Mike Stone, a Georgia pastor who serves on the steering council of the Conservative Baptist Network, will be nominated for president of the Southern Baptist Convention at the SBC annual meeting June 11-14 in New Orleans.
In February, Louisiana pastor Steven James announced he will nominate incumbent SBC President Bart Barber, pastor of First Baptist Church in Farmersville, for a second term.
Stone, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, Ga., was a nominee for SBC president at the 2021 annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn. He lost that election in a runoff race against Ed Litton, pastor of Redeemer Church in Saraland, Ala. He was endorsed in 2021 by the Conservative Baptist Network.
After Stone lost the SBC presidential election in 2021, he filed a lawsuit against Russell Moore, former president of the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. He claimed defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress on the basis of two letters Moore sent to the SBC Executive Committee. Stone’s lawyers later voluntarily withdrew the complaint filed in federal court against Moore, and the case was dismissed.
Candidacy announced in online video
In an unusual move, Mac Brunson, pastor of Valleydale Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., made the announcement by posting a video on social media of Stone declaring his candidacy for SBC president again this year.
“Here is hope for the SBC. So grateful for my friend @PastorMikeStone,” Brunson tweeted.
In a news release Stone distributed, he quoted Brunson as saying, “While another dear brother will nominate Pastor Stone in New Orleans, I am honored to share this exciting and encouraging news with my Southern Baptist family.”
In the video, Stone said, “After hearing from Southern Baptists across the country, I have prayerfully agreed to accept the nomination for the presidency of the SBC.”
“While I have no desire to disparage anyone, there are also serious causes of grave concern,” Stone said, pointing specifically to two issues that made him willing to pursue the SBC presidency.
First, he cited the need for “a biblical approach to the horrific issue of sexual abuse” that would include “caring well” for victims of abuse and “embracing scriptural principles of due process and of handling and publishing accusations.”
When outside help is needed, Stone asserted, the SBC should work only with those “driven by facts and informed by the truth.”
Guidepost Solutions, an international consulting firm that produced a report investigating sexual abuse in the SBC, initially was selected to set up the convention’s Ministry Check database to track abusers.
However, Guidepost drew sharp criticism from some Southern Baptists after a pro-LGBTQ post appeared in support of Pride Month. As a result, the SBC sexual abuse implementation task force announced it will “consider alternative pathways,” possibly by dividing the Ministry Check database job among “smaller firms that share our values.”
Emphasizing the principle of local church autonomy, Stone insisted, the SBC role is to provide resources to help local churches deal with sexual abuse “biblically, legally and compassionately.”
‘Unsustainable should be unacceptable’
Stone asserted the latest audit from the SBC Executive Committee indicates the convention is on “an unsustainable financial trajectory.”
“We can address this issue wisely in a way that doesn’t lead us to financial ruin,” he stated. “For Southern Baptists, unsustainable should be unacceptable.”
Second, Stone called on Southern Baptists to unite around reaching the nation and the world with the gospel. He voiced support for a national evangelism strategy he called “Crossover America.”
“These two issues are not in conflict with one another,” he insisted. “We can deal rightly with the abuse issue while staying on mission for Christ.”
Stone is a former chair of the SBC Executive Committee. He is a former president of the Georgia Baptist Convention and served on the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.
He is a graduate of Valdosta State University. Stone has served Emmanuel Baptist Church as pastor since 1996.
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