Clay Hallmark (M.Div. ‘92) enrolled as a student at Beeson Divinity School in January 1990 when our school was barely three semesters old. We had a grand vision for developing an evangelical, interdenominational theological school that would be second to none in its commitment to academic rigor, a high view of Scriptural authority, and the training of “pastors who can preach,” the goal given to us by our founding benefactor Ralph Waldo Beeson. From the beginning, we were blessed to have great teachers on the faculty and wonderful students who were eager to learn. Clay Hallmark was one of these.
Clay had been offered a full scholarship at another fine institution, but he chose to come to Beeson because he wanted to be a part of a school that was committed to sound biblical theology and yet diverse in its denominational makeup and experience. “While at Beeson,” he says, “I became a part of a family of faith including faculty members who not only cared for me personally, but strategically invested their knowledge and experience in my life in ways that not only proved to be theologically foundational, but practical in an everyday setting. My years at Beeson laid a solid foundation upon which I built additional education, ministry in the local church and service to my denomination.”
Clay’s teachers at Beeson included Ken Mathews in Hebrew and Old Testament, Frank Thielman in Greek and New Testament, Fisher Humphreys in theology, Timothy George in church history, Richard Wells in preaching, and the late Lewis Drummond in evangelism and missions. Another bright faculty member Clay remembers was a Birmingham pastor who had been one of my former students in another institution and taught courses for us on ministry leadership and church growth. His name is Dr. Thom Rainer and he now leads LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the largest Christian education and publication institutions in the world. Clay remembers how Thom used to warn the students against the peril of “dead Sunday Schools,” little realizing perhaps he would be charged with infusing new life into dry bones!
Following his graduation from Beeson, Clay Hallmark served as a pastor in Alabama for several years. Then, on May 1, 2001, he began his ministry as Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Marion, Arkansas. During the past nine years, this congregation has grown tremendously with some 1200 new members coming into the fellowship including many new believers in Christ. Evangelism, missions, and discipleship are at the heart of Clay’s vision for this church. First Baptist, Marion, sponsors two mission churches, including a Spanish-speaking congregation. Just a few weeks ago the church sent forty-six of its young people to New York City where they were involved in ministry evangelism and personal witnessing. The church is committed to reaching “the whole world with the whole Gospel” and supports the cause of world evangelization through generous mission giving as well as numerous mission trips to Brazil and other countries.
Last November, Dr. Clay Hallmark was elected as president of the Arkansas Baptist Convention—elected unanimously, a rare occurrence in any denomination these days. This is a mark of the confidence and trust the Baptist people of Arkansas have in Clay Hallmark and his ministry. As president of the Arkansas Baptist Convention, he has promoted an evangelism emphasis called Reaching Generation Now. The goal of this strategy is to present the Gospel to older children and students, to lead them to personal faith in Jesus Christ, and to direct them into lifelong patterns of discipleship and service.
Clay and his wife Leslie have two daughters. One of them, Cassie, was a tiny Beeson baby during their time with us. She is presently finishing her sophomore year at Union University. Their younger daughter, Kayla, is going to be a sophomore at Marion High School, plays the clarinet, and is a letterman on the golf team. Leslie, who is a graduate of Samford University, is an intermediate school teacher in Marion. Through their love and faithfulness to one another, God has blessed their family in wonderful ways.
Twenty years have passed since Clay Hallmark was a student here at Beeson. Beeson has grown and changed in many ways including new facilities, new degree programs, an even more diverse student body and a new generation of younger faculty members. Our school now has more students applying than we are able to admit every year. These are all blessings for which we are grateful. But some things have not changed at Beeson: our commitment to the Holy Scriptures, our desire to nurture students for a lifetime of service to Christ and the church, and our desire to see the Gospel of Christ proclaimed throughout the world. Like so many other Beeson alums, Clay Hallmark reminds us that this is a task worth giving our lives for.
