Kevin Burrow, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Eastland, will be nominated for president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas at Texas Baptists’ annual meeting, Nov. 16-18 in Abilene.
Shawn Brewer, pastor of First Baptist Church in Paradise, announced his intention to nominate Burrow, praising him as a “man of prayer.”
Burrow is “a Texas Baptist through and through,” said Brewer, who preceded him as pastor at First Baptist in Eastland.
“He has developed a real heart for prayer, particularly corporate prayer. He recognizes prayer is a major need in our churches today,” said Brewer, a regional director for the 6:4 Fellowship. The group, which takes its name from Acts 6:4, is a network of pastors who commit to prayer and the word of God.
Meeting weekly for an hour of prayer
Since January 2024, First Baptist in Eastland has met each Sunday at 7 p.m. to spend an hour in corporate prayer—even on Super Bowl Sunday, Burrow noted.
“It has changed the DNA of our church. … It has become the most important hour of my week,” he said.
Seeing what God has done in his church when it gave priority to prayer, he hopes to share that story with Texas Baptists.
“I know Texas Baptists’ leadership already are people of prayer,” he said. “I’d like to see us do even more to help churches become praying churches and pastors become praying pastors.”
The prayers of God’s people became intensely personal last August, when Burrow’s wife Ashley went into cardiac arrest. Today, she is “alive and well,” he said.
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“She endured 90 minutes of CPR,” Burrow said. “There were many of our Texas Baptist people around the state who prayed for her. We walked together through that experience as a family and as a church family.”
As they have gathered to pray, members of First Baptist in Eastland have seen relationships mended, families reconciled and friends receive the salvation Christ offers, Burrow said.
The church prayed for local schools, particularly in regard to an anticipated teacher shortage. The district is beginning the new school year having filled all open faculty positions, he noted.
However, he added, at least half of every prayer gathering is spent in adoration, confession and thanksgiving before requests are voiced to God, Burrow said.
“We are seeking God’s face before seeking God’s hand,” he said.
Alum of Wayland and Truett
Burrow grew up in Tulia and received his undergraduate degree from Wayland Baptist University. He earned both a Master of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary.
He was college pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Pullman, Wash., beginning in 2014, until First Baptist Church in Eastland called him as senior pastor in March 2018.
Burrow was vice moderator for Tri-County Baptist Association, and he has served on Texas Baptists’ resolutions committee and the BGCT Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries.
He and his wife Ashley have four children—Jaxton, Karis, Truett and Colette.
Debbie Potter, incumbent first vice president of the BGCT and children’s pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio, already was announced in April as a nominee for Texas Baptists’ president.
Also previously announced are Joseph Adams from First Baptist Church in Hughes Springs as a nominee for first vice president and Ariel Martinez from Del Sol Church in El Pastor as a nominee for second vice president.
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