NASHVILLE (BP) – Oklahoma pastor Mike Keahbone is the second name to be presented as a planned SBC presidential nominee at the 2024 SBC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. California pastor Victor Chayasirisobhon announced his intention to nominate Keahbone in a release Jan. 30.
“Mike Keahbone is the real deal, a leader who loves the Lord, loves the SBC, and strives every day to make it better. He is a son of the SBC, and I am convinced he is more than ready to step up and step into the role of president,” Chayasirisobhon said.
Keahbone is the senior pastor of FBC Lawton, Okla. He has served as a member of the SBC Executive Committee since 2021 and is the vice chairman of the SBC’s Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force. He was a member for the Sexual Abuse Task Force.
“Mike led student ministries for more than two decades before spending two years as a full-time evangelist speaking at local churches throughout the country as well as multiple camps including Falls Creek and state evangelism conferences,” the release said.
The fiscal year for FBC Lawton ends March 31. Therefore, the last completed year on record with the Annual Church Profile is 2022. During that year, FBC Lawton received $1,401,565 in undesignated receipts and gave $88,057.87 (6.28 percent) to the Cooperative Program, according to the ACP. The church also gave $45,762 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and $18,337.94 to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering in 2022.
A church staff member told Baptist Press Tuesday (Jan. 30), “The 2023-2024 fiscal year has an approved undesignated receipt budget of $1,690,973 with Cooperative (Program) giving of $102,483 [6.06 percent].”
The church recorded 623 people in average weekly attendance in 2023 and 54 baptisms, according to the church staff member.
On Jan. 28, Keahbone asked church members for their blessing related to his nomination. According to a release from the church, they unanimously stated, “It is our joy to affirm God’s leadership in this decision, and we prayerfully commit to supporting our pastor in this endeavor.”
Keahbone served on the Oklahoma Baptist Board of Directors from 2015-2021, according to the release, serving as vice president from 2017-2021.
A Native American with heritage from the Comanche, Kiowa and Cherokee tribes, Keahbone served on the 2023 SBC Resolutions Committee and helped write the resolution titled, “On Religious Liberty, Forced Conversion, and the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigative Report,” which was adopted by SBC messengers.
One other anticipated presidential nomination has been announced thus far – North Carolina Pastor Clint Pressley. The 2024 SBC Annual Meeting is set for June 11-12 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
(EDITOR’S NOTE – Brandon Porter serves as Associate Vice President for Convention News at the SBC Executive Committee.)
