Pitman is the second announced candidate to lead the Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference, which meets two days prior to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Vance Pitman, pastor of Hope Baptist Church in Las Vegas, Nev., will be nominated president of the Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference next month in Orlando, Mac Brunson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, told Florida Baptist Witness today.

“In a day when the Great Commission is gaining momentum in Southern Baptist life and church planting is at a high premium, Vance has demonstrated that the Gospel works out west and that keeping Baptist in your name is still an asset, not a liability,” Brunson told the Witness.

According to Brunson, Hope Baptist began in 2001 as a church plant of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., pastored by Johnny Hunt, current president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Starting with 18 people meeting in Pitman’s home, the church has grown to nearly 2,000 each week in worship attendance, Brunson said.

“God has put on Vance’s heart the Gospel for the nations,” Brunson said, adding that since the SBC is “meeting out West next year, the election of Vance would send a strong message to our pastors and churches that they are such a vital part of our Southern Baptist family.”

Pitman told the Witness the Southern Baptist Convention is an “incredible platform from which we can engage the nations with the Gospel.”