Dr. Randel Everett, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, will deliver the Convocation address to HSU students, faculty, and staff at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 4, in Behrens Chapel as fall Convocation officially inaugurates the academic year. Dr. Everett became executive director of the BGCT in March, 2008. The theme of his address, his first at a BGCT affiliated university, is "Running the Right Race," from the biblical text of Hebrews 12:1-3.

Dr. Everett's primary gifts have been described as communication and visionary leadership. Serving as a pastor and seminary president in the nation's capital has given him a unique opportunity to observe the challenges facing the church in a multicultural pluralistic society. He has witnessed many of the Christ-followers from the emerging generation lose confidence in denominations and institutional Christianity.

Dr. Everett's commitment to historical Baptist values, his vast experience serving as pastor in diverse and significant churches, his world-view shaped through leadership roles in the Baptist World Alliance and his service in multiethnic congregations have equipped him to lead Texas Baptists to reach out to the changing world in relevant and creative ways while maintaining timeless biblical truths.

Dr. Everett holds a master's degree and a doctorate from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He has been very involved in the Baptist World Alliance, serving as chair of the 2000 BWA Pastors Conference in Melbourne, Australia.

His experience attempting to bridge the gap between an affluent downtown congregation and the multiple needs of the urban poor did much to shape Dr. Everett's philosophy of ministry. The historic First Baptist Church of Gonzales was his first fulltime pastorate. Dr. Everett left Gonzales to become the pastor of the Inglewood Baptist Church of Grand Prairie.

Everett led over 30 Friendship Evangelism seminars in partnership with Texas Baptists while he was pastor of Inglewood. Three of the churches where he would serve as pastor were congregations that were deeply divided. By God's grace, he guided them to understand that unity comes when the church is united by a common Kingdom vision.

After serving as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Benton, Arkansas, Dr. Everett returned to Texas as pastor of the University Baptist Church of Fort Worth. Many of the denominational struggles were felt by this church that had 40 to 50 seminary faculty and staff members as well as a number of seminary students. The church maintained a strong international ministry, a vibrant Arabic congregation and one of the strongest deaf ministries in the state.

In "Running the Right Race," Dr. Everett says, "I believe each of us has a kingdom assignment. God has given us gifts, life experiences, and spiritual gifts to equip us for our life's purpose. I believe success can only be measured in light of this assignment and not by some of the measures society often holds before us."

Called to ministry while in college, "It is my prayer," says Dr. Everett, "that students will be challenged to discern what God's purpose is for their life and then apply themselves with excellence to this calling."