TAYLORS, S.C. (BP) — Representatives from Pebble Creek Baptist Church have confirmed with Baptist Press that former Executive Committee president and CEO Frank Page is no longer pastor of the congregation.

In response to an email with questions from Baptist Press asking for confirmation of Page’s departure as well as reasons why, PCBC leadership responded with a statement that Page had “recently decided to step away from public ministry, including his role as pastor at Pebble Creek Baptist Church.

“We are eternally grateful for the revitalization and missional efforts of Dr. Page’s leadership at Pebble Creek since 2019, affecting scores of people and other ministries,” it continued. “Likewise, we are excited for the future of our church, its mission, and its ministries under our current leadership.”

A video on the church’s Facebook account shows Page leading the Wednesday evening Bible study on Feb. 7 and indicating that he would be leading further studies in the coming weeks.

On Sunday, Feb. 11, Associate Pastor Bert “BJ” Simpson, Jr., stood to preach.

“This is a hard day, but this is God’s house,” he said.

Page had served the congregation as pastor since June 16, 2019, according to SBC Workspace. Less than three months earlier, he had tendered his resignation as president and chief executive officer of the Executive Committee for “a morally inappropriate relationship in the recent past.”

Executive Committee members voted Page to succeed Morris Chapman as president and CEO on June 14, 2010, prior to the SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando. That came after eight months as vice president of evangelization at the North American Mission Board. Before that, he had served nine years as pastor at First Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C.

Page also served two terms as SBC president, receiving 50.48 percent of the vote by messengers at the 2006 Annual Meeting held in Greensboro, N.C.

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press.)