Meet the Baptist Standard Staff

Eric came to the Baptist Standard with a background in local-church ministry, both in the pastorate and youth ministry, as well as collegiate ministry and Christian education. He was licensed to the gospel ministry by Hoffmantown Baptist Church in Albuquerque, N.M., and ordained by Acton Baptist Church in Granbury. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Hardin-Simmons University, a Master of Arts in Christian Education degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute. He was pastor of First Baptist Church in Covington from 2010 until 2018. Previously, he was associate pastor for youth ministries at First Baptist Church in Galax, Va., and as a self-supporting missionary was associate director of GraceLife Baptist Student Union at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. In addition to his service in the pastorate, he was a resident fellow at the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute from 2008 to 2018, teaching the Gateway course and philosophy of Christian education. He and his wife, Dalese, have two children, Allen and Caroline.

Ken grew up in Greenville, Texas, and graduated from East Texas State University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before joining the Baptist Standard staff in 2004, he worked more than 19 years with the Baptist General Convention of Texas communications office, including seven years as news director and one year as interim communications director. He has won the Baptist Communicators Association’s Frank Burkhalter Award for news writing twice, received the Religion Communicators Council’s DeRose/Hinkhouse “best of class” writing award and been recognized for his writing by the Associated Church Press. He and his wife, Diane, have three sons, Daniel, Matthew and Nathan, and daughters-in-law, Lindsey and Devon. The Camps are members of South Garland Baptist Church in Garland, Texas.

Calli grew up in Seminole on the plains of West Texas. She has been active in Baptist life almost since the day she was born. Participating in Mission Friends, GA’s, Acteens, and Bible Drill, she attended camps at Circle Six Baptist Encampment, Super Summer at Wayland, Texas Baptist All-State Youth Choir at ETBU, and served with the River Ministry doing summer mission work.

Calli graduated magma cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English (minoring in Bible) from Howard Payne, where she was involved with Baptist Student Ministries and worked in summer camps at Riverbend Retreat Center and Ridgecrest Conference Center in Asheville, NC. She has graduate work in English (ASU) and theology (Truett Seminary).

Calli has taught elementary Reading, Writing, and Social Studies and has served in various other educational roles in Texas public schools. She has also owned and operated a non-medical senior home care business. She has spent the greatest part of the past sixteen years serving as mom to her four children, Corbin, Brock, Deacon, and Autumn, while her husband Aaron’s career has had them frequently on the move around north Texas and the country.

Whether they’ve found themselves in the Dallas area, in Connecticut, Colorado, California, or now back to stay in Waxahachie where their married life began, Calli, Aaron, and family have kept up with Texas Baptist news thanks to to the Baptist Standard. Joining the Standard as its newest reporter is an honor for this longtime reader. She is delighted to step into this vocation to which she has long felt that God was calling. The Keeners are members of First Baptist Waxahachie.

Kendall grew up in Dallas, Texas and graduated with a bachelor’s in Broadcast Journalism from Oklahoma Christian University and earned a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from Dallas Baptist University. His media background consists of time tracking weather data for KDFW-TV, on-air weather reporting for KNON 89.3 FM, writing for KFOR-TV, editing for KXAS-TV, and writing for The Terrell Tribune, and leading as Managing Editor for The Quinlan-Tawakoni News. Before joining the Baptist Standard, Kendall served at Criswell College as Director of Communications and was later promoted to Director of Intercultural Relations. Kendall also writes and creates comics for his Substack page, Kendall’s Comics, writing and drawing thoughts on faith, life, creativity, ADHD, and Autism. He is also the illustrator of Your Identity in Christ: Finding Who You Are in Who He Is by David Sanchez. Kendall and his wife Rachel are members of Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church in the Bottom District, where he serves as a licensed and ordained associate minister. On his spare time, Kendall enjoys reading, golfing, and photography.

Heather was raised in Oklahoma but has been a Texan for most of her adult life. She graduated in 2015 from Oklahoma Baptist University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education. In 2022, she earned a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Mid-America Christian University. She has previous experience working as a middle school English teacher in two Texas communities and a seminary instructional designer. She ministers with her husband Jordan, who is the NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church in Plano. They have one son, Jesse.

Kelley, with more than 25 years of expertise in administrative and managerial roles, has successfully led and enhanced operations across various business sectors. For 17 years, she served as the executive administrator at South Main Baptist Church of Pasadena, overseeing facilities management, accounting, special projects, purchasing, executive support and staff supervision. A dedicated member of The Church Network, Kelley has held multiple officer positions in the Houston Metro Chapter, contributing her leadership and experience to the organization.

Kelley’s faith has been a guiding force in her life since she accepted Christ as her personal Savior at a young age at Park Place Baptist Church in Houston. Outside of her professional achievements, she finds joy in gardening, baking, organizing and creative pursuits. Most of all, she cherishes time spent with family and friends, especially playdates with her three beloved grandchildren—Beckham, Baker and Brooklyn.