November 24, 1999

Russell Dilday
___By Jesse Fletcher
___The youngest of Texas Baptists' 10 most influential people during the 20th century, Russell Dilday's contributions have been played out in recent times, allowing most Texas Baptists to know and appreciate him. While his remarkable ministry began and is

RUSSELL DILDAY

continuing in Texas, there was a significant interlude in Georgia, where he served the historic Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church and was chairman of the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board.
___But it was Dilday's Texas contributions that landed him on the list of the 10 influential notables. Born into a Texas family in the early days of the Great Depression, Dilday watched his father struggle both with making a living in those difficult times and responding to a sense of ministry. Hooper Dilday set an example for his oldest son and his three siblings with an effective ministry in music, religious education and Texas Baptist denominational service.
___After completing the basic degree at Southwestern Seminary, Dilday stayed on to earn a doctorate with John Newport and accepted the pastorate of First Baptist Church of Clifton.
___In 1959, when he accepted the call of a mission of Houston's Baptist Temple that was to become Tallowood Baptist Church, Dilday's gifts became apparent. The church was for two years the fastest-growing congregation in the Baptist General Convention of Texas and Southern Baptist Convention.
___During this time, Dilday completed his doctorate with a dissertation on the apologetic method of Baptist theologian E.Y. Mullins. He was elected first vice president of the BGCT and named a Baylor regent.
___In 1977, he became president of Southwestern Seminary. But most of his tenure was administered under the cloud of what he had termed in an earlier sermon "rising fundamentalism."
___Nevertheless, Dilday's contributions while at the helm of Southwestern were dramatic--enrollment increases, buildings completed, faculty enhancements and endowment growth.
___All of the hallmarks of success were there, but they were accomplished with fading support from trustees. As the so-called "conservative resurgence" gained control of the trustee-nominating process, he faced opposition and hostility. Many trustees felt it was Dilday's opposition to their conservative agenda that fueled the fire.
___On March 9, 1994, Dilday was removed without warning and was locked out of his office while still attending the meeting in which he was fired.
___For several student generations, Southwestern graduates have strengthened Texas Baptist churches, and that may be one of the reasons Texas Baptists have largely backed their traditional leadership.
___In the immediate aftermath of his firing, Dilday was hired by Baylor University President Herbert Reynolds as professor of preaching at Baylor's Truett Seminary. Texas Baptists tapped him as their president in 1997. Re-elected the following year, Dilday helped structure the changeover from Bill Pinson's era to the Charles Wade era.
___Dilday's upbeat, down-the-middle, good-humored and dedicated approach to ministry combined with exemplary church building, minister training and convention leadership earned him a place among the century's most influential Texas Baptists.
___Jesse Fletcher is chancellor of Hardin-Simmons University

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