ANAHEIM, California — The Rev. Bart Barber, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Farmersville, Texas, was elected late Tuesday to lead the Southern Baptist Convention.
In a runoff vote, Mr. Barber, 52, received just under 61% of the 5,587 votes cast, versus 39% for the Rev. Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida.
The election of a Southern Baptist Convention president this year took on added importance because the leader will appoint a new Sexual Abuse Task Force to clean up a massive sex-abuse scandal that has rocked the 13.7-million-member denomination.
According to Religion News Service, Mr.