Richard Harris named interim SCBC executive director

Richard Harris, a retired vice president with the North American Mission Board, was elected interim executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention Oct. 7 by the SCBC Executive Board.

After the unanimous affirmative vote, Harris thanked Executive Board members. “You humble me and honor me,” he said, adding that “God has been stirring my heart as I think of the possibilities” for South Carolina Baptists.

Executive Board chairman Dwight Easler cited Harris’ “leadership record and success in interim positions” as primary reasons for recommending him to the post after Jim Austin announced in May that he would retire from the position after seven years of service. Harris was NAMB’s interim president in 2009-2010 and served as interim pastor at a number of churches during his 29 years of service with the missions agency.

Harris cited Psalm 71:18 as his guiding Scripture for the coming months and said he wants “significance” to mark his time as interim executive. “I want to push the ball farther down the field for the kingdom,” he said. He encouraged South Carolina Baptists not to be average. “That’s as close to the worst as it is to the best,” he added.

Harris said he will focus his energies on the state convention’s priorities of evangelism and discipleship, church planting and church revitalization.

The former NAMB executive said he would consider himself successful in South Carolina “if I work myself out of a job. I want to help your committee find God’s man for this job.”

Harris pledged to “affirm, encourage and empower” the staff of the Baptist building so that they can be effective during his interim, adding that he will give staff members the freedom to do their jobs. He said he also plans to “ask the right questions” of the state’s pastors, leaders and ministry partners during his travels. He has six meetings in three locations planned for October (see Harris’ travel schedule).

He challenged SCBC staff members to “practice what they tell others they should do” and called for a renewed emphasis on attentiveness to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and to “living in the power of Pentecost” through prayer and by boldly speaking the Word of God.

“All we have is this day, this time, this opportunity,” he said.

Richard Harris with Dwight Easler

Richard Harris, left, is welcomed as interim executive director-treasurer by Dwight Easler, chairman of the SCBC Executive Board.

SCBC Executive Board members had gathered at White Oak Conference Center near Winnsboro for their regular fall meeting. In addition to Harris’ nomination, board members approved a budget to be presented at the SCBC annual meeting Nov. 11-12 at Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia.

“I believe Dr. Harris will prepare our state convention for transition and be a team builder for our staff and our denominational institutions going forward,” Easler said in a statement sent to Executive Board members in August.

“Dr. Harris has a servant spirit that can lead, heal, and build relationships in our state to prepare us to experience God’s finest future for the South Carolina Baptist Convention and her partners,” Easler said.

Harris and his wife, Nancy, live in Alpharetta, Ga.

Retiring executive director-treasurer Jim Austin was honored on Monday evening during the Executive Board’s worship time. A video was shown highlighting Austin’s seven years of service. The following day, the Budget, Finance & Audit Committee presented a recommendation, which was endorsed unanimously by the Administrative Committee, that Austin be given a retirement package of one year’s salary with partial benefits. The Executive Board unanimously affirmed the recommendation.

— Compiled by Butch Blume, managing editor, with reporting by Rudy Gray, editor.