| Bryant Wright | |
|---|---|
| President, Southern Baptist Convention | |
| Church | Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia |
| Enthroned | 2010 |
| Predecessor | Johnny Hunt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Nationality | USA |
| Denomination | Southern Baptist |
| Profession | pastor |
| Alma mater | University of South Carolina |
Bryant Wright is the pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia, and was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in June 2010. He succeeded Johnny Hunt, who had served two one-year terms.[1]
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Wright was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of South Carolina in 1974 and a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Seminary in 1980. In 1981 he became Senior Pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in northwest metro Atlanta, with 7,600 plus members as of 2010.[2] As of May 2010, Johnson Ferry had average worship attendance of over 4,300. In 1992 he founded Right From The Heart Ministries, a radio, television and internet ministry that airs 30- to 60-second inspirational spots on secular radio and television.[3]
Wright is a strong supporter of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force established by his predecessor, which issued a report that calls for rejuvenation of the SBC with greater emphasis on evangelism.[4] He has called on pastors to try to make more Cooperative Program funding available for missions to unreached people in the world.[5] He has said he dreams of seeing every Southern Baptist pastor and church take at least one mission trip. Wright calls himself as "a follower of Jesus Christ that believes the Bible" and says "I really don't believe that human beings are ever going to completely reconcile the sovereignty of God and the free will of man".[6]