Hardage nominated for BGCT executive director

David Hardage—a veteran Texas Baptist pastor, associational leader and seminary development officer—will be nominated as the next executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

David Hardage

Ron Lyles of Pasadena, chair of the executive director search committee, notified the BGCT Executive Board Dec. 14 the committee is recommending Hardage to succeed Randel Everett, who became pastor of First Baptist Church in Midland Jan. 16.

The board will vote on the committee's recommendation at a called meeting Jan. 12.

Hardage serves as director of development for Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary and as interim pastor at First Baptist Church in Waxahachie.

Previously, he was director of Waco Regional Baptist Association.

He served 13 years as pastor of First Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs. Previous pastorates included First Baptist Church in Holliday, First Baptist Church in Blum and First Baptist Church in Weatherford, Okla.

His previous interim pastorates include Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco, First Baptist Church in Huntsville and First Baptist Church in Bryan.

Hardage expressed gratitude for the influence Texas Baptists have had throughout his life and ministry, and he noted his thanks for the opportunity to be considered as the next executive director of the executive board.

"I am honored and humbled by this opportunity to serve our Texas Baptist family," Hardage said. "I am a grassroots Texas Baptist. I was saved, baptized, called, licensed and ordained in Texas Baptist churches. I received my education at a Texas Baptist institution and have served as pastor of three Texas Baptist churches and interim pastor of five others. I have been the director of missions of a Texas Baptist association and now have served at one of our seminaries. It has also been my privilege to serve Texas Baptists, voluntarily, through a variety of committees and boards."

Hardage has served as chairman of the BGCT State Missions Commission, chairman of the BGCT Missions Funding Committee and as a trustee at East Texas Baptist University. He currently is a trustee at Latham Springs Camp and Retreat Center.

Lyles praised Hardage as a "man who has a strong love for Jesus and for the body of Christ, the church." He characterized Hardage as having the professional and personal skills to lead Texas Baptists.

"David's desire is to build upon the strengths of what we as Texas Baptists are doing well and to guide us in making the necessary changes to make our cooperative work even more effective and efficient. He wants to move us from viability to vitality," Lyles wrote to the Executive Board.

"The search committee looks forward to the official presentation of David Hardage for your consideration and affirmation. I am confident that those of you who do not know David well will be impressed when you have that opportunity. We gladly recommend him to you to serve as our next executive director."

Hardage is a graduate of Baylor University. He earned master of divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctorate from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo.

–With additional reporting by Managing Editor Ken Camp