Hillcrest Medical Center Texas Baptists BCFS east texas Baylor University Hendrick Health System baptist university South texas children’s home ministries Dallas Valley Baptist Children at san marcos howard payne Truett baptist MEdical Center Heart Ministries academy university Seminary university Hardin-Sim mons WAYLAND Univer sity BAPTIST UNIVERSITY university of Baptist Mary-Hardin Baylor Church Loan The CORPORATION Baptist baptist hospitals Standard of southeast texas HOUSTON BAPTIST Baylor Health UNIVERSITY Care system Valley Baptist Logsdon Seminary Missions BAPTIST HEALTH Buckner FOUNDATION OF International & Education SAN ANTONIO HIGH GROUND Center ADVISORS South Texas Baptist University ´ School of of the Americas Christian Baptist Community Studies Services CELEBRATING SERVICE 2016 TEXAS BAPTISTS ANNUAL MEETING 2016 BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS ANNUAL NOVEMBER 13-15, 2016 | WACO, TEXAS 2016 BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS ANNUAL ANNUAL of the 131st Annual Session of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Waco Convention Center Waco | November 13-15, 2016 Next Annual Meeting: Place: Waco Date: November 12-14, 2017 Future Annual Meetings: Arlington Convention Center, July 29-31, 2018 The material contained in this document includes data submitted from affiliated Baptist churches. The BGCT has compiled the information in a good faith effort but does not guarantee its accuracy. 2016 BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS ANNUAL i Dedicated To Dr. Paul Powell December 6, 1933 – December 28, 2016 What John Wayne was to Westerns, Arnold Palmer was to golf, or Hemingway was to short stories, Dr. Paul Powell was to Texas Baptists. There was just nobody like him. For the most part, one preacher may be likened in many ways to other preachers. With Dr. Paul Powell, the Lord broke the mold. No one since George W. Truett himself better deserves the title, “Mr. Texas Baptist.” Paul was born into rural Texas poverty of extreme need. He showed up at Baylor University with hardly two dimes to rub together. No one could have guessed that the freshman would one day chair the board of the largest Baptist university and then become dean of its seminary. Between those bookends of life, Paul Powell became the stuff of Baptist legends. Beginning in small churches in Central Texas, he landed at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. In so doing he led one of the phenomenal church growth stories in the 20th century. In a city that already had 40 Baptist churches, he led Green Acres to be the largest church in a small city in the nation. His leadership was legendary, his messages unforgettable, his evangelism irresistible, and his persona inimitable. Yet there was more. Guidestone Financial Resources, then the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, tapped Paul to become its chief executive. Tens of thousands of ministers, professors, missionaries, and others depend on that institution for retirement. When the choice came for a leader, the board turned to Paul Powell to lead a multi-billion-dollar fiduciary institution. Typically, Paul said, “I do not know anything about investments but I can get the best people who do.” He became the face of that enormous stewardship. When it was time for Paul to put his feet up back in Tyler, the president of Baylor University asked him to become the dean of its fledgling seminary. George W. Truett Theological Seminary began as something of a surprise to Texas Baptists. Just as the case with any infant seminary, it needed an identity. For seven years Paul Powell stamped the institution with its identity as a new place for Texas Baptists to entrust their young men and women to prepare for service to church and mission. At the same time, his gifted and irresistible fundraising efforts led to a $40,000,000 endowment. This is an astonishing and perhaps unprecedented feat in American theological education over such a short time. The average endowment of any seminary at that time was $8,000,000. Retired three times, full of vitality and great personality, Paul returned to his beloved Tyler where he continued preaching, serving on boards, encouraging young ministers, and writing his memoirs. Then, suddenly by a stroke, living his full life up to its last few days, Paul went to be with the Lord he loved and served. He was, in so many ways, the last of a kind, the end of a type of leader whose giant steps we may trace in more ways than we know right now. 2016 BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS ANNUAL iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Future Annual Meetings .................................................................................................................................i Dedication ..........................................................................................................................................................iii Officers of the Convention .........................................................................................................................vii Convention Directories ...................................................................................................................................1 Officers, Executive Board Directors, Committees and Trustees ................................................. 23 Texas Baptists Constitution and Bylaws...............................................................................................39 Order of Business and Proceedings....................................................................................................... 55 Historical Tables ............................................................................................................................................. 73 Maps and Statistical Tables .......................................................................................................................85 Listing of Texas Baptists Pastors...........................................................................................................329 Listing of Texas Baptists Other Church Staff .................................................................................. 429 Audit ................................................................................................................................................................535 Index ................................................................................................................................................................565 2016 BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS ANNUAL V OFFICERS OF THE CONVENTION 2015-2016 René Maciel Bedilu Yirga Danny Reeves President First Vice President Second Vice President Jill Larsen Doug Powell Bernard (Bernie) Spooner Recording Secretary Registration Secretary Secretary of Corporation 2016 BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS ANNUAL vii 2016 CONVENTION DIRECTORIES 2016 BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS ANNUAL 1 2 2016 BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS ANNUAL BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS DIRECTORY 7557 Rambler Road, Ste. 1200, Dallas, TX 75231-2388 | 214-828-5100 | 888-244-9400 BGCT staff e-mails are also available online atwww.texasbaptists.org and click on “ABOUT” icon in the TOP menu bar. Go to TEXAS BAPTISTS STAFF or TEXAS BAPTISTS DIRECTORY. Because numbers listed below are subject to change, you can reach any BGCT employee through the main switchboard (888.244.9400) and the operator will direct you. EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM Ashcraft, Joyce Barbee, Caitlyn Texas BSM UTA BSM Executive Director Associate State Director Cross Cultural Specialist Hardage, David 7557 Rambler Road, Suite 1200 PO Box 195429 [email protected] Dallas, TX 75231-2388 Arlington, TX 76019 Executive Director’s Office [email protected] [email protected] (214) 282-5250 (817) 277-4195 Associate Executive Director Vernon, Steve Atchison, Delvin Barker, Alison [email protected] Great Commission TAMU Commerce BSM Associate Executive Director’s Office Great Commission Team Director Office Manager [email protected] 1612 Lee St Treasurer/CFO (214) 828-5109 Commerce, TX 75428 Larsen, Jill [email protected] [email protected] Ater, Fred (903) 886-6934 CFO/Treasurer’s Office Area Representatives Area 4 Representative Barnes, Becky 2016 TEXAS BAPTISTS STAFF [email protected] Texas BSM (210) 913-1891 Ministry Assistant - Communications A / Data Mgmt Adams, David Atherton, Cynthia [email protected] Church Admin and Special Projects Evangelism (214) 828-5250 Director Lead Evangelism Ministry Assistant [email protected] [email protected] Batres, Yolanda (214) 828-5253 (214) 828-5480 Information Technology Network Administrator Adams, Patti Atkinson, Paul [email protected] Connections Church Starting (214) 828-5146 Lead Ministry Assistant Director [email protected] [email protected] Bean, Eric (214) 828-5111 (214) 828-5217 TAMU Corpus BSM / Del Mar BSM Director Antoine, Ira B PO Box 3754 Bivocational Ministries Bagwell, Cassie Corpus Christi, TX 78463 Director UT Tyler BSM [email protected] [email protected] Office Manager (361) 882-4989 (832) 472-7399 2725 Patriot Dr Tyler, TX 75701 Bean, Kate Armendariz, Daniel [email protected] Texas BSM UTRGV Edinburg BSM (903) 565-0324 Ministry Assistant - BSM Evangelism Associate Director (CMIs & Assistants) 1601 W Schunior St Baker, Karl [email protected] Edinburg, TX 78541 UMHB BSM (214) 828-5250 [email protected] Associate Director (956)