WINTER 2023-2024 13 DR. RANDEL EVERETT NAMED DBU SENIOR FELLOW FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF GLOBAL LEADERS This spring, DBU welcomed Dr. Randel Everett as its first Senior Fellow for Religious Freedom. Through this role, Dr. Everett will help the Institute for Global Engagement expand its mission to become a thoughtleader in the area of Christian commitment and cultural renewal. Dr. Everett joins the DBU Family after serving for the past decade as the Founding President of the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, an organization dedicated to championing human rights and religious liberty around the globe. Through his work with Wilberforce, Dr. Everett traveled the world seeking to be a voice for those caught in the middle of religious persecution. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Everett as a part of the IGE and to share his expertise and passion with our campus community,” explained Jonathan Fechner, Executive Director of the IGE. Prior to his work with the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, Dr. Everett served in a variety of roles within Baptist life. For several years, he was Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Midland, Texas, and prior to that, he was the Executive Director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. During his time with the BGCT, he led the efforts to rally Texas Baptists around Texas Hope 2010, an initiative to spread the Gospel across the state. In addition, he helped to launch the Texas Hunger Initiative through the Texas Baptists Christian Life Commission. Dr. Everett has also pastored several churches in Arkansas, Florida, Virginia, and Texas; was founding president of the John Leland Center for Theological Studies in Falls Church, Virginia; and served as Chair of the 2015 Baptist World Alliance World Congress. “Dr. Everett has the rare combination of passion and vision with the ability to bring both together to accomplish Kingdom work,” said Dr. Adam C. Wright, DBU President. “His addition to our campus is sure to raise up a new generation of servant leaders who seek to be a voice for the voiceless throughout the world.” As a part of his role at DBU, Dr. Everett will be teaching students on religious liberty and social engagement, as well as establishing new programming to promote religious liberty.
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