William L. (Bill) Wagner

BIO: Pastor of Snyder Lane Baptist Church, Rohnert Park, Calif., and former IMB missionary.

PLATFORM: Wagner has a 10-point plank accessible on his website, williamwagner.org. His goals include involving small, ethnic and non-Southern churches in greater leadership roles within the SBC. He also seeks to rebuild relationships with Baptists internationally and to encourage a missions mindset in the life of local churches by going and by CP giving.

CP RECORD: In 2006, Wagner’s first year as pastor of Snyder Lane Baptist Church, it gave $670 through the Cooperative Program, according to ACP reports. Beginning in 2007, Wagner said the church began giving 10 percent to CP missions.

Frank Cox

BIO: Pastor of North Metro Baptist Church, Lawrenceville, Ga.

PLATFORM: Cox told the TEXAN in February that a dialogue is needed about the future of Cooperative Program giving. “[U]nless we address, educate, inspire, reach out to this next generation, in 10-15 years our mission endeavors will reach a crisis point.” Cox said a common evangelistic effort is needed domestically as America becomes more secular. Also, he said he desires to encourage the mentoring of promising young pastor-leaders.

CP RECORD: North Metro BC gave 13.4 percent, or $393,839, of undesignated receipts to CP missions in 2006 (2007 figures were unavailable at press time).

Johnny Hunt

BIO: Pastor of First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga.

PLATFORM: Hunt’s announced nominator, Ted Traylor, said Hunt should be SBC president for three reasons: His church is exemplary in its missions giving and going; he has a heart for “the next generation of young pastors and the millennial generation in general;” and he is “a leader who can forge a hopeful future” centered on the gospel and the local church.

CP RECORD: FBC Woodstock gave 2.2 percent, or $393,798, of undesignated receipts to CP missions in 2007.

Avery Willis

BIO: Member, Bella Vista Baptist Church, Bella Vista, Ark., and retired IMB vice president.

PLATFORM: Willis said in a letter to friends that the SBC needs to “gaze again” on God’s glory and return to him. “We need a discipleship revolution that recovers first-century discipleship in the twenty-first century.” “[M]y prayer is that enough Southern Baptists will respond to these challenges of God that He will pour out His Spirit upon us afresh.?”

CP RECORD: Willis’ home church gave 16.73 percent, or $119,460, of undesignated receipts to CP missions in 2007.

Les Puryear

BIO: Pastor of Lewisville