Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tennessee, shared in an update Wednesday, Dec. 6, that his cancer has spread to his lungs. In a video announcement to his church filmed with his wife, Donna, Steve said that he and Donna had been “overwhelmed by your love, your prayers, and your words of encouragement.”
“Words are inadequate to express our love and our gratitude,” said Steve, noting that many people had prayed and fasted for him and his wife.
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Steve and Donna Gaines Share Update
Steve Gaines, 65, has pastored his Memphis-area church for 18 years, and he served as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2016 to 2018. On Nov. 19, he announced that he had been diagnosed with kidney cancer. The pastor asked for prayers and said that he would be visiting MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
In the couple’s Dec. 6 update on Steve’s condition, Donna observed that they had already planned for a two-week vacation when they learned of Steve’s cancer. She said they have been thankful to rest and that she has used the time to get “Steve acclimated to his new lifestyle of vegetable juice and salad. As we prepare for upcoming treatments, we do want his body to be as healthy as possible.”
Steve then said that following the discovery of cancer in his kidneys, doctors ran more tests, “and during those tests, they discovered that cancer had also spread to my lungs.”
“I have a great team of doctors who are working hard to come up with the best treatment plan possible,” he said. “More than anything, we continue to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for complete healing.”
Donna explained that Steve is going to receive a port this week “that will allow him to begin chemotherapy as soon as possible.” She also said that three medications have been released recently that have been “very effective against his type of cancer” and that doctors “are encouraged.” She asked that people would continue to pray.
Steve said that he and his wife would be going to MD Anderson during the second week of January. There, they will consult with doctors about his condition, as well as his treatment plan. “We really don’t expect any major updates over the next few weeks,” he said, assuring his church that the couple will keep the congregation apprised of any major changes and that he would provide another update after the visit to the cancer center.
