[1]ATLANTA (BP)–Evangelist Bailey Smith, a former Southern Baptist Convention president and former pastor, will nominate evangelist Ron Herrod for first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the June 15-16 annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
Herrod is the current president of the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists.
“I feel that Ron Herrod’s years of experience as a successful pastor, as an anointed evangelist and as a man of integrity will serve him well in this capacity,” Smith said.
After serving as a senior pastor of several Southern Baptist churches for more than 35 years, Herrod launched R.H.E.M.A. (Ron Herrod Evangelism Ministries Association) in 1995 based in Sevierville, Tenn. Herrod’s pastorates had included First Baptist Church in Kenner, La.; First Baptist Church in Fort Smith, Ark.; and Central Baptist Church in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
In addition to preaching hundreds of revivals and crusades across the nation, Herrod has conducted mission projects in more than 30 countries. He has an international tape ministry and has written seven books.
Herrod is a graduate of William Carey College (B.A.), New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Luther Rice Seminary (Th.D.).
[2]His denominational experience includes service as trustee of the International Mission Board, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Louisiana College. He has served as president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference and vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference.
Herrod and his wife Emily, who have been married 47 years, have three grown children and eight grandchildren.
He is a member of Grace Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tenn. Information from the 2009 Annual Church Profile for Grace Baptist lists 204 baptisms and primary worship service attendance of 2,884. The church gave $174,999, or 3.76 percent, through the Cooperative Program from total undesignated receipts of $4,654,098. According to the ACP, the church also received $20,000 for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions and $2,128 for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions.
Herrod is the first announced nominee for SBC first vice president this year.
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J. Gerald Harris is editor of The Christian Index, newsjournal of the Georgia Baptist Convention.