History
Pastor Claud and Aline Slate had a Vision for an Association that would Serve those who have been called Into the Small Church Mission Field. In 1984, Claud Slate ask the BGCT to invite small church pastors to attend a Special meeting at Texas Women’s University in Denton. It was the first time for so many ministers to hear the word “Bivocational”. Dale Holloway shared that this term was used in 1977 in the Home Mission Magazine.
In 1987, the First Annual Bivocational Ministers/Wives Conference was held in the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor. Claud Slate working with Dean Palmer of UMHB developed this conference. Claud Slate was elected President of this newly formed Association to ensure that the State Meetings would continue. In 1993 a constitution was adopted.
In 1993, Rosalind Ray of Fairy Baptist Church volunteered to edit a State Bivocational Newsletter. The Bivocational Ministers and Spouses Association agreed to fund “The Texas Baptist Bivocational Connection” via donations.
In 1996, Jan Daehnert became the Bivocational Consultant for the BGCT. It was at this time that the BGCT began to fund the newsletter enabling it to be mailed to all Bivocational pastors throughout the state of Texas.
A significant meeting was held with Dr. Pinson, Executive Director of the BGCT, Claud Slate, President of the Bivocational Association, Don Lewis Associate Director of Missions, Tarrant Association and Bob Ray, pastor of Fairy Baptist Church. It was at this meeting that Dr. Pinson heard the concerns of Bivocational Ministers in Texas. The term “Bivocational” was used for the first time in the “Texas Baptist Calendar and Directory”.
Associational Presidents
Claud Slate 1987 – 1994
Bob Ray 1995 – 2003
Dave Keith 2004 – 2007
Randy Rather 2008 – 2010
Tony Tawater 2011 – 2011
Richard Ray 2011 – 2014
Dave Keith 2015 – 2015
Ryan Dennis 2016 – 2018
Chris Ortego 2018 – Present
Bivocational Consultant/Director – BGCT
Jan Daehnert 1996 – 2000
Ed Hale 2000 – 2001
Bob Ray 2001 – 2008
Robert Cepeda 2008 – 2009
Cecil Deadman 2009 – 2014
Ira Antoine 2014 - Present
Charter Members/Officers
