Honoring a Lifetime of Faithful Service
Dr. Joel C. Gregory (BA ’70, PhD ’83) has spent a lifetime shaping pastors, churches, and students—but he says Baylor shaped him first.
Gregory began studying religion and Greek at Baylor at just 17 years old, later returning to earn his doctorate. His connection to the University would continue for decades, including nearly 20 years on the faculty of George W. Truett Theological Seminary, where he taught preaching, became the inaugural holder of the George W. Truett Chair of Preaching, and served six years as director of the Kyle Lake Center for Effective Preaching.
Beyond Baylor, Gregory’s ministry and academic influence has reached churches and classrooms around the world. He has served four student pastorates, as well as pastorates at Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth and First Baptist Church in Dallas. He also founded Proclaimers Place, a mentoring program that has equipped hundreds of African American pastors through hands-on formation. Gregory holds additional degrees from Oxford University (M.Th.) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.).
Among his many honors, Gregory was named one of the “Twelve Most Effective Preachers in the English Language” by more than 500 professors of preaching in 2018 and was recognized as an Outstanding Professor at Baylor in 2019. The E.K. Bailey International Conference named him a “Living Legend,” and Truett Seminary will inaugurate the annual Joel C. Gregory Preaching Lectures in 2025. He also served two terms as president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, which honored him in 2024 for 50 years of service.
This year, Gregory received the Pro Ecclesia Medal of Service, awarded to individuals whose broad contributions to Christian ministry have made an immeasurable impact. For Gregory, the honor is deeply personal—another opportunity to represent the University that formed him.
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