions organization for women in the world. History Origins During the meeting of the Southern Bap ...

H. Dale Jackson Reverend Dr. H. Dale Jackson (December 7, 1930 – February 15, 2003) was a Baptist minister, denominational leader and ethicist. He is most remembered for his efforts in promoting the historic distinctivesBaptist DistinctivesShurden 1 of the B ...

(1930–2003) - Pastor and ethicist *

William Bullein Johnson William Bullein Johnson (June 13, 1782 – October 2, 1862) was an American Baptist minister, one of the founders of the South Carolina State Baptist Convention in 1821, and later was the first president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1 ...

(1782–1862) - First president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1845 to 1851 * B.R. Lakin (1901–1984) - Preacher and evangelist * Homer G Lindsey (1927–2000) - Preacher at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL *

Thomas Meredith Thomas Meredith FTCD (1777–1819) was an Anglo-Irish clergyman, Doctor of Divinity, Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, and a distinguished mathematician who gave his findings before the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. He is best remembered for h ...

(1795–1850) - Founder and editor of the Biblical Recorder newspaper * Duke K. McCall (1914–2013) - Former President of

, the

Baptist World Alliance The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is the largest international Baptist organization with an estimated 51 million people in 2022 with 246 member bodies in 128 countries and territories. A voluntary association of Baptist churches, the BWA account ...

, and served as General Secretary of the

. *

Lottie Moon Charlotte Digges "Lottie" Moon (December 12, 1840 – December 24, 1912) was a Southern Baptist missionary to China with the Foreign Mission Board who spent nearly 40 years (1873–1912) living and working in China. As a teacher and evangelist ...

(1840–1912) - Missionary to China with the Foreign Mission Board (the SBC's annual Christmas offering for international missions is named for her) *

Edgar Young Mullins Edgar Young Mullins (January 5, 1860 – November 23, 1928) was a Southern Baptist minister and educator, who from 1899 until his death was the fourth president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the flagship school of the Southern Ba ...

(1860–1928) - Minister and educator, fourth president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary *

Louie De Votie Newton Louis De Votie Newton (27 April 1892 – 3 June 1986) was President of the Southern Baptist Convention (1947–1948) in the United States, Baptist preacher, and author, as well as vice president of the Baptist World Alliance. Biography Newton ...

(1892–1986) - President of the Southern Baptist Convention (1947–1948), President of the

Georgia Baptist Convention The Georgia Baptist Mission Board is an association of Baptist churches in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is one of the state conventions associated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Formed in 1822, it was one of the original nine state conve ...

, preacher, author, and Vice President of the

J. Frank Norris John Franklyn Norris (September 18, 1877 – August 20, 1952) was a Baptist preacher and controversial Christian fundamentalist. Biography J. Frank Norris was born in Dadeville in Tallapoosa County in eastern Alabama, but the family shortly ...

(1877–1952) - Preacher, left the SBC for the Independent Baptist movement, one of the most controversial figures in the history of fundamentalism * Cicero Washington Pruitt (1857–1946) - One of the first missionaries to Northern China, ordained minister at the age of fourteen, and textual translator * James A. Ranaldson (1789–1849) - Minister, founder of the

Alabama Baptist Convention The Alabama Baptist Convention (ABC or ABSC) is an autonomous association of Baptist churches in the state of Alabama formed in 1823. It is one of the state conventions associated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The Alabama Baptist State ...

, missionary, and church founder. * Bronson Ray (1868–1934) - Southern Baptist minister who would then become the Executive Secretary of the present day

International Mission Board The International Mission Board (or IMB, formerly the Foreign Mission Board) is a Christian missionary society affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The headquarters is in Richmond, Virginia, United States. History Thousands ...

Archibald Thomas Robertson Archibald Thomas Robertson (November 6, 1863 – September 24, 1934) was a Southern Baptist preacher and biblical scholar whose work focused on the New Testament and Koine Greek. Biography Robertson was born at Cherbury near Chatham, Virgi ...

(1863–1934) - Biblical scholar * Adrian Rogers (1931–2005) - Pastor, conservative, author, and

President 1979–1980 and 1986–1988 * Lee Rutland Scarborough (1870–1945) - President of the

(1938–1940), President of the

Baptist General Convention of Texas The Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) is the oldest surviving Baptist convention in the state of Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist World Alliance. In 2009, the BGCT began to also go by the name ...

(1929–1932), and as the President of the

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a Baptist theological institute in Fort Worth, Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It was established in 1908 and is one of the largest seminaries in the world. It i ...

(1908–1942) *

J. Harold Smith J. Harold Smith (June 14, 1910 – November 13, 2001) was a Southern Baptist evangelist and founder of ''Radio Bible Hour'', "broadcasting the Gospel of Jesus Christ since 1935". Smith was born in Woodruff, South Carolina. On September 4, 1932, ...

(1910–2001) - Pastor and founder of Radio Bible Hour * Frank Stagg (1911–2001) - Southern Baptist pastor, theologian, author and professor. Stagg served as a professor at both

(1945–1964) and at

(1964–1978) *

John Roach Straton John Roach Straton (surname rhymes with "Dayton"); born April 6, 1875, in Evansville, Indiana; died October 29, 1929, in Clifton Springs, New York) was a Baptist pastor. Straton was the son of the Reverend Henry Dundas Douglas Straton and the f ...

(1875–1929) - Pastor * William G. Tanner (1930–2007) - Served as president of

from 1966 to 1970, president of the

North American Mission Board The North American Mission Board (NAMB) is the domestic missions agency of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). It is involved in Southern Baptist church planting and revitalization, coordinating one of the United States's largest disaster relie ...

, as a pastor, educator, administrator, and denominational leader

George Washington Truett George Washington Truett, also known as George W. Truett (May 6, 1867 – July 7, 1944), was an American clergyman who was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, from 1897 until 1944, and the president of the Southern Bap ...

(1867–1944) - Served as the President of the

from 1927 to 1929, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, President of the

, as a minister and writer

Living

* Daniel L. Akin - President of

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) is a Baptist theological institute in Wake Forest, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. in Wake Forest, North Carolina. It was created in 1950 to meet a need in ...

(2004- ), and author. * Charles C. Baldwin, Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force 2004–2008 *

Mac Brunson Donald McCall "Mac" Brunson (born September 20, 1957) is an American Baptist minister who was the senior pastor of the First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, a Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) megachurch. Previously, he served as se ...

- Pastor of Valleydale Baptist Church in Birmingham Alabama, Historian and Author. *

Wade Burleson Wade Burleson is a politician, author, avocational historian, and retired pastor for Emmanuel Enid church in Enid, Oklahoma, United States. Burleson was twice elected President of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, serving between 2002 ...

- Author, historian, and Lead Pastor a
Emmanuel Enid, Oklahoma
*

Ergun Caner Ergun Michael Caner (born November 3, 1966) is a Swedish-American academic, author, and Baptist minister, who became well known for his book, co-authored with his brother, on Islam and his claims that he was a devout Muslim trained as a terrorist ...

- Preacher, Apologist, Author. Former President of Brewton-Parker College in

Mount Vernon, Georgia Mount Vernon is a city in, and the county seat of, Montgomery County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,451 at the 2010 census. It is home to Brewton–Parker College. History Mount Vernon was founded in 1797. It became the county s ...

. He previously served as the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Arlington Baptist College and was the former dean of the Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Graduate School of

Liberty University Liberty University (LU) is a private Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (Southern Baptist Convention). Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, Liberty i ...

* Douglas Carver -

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

who previously served as the

Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army The Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army (CCH) is the chief supervising officer of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps. (Chaplains do not hold commanding authority). From 1775 to 1920, chaplains were attached to separate units. The Office of th ...

Morris Chapman Morris H. Chapman (born November 21, 1940) was elected president and chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee on October 1, 1992. In September 2009 he announced that he would retire from this positio ...

President 1990–1992, Former President and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee * Dondi E. Costin - Chief of Chaplains,

U. S. Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

Ted Cruz Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas from ...

- Texas Senator, and 2016 presidential candidate *

Mark Dever Mark E. Dever (born August 28, 1960) is a theologian and the senior pastor of the Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and the president of 9Marks (formerly known as the Center for Church Reform), a Christian ministry he co-founded " ...

- Senior pastor of the

Capitol Hill Baptist Church Capitol Hill Baptist Church is a Baptist church located on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., six blocks from the United States Capitol. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Mark Dever serves as the senior pastor of the church, wh ...

in Washington, D.C. * James T. Draper, Jr. -

president from 1982–1984 * Ronnie Floyd - former Senior Pastor of Cross Church and The Church At Pinnacle Hills, and is an author *

Steve Gaines Steven Earl Gaines (September 14, 1949 – October 20, 1977) was an American musician. He is best known as a guitarist and backing vocalist with rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1976 until his death in the October 1977 airplane crash that claime ...

- Pastor of

Bellevue Baptist Church Bellevue Baptist Church is a Baptist megachurch in the Cordova area of Memphis, Tennessee, United States. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Bellevue is the largest church in Memphis. Bellevue's goals are to "Love God, Love Pe ...

, a mega church in Memphis, Tennessee *

Timothy George Timothy George (born 9 January 1950) is an American theologian and journalist. He became the founding dean of Beeson Divinity School at the school's inception in 1988 and was the dean from 1989–2019, now serving as Research Professor of Divinity ...

- Southern Baptist minister, acting dean of

Beeson Divinity School The Beeson Divinity School of Samford University is an interdenominational evangelical divinity school located in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. The current dean is Douglas A. Sweeney. Though located on the campus of a Baptist university, ...

Samford University Samford University is a private Christian university in Homewood, Alabama. In 1841, the university was founded as Howard College by Baptists. Samford University describes itself as the 87th oldest institution of higher learning in the United Sta ...

, executive director of

, and served on the board of directors for

Lifeway Christian Resources Lifeway Christian Resources, based in Nashville, Tennessee, is the Christian media publishing and distribution division of the Southern Baptist Convention and provider of church business services. Until the end of their physical retail presenc ...

of the

Franklin Graham William Franklin Graham III (born July 14, 1952) is an American evangelist and missionary. He frequently engages in Christian revival tours and political commentary. He is president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and ...

- Evangelist and missionary (son of

) * Jack Graham - President of the SBC from 2002–2004; current pastor of the 43,000+ person mega-church

Prestonwood Baptist Church Prestonwood Baptist Church is a Baptist multi-site megachurch, based in Plano, Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It is one of the largest churches in America, with a membership of over 45,000 and a weekly attendance ...

in Plano, Texas * J. D. Greear - President of the

from 2018-2021, Senior Pastor of The Summit Church * Corey J. Hodges - African-American preacher and columnist for Salt Lake Tribune *

Johnny Hunt Johnny M. Hunt (born July 17, 1952) is an American evangelical Christian pastor, author, and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He was also formerly senior pastor of First Baptist Church Woodstock, in Woodstock, Georgia. He w ...

- President of the

from 2008–2010, is a pastor and author *

Robert Jeffress Robert James Jeffress Jr. (born November 29, 1955) is an American Southern Baptist pastor, author, radio host, and televangelist. He is the senior pastor of the 14,000-member First Baptist Church (Dallas), First Baptist Church, a megachurch in D ...

- Pastor of

First Baptist Church (Dallas) First Baptist Dallas is a Baptist megachurch located in Dallas, Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It was established in 1868 and, as of 2018, has a congregation of about 13,000. In 2017, weekly attendance for worship ...

, a mega church in Dallas, TX *

David Jeremiah David Jeremiah is an American evangelical Christian author, founder of Turning Point Radio and Television Ministries and senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church, a Southern Baptist megachurch in El Cajon, California, a suburb of San D ...

- Pastor of

Shadow Mountain Community Church Shadow Mountain Community Church is an evangelical Christian megachurch affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and located in El Cajon, California, a city in San Diego county. The church celebrated its centennial in 2009. History Th ...

, a mega church in El Cajon, California *

Richard Land Richard D. Land (born 1946) is the president of Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, a post he has held since July 2013. Formerly he served as president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), the public polic ...

- President of the

Southern Evangelical Seminary Southern Evangelical Seminary is a Christian college in Matthews, North Carolina, United States. History The seminary was established in 1992 by Norman Geisler and Ross Rhoads. The college, Southern Evangelical Bible College (SEBC), was esta ...

in Charlotte, NC; Former President of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC * Phillip Lee, Jr. - Deputy Chief of Chaplains for Reserve Matters of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Fred L. Lowery Fred may refer to: People * Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Mononym * Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French * Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Frederico R ...

- Pastor of First Baptist Church of

Bossier City, Louisiana Bossier City ( ) is a city in Bossier Parish in the northwestern region of the U.S. state of Louisiana in the United States. It is the second most populous city in the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area. In 2020, it had a ...

, 1983–2013, televangelist and author *

Fred Luter Fred J. Luter Jr. (born 1956 November 11 in New Orleans) is a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). He was elected on 2012 June 19, and was SBC's first African-American president. According to Southeastern Baptist Theological ...

President 2012–2014 * Dwight McKissic - pastor, leader of Bapticostal movement * James Merritt - President of the

from 2000–2002 *

R. Albert Mohler, Jr. Richard Albert Mohler Jr. (born October 19, 1959) is an American Evangelicalism, evangelical theologian, the ninth president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and host o ...

- President of The

Russell D. Moore Russell D. Moore (born 9 October 1971) is an American theologian, ethicist, and preacher. In June 2021, he became the director of the Public Theology Project at ''Christianity Today'', and on August 4, 2022, was announced as the magazine's incomi ...

- President of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission * Frank Page, Former President and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee *

Paige Patterson L. Paige Patterson (born October 19, 1942) served as the fifth president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., from 1992 to 2003, as president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) from 1998 to 2000, and as the eigh ...

- Eighth president of the

in Fort Worth, Texas *

David Platt David Andrew Platt (born 10 June 1966) is an English former professional football coach and player, who played as a midfielder. Born in Chadderton, Lancashire, Platt began his career as an apprentice at Manchester United before moving to Crewe ...

- Former President of the

, former Senior Pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in

Birmingham, AL Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fro ...

, current Lead Pastor of McLean Bible Church, and author of the

New York Times Best Seller ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. John Bear, ''The #1 New York Times Best Seller: intriguing facts about the 484 books that have been #1 New York Times ...

, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream *

Paul Pressler Paul Pressler is the chair of the board of directors of eBay. He was previously CEO of Gap, Inc., chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and a partner at the private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. Early life and career Pressler receive ...

- retired Texas judge and a leader with Paige Patterson of the

Southern Baptist Convention Conservative resurgence Beginning in 1979, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) experienced an intense struggle for control of the organization. Its initiators called it the conservative resurgenceHefley, James C.''The Truth in Crisis: The Conservative Resurgence in the ...

, beginning with the convention in Houston in 1979 * Thom S. Rainer - former President and Ceo

LifeWay Christian Resources Lifeway Christian Resources, based in Nashville, Tennessee, is the Christian media publishing and distribution division of the Southern Baptist Convention and provider of church business services. Until the end of their physical retail presenc ...

in Nashville, Tennessee * Charles F. Stanley - Pastor Emeritus First Baptist Church of

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, and founder of

In Touch Ministries In Touch Ministries is a Christian evangelical organization that produces and distributes media and resources, including radio and television programs, podcasts, articles, and books, with the goal of spreading the message of the Gospel and help ...

. President of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1984 to 1986. *

Jeff Struecker Jeffery Dean Struecker (March 7, 1969)Curriculum Vitae
,

Bob Utley- Biblical scholar, author, and preparer for the

Sunday School Lesson Series. *

Jerry Vines Charles Jerry Vines (born September 1937) is an American preacher and former pastor of what was then the nation's third largest Southern Baptist church, the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida. Like his former co-pastor Homer G. Linds ...

- President of the

from 1988 to 1990 and as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida *

Rick Warren Richard Duane Warren (born January 28, 1954) is an American Southern Baptist evangelical Christian pastor and author. He is the founder of Saddleback Church, an evangelical megachurch affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention in Lake Fore ...

- pastor of the 20,000+ member

Saddleback Church Saddleback Church is a Baptist Evangelical multi-site megachurch, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, located in Lake Forest, California. It is the largest church in California, and one of the largest in the United States of America. ...

in California and author of ''

The Purpose-Driven Life ''The Purpose Driven Life'' is a bible study book written by Christian pastor Rick Warren and published by Zondervan in 2002. The book offers readers a 40-day personal spiritual journey and presents what Warren says are God's five purposes for h ...

'' *

David W. Whitlock David Wesley Whitlock is an American academic who served as the 15th president of Oklahoma Baptist University from November 1, 2008 to January 8, 2019. Background A fifth-generation Oklahoman, Whitlock was born in Purcell and graduated from Wayn ...

- 15th President of Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, OK *

Bryant Wright Bryant Wright is a Baptist pastor and author. He served as senior pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia from its founding in 1981 until 2019. He also served as elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) from ...

President 2010–2012 *

Homer Edwin Young Homer Edwin Young (born August 11, 1936), often called simply Ed Young, is senior pastor of the megachurch Second Baptist Church of Houston, Texas. He is father to sons Ed Young, pastor of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas; Ben Young, ...

- President of the Southern Baptist Convention (1992–1994), serves as Head Pastor of

Second Baptist Church Houston Second Baptist Church Houston is a Baptist multi-site megachurch in Houston, Texas, US. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. History Second Baptist Church was founded in 1927 whe ...

, is an author, and is the creator of the broadcast ministry, the ''Winning Walk'' * Paul Washer (born 1961) - evangelist and preacher, founder of the HeartCry Missionary Society

Entertainers

* *

Mark Carman Mark Lewyn Carman (born September 3, 1960) is an American music producer, singer, songwriter, and social activist. Career Music Carman is known primarily for his role as the musical arranger and co-producer of the Grammy nominated album by cou ...

- Singer, musician, composer, writer, producer *

Clarence Clemons Clarence Anicholas Clemons Jr. (January 11, 1942 – June 18, 2011), also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death in 2011, he was the saxophonist for The E Street Band. Clemons released several s ...

- Musician and actor *

Jerry Clower Howard Gerald "Jerry" Clower (September 28, 1926 – August 24, 1998) was an American stand-up comedian. Born and raised in the state of Mississippi, Clower was best known for his stories of the rural South and was given the nickname "The Mouth o ...

- Comedian,

raconteur A humorist (American) or humourist (British spelling) is an intellectual who uses humor, or wit, in writing or public speaking, but is not an artist who seeks only to elicit laughs. Humorists are distinct from comedians, who are show business ...

, and member of the

Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...

Dakota Fanning Hannah Dakota Fanning (born February 23, 1994) is an American actress. She rose to prominence at the age of seven for her performance as Lucy Dawson in the drama film ''I Am Sam'' (2001), for which she received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomina ...

- actress *

Elle Fanning Mary Elle Fanning (born April 9, 1998) is an American actress. She made her film debut as the younger version of her sister Dakota Fanning's character in the drama film ''I Am Sam'' (2001). As a child actress, she appeared in several films, inc ...

- actress *

Donald Hustad Donald Paul Hustad (October 2, 1918 – June 22, 2013) was a recognized leader in evangelical church music for six decades. Although he was an esteemed musician, composer, and teacher, Hustad's richest legacy resides in his informed criticism of ev ...

- musician, composer, and organist for Campus Crusade *

Grady Nutt Grady Lee Nutt (September 2, 1934 – November 23, 1982) was a Southern Baptist minister, humorist, television personality, and author. He was an uncle to performer Joey Lauren Adams. His humor revolved around rural Southern Protestantism a ...

- comedian on ''

Hee Haw ''Hee Haw'' is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with the fictional rural "Kornfield Kounty" as the backdrop. It aired first-run on CBS from 1969 to 1971, in syndication from 1971 to 1993, and on TNN from 199 ...

'' * Bobby Sowell - musician, pianist, composer *

Deborah Voigt Deborah Voigt (born August 4, 1960) is an American dramatic soprano who has sung roles in operas by Wagner and Richard Strauss. Biography and career Early life and education Debbie Joy Voigt was born into a religious Southern Baptist family ...

- opera singer

Politicians

Sharron Angle Sharron Elaine Angle (née Ott; born July 26, 1949) is an American far-right politician who served as a Republican member of the Nevada Assembly from 1999 to 2007. She ran unsuccessfully as the 2010 Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in ...

(R-NV) – Member of the

Nevada Assembly The Nevada Assembly is the lower house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada, the upper house being the Nevada Senate. The body consists of 42 members, elected to two-year ...

(2003–2007); lost U.S. Senate race in 2010 to

Harry Reid Harry Mason Reid Jr. (; December 2, 1939 – December 28, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017. He led the Senate Democratic Caucus from 2005 to 2017 and was the Sena ...

* Robert J. Bentley (R-AL) – U.S. Governor of Alabama (2011–2017) *

Matt Bevin Matthew Griswold Bevin (; born January 9, 1967) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 62nd governor of Kentucky, from 2015 to 2019. He was the third Republican elected Kentucky governor since World War II, after Ernie Fletc ...

(R-KY) – Businessman and U.S. Governor of Kentucky (2015-2019) *

Matt Blunt Matthew Roy Blunt (born November 20, 1970) is an American former naval officer and politician who served as the List of governors of Missouri, 54th Governor of Missouri from 2005 to 2009. Before his election as governor, Blunt served ten years in ...

(R-MO) – Missouri Secretary of State (2001–2005) and Governor (2005–2009) *

Brad Carson Brad Rogers Carson (born March 11, 1967) is an American lawyer and politician from the state of Oklahoma who served as the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness from 2015 to 2016. In that role, he initiated a number of not ...

(D-OK) – U.S. Representative (2001–2005) *

Travis Childers Travis Wayne Childers (born March 29, 1958) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2008 to 2011. The district included much of the northern portion of the state including New Albany, Columbus, Oxford, Southa ...

(D-MS) – U.S. Representative (2008–2011) *

Tom Coburn Thomas Allen Coburn (March 14, 1948 – March 28, 2020) was an American politician and physician who served as a United States senator for Oklahoma from 2005, until his resignation in 2015. A Republican, he previously served as a United St ...

(R-OK) – Southern Baptist ordained deacon, U.S. Representative (1995–2001), and U.S. Senator (2005–2014) * Doug Collins - (R-GA) - U.S. Representative (2013–2021) * Rick Crawford (R-AR) – U.S. Representative (2011–present) *

(R-TX) – U.S. Senator (2013–present) * Greg Davis (R-MS) – State Representative (1991–1997), Mayor (1997-present) * John Fleming (R-LA) – U.S. Representative (2009–2017) *

Bill Flores William Hose Flores Sr. (; born February 25, 1954) is an American businessman and politician who was the U.S. representative for from 2011 to 2021. The district, located in the middle of the state, includes Waco, College Station, and Bryan. H ...

(R-TX) – U.S. Representative (2011–2021) *

Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin Graham (born July 9, 1955) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from South Carolina, a seat he has held since 2003. A member of the Republican Party, Graham chaired the Senate Committee ...

(R-SC) – U.S. Senator (2003–present) *

Tom Graves John Thomas Graves Jr. (born February 3, 1970) is an American businessman and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2013 to 2020. Graves previously served one term as the U.S. representative for from 2010 to 2013, followin ...

(R-GA) – U.S. Representative (2010–present) *

Mike Huckabee Michael Dale Huckabee (born August 24, 1955) is an American politician, Baptist minister, and political commentator who served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate for the Republican Party presidential nomina ...

- Southern Baptist Minister, governor of Arkansas, and Republican candidate in the 2008 and 2016 Presidential primaries *

Duncan L. Hunter Duncan Lee Hunter (born May 31, 1948) is an American politician. He was a Republican member of the House of Representatives from California's 52nd, 45th and 42nd districts from 1981 to 2009. Hunter was the chairman of the House Armed Servic ...

(R-CA) – former US Congressman from San Diego County * Mike Johnson (R-LA) – Constitutional attorney specializing in traditional values issues and member of the

Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...

* Ben Jones (D-GA) – former U.S. Representative from Georgia, also played

Cooter Davenport ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television series ...

in ''

The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television series ...

'' *

Larry Kissell Lawrence Webb Kissell (born January 31, 1951) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for , a district that stretched from Charlotte to Fayetteville. A member of the Democratic Party, he served from 2009 to 2013. In 201 ...

(D-NC) – U.S. Representative (2009–2013) *

Ronnie Musgrove David Ronald Musgrove (born July 29, 1956) is an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served as the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from January 16, 1996 to January 11, 2000 and as the 62nd Governor of Mississippi from January ...

(D-MS) – U.S. Lieutenant Governor (1996–2000) and Governor of

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

(2000–2004) *

Sonny Perdue George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III (born December 20, 1946) is an American veterinarian, businessman, politician, and university administrator who served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. He previously served as t ...

(R-GA) – Governor of Georgia (2003–2011), U.S. Secretary of Agriculture *

Scott Pruitt Edward Scott Pruitt (born May 9, 1968) is an American lawyer, lobbyist and Republican politician from the state of Oklahoma. He served as the fourteenth Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from February 17, 2017, to Jul ...

(R-OK) - Oklahoma Senator (1999-2007), Attorney General of Oklahoma (2011-2017), EPA Administrator (2017–2018) *

Mark Pryor Mark Lunsford Pryor (born January 10, 1963) is an American attorney, politician and lobbyist who served as a United States Senator from Arkansas from 2003 to 2015. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to becoming senator, he was Attorne ...

- (D-AR) U.S. Senator (2003–2015) *

Chip Pickering Charles Willis "Chip" Pickering Jr. (born August 10, 1963) is an American businessman and former politician who has been the incumbent chief executive officer of Incompas since 2014. Pickering represented as a Republican in the United States ...

(R-MS) – U.S. Representative (1997–2009) *

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

(D-MO) – former

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

. *

Roger Wicker Roger Frederick Wicker (born July 5, 1951) is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Mississippi, in office since 2007. A member of the Republican Party, Wicker previously served as a member of the ...

(R-MS) – U.S. Senator (2007–present) *

Steve Womack Stephen Allen Womack ( ; born February 18, 1957) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2011. The district, which was once represented by future Senator J. William Fulbright, covers much of northwestern Arkansas ...

(R-AR) – U.S. Representative (2011–present) *

Jason Zachary Jason K. Zachary is a Republican member of the Tennessee State House of Representatives representing District 14 of Knox County. Background Jason Zachary was born on June 29, 1977 to his mother Pamela D. Zachary and father Richard K. Zachary ...

(R-TN) – State Representative (2015–present) *

Randy Forbes James Randy Forbes (born February 17, 1952) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U.S. representative for , serving from 2001 to 2017. Prior to joining the United States Congress, he was a member of the Virgin ...

(R-VA04) – U.S. Representative (2001–2017) *

Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthy (born January 26, 1965) is an American politician, serving as Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives, House Minority Leader in the United States House of Representatives since 2019. A member of the Rep ...

(R-CA) – U.S. Representative (2007–present) Member of Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield CA *

Ron Paul Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) is an American author, activist, physician and retired politician who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1976 to 1977 and again from 1979 to 1985, as well ...

(R-TX) – U.S. Representative (1976–1977, 1975–1989, 1997–2013)

Other

* Truett Cathy - businessman, founder of

Chick-fil-A Chick-fil-A ( , a Word play, play on the American English pronunciation of "wikt:filet#Pronunciation, filet") is an American fast food restaurant chain which is the country's largest which specializes in chicken sandwiches. Headquartered in Coll ...

Zach Johnson Zachary Harris Johnson (born February 24, 1976) is an American professional golfer who has 12 victories on the PGA Tour, including two major championships, the 2007 Masters and the 2015 Open Championship. In 2023, Johnson will captain the U ...

- professional

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...

er * Shu-tian Li - Chinese-American engineer and academic * Tim Tebow - NFL

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

player

Ex-members

Alton Brown Alton Crawford Brown Jr. (born July 30, 1962) is an American television personality, food show presenter, chef, author, voice actor, and cinematographer. He is the creator and host of the Food Network television show ''Good Eats'' that ran for ...

- celebrity chef and TV host. *

Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female rock band of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist. Raised in ...

- singer. In an interview with Slash magazine, she described herself as a reject from a Southern Baptist household and is now a practicing Buddhist. *

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...

- former

. During his presidential campaign, Carter introduced the term "

born-again Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sepa ...

" into mainstream American politics. Carter publicly identifies himself with the

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) is a Baptist Christian denomination in the United States. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance. The headquarters is in Decatur, Georgia. History The Cooperative Baptist Association has its or ...

because of his differences with the conservative direction of the SBC leadership and beliefs. In 2000 he announced that he was severing all links with the Southern Baptist Convention because of what he viewed as gender discrimination. *

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

- former

. Raised Southern Baptist, but left the Convention due to disagreement with its conservative positions. Working with

to conduct "Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant" meeting of over 30 liberal Baptist denominations and organizations in the US and Canada, which was held in Atlanta, January 30—February 1, 2008.New Baptist Covenant Celebration—News
/ref> *

Kevin Costner Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

. Baptized at First Southern Baptist Church in

Bakersfield, California Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...

as a boy. *

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...

Vice-President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice pr ...

(1993–2001); Democratic presidential candidate in 2000. Gore was raised as a Southern Baptist, but like Carter and Clinton, he formally left the Southern Baptist Convention due to his disagreements with many of the SBC's conservative positions. *

Bill Moyers Bill Moyers (born Billy Don Moyers, June 5, 1934) is an American journalist and political commentator. Under the Johnson administration he served from 1965 to 1967 as the eleventh White House Press Secretary. He was a director of the Counci ...

- raised a Southern Baptist and educated at

. Now a member of

The Riverside Church Riverside Church is an interdenominational church in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on the block bounded by Riverside Drive, Claremont Avenue, 120th Street and 122nd Street near Columbia University's Mornings ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, a dually-aligned American Baptist-United Church of Christ congregation. Press secretary to President

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

, later publisher of ''Newsday'', and well-known journalist and TV commentator (CBS and PBS). *

Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...

- Famous television actor; raised Southern Baptist, now

agnostic Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. (page 56 in 1967 edition) Another definition provided is the view that "human reason is incapable of providing sufficient ...

. *

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

- Singer, dancer, actress. She sang in a Baptist church choir as a child, but later in life studied Kabbalist teachings.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Southern Baptist Convention Affiliated People Bapt

Presidents, preachers, theologians, authors and missionaries

Deceased

Living

Entertainers

Politicians

Other

Ex-members

See also

References