Jeff Iorg has been discussing leadership, calling and ministry in his weekly “Lead On” podcast for nearly seven years. What he didn’t anticipate was that he would indeed continue to “lead on” in a major capacity after his time as a seminary president.
“It wasn’t very many weeks ago that we were tracking toward retirement plans,” Iorg, who is 65, said of his upcoming retirement from Gateway Seminary after 20 years as president.
Ready for the next season
Sharing during a March 21 press conference following his election as the next president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, Iorg said he finds the turn of events surprising but that he and his wife, Ann, are committed to the move.
Ann told the Baptist Standard she feels good about the change in course and that she and Jeff are excited because they both believe this next season is what God has for them. “God gives you what you need for what He has for you,” she said.
Iorg explained at the press conference that he should be considered EC president-elect as he plans to finish the semester as president of Gateway, which ends with graduation May 11. He will assume the EC presidency May 13.
‘To God be the glory’
The EC has been without a full-time president since Ronnie Floyd’s resignation in October 2021.
EC board of trustees chair Philip Robertson of Louisiana referenced the nearly two-and-a-half years of “praying and seeking and searching” for God’s choice to head the EC. “We all know that God’s directed steps are always better than man’s plans. … We say, ‘To God be the glory,’ for where we have come today.”
He even opened the special meeting in Dallas called solely for the nomination and vote on Iorg with Psalm 118:24: “This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
‘Celebrate moving forward’
EC board secretary Pam Reed of North Carolina confirmed the attendance of a quorum. Sixty of the 83 trustees were present. The EC technically has 86 members but three seats are currently empty.
While only 31 votes were needed, Iorg received unanimous support — 60 affirmative ballot votes plus a variety of supportive comments flowing in from trustees who could not attend the meeting.
EC board member Dani Bryson of Tennessee shared with the Baptist and Reflector that “Dr. Iorg has humbly and competently served the Lord and Southern Baptists for many years and comes forward now as a continuing act of service.
“I look forward to continuing to serve Southern Baptists under Dr. Iorg’s leadership and celebrate moving forward together,” she said.
As the Iorgs entered the meeting hall following the EC board’s nearly hour and a half executive session, they were met with applause and a standing ovation.
Iorg’s faith journey
Addressing the EC trustees, Iorg shared about the significant role Southern Baptists had played in his life for more than 50 years, from the time he met Jesus through an outreach effort by a Southern Baptist church at a West Texas fair.
As a result of that gospel encounter with an SBC associate pastor, Iorg said he became a member of a Southern Baptist church where, for the next 10 years, he was “mentored in the Christian faith and in all aspects of life.” At the same time, his future wife had also come to faith in Jesus at a Southern Baptist church.
The couple met at a Southern Baptist college, marrying shortly after graduation. Iorg emphasized his long career in the SBC: from education at Southern Baptist seminaries funded by the Cooperative Program to pastorates in Southern Baptist churches to the leadership of a state convention to the presidency of Gateway.
‘A force for good’
“Southern Baptists are a force for good,” he said. “My story is just one of millions of stories of boys and girls who have been impacted by the gospel, nurtured in Southern Baptist churches, educated in Southern Baptist colleges and seminaries, and sent across the world … to make a difference.”
The EC is often tasked with dealing with the “difficulties of Southern Baptist life,” Iorg said, noting that “we face those honestly, with greater transparency than almost any other organization imaginable.”
The SBC story is not “all problems,” Iorg continued. “I am thankful to God for the privilege of leading in this new capacity and for paying back in some way for what Southern Baptists have been to me for now more than 50 years,” he said, thanking trustees for the honor.
‘Leader among leaders’
SBC President Bart Barber pointed out how Iorg, even before the election took place, had “already brought unity” to the EC and SBC. It was showcased through the widespread support for Iorg’s nomination and the “unanimous vote,” he said.
“Jeff Iorg has said … the SBC is a force for good. I believe that God will use Jeff Iorg as a force for good, and I will cheer him on and pray toward that end.”
Robertson added during the press conference, “Leadership matters, and we know that Dr. Iorg is a leader among leaders.”
EC board member Neal Hughes of Alabama, who served as chair of the presidential search committee, said he was reminded of the words of the psalmist: “’The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’ Today is one of those days when we can say this with every bit of our hearts.”
Praising Iorg’s leadership, Hughes said his own “boat rises up a little bit” each time he sits down with Iorg to talk.
Issues to address
Iorg didn’t shy away from referencing issues he knows will be waiting on him to address — sexual abuse prevention and response, messengers’ motions referred to the EC from the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting, the conversation about amending the SBC constitution related to women on church staffs, the EC’s ongoing legal and financial matters, and the possible sale of the EC’s building in Nashville.
Asked about what he anticipates to be the most challenging aspect of his new role, Iorg said, “Keeping the focus of Southern Baptists on God’s eternal mission of getting the gospel to the nations.”
He added that the other concerns mentioned will be addressed but said they must be kept in perspective against the overarching mission of the gospel.
‘Trust is earned’
When asked how he intended to restore trust in the EC, given the controversies of the last several years, Iorg said, “Organizational trust is earned by … sacrificial service and demonstrated competence. You don’t gain trust by asking people to trust you. You gain trust by doing the right thing.” He promised sacrificial leadership with “competence and credibility.”
Concerning the Cooperative Program, Iorg said his “real challenge is lifting up the mission of God and calling Southern Baptists to that. The Cooperative Program is a means to fulfilling that. I don’t see myself as trying to convince people to give more money. My role is to try to convince people that the vision is worthy of more resources.”
He also reaffirmed his gratitude for the Cooperative Program in his life and ministry.
On a personal note, Iorg said he and Ann will reside in Nashville but also maintain a home in Portland, Oregon, to stay close to relatives requiring assistance. He added that their three adult children are fully supportive of his move to the EC.
