Paul Powell

Reverend Paul Powell is the retired Dean of Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary. He earned a B.A. from Baylor in 1956 and holds a degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has received honorary degrees from Baylor, East Texas Baptist University, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Campbell University and Dallas Baptist University.

The former president of the Robert M. Rogers Foundation of Dallas, Rev. Powell continues to serve on the foundation's board of directors. He retired in 1998 as president and chief executive officer of the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and has served in numerous offices with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, including a term as president from 1985-87.

In 1985-87, when Paul Powell was president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, he challenged Paige Patterson to allow him to review the "Heresy File", to which Patterson referred constantly. Powell found a list of eight men in the "Heresy File". Three were retired, leaving only five active in their work. And Powell said, "I am not saying that there were five liberals in the Southern Baptist Convention, I am saying that they were on Patterson's Heresy File list. They have spent ten years getting information, and I am assuming Patterson gave me his best. All of the so-called liberals could fit into a Volkswagen!" Fact|date=April 2008

Powell has served as pastor at Texas Baptist churches in Tyler, Belfalls, Troy, Taylor and San Marcos. He served for 17 years as pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. A much sought-after speaker, he continues to preach at churches throughout Texas.

The author of 36 books, Rev. Powell received Baylor's Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1988 and the Herbert H. Reynolds Award in 1999. In 1990 he was selected as Distinguished Alumnus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He currently serves on the boards of directors for Southside Bank and Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler.

Powell and his wife, Cathy, a 1956 Baylor graduate, have three children, Kent, Mike, and Lori, and three grandchildren, Jordan, Katie, and Matthew.

Famous Quotes

*On exercise: "Pastor, take care of your body. It belongs to the King. Work out and watch what you take in. When it comes to exercise, a little goes a long way."
*On women in ministry: "The role of women in ministry continues to be a debated issue among us. I have settled it this way in my mind: It is God’s business to call people into the ministry. It is the churches’ business to call people to its staff. It isn’t my business to tell either God or a church it can’t call a woman."
*On Baptists: "I heard about six men who were marooned on an island two Baptists, two Catholics and two Jews. The two Jews got together and built Temple Bethel. The two Catholics got together and built St. Mary’s. The two Baptists split and formed First Baptist and Second Baptist."

Books

*"A Digest for Church Renewal (English (language)|English)" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=14144]
*"A Digest for Church Renewal (Spanish (language)|Spanish)" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=14145]
*"A Faith That Sings " [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/index.php?id=37138 Baylor University || George W. Truett Theological Seminary || A Faith That Sings ] ]
*"A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Retirement" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/funnyretirement.pdf Master ] ]
*"Back to Bedrock (English)" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/BackToBedrockEng.pdf Back To Bedrock 4.P7 ] ]
*"Back to Bedrock (Spanish) " [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/BackToBedrockSpan.pdf SpanishBack To Bedrock01 ] ]
*"Basic Bible Sermons on Handling Conflict " [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=26684]
*"Beyond Conversion " [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=26685]
*"Building An Evangelistic Church " [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/BuildEvangelisticChurch.pdf Build A Evangelistic Church ] ]
*"The Complete Disciple" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/index.php?id=37140 Baylor University || George W. Truett Theological Seminary || The Complete Disciple ] ]
*"The Church Today" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/TheChurchToday.pdf The Night Cometh.P7 ] ]
*"Death From The Other Side " [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/DeathFromTheOtherSide.pdf Death From The Other Side ] ]
*"The Dynamic Disciple" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/index.php?id=37141 Baylor University || George W. Truett Theological Seminary || The Dynamic Disciple ] ]
*"Getting the Lead Out of Leadership" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/GettingLeadLeadership.pdf Getting Lead Out Of Leadership ] ]
*"Go Givers in a Go Getter World " [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=26686]
*"Gospel For the Graveside " [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=26687]
*"How to Make Your Church Hum" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/index.php?id=37139 Baylor University || George W. Truett Theological Seminary || How To Make Your Church Hum ] ]
*"How To Start A Church Fire" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/HowToStartAChurchFire.pdf How To Start A Church Fire ] ]
*"How To Survive A Storm" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/HowToSurviveAStorm.pdf How To Survive A Storm ] ]
*"If The Dead Could Speak" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/IfTheDeadCouldSpeak.pdf If The Dead Could Speak ] ]
*"I Like Being a Christian" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=26688]
*"Jesus is For Now" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=26689]
*"Joy Comes In The Morning " [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/index.php?id=17519 Baylor University || George W. Truett Theological Seminary || Joy Comes in the Morning ] ]
*"Jump Starting Dead Churches" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/JumpStartingDeadChurches.pdf Jump Starting Dead Churches ] ]
*"The Last Word (English)" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=26383]
*"The Last Word (Spanish)" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=26384]
*"The Life Beyond" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=42308]
*"Looking at Life Through the Rear View Mirror (English)" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=36267]
*"Looking at Life Through the Rear View Mirror (Spanish)" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=36268]
*"The New Minister's Manual" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/ministersmanual.pdf The New Ministers Manual ] ]
*"The Night Cometh English" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=42309]
*"The Night Cometh Spanish" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/TheNightComethSpanish.pdf The Night Cometh.P7 ] ]
*"The Nuts and Bolts of Church Growth" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/index.php?id=37142 Baylor University || George W. Truett Theological Seminary || The Nuts and Bolts of Church Growth ] ]
*"Pastor Search " [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/PastorSearch.pdf Pastor Search ] ]
*"Rebuilding The Foundations" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/RebuildingTheFoundations.pdf Rebuilding The Foundations ] ]
*"Shepherding the Sheep in Smaller Churches"(English) [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=42310]
*"Shepherding the Sheep in Smaller Churches" (Spanish) [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=14146]
*"Special Sermons For Special Days" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/SpecialSermons.pdf Special Sermons ] ]
*"Taking Stew Out of Stewardship " [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/TakingStewOutStewardship.pdf GW Stewardship Book.qx ] ]
*"Thee Old Time Religion" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=42307]
*"The Great Deceiver" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=26690]
*"The Saint Peter Principle" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=26691]
*"This We Believe" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=21694]
*"Why Me Lord" [ [http://www.baylor.edu/truett/pdfs/books/WhyMeLord.pdf Why Me Lord.P7 ] ]
*"When The Hurt Won't Go Away" [http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=27129]

References