DALLAS—After seven years as Texas Baptist Men executive director and more than four decades holding various leadership posts in the missions organization, Leo Smith has announced plans to retire effective Feb. 28.
Smith, 72, has informed members of the TBM board of his decision but also told them he will be available to serve in some capacity at their discretion during a transitional period as they seek a new staff leader.
“God has blessed Texas Baptist Men, and it is time for fresh leadership to take the organization to greater heights,” he said. “God is not through with Texas Baptist Men.”
Smith first became involved with the missions organization before it even was Texas Baptist Men—working with the Royal Ambassadors program for boys in the mid-1960s through the Baptist General Convention of Texas Brotherhood Department.
A couple of years later, Texas Baptist Men became a self-governing organization. In the decades that followed, Smith was a vice president of various TBM programs on numerous occasions, served on multiple committees and was elected TBM president in 2001.
When Jim Furgerson stepped down as TBM executive director the following year, Smith served as acting interim for several months before the board officially named him interim executive director in November 2002. He was elected executive director in February 2004.
When Smith became executive director, TBM had a $900,000 annual budget, based entirely on funding from the Baptist General Convention of Texas. TBM now administers $3.2 million annually, including disaster relief funds, even though funding through the BGCT Cooperative Program has dropped to less than $500,000 a year.
“We’ve tried to be a good partner with the BGCT, and the BGCT has been a good partner with us,” Smith said. That partnership in doing God’s work transcends financial support, he observed.
“It’s not about money. It’s about obedience. I’ve learned that when you obey, God provides,” he said.
During a tense time in Baptist life, Smith sought to help TBM walk a tightrope between two state conventions. While the BGCT no longer provides the bulk of TBM’s annual budget, the missions organization maintains its historic affiliation with the BGCT and works closely with its leaders.
TBM receives no financial support from the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. However, much of its money and manpower comes from SBTC-affiliated churches.
Nationally and internationally, TBM works closely with the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board in disaster relief and continues its close relationship with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board.
At the same time, TBM works on projects with the Baptist World Alliance—the international body from which the Southern Baptist Convention withdrew in 2004—and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
“The most gratifying thing personally has been seeing the activity of God every day,” he said.
Seven years ago, TBM had eight full-time staff. Now, in addition to 10 full-time staff, there are four who work part-time and seven who serve on a volunteer basis.
Two programs—Victim Relief Ministries and Inmate Discipler Fellowship—that were birthed by TBM have become independent, but still affiliated, ministries.
While TBM is approaching the 10,000 mark in its roster of trained disaster relief volunteers, water purification has become the fastest-growing ministry—and the one Smith believes holds the greatest potential for international missions service.
“The water-purification ministry is growing by leaps and bounds. Pure water is a need that’s present every day. Disaster relief is seasonal,” he said.
Even so, during Smith’s time as executive director, TBM has expanded its missions equipping center in east Dallas to house a continually growing fleet of disaster relief vehicles and equipment.
Born in Ysleta, near El Paso, Smith became a Christian and surrendered to the gospel ministry at Baptist Temple in San Antonio. He earned a degree from the University of Corpus Christi and served more than 49 years as a pastor—the last 25 at Highlands Baptist Church in LaMarque. He and his wife of 51 years, Cordelia, have five children and nine grandchildren.
While Smith looks forward to spending more time with family in retirement, he insists his enthusiasm for TBM and his belief in the organization’s future remains greater than ever.
“I’m getting to the point where I’m growing weary in what I’m doing, but I’m not weary of what I’m doing,” he said. “This has been the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.”