Bart Barber, the pastor of First Baptist Church in Farmersville, Texas, has been announced as the newest candidate for Southern Baptist Convention President.
SBC Pastors’ Conference President Matt Henslee announced this week that he will nominate Barber for the position at the SBC Annual Meeting this June in Anaheim, California.
“Barber is what Southern Baptists are when they are at their best,” Henslee told the Baptist Press.
“As a church, First Baptist Farmersville gives generously through the Cooperative Program and directly supports missionaries and church planters,” he explained. “As a pastor, Barber is actively involved in the local association, state convention, and the national level of the Southern Baptist Convention. He preaches the Word faithfully, reaches the lost passionately, and truly believes Baptists are at their best when they are working together to advance the kingdom.”
Henslee also shared that Barber has been a valuable resource to him since he began his ministry.
“Whether I was starting in ministry about 10 miles from him or pastoring churches 600 miles from him, Bart has been a phone call away for counsel or help as I navigated the ups and downs of ministry,” he noted. “Now, as his associational missionary and fellow pastor, I have a front-row seat to a man who loves his family well, shepherds his church with care, and still finds time to encourage pastors and promote unity in our Convention.”
Barber is the fourth person to be put up for the SBC presidency this year. Earlier this week, however, Florida Pastor Willy Rice announced his departure from the race, leaving Barber, Florida Pastor Tom Ascol, and Former International Mission Board missionary Robin Hadaway still in the running.
Barber has served on Committee on Resolutions since 2021, preached at the 2017 SBC Pastor’s Conference, served as the Convention’s Vice President from 2013 to 2014 and served on the executive board of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention from 2008 to 2014 (including as chairman and vice-chairman).
He has also served as a trustee for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from 2009 to 2019, served on the SBC Committee on Committees in 2008, and taught as an adjunct professor at SWBTS from 2006 to 2009.
Barber holds both an M.Div. and Ph.D. from SWBTS and is a graduate of the Texas-based Christian college, Baylor University. He is married to his wife Tracy. They have two teenage children together.
Related:
Florida Pastor Willy Rice Drops Out of SBC Presidential Race
Former Missionary Robin Hadaway Named as Third SBC Presidential Nominee
Tom Ascol Nominated for SBC President, Voddie Baucham Put up for Pastors’ Conference President
South Carolina Pastor Alex Sands to Be Nominated for Second Vice President of the SBC
Photo courtesy: ©Akira Hojo/Unsplash
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer. He is also the co-hosts of the For Your Soul podcast, which seeks to equip the church with biblical truth and sound doctrine. Visit his blog Blessed Are The Forgiven.
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