Williams resigns as Baptist Laity Institute head; program’s future ‘up in the air’_90604

Posted: 9/03/04

Williams resigns as Baptist Laity Institute
head; program's future 'up in the air'

By Ferrell Foster

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS–After five years at the helm of the Baptist Laity Institute, Dan Williams has resigned as president.

Williams, 51, announced his resignation during the institute's August board meeting. It is effective Sept. 30.

The institute began in 1999. At that time, it needed someone with an “entrepreneurial spirit” to move it from the idea stage to an active, “charging forward” ministry, Williams said.

Now the institute is ready to move into another phase with a leader more attuned to management, he explained.

Five years ago, there was no advanced theological education designed specifically for Texas Baptist laypeople.

The Baptist General Convention of Texas responded by creating the Baptist Laity Institute and hiring Williams as president.

Williams “started with nothing” and developed the institute into what it is today, said John Cash Smith, chairman of the institute's board and a member of First Baptist Church in Orange. The institute has created curriculum for nine courses that can be taught throughout the state by trained “mentors.”

“These courses are like an advanced college or graduate school seminar,” Smith said.

Now that the institute is established with curriculum and a course structure, it needs to enter a new phase, Smith said.

The Baptist Laity Institute needs a leader to “market it and develop money,” and Williams and the board “recognized we are in a different situation,” he explained.

“It was a very emotional thing when (Williams) announced his resignation,” Smith added. “Everyone deeply appreciates what he has done.”

As for the institute's future, Smith said: “It's very, very up in the air. I'm sure it's going to continue. I'm not sure in exactly what form.”

More than $1 million has been invested in the institute, and the number of classes doubled this year, he added.

BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade praised Williams' passion for developing lay leaders.

“Texas Baptists owe a debt of gratitude to Dan Williams for his pioneering effort to establish advanced theological education for our local churches,” Wade said.

Keith Bruce, coordinator of BGCT institutional ministries, said Williams “led in crafting the organizational structure, developing the basic curriculum and implementing the initial program and course offerings” of the institute.

“There has been consistent growth in the number of people participating in … programs and many individual testimonies of how this process has positively impacted the lives of participants,” Bruce said.

In the five years of Williams' leadership, the institute grew into a statewide theological education effort that this year will offer more than 50 classes with more than 400 people enrolled. Class size is limited to 12 students.

The institute “raises the level of expectation for learning and ministry involvement for lay people,” Williams said.

The institute's annual operating budget is $305,000. Two-thirds of that amount comes from funds allocated by the BGCT Administrative Committee, and the remainder is from individual donors and foundations.

“I'm so excited” about the institute, Williams said. “I've seen the transformation in churches and individual lay members. I've seen an amazing transformation in staff members when they see their lay members turned on and turned loose to minister.”

Linda Cross, vice president of the institute, will “carry on the work during the coming months of transition,” said Royce Rose, director of the BGCT theological education office.

“A record number of classes are scheduled for this semester in 21 locations in Texas and other states.”

Williams has no specific plans for the future.

“My wife (Anita) and I felt it was time for a change in vocational direction but still feel very committed to and called to local-church enhancement,” he said.

They are members of First Baptist Church in Richardson, a suburb of Dallas.

Rose encouraged churches interested in offering laity institute classes to call the laity institute for more information.

The web site is www.tblaity.org, and the phone number is (214) 820-3935.