Willie McLaurin, a former Tennessee pastor who was the interim president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, has resigned after it emerged that his resume included false information about his education.
McLaurin, who resigned Thursday, had been serving as the powerful administrative body’s interim president and was among those in the running to take on the position permanently — until the search team discovered his lie.
“While considering Willie as a candidate, your Presidential Search Team discovered disqualifying information during their process of vetting and due diligence,” committee Chair Phillip Robertson wrote executive committee members in a statement Thursday, which the panel’s media relations director sent to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. “McLaurin’s education credentials that he presented in his resume are false.”
Jonathan Howe, the Executive Committee’s vice president for communications, will temporarily take McLaurin’s role until the next committee meeting in September, when the body will elect another interim president, Robertson wrote in a follow-up message to committee members Friday.
Presidential Search Committee Chair Neal Hughes told members that the search for permanent candidates will continue.