Cox announced as last-minute nominee for SBC president

ANAHEIM, Calif. (BP)—Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla., intends to nominate Georgia pastor Frank Cox for the office of SBC president during the 2022 SBC annual meeting. Cox confirmed his candidacy to Baptist Press.

Cox joins Tom Ascol, Bart Barber and Robin Hadaway as announced candidates for the position with the election scheduled to be held in the Tuesday afternoon session of the 2022 SBC annual meeting.

Pastor of North Metro Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, Ga., since 1980, Cox most recently served as a trustee for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary from 2011 through 2019, chairing the board from 2017 to 2019. He also chaired the search team that brought current president Jamie Dew to the school in June 2019.

In addition to his service on the seminary board, Cox served as a member of the SBC Executive Committee from 1997 to 2006. He was elected SBC first vice president for 1999-2000 and also has served as president of the Georgia Baptist Convention for 1997-98.

Cox also was a candidate for the SBC presidency in 2008 when Johnny Hunt was elected without a runoff. Cox finished second with about 22 percent of the vote.

According to Annual Church Profile information, North Metro reported 26 baptisms in 2021 and averaged 597 in weekly worship. The church collected $3,526,548.90 total undesignated receipts and gave $229,167 (6.5 percent) through the Cooperative Program. The church also gave $30,200 to the 2021 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and an additional $10,100 to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.

Cox, a native of Tallahassee, Fla., is a graduate of Mercer University and has a Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary. He and his wife, Mary, have three children and five grandchildren.