Baylor alum, staff member named Texas Baptists’ new executive director

For the past year, the Baptist General Convention of Texas has been seeking a new executive director. Last week, they found their man — at Baylor.

Dr. David Hardage, a Baylor graduate (class of 1979) and staff member (director of development for Baylor’s Truett Seminary), was overwhelmingly voted in as the BGCT’s new executive director on Jan. 12. He will begin his new role as the head of a group numbering 5,500 churches and 2.3 million members effective Feb. 1.

“I am honored and humbled by this opportunity to serve our Texas Baptist family,” Hardage said last month after learning of his nomination. “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.”

After earning his BA in religion from Baylor, Hardage pastored multiple churches across the region before becoming director of missions for the Waco Regional Baptist Association in 2004 and then Truett’s director of development in 2007. Over the years, he has also 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.

Hardage’s blood runs green and gold. In addition to his own degree from Baylor (and employment at his alma mater), David’s father, two brothers, wife (Kathleen, BSED ’79), two children (John, BA ’06, JD ’10, and Rebekah, BA ’08), and even a daughter-in-law are all Baylor graduates.

Sic ’em, Dr. Hardage!