The Rev. Willie McLaurin, interim president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee for the past 18 months, abruptly resigned Thursday after admitting to lying about his academic credentials.
The first Black man to head the group that handles matters for America’s largest Protestant denomination outside of an annual business session, the pastor and leadership coach was considered a leading contender for permanent appointment.
On Friday, SBC Executive Committee vice president for communications Jonathan Howe was named interim president and CEO until the panel’s next meeting on Sept. 18-19. Committee chairman Philip Robertson said “a continuing interim president/CEO” would be elected then.
Mr. McLaurin stepped into the top slot in February 2022, three months after the Rev. Ronnie Floyd resigned, citing liability concerns as the 13.2 million-member denomination dealt with allegations of sexual abuse that spanned decades. In 2022, Southern Baptists released a report detailing hundreds of cases of abuse. Mr. McLaurin had been an executive committee vice president.
The search for a permanent president and CEO stalled earlier this year when questions were raised about the process that selected the Rev. Jared Wellman of Texas as the nominee. Committee members voted 31-50 on the nomination, and his candidacy failed.
Mr. McLaurin said in his resignation letter, “In a recent resume that I submitted, it included schools that I did not attend or complete the course of study.”
Mr. McLaurin claimed degrees from North Carolina Central University, Duke University Divinity School and Hood Theological Seminary, the official Baptist Press news agency reported. In the course of performing “vetting and due diligence,” the search committee “discovered [the] disqualifying information” about his academic record, Mr. Robertson said.
The search committee investigation revealed that Mr. McLaurin “had never graduated” from any of the three schools listed.
“To the Southern Baptists who have placed their confidence in me and have encouraged me to pursue the role of President & CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, including pastors, state partners, entity servants, colleagues, and SBC African American friends, I offer my deepest apologies,” Mr. McLaurin said in the letter. “Please forgive me for the harm or hurt that this has caused.”
On X, formerly known as Twitter, SBC President Bart Barber said Mr. McLaurin’s plea for forgiveness merits “one and only response” from Southern Baptists: “Yes, Willie, I forgive you.”
Mr. Robertson said, “The need for God’s wisdom and direction is paramount at each and every point in the process of searching and selecting the next President and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee.”
He also asked Baptists to pray for the committee staff “and the McLaurin family” and promised “further updates” on the search process “in a commitment to transparency.”
Search committee chairman Neal Hughes said Friday the panel has “resumed their search for candidates” and would receive resumes through Sept. 30.
• Mark A. Kellner can be reached at mkellner@washingtontimes.com.
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