Campbell to be nominated for second term as Texas convention president
By Marv Knox Editor, The Baptist Standard

ABILENE—Bob Campbell will be nominated for a second term as president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas when it meets in Waco Nov. 11-12.

Campbell, pastor of Westbury Baptist Church in Houston and a veteran denominational leader, was elected to a one-year term as BGCT president last year in Dallas.

Mike Chancellor, pastor of Crescent Heights Baptist Church in Abilene, announced Campbell’s nomination last week.

”Bob and I have known each other for 30 years. He was my Baptist Student Union director,” he said. “I am thrilled to nominate him.”

Campbell deserves a second year in office because he has been a strong role model and representative in office, Chancellor said.

”As a pastor, he has represented pastors well at a time when religious leadership has come under scrutiny, and it has been disappointing,” he noted. “He is a guy of deep faith, and he has a deep devotion to Scripture.

”He also cares about people who do not know Christ. He has a good, strong family. He has a great sense of humor but is aware of his own foibles.”

Campbell also has represented Texas Baptists well, Chancellor added, stressing the importance of identification with people who call the BGCT their denominational home.

”He exemplifies Texas Baptists of today— independent but cooperative. He is not going to be intimidated, and yet he is open to working with folks from all across the Baptist spectrum.”

Campbell also fills the president’s role because “he has a sense of who we have been historically,” Chancellor suggested.

”Bob also has represented the state convention well—it’s about its people, educational institutions and human services institutions,” he said.

”He is proud of getting on the campuses; by the time the convention arrives, he will have visited every BGCT university campus,” Chancellor said. “He is been telling them, ‘We appreciate the role you have in shaping Baptist life, and we want you to know we appreciate you and want you to continue to be supportive in meeting our goals.’”

Campbell said he is willing to be nominated for a second term because he appreciates the challenge and particularly enjoys “seeing Texas Baptists’ work firsthand.”

A key priority will be visiting all 23 institutions affiliated with the state convention. By annual session time, he will have been to all nine Baptist universities.

Campbell has learned a great deal traveling among Texas Baptists this past year, but “the thing that I’ve been most impressed with is the evangelistic attitude,” he said. “I have watched what they do at the Hispanic Baptist Theological School (in San Antonio) to reach beyond their campus and to lead people to Christ. Dallas Baptist University also is reaching people for Christ, and they’re proud they are an evangelical presence in that setting.”

Reports presented by the BGCT State Missions Commission are thrilling, he said. “Its commitment is to lead people to Christ, no matter what it’s doing, and it does this in a variety of ways.”

Everywhere he looked this year, Campbell saw the BGCT’s evangelistic/ ministry spirit: “The huge number of Mission Service Corps volunteers in Texas and beyond Texas. The excitement of the Mexican partnership and their desire to come here and help us win people to Christ who have crossed the border. This is not us being Big Brother, but a true partnership.

Campbell has been pastor of Westbury Baptist Church since 1991. He was chairman of the BGCT Executive Board in 1996 and 1997. He also was chairman of the BGCT Seminary Study Committee in 2000.

Previously, Campbell was pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Garland; Northwest Baptist Church in Ardmore, Okla.; Salt Creek Baptist Church in Brownwood; Plum Grove Baptist Church in Markley; and Calvary Baptist Church in Forest Hill, La.

He also was assistant professor of Bible and Greek and director of religious activities at Howard Payne University. He has been an adjunct professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Campbell is a graduate of Louisiana College in Pineville and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he earned a doctorate. He and his wife, Judith Ann, have two adult children, Michael Andrew Campbell and Michelle Andrea Zimmerman.

Westbury Baptist Church has 1,387 resident members and averaged 508 in Sunday School attendance last year, when it baptized 35 new Christians, according to the 2001 BGCT Annual. The church contributed $63,705—or 5 percent of its budget— to the BGCT Cooperative Program unified budget.

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October 2002