SBC Executive Committee names new interim leader

Jonathan Howe, the vice president of communications for the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, will take over leadership for Willie McLaurin, who resigned suddenly last week. McLaurin was named the interim role of president and CEO in February 2022. He is the third leader of the committee to resign unexpectedly in the past five years. His predecessor, Ronnie Floyd, resigned in October 2021 amid conflict over how the convention handled sexual abuse complaints. Floyd’s predecessor, Frank Page, resigned in 2018 because of a “morally inappropriate relationship.”

Why did McLaurin resign? The Executive Committee discovered he lied about having degrees from three institutions. McLaurin has not explained why he falsified his resume. SBC President Bart Barber wrote on social media that Southern Baptists should forgive McLaurin since he has asked for forgiveness for any “harm or hurt” caused. The Executive Committee oversees the denomination’s business in between annual meetings.

Dig deeper: Read Mary Jackson’s article in WORLD Magazine about sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention.