Southern
Baptist
Church
Business
Administration
Association
Established
1988
Hall of Honor
Established 2004
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Click to see Information Below on each Inductee
Cliff Elkins
J.W. Fortner
Lewis Fitts
Bill English
Walter Matthews
Ken Lunquist
Ed Webber
Bill Silkman
Dr. Judy Stamey
Dr. Bill Caldwell
Charles
Strong Ron Chandler
BIOGRAPHY OF CLIFFORD "CLIFF" ELKINS
Born in Mississippi, Cliff graduated from Jackson Law School, Jackson, Mississippi, in 1951. He continued his education in 1955 by enrolling at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Fort Worth, Texas, where he received his BRE degree. Later in 1974, he attended the Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where he completed the BBA degree.
As a member of the National Association of Church Business Administrators, he was granted as a "Fellow in Church Business Administration" (FCBA) in 1964.
In 1975 Cliff served as the President of the National Association of Church Business Administrators organization. His contribution to organizing new NACBA chapters was a significant help to the organization. Cliff was honored by the NACBA with one of the highest awards an administrator can receive - The Maurice Saucedo Award. Following his retirement, he led the NACBA to establish a foundation for providing assistance to church administrators who had financial difficulty attending a national meeting and/or participating in the certification program.
Cliff received his honorary certification from the Southern Baptist Church Business Administration Association in 1988, when the organization began the program.
He was an advisor and provided historical information as the organization developed.
Cliff wrote many articles for the Church Administration magazine in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as the NACBA publications and the Clergy Journal.
He served churches in North Carolina and Texas before becoming a Trust Officer for the Baptist Foundation of Texas in 1978. He retired from this position in 1988.
Cliff is married to Juanita B. Elkins, also a native of Mississippi. They have two children: a daughter living in North Carolina and a son living in New York City. Cliff and Juanita retired and reside in Raleigh, North Carolina.
BIOGRAPHY OF J.W. FORTNER
Born in Oklahoma, J.W. Fortner graduated from Oklahoma University in 1950 with a major in accounting. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1950, where he served four years. Upon completion of his military assignment, he worked in the secular business world for seven years. In 1961, J.W. was called as the first Business Administrator for Trinity Baptist Church of San Antonio, Texas, where he served until he retired in 1999.
As a member of the National Association of Church Business Administrators, in 1964 he met the requirements of becoming a "Fellow in Church Business Administration" (FCBA).
J. W. chaired the Professional Training and Standards Committee of NACBA from 1975 - 1988. He was very instrumental in determining the programs of training and certification through some difficult and "lean" times. Much time was invested in search of help from the Seminary/University level for educational sources for church administrators. These efforts resulted in the programs of training and certification procedures that are now in place.
J.W. was honored in 1992 by the NACBA with one of the highest awards an administrator can receive - The Maurice Saucedo Award. Later in 2001, J.W. was also honored with the Taylor Daniel Award of Merit for his significant contribution to the discipline of "Baptist Business".
J.W. received his honorary certification from the Southern Baptist Church Business Administration Association in 1989, when the organization began the program.
He was an advisor and served as the Chairman of the Charter Constitution Committee from 1988-1989. This document was a vital contribution to the SBCBAA.
J.W. wrote many articles for the Church Administration magazine in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as the NACBA publications and the Clergy Journal.
J.W. is married to Dorothy L. Compton of Ada, Oklahoma. They are blessed to have their son and daughter's families living in San Antonio, where he and Dorothy have retired.
BIOGRAPHY OF R. LEWIS FITTS
Lewis Fitts, a graduate of Memphis State University, where he received a degree in church administration, continued his education and graduated in 1983 from Southwestern Baptist Seminary. Prior to that he had served 9 years in the U.S. Air Force, where he was discharged as a Master Sergeant.
Following his military service, he served churches in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Louisiana as a minister of education. While serving at the First Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the church asked Lewis to move from the position of minister of education to the role of church administrator. It wasn't long until Lewis and his family was called to Texas to serve at Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston. He served there for almost seven years before accepting the call to Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. In 1989 Lewis was called to the First Baptist church of Wichita Falls, where he would serve until his retirement in 1996.
Lewis, an active member of the National Association of Church Business Administrators,
has served in many leadership roles. He has served as the senior vice-president Finance/Administration, as well as a regional vice president. In the local chapters, he has served as president of the Texoma Chapter, North Metro Houston Chapter and president-elect in the Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter.
Since the SBCBAA organized in 1988, Lewis has been an active member and contributor to the organization. He served for several years as the chairman of the Certification Committee.
Lewis has been married to Mary F. Crain since 1951. They are blessed with 3 children, 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grand children. He and Mary have retired in Conroe, Texas.
BIOGRAPHY OF LLOYD L. "BILL" ENGLISH
Lloyd L. "Bill" English was born on July 20, 1922 in Elkins, West Virginia to a Baptist minister and his devoted wife. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and served as a P-51 North American Fighter Pilot on Iwo Jima escorting B-29 missions over Japan until she surrendered, He also served as Psychological Warfare Officer during the Korean War.
After release from active duty, he re-entered Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, where he graduated in 1947. He was employed by Dunn and Bradstreet in San Antonio, but later became the Credit Sales manager at Sears in San Angelo.
He joined the Baptist Temple in San Antonio, where he was ordained a deacon. Upon joining the Park Heights Baptist Church in San Angelo, he was asked to serve as a deacon in that congregation.
In 1963, Bill was asked to consider a call to become the Church Business Administrator at the First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls. He accepted the call and served there until his retirement in 1985.
Bill was an active member of the National Association of Church Business Administrators, where he served on national and local committees. Before the Southern Baptist Church Business Administration Association was officially organized in 1988, many of the administrators met on a regular basis at the SBC Annuity Board, and Bill was one of the presidents during that era.
Bill is an ordained minister and preached frequently in area churches. He led an Evangelistic Crusade in Toyko, Japan in 1990 with the World Evangelism Foundation.
Bill has been active in the Iwo Jima Survivors Association of Texas since 1992 conducting annual reunions. In 1995 he organized the Military History Collection now a part of the Museum of North Texas History in Wichita Falls. The collection was named the "Lloyd L. "Bill" English Military History Collection" in his honor.
Bill married Beth Chowning in 1944 and they have two sons, Rev. Larry P. English of Brentwood, Tennessee and Dr. Richard D. English of Longview, Texas.
BIOGRAPHY OF WALTER MATTHEWS
Walter "Walt" Matthews served as a Church Administrator at Tower Grove Baptist Church in Missouri before becoming the Church Administrator at First Baptist in Austin, Texas. He and his wife, Thelma served there until his retirement. They were blessed with two children.
Walt was known as one who had exceptional skills in mechanical, heating and cooling systems that churches were using. He was often used as a resource person by other administrators.
Walt was known for mentoring young church administrators. He was an active member of the National Association of Church Business Administration. Before the Southern Baptist Church Business Administration Association was officially organized in 1988, many of the administrators met on a regular basis at the SBC Annuity Board, and Walt was one of the administrators who faithfully attended those meetings.
Walter served faithfully until his death and will long be remembered as a friend of church business administrators.
BIOGRAPHY OF KENNETH L. LUNQUIST
Kenneth L. Lunquist served as the Church Business Administrator at First Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi from1978- 2004. Prior to his becoming a Church Administrator, he worked as a teacher, counselor and school administrator in the Jackson School System.
Ken graduated from Mississippi College in Clinton with B.A. and M. A. degrees and continued post graduate studies at the University of Mississippi. Later, he completed the Cambridge University Risk Management program.
Ken has been an active member of the National Association of Church Administration since he began serving in the church in an administration position. His peers have honored him over the years by asking him to serve in leadership positions in this organization, as well as other organizations. He has served as NACBA Chapter president in Central Mississippi, chairman of the NACBA awards committee, and chairman of the NACBA nominating committee. Before the Southern Baptist Church Business Administration Association was officially organized in 1988, many of the administrators met on a regular basis at the SBC Annuity Board, and Ken was one of the administrators who faithfully attended those meetings. After SBCBAA organized, Ken's active support was recognized and he was asked to serve a term as secretary.
The Southern Baptist Business Officers honored Ken with the Taylor Daniel Award and the National Association of Church Business Administration honored him with the Church Management Hall of Fame award.
Ken is married to Marybelle and retired in Jackson, Mississippi and where they continue to reside. They have two children.
BIOGRAPHY OF EDWARD O. WEBBER
Edward O. Webber was born December 13, 1931 in La Plata, Missouri. After graduation from Atlanta high school, he attended graduated from Arlington State College and later received an MSEEE dgree from Southern Methodist University in 1966.
Ed served in the United States Air Force from 1949- 1953, and when his term was complete, he began work for Convair (General Dynamics) in Fort Worth, Texas.
While working at Convair, he was ordained as a deacon at Trinity Baptist Church and later when he surrendered to the ministry, the church ordained him to the Gospel ministry.
Ed left Convair in 1975 and began serving as Minister of Administration and Education at Trinity Baptist Church in Fort Worth. During this time, he attended Southwestern Baptist Seminary. However, in 1982 Ed was called as Associate Pastor and Administration by First Baptist Church, Lake Jackson, Texas where he and his family moved and enjoyed fifteen years of ministry before retiring in 1997.
He was an active member of the National Association of Church Business Administration and one of the first students at the certification seminars at Southwestern Baptist Seminary. He was certified by the National organization in 1982. Before the Southern Baptist Church Business Administration Association was officially organized in 1988, many of the administrators met on a regular basis at the SBC Annuity Board, and Ed was one of the administrators who faithfully attended those meetings. He was supportive and contributed to the new organization by serving on committees and as an officer. In 1988 Ed was certified by the SBCBAA.
Ed met and married Bobbie Mason on June 13, 1952 in Fort Worth, Texas. They were blessed with two sons and one daughter.
BIOGRAPHY OF BILL SILKMAN
Bill Silkman, a native of Iowa, was raised in a military family, who moved many times during his childhood. He lived in several states and countries prior to the start of his own military career. Bill served in the U.S. Army for 22 years and retired in 1983.
He holds a degree in business administration and a masters degree in management. After retiring from the Army, Bill was invited to serve on the staff of First Baptist Church in Orlando. He faithfully served there for over thirteen years, and most of that time was as the Church Business Administrator.
Learning has always been a priority for Bill and it was a not a surprise that he joined the National Association of Church Business Administration and began the process of certification, which he completed and was recognized in 1992. In addition to the NACBA, Bill also joined the Southern Baptist Church Business Administration Association, where he was elected as President of the organization in 1995. He led the SBCBAA to the highest membership it had experienced since it began in 1988. Bill was also elected to serve as the Co-Chair of the Southern Baptist Business Officers Conference.
Bill served as President of the Central Florida NACBA chapter and was the regional director for the Eastern Area. In 1995 he served as the Co-Chair for the Orlando NACBA National Conference and again in 2003 when the meeting was held in Boca Raton. The organization honored him by inducting him into the NACBA Church Business Administrator Hall of Fame in 2005.
In 1998, Bill retired from First Baptist Church, Orlando, Florida, where he and his wife Janice still reside. They have been married 42 years and have one son, John, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, who is currently assigned to Special Operations Command Europe located in Stuttgart, Germany.
