David Crowther, lead pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Wichita, Kansas, announced Wednesday (May 22) he was withdrawing his intentions to be nominated for first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention at the annual meeting in Indianapolis (June 11–12).
Crowther told Baptist Press he initially planned to accept the nomination due to a “perceived void” that needed to be filled by someone with a more conservative theological approach. Since Oklahoma pastor Brad Graves announced his intentions to be nominated, Crowther said he decided he no longer needed to be nominated.
Graves will be nominated by Brad Whitt, pastor of Abilene Baptist Church, Augusta, Georgia. Graves is senior pastor of First Baptist Church Ada, Oklahoma. Graves served as president of the Oklahoma Baptist Pastors Conference in 2023. He also has served in other leadership roles on the state level.
To learn more about this year’s SBC annual meeting and other candidates being nominated, click here.
