Posted: 12/10/07
Executive Board may vote on
short-term interim executive director
By John Hall
Texas Baptist Communications
DALLAS—The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board may bring in an interim executive director—at least for a short time.
BGCT Executive Board leaders are examining options for short-term leadership of the board’s staff in the likely event the next convention executive director will not be on the job before BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade retires at the end of January.
Ken Hugghins, chairman of the BGCT Executive Director Search Committee, noted that even if a nominee is brought to the Executive Board in early January and approved, that person most likely would not start until mid-February. The candidate would need to give at least a two-week notice and take another couple weeks to relocate, creating at least a month-long gap between being voted on and assuming the new position.
Wade is set to retire Jan. 31. Assuming the next executive director starts in mid-February, there will be at least a two-week window where the convention would not have a chief executive officer or chief operating officer. BGCT Chief Financial Officer David Nabors would be the only executive leader remaining on the convention’s Executive Board staff.
BGCT Executive Board Chairman John Petty said the board will vote on a short-term leader for the convention’s staff—probably by e-mail ballot—if the next executive director cannot start before Wade retires. He indicated there are qualified candidates who could fill this short-term role. That person would not be someone who currently works on the convention staff, he specified.
“We’re very confident we can address that situation without any major gaps in leadership,” he said.
The search committee is making progress, having narrowed the field to fewer than nine candidates, Hugghins said. It is wrapping up the first round of candidate interviews and has interviewed one candidate twice.
Jerry Carlisle, pastor of First Baptist Church in Plano, has resigned from the search committee and allowed his name to be consideration for the executive director position.
In a letter to his congregation, Carlisle indicated search committee members asked him to submit his resume, which he reluctantly did after praying about the situation. In order to avoid a conflict of interest, Carlisle resigned from the search committee.
God “made it clear that I needed to make myself available for the committee’s consideration, so I have,” Carlisle wrote. “I do not know what the committee will conclude. Regardless, I do not know what God is calling me to do. I only know I want to obey him.”
Carlisle’s resignation does not mean he will be the next executive director, Hugghins said. Carlisle has been interviewed by the committee.
“We are being led a step at a time,” Hugghins said. “It’s not a conclusion, but a step. We’re not always sure how the next step is connected to the step before or how it is connected to the next step. But we are sure we are being led.”
The search committee will nominate an executive director candidate to the Executive Board, which will then vote on that person.
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.