NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Oklahoma pastor Stephen Rummage, an author and preaching professor, was elected president of the 2024 SBC Pastors’ Conference by acclamation June 12 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

Rummage, pastor of Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, will lead planning of next year’s SBC Pastors’ Conference June 9-10 in Indianapolis.

Rummage is a former chairman of the SBC Executive Committee and former president of the Florida Baptist Convention. He has pastored churches in Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Louisiana. He founded the national radio ministry Moving Forward, which airs across America daily.

In nominating Rummage, Tennessee pastor Adam Dooley extolled his track record of denominational leadership, preaching ability and humility.

“Stephen’s credentials are impeccable,” said Dooley, pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, Tenn. “He received a Ph.D. in preaching from New Orleans [Baptist Theological] Seminary. He has taught preaching in three of our seminaries. He has written two books on preaching, and he has delivered numerous academic lectures on the subject of preaching. But more importantly than all of that, this brother can flatly preach the Word.”

Despite his credentials, Dooley said, Rummage “does not need to be the center of attention. He cares deeply for other pastors.”

Following his election, Rummage expressed his desire to pray for pastors over the coming year. He unveiled a website where pastors can submit prayer requests to him.

“God is raising up this generation of pastors to lead this generation of churches to reach this generation of lost people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Rummage said. “As we stay on mission for the Gospel, as we stay on mission with the Word of God, God is going to do incredible, amazing things.”

Rummage will appoint a slate of officers to assist him and report back to the Pastors’ Conference, said outgoing president Daniel Dickard.

(EDITOR’S NOTE – David Roach is a writer in Mobile, Ala.)