NASHVILLE (BP) — Southern Baptist leaders spoke up in reflection upon hearing the news of the death of former Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee President and CEO Morris Chapman.

A Mississippi native, Chapman led churches in Texas and New Mexico before his longest pastorate, at First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, Texas, from 1979-92, that included his 1990 election as SBC president.

“Morris Chapman led with passion and integrity,” said current SBC Executive Committee President Jeff Iorg. “He was a champion for cooperation and our global mission. He was also a friend who encouraged me for many years — including after my election as president of the EC. We honor him and pray for his family in their loss.”

“Dr. Chapman was a great blessing to the work of Southern Baptists. He was a model pastor in Wichita Falls and then one of the great statesmen of the Conservative Resurgence,” New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Jamie Dew shared in comments to Baptist Press (BP). “I was always encouraged to see him serving so faithfully all the way to the very end. For young leaders like myself, he was a source of constant encouragement, prayer and support. I’m incredibly grateful for his life and ministry and that he finished so well.”

“Morris Chapman … was a devoted pastor and distinguished leader,” R. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote on X. “I had the honor of working closely with him for many years, and we made history with the Program & Restructure Committee and the committee to revise the Baptist Faith & Message Committee. Morris is now with the Lord, free from earthly burdens. It was an honor to know him. Please join me in praying for his wife, Jodi, and his sweet family.”

“Dr. Chapman served Southern Baptists with conviction and grace, providing steady leadership as president of both the Southern Baptist Convention and the SBC Executive Committee,” said North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell. “His guidance during the Conservative Resurgence helped shape the direction of our convention for generations to come, and his enduring legacy will continue to strengthen and bless our churches for years ahead. My prayers are with his family and loved ones during this time of loss.”

“I thank God for the way Morris Chapman always championed the Cooperative Program as the primary way Southern Baptists cooperate together for missions and ministry,” said International Mission Board (IMB) President Paul Chitwood. “CP is a Kingdom resource that has funded IMB missionaries for 100 years.”

“I grieve his death but rejoice in the news that our brother Morris Chapman is now in the presence of the Lord he loved and served so faithfully,” said Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Danny Akin. “He was a Baptist statesman who loved our convention of churches. His election as SBC president was a crucial turning point in the conservative resurgence. I am thankful for his service, and my prayers are with his wife Jodi and the Chapman family.”

“Dr. Chapman made a kingdom impact by standing courageously for biblical inerrancy and working tirelessly to promote cooperative giving,” Gateway Seminary President Adam Groza told BP. “He modeled Baptist statesmanship for the next generation of denominational servants.”

“Morris Chapman walked among us with the quiet strength of one who knew the Shepherd’s voice,” said Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive-director for Woman’s Missionary Union. “His leadership always began at the feet of Jesus. He led with a deep sense of calling, faithfully stewarding the mission entrusted to him. The Shepherd he loved so deeply has welcomed His servant home.”

President David Dockery spoke on behalf of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to offer “thanks to God for the life, ministry and influence” of Chapman in honoring the school’s two-time graduate.

“On a personal level, Morris was a friend for more than 30 years,” Dockery added. “I had the privilege to work with him closely on a handful of projects while he was leading the Executive Committee. He served in significant ways as a trustee and Board officer at Union University for several years when I served as president there. 

“The Southwestern community is thankful for the opportunity to establish the Morris H. and Jodi Francis Scholarship, recognizing the Chapmans’ contribution to the life of the Southern Baptist Convention. We continue to pray for Jodi and the family during this time of loss while giving thanks to God for the hope of the Gospel.”

“[He] provided steady leadership for our Convention, championed the Cooperative Program and faithfully pointed others to Jesus throughout his life and ministry, and today he is experiencing fullness of life with Christ,” said GuideStone President Hance Dilbeck. “We are grateful for his legacy and pray for his family as they walk through these days of grief and remembrance.”

“I count myself better because of his example,” Gary Hollingsworth, interim president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

“Dr. Chapman was a true Southern Baptist champion, particularly during the Conservative Resurgence as he used his voice to bring God’s Word to bear on our Convention. His leadership provided clarity and direction during difficult days, and his influence continues to be felt. Southern Baptists are indebted to Dr. Chapman’s faithful legacy, and his presence will be missed as we continue to serve our Lord,” he expressed in statements to BP. 

“Lifeway sends our deepest sympathies to Morris Chapman’s family,” said Joe Walker, interim Lifeway president. “Our prayers are with them as they mourn his passing and celebrate his life and his commitment to Kingdom work.”

“Dr. Chapman was a true Southern Baptist statesman,” noted Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Jason Allen. “I join so many other Southern Baptists in mourning his loss and praying for his family.”

Former Southwestern and SBC president Paige Patterson called Chapman “in many ways the picture of a Southern Baptist” who “exhibited the mixture of courage, faith and love with a moral compass pointing always to godliness that causes us to feel this loss but to rejoice that we will renew our fellowship with him in heaven.”

“Growing up in rural Mississippi, he was not of aristocratic beginnings. He had a love for Christ, an addiction to the Word of the Lord, an affection for the church and a heart for the lost that propelled him into significant leadership in the denomination,” Patterson said. “As a pastor and a preacher, we trusted him for leadership not only among Southern Baptists but also around the world through both missions and the Baptist World Alliance.”

Many joined Mohler in giving their thoughts on X.

“Dr. Morris Chapman is now with the Lord in Heaven,” posted former Executive Committee President and CEO Ronnie Floyd. “God used Morris for decades as a pastor and a gifted leader in our Southern Baptist Convention. I am thankful for his friendship and impact on me. Pray for his wife, Jodi, & their children, Stephanie and Chris, & their families.”

“So grateful for the life, leadership and character of Dr. Morris Chapman,” said former SBC president Ed Litton.

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints,” said former GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins in reposting on X comments from Prestonwood Church pastor and former SBC president Jack Graham, who commented on Chapman having “faithfully served Christ and His church and did so with integrity and steadfast faith all his days.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.)