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INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Southern Baptist Convention messengers meeting in Indianapolis June 10-11 elected a new president, launched a bold initiative to share the Gospel with every person in North America by 2020, accepted a detailed report from the Executive Committee on the subject of child sexual abuse prevention and adopted a much-discussed resolution on regenerate church membership.

Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., was elected president on the first ballot at the annual meeting by receiving 52.94 percent of the vote in a crowded field of six candidates. He was nominated by Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola. Many of the approximately 7,200 registered messengers no doubt expected to witness the convention's first presidential runoff since 1982, but Hunt avoided that to become what is believed to be the denomination's first Native American president. Hunt is a Lumbee Indian, a North Carolina-based tribe.

Hunt long has been known among Southern Baptists for his passion for evangelism, discipleship and missions, and those themes dominated his post-election press conference and a brief address to messengers. His election came on the heels of LifeWay's Annual Church Profile report showing that Southern Baptists in 2007 baptized the fewest number of people in two decades.

"I pray that these next two years will be exciting times as we turn the tide and begin once again to grow and to reach our neighbors and our nations for His glory and for the expansion of His glorious Kingdom," Hunt told messengers the day after his election.

He told the press, "We've been declining as a denomination. You can't turn something around until you stop the tide in the direction it's going."

One of Hunt's goals is to get younger pastors more involved in the denomination. His Timothy Barnabas ministry, founded in 1994, has as its focus mentoring, encouraging and challenging pastors, particularly younger ones. Hunt said he hopes to be "able to inspire the younger generation that's coming behind me to buy in and then step up to the plate and support [the SBC]."

Hunt also said he wants to boost Cooperative Program giving by showing Southern Baptists—"especially the generation behind us"—"all that the Cooperative Program is doing."

"[We should] spend more time showing what's happening overseas, showing who's being helped, showing who's being cared for," he said. "[People then will say], 'I want to give more to that source.'"

Hunt's election came one day before messengers passed a resolution encouraging "all entities" to "strive toward a balanced representation of our ethnic diversity" and for the president and various committees to work with state conventions and local associations to "identity ethnic leadership" who can serve on boards and committees.

Bill Henard, pastor of Porter Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky., was elected first vice president, and John Newland, pastor of Fall Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis, was elected second vice president. John Yeats, director of communications for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, was re-elected SBC recording secretary—a position in which he has served since 1997. Jim Wells, director of missions for the Tri-County Baptist Association in Nixa, Mo., was re-elected registration secretary for the sixth consecutive year. John Marshall, pastor of Second Baptist church in Springfield, Mo., was elected to preach the convention sermon at the 2009 annual meeting in Louisville, Ky.

Five candidates in addition to Hunt were nominated for president: Frank Cox, pastor of North Metro First Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, Ga.; Avery Willis, retired senior vice president of overseas operations for the SBC's International Mission Board; William (Bill) Wagner, president of Olivet International University in San Francisco; Les Puryear, pastor of Lewisville Baptist Church in Lewisville, N.C.; and Wiley Drake, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, Calif.

Out of the 5,856 ballots cast for president, Hunt received 3,100 votes (52.94 percent); Cox, 1,286 (21.96 percent); Willis, 962 (16.43 percent); Wagner, 255 (4.35 percent); Puryear, 188 (3.21 percent); and Drake, 45 (.77 percent).

Hunt was nominated by Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.

Traylor said he was nominating Hunt because of his "heart for the nations" and his "heart for the next generation." Hunt will unite the convention and "forge a hopeful future" focused on the Gospel and connected to local churches, Traylor said.

According to Traylor, Hunt's heart for the nations has been demonstrated in his church's mission giving and participation. Last year alone, First Baptist gave $3.3 million to Southern Baptist mission causes, Traylor said.

Over the past 28 years, First Baptist has been responsible for planting 78 new churches, Traylor said. He added that during Hunt's time at Woodstock, the church has seen hundreds of people surrender to full-time Christian ministry and mission service.

Hunt's heart for the next generation, Traylor said, has been illustrated through his Timothy Barnabas conferences, which have reached 25,000 young leaders during the past 20 years.

"As you elect him today, you will send an instant message to that young generation that they have a place at the SBC table," Traylor said. "They love him. You know him. And I believe it's time we elect him as our convention president."

Meanwhile, the North American Mission Board unveiled an ambitious National Evangelism Initiative—named God's Plan for Sharing (GPS)—with the goal of having "every believer sharing" the Gospel and "every person hearing" by 2020 [see related story].

Executive Committee President Morris H. Chapman delivered a report to messengers on child sexual abuse prevention to coincide with a four-page EC report in the SBC Bulletin on the subject.

Chapman told messengers that "sexual abuse is a growing crisis in this nation" and that "one sexual predator in our midst is one too many." Sexual predators, he said, "must be on notice that Southern Baptist churches are not a harvest field for their devious deeds."

"We must determine that when we know someone is a sexual predator, we will expose him and bring charges against him for his crimes, whether he is a pastor, a member of the staff or a member of the church," Chapman said. "We cannot stand by and refuse to stand up against these vile criminals and allow them to practice their evil deeds."

The report from the Executive Committee—submitted after two years of study—said the "potential threat of sex abuse" at the local church level "is tragically underappreciated." The report urges churches to screen prospective volunteers and employees through the Department of Justice's national database, found at http://www.nsopr.gov. (A link also is available from www.sbc.net.) The committee rejected suggestions that it recommend creating a Southern Baptist database of sexual offenders. Such a database, the report said, would have its shortcomings.

"[U]se of the most comprehensive database available was opted for over creating a database that would be limited in scope," the report said. "Any convicted sex offender, regardless of religious affiliation, is already listed in the Department of Justice's national database of convicted sex offenders."

Messengers also passed nine resolutions, but one particular resolution concerning church membership and church member restoration seemed to stand out. As presented by the Committee on Resolutions, it urged Southern Baptist churches to "maintain a regenerate membership by acknowledging the necessity of spiritual regeneration and Christ's lordship for all members, ... maintain accurate membership rolls for the purpose of fostering ministry and accountability among all members of the congregation and ... implement a plan to minister to, counsel, and restore wayward church members based upon the commands and principles given in Scripture."

In other matters:

• Korean Baptist leader Billy Kim, president of the Far East Broadcasting Company and former president of the Baptist World Alliance, received the Distinguished Baptist Statesman Award from the Executive Committee for his lifelong service in global evangelism and leadership among Baptists.

• Messengers attending the Pastors' Conference had the opportunity to see a screening of "Fireproof," the latest theatrical release from the makers of "Facing the Giants." Large crowds—one estimate placed the combined totals at more than 6,000—watched three screenings and responded during the movie credits with standing ovations. Fireproof, which will be released in theaters Sept. 26, focuses on the saving of a seemingly failed marriage.

• The Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists utilized its 50th anniversary celebration to inaugurate a "Hall of Faith" of individuals who have dedicated their lives to vocational evangelism. COSBE inducted 30 evangelists—both living and dead—into the hall.

• President Bush delivered a taped video message to messengers, thanking them for their defense of religious liberty and their work in reaching out to victims of natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina and the recent cyclone in Myanmar. "I've seen the good heart of Southern Baptists," he said. He also thanked them for their defense of "the sanctity of life."

Next year's annual meeting will be June 23-24 in Louisville, Ky.