Higgs will lead BGCT western-heritage ministries

Posted: 9/15/06

Higgs will lead BGCT
western-heritage ministries

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS—Charles Higgs, founding pastor of Cowboy Church of Erath County, has been named director of Baptist General Convention of Texas western-heritage ministries.

He will begin serving on a part-time basis Sept. 15 and become a full-time BGCT employee June 1, 2007. Higgs follows Ron Nolen, who recently retired to become coordinator of the Texas Fellowship of Cowboy Churches. The fellowship works closely with the BGCT director of western-heritage ministries.

Stephenville’s Cowboy Church of Erath County has grown to about 300 members in its first 19 months under Higgs’ leadership. He also helped start several other cowboy churches and been pastor of several traditional Baptist churches.

Andre Punch, director of the BGCT affinity group directors and congregational strategists, said Higgs emerged as the ideal person for the position. He was mentored by Nolen and knows western-heritage ministry well.

“His past experience as a pastor at different churches, his administrative and relational skills are of a very, very high quality,” he said. “We felt he was best suited to do the job.”

The pastor has held numerous positions in Baptist associations and the BGCT, including the Red River Valley Baptist Association moderator, chairman of the Erath Baptist Association evangelism committee and member of the BGCT Executive Board. He also currently serves on the board of directors of the Texas Fellowship of Cowboy Churches.

Higgs earned his doctor of ministry degree from Trinity Theological Seminary in 1998. He earned a master’s degree from Dallas Baptist University in and his bachelor’s degree from Independent Bible College.

Higgs and his wife, Nancy, have one daughter and three grandchildren.