CAIN ELECTED TO EC SEARCH COMMITTEE

Baptist and Reflector

SEYMOUR — Corey Cain, pastor of First Baptist Church, Seymour, was elected to serve on the newly formed search committee tasked with seeking a new president/CEO for the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Cain was in Dallas on May 1 during the special called meeting in which EC members rejected the nomination of former EC chairman Jared Wellman. Cain is one of five Tennessee Baptists serving on the EC board of trustees from where the six search committee members were chosen. 

Cain explained the process in an interview with the Baptist and Reflector. EC guidelines called for the original search committee to be dissolved and a new search committee to be named immediately after a “No” vote of a presidential candidate. Wellman’s nomination was defeated by a vote of 50-31.

EC trustees nominate members for the new search committee and Cain estimated about 15 nominations were made. Those nominated could accept to serve if elected or decline to be nominated, Cain said. Eleven trustees agreed to serve if elected. Trustees were asked to vote for up to six members. The top six vote-getters comprise the search committee. In addition to Cain, also elected were Neal Hughes, Alabama; Drew Landry, Virginia; Nick Sandefur, Kentucky; Sarah Rogers, South Carolina; and Nancy Spaulding, Michigan. EC chair David Sons of South Carolina will serve as a voting ex officio member.

“We want to take steps to build trust and credibility of the search process and of the EC by being transparent and keeping Southern Baptists informed as we seek the person who will lead the SBC,” Cain said.

Cain said the team plans to hold their first meeting by Zoom within the next two weeks to begin the process. Search committee members will elect a chair during the first meeting, he related. B&R — Lonnie Wilkey, editor, Bapist and Reflector