DICKENS AND JOHNSTON ELECTED CO-CHAIRS OF TBC

The Executive Committee of Texas Baptists Committed has elected Dr. Dean Dickens and Dr. Mauriece Johnston as co-chairs of the organization. They succeed Phil Lineberger, pastor of First Baptist, Tyler, and Billy Ray Parmer, pastor of First Baptist, Valley Mills.

Dickens has been pastor of Cliff Temple Baptist Church, Dallas, since 1989. Cliff Temple is a very influential metropolitan church which has chosen to stay in an inner city location and minister to an ethnically diverse community. The church has 26 different missions and led Texas church Sunday Schools in 1992 growth in the category of churches averaging 699–2000.

Prior to coming to Cliff Temple, Dickens was a Southern Baptist missionary to the Philippines from 1974-1989. He taught preaching at the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary and the Asian Baptist Graduate Theological Seminary.

Dickens is a native of Arkansas, a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University and earned Masters and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Mauriece Johnston has served two four year terms as president of our Texas Woman’s Missionary Union, as vice president of Southern Baptist Convention WMU for two terms, and recently completed one term as first vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Johnston is a retired pastor’s wife, a graduate of Baylor University with post graduate study at Southern Seminary. She has been given an honorary doctor of humanities degree from the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor. She is an active member of First Baptist Church, San Antonio, where she is currently serving on the pastor search committee.

“I believe all TBC members are very excited that Dr. Dickens and Dr. Johnston have agreed to give us leadership in the coming year,” commented David Currie, coordinator of TBC. “TBC is about standing tall for traditional Baptist principles and practices. Nothing is more Baptist than the belief that what unites us is faith in Christ and missions. In these two leaders, we have two people who have spent their life and ministry in missions. Their election says a great deal to Texas Baptists regarding what TBC stands for.”

April 1995