Ed Litton, a pastor from Alabama, was elected as president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).

The new president gained 52% of votes from the SBC's more than 15,000 delegates in a runoff against Pastor Mike Stone of Georgia, Faithwire reported.

"It is a tremendous honor that Great Commission Baptists would put their trust and dependence upon me for this very important role in our fellowship and our convention of churches," Litton said in the press conference.

As per the Baptist Press, Pastor Litton bested Stone, receiving 6,834 votes (52.04%) to Stone's 6,278 (47.81%). Litton takes the helm from North Carolina pastor J.D. Greear, who served an extra year the 2020 SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando was cancelled.

"We are a family, and at times we may seem dysfunctional. But we love each other. ... This is a family, and sometimes families argue in a way that the neighbors get to see it, and that's kind of what you (the media) have been witnessing. But the reality is we're going to leave this place focused. We'll leave this place with a direction - and I believe a better direction - for the future," he further stated.

Addressing the racial issue, the delegates approved a consensus measure that dismisses any view which sees racism as rooted in "anything other than sin." They also affirmed the "Resolution on Racial Reconciliation on the 150th Anniversary of the Southern Baptist Convention," a resolution created in 1995 that apologizes "for condoning and/or perpetuating individual and systemic racism" in the denomination.

 Litton was nominated by New Orleans pastor Fred Luter Jr., the convention's only black president. Luter commended Litton for his commitment with the racial reconciliation and compassionate handling of sexual abuse issues within the SBC.

He is an active member of Pledge Group, a movement of leaders that addresses racial division in Mobile.

Litton has been serving as a senior pastor since July 1994 at First Baptist North Mobile, or currently known as Redemption Church, in Alabama. Prior to being a senior pastor, he was a home missionary under the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention and later moved to Tucson where he founded the Mountain View Baptist Church.

He was also the SBC's first vice president, serving the convention from 2001 to 2002.

He graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Theatre from Grand Canyon University. He completed Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He then went to The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for his Doctor of Ministry degree.

Litton was married to Tammy and they have three children together, including Josh, Tyler, and Kayla. But Tammy died in a car crash on August 16, 2007.

He found love again and married Kathy, a widow of Pastor Rick Ferguson, who was also killed in an automobile accident.

The new SBC president did not come from a religious home. His father was an alcoholic. He was about eight years old when his parents' marriage was about to dissolve. But a Southern Baptist pastor shared the Gospel to his father who later "cried out to God." Upon seeing the change in his father's life, which he said only God can do, Litton gave his life to Christ and began serving the Lord.