Former SBC president to travel as itinerant preacher

Former Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines told Bellevue Baptist Church on Sunday that he planned to step down from his role as senior pastor at the church in Memphis, Tenn. Gaines, age 66, said he considered the decision for years but felt no pressure from other church leaders to step down. Gaines clarified that his recent diagnosis of kidney cancer also had nothing to do with his decision and shared news of a good PET scan taken last week. Bellevue will remain his home church, he said.

What does Gaines plan to do after leaving? After serving Bellevue for nearly 20 years, Gaines shared his plan to become an itinerant preacher. The Lord put the desire on Gaines’ heart many years ago to travel and minister to different churches rather than serve only one, he said on Sunday. There is an appointed time for everything according to the Ecclesiastes, and it is time for a new season, Gaines said. He planned to remain in leadership until a successor could be appointed and did not give a specific date for his departure.

Dig deeper: Read J.C. Derrick’s report on J.D. Greear succeeding Gaines as SBC president in 2018.