“Thankful.” That was one word Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans, used as he reflected on his decades of ministry after recently announcing plans to retire in October 2026.
Luter, who shared about his retirement during an Oct. 19 service that celebrated his 39th anniversary with Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, said he is grateful to the 65 members who voted to call him as pastor while he was a young street preacher from the Lower Ninth Ward. He also expressed appreciation for being a part of a church that has persevered through four building programs, the COVID pandemic and Hurricane Katrina.
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During his ministry with FABC, Luter was elected as the first African American president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and he has seen the church baptize 6,500 new believers, according to church records.
“Just looking back on from when it started to up until now, it’s been a joy pastoring Franklin Avenue,” Luter told the Baptist Message. “To see what God has done in this church, with a guy who never pastored before, and then being a part of a church that grew to be one of the largest churches in the state has been a blessing.
“And I look at it as God rewarding my faithfulness,” he continued. “I’ve been thankful to God, to His Word, to my wife and family, and to this church.”
Once he retires, his son, Chip Luter, will succeed him. During a specially called meeting, Nov. 3, the younger Luter, associate pastor of the congregation, was officially called to his new leadership role by a 96% vote.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Brian Blackwell and originally published by the Baptist Message, newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention.
