- Ed Litton narrowly won the presidency

of the Southern Baptist Convention,

he ran on a platform of gospel unity,

and that's no doubt his biggest challenge.

- We need awakening, weneed revival in our hearts.

- [Heather] The 14 millionmember denomination

finds itself at a crossroads,

with various factions at oddsover how to handle sex abuse

and hot political topics like race.

At June's annual meeting,

outgoing president J.DGreear, chastised the flock.

- God has not called us

primarily to save America politically,

he has called us to makethe gospel known to all.

- [Heather] Litton acknowledges

there's some tough work to be done.

- We need some of thesevery negative things

that have gone on between us to be

confessed, dealt with forgiven.

- [Heather] Still he's hopeful,

noting a wide show of supporteven after the close election.

- They came up and said,hey, I didn't vote for you,

but I love you and I'm praying for you.

- [Heather] His immediatechallenge, name a task force

to oversee an independent investigation

of top executives.

The concern, how they'vedealt with survivors of abuse.

- These are very serious problems,

and we wanna see a solution,

but the truth has to be our goal.

- [Heather] He's also focusedon racial reconciliation

and tells CBN, critical racetheory is not the answer.

- The truth is the poweris not in a theory.

The power to bring healingand hope and togetherness

is in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

- [Heather] SouthernBaptists are keenly aware

of an ongoing drop in membership.

Still, church planting isaggressive and diverse.

Last year, more than 800new congregations joined

with the majority non-Anglo.

Litton, a long time planter

currently pastors in Mobile, Alabama.

The son of a sailor in Virginia Beach,

he says his mother's friendcalled "The 700 Club" years ago

when his father's alcoholismhad taken over the family.

- She called and said, hey,

you need to pray for thisfamily, they're in crisis,

and we really were.

- [Heather] Shortly after,

a local pastor prayed with his dad.

- His life was so transformed,

he became the most amazingsoul-winner I've ever known.

- [Heather] It's a mission that clearly

helped to prepare his son to lead

millions of other soul winnersat this crucial moment.

Heather Sells, CBN News.