Trustees of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission have unanimously elected Evan Lenow as the entity’s next president, with Southern Baptist leaders expressing confidence in his theological conviction and leadership as he prepares to guide the denomination’s public policy arm.
Lenow, 47, will assume the role June 1, succeeding Brent Leatherwood, who stepped down last summer. The commission, commonly known as the ERLC, represents the public policy and ethics entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States with roughly 12.7 to 13 million members and nearly 47,000 cooperating churches.
In announcing the decision at a special-called meeting in Nashville on April 13, ERLC board chair Scott Foshie described Lenow as “a proven, trusted servant to Southern Baptists” who has consistently helped churches engage cultural and ethical issues, according to reporting by the Baptist Press.
“I am humbled that the board of trustees elected me as the next president of the ERLC,” Lenow said. “The Lord has worked through my academic and professional life to prepare me for the work entrusted to this very important entity by Southern Baptists.”
Lenow currently serves at Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi, where he directs the Institute for Christian Leadership, oversees church and minister relations, and chairs the Christian Studies Department. He has also served as a research fellow in Christian ethics for the ERLC since 2012.
Among those welcoming the appointment, Albert Mohler, president of Southern Seminary, described Lenow as “a man of substance and conviction and long Southern Baptist pedigree who will serve well in this strategic leadership role in the SBC,” urging Baptists to pray for his leadership.
Lenow said he hopes to strengthen the ERLC’s role in equipping churches to address ethical challenges. “I believe the best days are ahead for the ERLC as our team comes alongside SBC churches and leaders to equip them to address the essential ethical and moral questions of our day with confidence and biblical fidelity,” he said.
The appointment follows a seven-month search process led by trustee Mitch Kimbrell, senior pastor of Christ Memorial Church in Williston, Vermont. Lenow was publicly announced as a candidate March 30.
He will assume the role after interim president Gary Hollingsworth, who has led the ERLC since October, completes his tenure during the transition.
Lenow previously served at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in several roles, including associate professor of ethics and director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement. He is also the author of multiple books on Christian ethics and cultural engagement.
