Former Southern Baptist president enters hospice care at 68

Steve Gaines, a erstwhile Southern Baptist Convention president who disclosed a kidney crab diagnosis backmost successful 2023 portion serving arsenic pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church successful Tennessee, has entered hospice care, a missive to members reported by Baptist Press announced.

"Bro. Steve has faithfully served the Lord and shepherded truthful galore radical done the years," Bellevue Baptist Church Pastor Ben Mandrell wrote, according to the outlet. "He’s been a large pastor, mentor, and friend. Let’s grant him and his household by lifting them up earlier the Lord."

Back successful 2024 Gaines announced plans to commencement "a modulation retired of the pastorate," noting successful a missive to the religion that the determination was not tied to his crab diagnosis.

Before serving astatine Bellevue Baptist, Gaines had pastored astatine Gardendale First Baptist Church successful Alabama.

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Dr. Steve Gaines, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, presides astatine the yearly gathering connected Tuesday, June 12, 2018 successful Dallas, Texas. (Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

A station past week connected that church's Facebook leafage noted, "It is with dense hearts we stock with you that our beloved erstwhile Pastor and person Bro. Steve Gaines has been placed connected hospice attraction arsenic helium continues his conflict with cancer. The household has requested nary visitors astatine this time.

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Dr. Steve Gaines, the existent president of the Southern Baptist Convention, center, preaches a sermon connected Tuesday, June 12, 2018 astatine the 2018 yearly gathering of the Southern Baptist Convention successful Dallas, Texas.  (Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

"Bro. Steve and Donna served the Lord faithfully astatine GFBC for 14 years (1991-2005). Our lives volition ne'er beryllium the aforesaid due to the fact that of their anointed ministry! Please articulation with america arsenic we commune for the full household that God would situation them with His comforting presence, sustaining grace and divine peace," the message, attributed to Pastor Kevin Hamm, his woman Kim, and GFBC unit notes.

Past normal presidents are honored astatine the Southern Baptist Convention gathering connected Tuesday, June 12, 2018 successful Dallas, Texas.  (Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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Gaines was tapped to service arsenic SBC president successful June 2016 and past re-elected successful 2017, according to Baptist Press.