Meet the Baptist Standard Staff

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Eric Black

Executive Director / Publisher / Editor

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Eric came to the Baptist Standard with a background in local-church ministry, both in the pastorate and youth ministry, as well as collegiate ministry and Christian education. He was licensed to the gospel ministry by Hoffmantown Baptist Church in Albuquerque, N.M., and ordained by Acton Baptist Church in Granbury. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Hardin-Simmons University, a Master of Arts in Christian Education degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute. He was pastor of First Baptist Church in Covington from 2010 until 2018. Previously, he was associate pastor for youth ministries at First Baptist Church in Galax, Va., and as a self-supporting missionary was associate director of GraceLife Baptist Student Union at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. In addition to his service in the pastorate, he was a resident fellow at the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute from 2008 to 2018, teaching the Gateway course and philosophy of Christian education. He and his wife, Dalese, have two children, Allen and Caroline.

Ken Camp

Managing Editor

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Ken grew up in Greenville, Texas, and graduated from East Texas State University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before joining the Baptist Standard staff in 2004, he worked more than 19 years with the Baptist General Convention of Texas communications office, including seven years as news director and one year as interim communications director. He has won the Baptist Communicators Association’s Frank Burkhalter Award for news writing twice, received the Religion Communicators Council’s DeRose/Hinkhouse “best of class” writing award and been recognized for his writing by the Associated Church Press. He and his wife, Diane, have three sons, Daniel, Matthew and Nathan, and daughters-in-law, Lindsey and Devon. The Camps are members of South Garland Baptist Church in Garland, Texas.

Calli Keener

News Writer

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Calli grew up in Seminole on the plains of West Texas. She has been active in Baptist life almost since the day she was born. Participating in Mission Friends, GA’s, Acteens, and Bible Drill, she attended camps at Circle Six Baptist Encampment, Super Summer at Wayland, Texas Baptist All-State Youth Choir at ETBU, and served with the River Ministry doing summer mission work.

Calli graduated magma cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English (minoring in Bible) from Howard Payne, where she was involved with Baptist Student Ministries and worked in summer camps at Riverbend Retreat Center and Ridgecrest Conference Center in Asheville, NC. She has graduate work in English (ASU) and theology (Truett Seminary).

Calli has taught elementary Reading, Writing, and Social Studies and has served in various other educational roles in Texas public schools. She has also owned and operated a non-medical senior home care business. She has spent the greatest part of the past sixteen years serving as mom to her four children, Corbin, Brock, Deacon, and Autumn, while her husband Aaron’s career has had them frequently on the move around north Texas and the country.

Whether they’ve found themselves in the Dallas area, in Connecticut, Colorado, California, or now back to stay in Waxahachie where their married life began, Calli, Aaron, and family have kept up with Texas Baptist news thanks to to the Baptist Standard. Joining the Standard as its newest reporter is an honor for this longtime reader. She is delighted to step into this vocation to which she has long felt that God was calling. The Keeners are members of First Baptist Waxahachie.

Heather Davis

Digital Communications Specialist

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Heather was raised in Oklahoma but has been a Texan for most of her adult life. She graduated in 2015 from Oklahoma Baptist University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education. In 2022, she earned a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Mid-America Christian University. She has previous experience working as a middle school English teacher in two Texas communities and a seminary instructional designer. She ministers with her husband Jordan, who is the NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church in Plano. They have one son, Jesse.

Lindsay Springer

Administrative Assistant

Lindsay was born and raised in the Kansas City area. She graduated in 2013 from Baylor University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience. She and her husband, Lucas, have two daughters. The Springers are members of South Garland Baptist Church in Garland, Texas where Lindsay serves in the children’s ministry.