SBC Executive Committee names interim president amid fallout from attorney-client privilege vote By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor for Christian Post
Willie McLaurin has been selected as the interim president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee amid an investigation on how the leadership body handled sexual abuse reports.
Executive Committee officers announced the selection of the 48-year-old McLaurin on Tuesday, according to Baptist Press, the official news service for the SBC.
McLaurin served on the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board for 15 years before joining the Executive Committee in January 2020, where he serves as the vice president for Great Commission relations and mobilization. He also served as executive pastor at Greater Missionary Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee, and senior pastor at Greater Hope Baptist Church in Union City.
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“Our EC staff is committed to serving our Convention well,” McLaurin stated. “Jesus’ last words to us in Acts 1:8 should be our first priority as a network of churches. My prayer is that we will continue to put a laser-sharp focus on cooperation and collaboration.”
“I want to express deep appreciation to Chairman Rolland Slade and the Executive Committee officers for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve,” he added. “It is an honor to partner with Southern Baptists in advancing the mission of winning the world to Jesus.”
The move comes as the Executive Committee is undergoing an investigation into whether leaders mishandled sexual abuse complaints within the denomination.
Last October, former SBC President Ronnie Floyd resigned from his position as head of the Executive Committee in opposition to the committee’s decision to waive attorney-client privilege as part of the investigation.
The committee voted 44-31 on Oct. 5 to allow ​​Guidepost Solutions, which is conducting the investigation into how the convention handled sexual abuse claims within SBC churches, to review privileged communications between committee members and others as requested by SBC messengers and the Sexual Abuse Task Force.
“What was desired to be leveraged for the advancement of the Gospel by those who called me here, I will not jeopardize any longer because of serving in this role,” stated Floyd in a letter sent to the committee.
