BGCT first vice president nominee encouraged by signs of progress
By Marv Knox

DALLAS—Michael Bell, longtime pastor of Greater St. Stephen First Baptist Church in Fort Worth, will be nominated for first vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas when it meets Nov. 8-9.

George Mason, a pastor colleague of Bell’s from Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, announced he will make the nomination at the BGCT annual session in San Antonio.

“Michael Bell is a gifted proclaimer of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Mason said. “He leads with courage and is not afraid to confront injustice wherever he finds it. He speaks the truth with the passion of a prophet and the compassion of a pastor.”

Mason cited Bell’s consistent involvement in denominational activities as a qualification for leadership. For example, Bell has been active in not only the BGCT, but also Tarrant Baptist Association and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

“His presence and leadership add hope to the ever-increasing vision of our state convention being a truly diverse and representative body,” Mason noted. “The convention will be blessed and will be better because of his service.”

Bell is a current member of the BGCT Executive Board and BGCT Christian Life Commission and is chairman of the BGCT Executive Board nominating committee.

He has been president of the Tarrant Association African-American Pastors’ Fellowship since 1994 and secretary of the African-American Fellowship of Texas since last year.

Bell said he is grateful to be nominated for convention office.

“This is an opportune time,” he explained. “With the changes taking place in our state, with Texas becoming more diverse, we have an opportunity to do missions and do ministry in a greater way— and be more effective at it—than ever before.

Bell believes God has prepared him— as an African-American pastor with longstanding and deep relationships with Anglo, Asian-American and Hispanic Christians—for convention office now.

“I believe my experience in leading and relating cross-culturally has given me the tools needed to serve our convention.”

Bell recalled a pivotal experience in the mid-1990s, when he and other pastors founded Tarrant Clergy for Inter-Ethnic Peace and Justice.

“I’m a person who’s at ease with progress,” Bell described. “I’ve seen our convention daring to dream and becoming more flexible and organic. I think that’s necessary, because our culture has shifted; the faith community no longer is the hub of our culture. We must understand how to respond.”

Bell praised the leadership of BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade, President Ken Hall and recent presidents Bob Campbell and Clyde Glazener. “They’ve been willing to engage the changing environment of our culture,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about that, praying about it and talking with our church members. And I’m excited about where we’re headed as a convention, and I believe that’s forward.”

Bell is a member of the Texas Baptists Committed board of directors and was chairman of the CBF Committee on Representation and Relationships. He has been a member of the CBF Coordinating Council and the Baptist Advisory Committee at Texas Christian University’s Brite Divinity School.

Among his recognitions, Bell has received the Invisible Giant Award from the National Voting Rights Museum & Institute, the Human Relations Award from the Dallas Interdenominational Ministers’ Association, the TBC African-American Leadership Award from Texas Baptists Committed and the BGCT, the Community Service Award from the East Fort Worth Interdenominational Ministers’ Alliance, and the Racial Justice & Reconciliation Award from the Tarrant Area Community of Churches. He also is a charter member of the Mainstream Baptist Network Hall of Fame.

Originally posted on Baptist Standard Online 9/17/04

October 2004