SBC President Willy Rice Urges Pastors to Engage Politically Before November Midterms
Southern Baptist Convention President Willy Rice called on pastors across the country to speak up on political issues ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections. Rice, who was elected SBC president in June 2026, said abortion, marriage, gender identity, and immigration are theological matters rooted in Scripture, not just policy debates. He argued that conservative Christian leaders created a political vacuum by staying silent.
Southern Baptist Convention President Willy Rice is calling on pastors to get more involved in the political process before the November 2026 midterm elections.
Rice, who serves as senior pastor of Calvary Church in Clearwater, Florida, and was elected SBC president in June 2026, made the appeal in early October. He said issues like abortion, marriage, gender identity, and immigration are not simply policy questions but theological matters rooted in Genesis 1 and 2.
Rice argued that conservative Christian leaders have been pressured to stay quiet on political issues, and that this silence created a vacuum that others filled. He said pastors have historically played a role in American civic life and should continue to do so when public policy intersects with Christian moral convictions.
On immigration, Rice acknowledged the tension between compassion and the rule of law. He called arguments that equate Christian charity with open borders "manipulative," saying that protecting citizens and enforcing laws are consistent with Christian values.
Some Georgia Baptist leaders echoed Rice's call, saying government is a divine institution and that believers should vote according to their biblical convictions. They stopped short of telling church members who to vote for.
