11 Facts About Fred Luter

Fred Luter is the senior pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, based in New Orleans.

Fred Luter was the president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2012 to 2014.

Fred Luter was the middle child of five siblings and, after his parents divorced, was largely brought up single-handedly by his seamstress mother Viola Luter.

Fred Luter had begun his ministry in 1977 in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward after he suffered a motorcycle accident.

Fred Luter began as a street preacher at the corner of Caffin and Galvez.

Fred Luter was a staff minister at the city's Greater Liberty Baptist Church when he learned of the opening at Franklin Avenue and sought the job.

Fred Luter led the rebuilding of the membership after the diaspora from Katrina, and as of his election to the Southern Baptist presidency the congregation had 5000 members.

Fred Luter was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 2012, and was SBC's first African-American president.

Fred Luter cited "to improve racial harmony" as his goal on his reelection to the second year of SBC presidency.

The couple has two children: daughter Kimberly Ann "Kim" Luter was born in 1982; son Fred J "Chip" Luter III, born 1985, is a graduate of Dallas Baptist University and is a Baptist minister.

Elizabeth Fred Luter was born on 1956 and is involved in LifeWay Women's Conferences.