As a student in college and seminary, then as a pastor in Texas, Dwight McKissic has been affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention for more than 45 years.
Now he’s pondering whether he and his congregation should break away — following in the footsteps of several other Black pastors who exited in dismay over race-related actions of some white SBC leaders.
A crucial moment could come in June at the SBC’s national meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, if delegates rebuff their views on systemic racism in the U.S., and if Rev. Albert Mohler, a high-profile conservative who heads the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, is elected SBC president.
McKissic says he’s ready to leave the white-dominated denomination if delegates rebuff views shared by many Black SBC pastors related to systemic racism in the U.S.