DALLAS (ABP) — Randel Everett, who has headed a seminary and served as pastor of prominent churches in four states, is the nominee for the executive director position of the largest statewide Baptist convention.
Baptist General Convention of Texas officials announced Jan. 22 that a search committee will nominate Everett to replace Charles Wade, who is set to retire Jan. 31. Everett's nomination will be presented to the state convention's executive board during its next meeting, scheduled for Feb. 25-26 in Dallas.
Everett, 58, has served full-time as pastor of the 1,700-member First Baptist Church of Newport News, Va., since 2006. Prior to that, he was the founding president of the John Leland Center for Theological Studies, a seminary based in Arlington, Va., near the nation's capital.
Under his leadership, the seminary gained accreditation with the Association of Theological Schools and grew to more than 150 students. Leland opened several satellite campuses during his tenure.
Everett moved to the seminary from the pastorate of Columbia Baptist Church in nearby Falls Church, Va. Columbia perennially is one of the biggest contributors to the Baptist General Association of Virginia and one of the largest Baptist churches in the Washington area.
Everett has also served as senior pastor of several other large congregations, including the First Baptist Church of Pensacola, Fla.; University Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas; and the First Baptist Church of Benton, Ark.
Ken Hugghins, chairman of the search committee, said in a BGCT statement that Everett is qualified to lead Texas Baptists out of a difficult period. A recent scandal involving misappropriated funds for planting churches in the poverty-stricken Rio Grande Valley caused many Texas Baptists to question Wade's leadership. And sluggish giving in 2007 resulted in layoffs for 29 BGCT employees.
“As the committee listened to Texas Baptists and talked with excellent leaders and candidates across our state, a description of the kind of leader Texas needs emerged,” Hugghins, pastor of Elkins Lake Baptist Church in Huntsville, Texas, said. “Randel Everett matches that description and more. He will communicate across the spectrum of Texas Baptists, the generations of Texas Baptists, the many affinity groups of Texas Baptists and focus the kingdom commitment of Texas Baptist churches, institutions, and convention servants.”
Everett, who was raised in Texas, graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He has been involved in the Baptist World Alliance's leadership throughout his career. BWA's headquarters is adjacent to Columbia Baptist Church.
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