Citing his advancing age and a need to plan for the future, Fred Luter Jr., the longtime senior pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana, who served as the Southern Baptist Convention’s first and only black president, has announced his retirement as the church’s leader.
In a heartfelt announcement during his megachurch’s 9 a.m. service on Sunday, Luter, 69, said his retirement will be effective in October 2026, when he will mark his 40th year as the church’s leader. He also asked the congregation to elect his son, Fred “Chip” Luter III, as their next senior leader.
“Who would have thought … that a young street preacher from the Lower Ninth Ward would be elected by the 65 members of the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church back in September of 1986 as pastor and then that young preacher who had never pastored before will lead Franklin Avenue to be the largest church in the city of New Orleans and one of the largest churches in the state of Louisiana,” Luter recalled in the lead up to the announcement.
“Through these 39 years, we have christened thousands of babies, baptized thousands of children, youth, and young adults, adults, and senior souls. But most of all, through the 39 years, we’ve led thousands of lost sinners to be born again believers with a relationship with Jesus Christ. Yes, the past 39 years have been an amazing ride and a life-changing experience,” he continued.
Luter highlighted the church’s resilience under his leadership, surviving the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the COVID-19 pandemic and four building programs.
Luter was elected as the SBC’s first and only black president on June 19, 2012, after being nominated by David Crosby, pastor of First Baptist Church in New Orleans.
Crosby, whose church took in Franklin Avenue Baptist Church when Hurricane Katrina destroyed the congregation’s facilities in August 2005, pointed to Luter’s resilience. Luter had grown Franklin Avenue Baptist Church from just 65 people in a white-flight neighborhood into a megachurch serving more than 8,000 people before Katrina, and he was forced to do so again after the devastating hurricane.
“Franklin Avenue is now [once again] approaching 5,000 worshippers each Sunday despite the depressed population of our city,” Crosby recalled in his three-minute nomination speech in 2012. “And last year, they baptized more than 200. Fred is the only megachurch pastor I know of who has had to do it twice, and he did it against the trends and against the odds.”
As he reminisced about the challenges his congregation had weathered, Luter honored God’s faithfulness as he announced his readiness to pass the baton of leadership.
“Through it all, God has been faithful to the congregation at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church. Considering such an incredible past, it is now time to focus on the future of our congregation. … It is with an extremely heavy heart that I announce my retirement as senior pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church effective next year,” he said.
“Next year, if God spares [my] life, I’ll be 70 years old and will celebrate 40 years [as] pastor of FABC. Those are two good round numbers.”
Luter then stated that he will call a special meeting of the church on Monday, Nov. 3, at 6:30 p.m. to elect “Chip Luter as our next pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church.”
“Words are not adequate to express how much I love and appreciate each and every last one of you,” Luter told congregants. “It has been my honor to serve as your pastor for 39 years. To God be the glory for the things that he has done.”
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