Greear withdraws before third ballot; Gaines wins SBC presidency

A runoff election, the withdrawal of a candidate, confusion of illegal ballots — the presidential election of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting June 14–15 in St. Louis, Missouri, kept participants on the edge of their seats.  In the end, former Alabama Baptist pastor Steve Gaines was elected by acclamation as SBC president after fellow candidate J.D. Greear withdrew…