First African-American Executive Board chair has law background_122203

Posted: 12/19/03

First African-American Executive
Board chair has law background

By Ken Camp

Texas Baptist Communications

HOUSTON–When John Ogletree first felt God's calling into ministry, he thought there must have been a mistake.

At 29, he had completed law school, passed the bar exam and started a successful legal practice. So before taking the leap, Ogletree spent 10 months meeting with his pastor at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Houston to pray, study and confirm that calling.

“When God started messing with me, I was angry and confused,” he admitted. “I thought everything I had done up to that point had been a waste.”

But looking back, the founding pastor of First Metropolitan Baptist Church in Houston can see how God was preparing him for future leadership opportunities, including the chairmanship of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board. When he assumes the post in January, he will be the first African-American to serve in the role.

John Ogletree

“My background has given me the opportunity to be exposed to people, ideas and organizations that have shaped my leadership style,” Ogletree said. “It has put me into circles with other leaders who have helped to shape my leadership focus.”

Ogletree grew up in Dallas attending Mount Tabor Missionary Baptist Church and then College Park Baptist Church. Later, he joined Rose Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, where his father–who also entered the ministry late in life–was pastor.

He graduated from Wilmer Hutchins High School, where he played football and ran track, and then he went on to the University of Texas at Arlington. There he served on the student congress and as vice president of the student body.

After he graduated from the South Texas College of Law in Houston, Ogletree practiced law for about 16 years. Several years into his legal practice, he started First Metropolitan Baptist Church in northwest Houston.

The church has grown from an original core group of 13 to more than 1,300 resident members, with about 800 adults and youth attending two worship services each Sunday.

For nearly 10 years, Ogletree worked as a bivocational pastor. Even then, he devoted most of his legal practice to representing churches, particularly in conflicts requiring mediation.

The last eight years, he has served his church full time and found time for extensive denominational service. He has been moderator of Union Baptist Association and was part of the initial 32-member founding board for Texas Baptists' new missions network, WorldconneX. After a term as vice chair of the BGCT Executive Board, he was elected chairman of the board for 2004.

“I see us becoming an inclusive, kingdom-minded organization from the top down,” Ogletree said, describing his vision for the BGCT. “Leadership on the Executive Board is a collaborative kind of leadership, and I look forward to working with Dr. Charles Wade and in harnessing the collective wisdom of the board.”