Ken Camp, longtime Baptist journalist, to retire
PLANO, Texas – Baptist Standard Managing Editor Ken Camp will retire Dec. 31, 2025, bringing to a close a decades-long era of reporting on Texas Baptists.
During the last 40-plus years, Camp has reported on every part of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He also has covered the Southern Baptist Convention, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Baptist World Alliance and other Baptist entities.
“Ken Camp has always been a torchbearer for the truth,” John Hall, chief mission officer for Texans on Mission, said. “He has always believed Christians will respond when they know about opportunities to share the Gospel in their own communities, across their state and around the world.
“Over the years, I’ve seen time and again he is correct,” Hall continued, “and many, many people got involved in ministry because of the stories Ken shared clearly, concisely and compassionately. I know. I’m one of them.”
Reporting these stories has taken Camp all around Texas and to several places around the world. He has had a front-row seat to some of the most consequential events in Texas Baptist and Southern Baptist history.
“I’ve been in the same room with four United States presidents or former presidents,” though “some of the rooms were pretty big,” Camp noted.
“But the people who made the deepest impression were folks like a West Texas pastor who visited almost every patient in the local hospital every morning except Sunday for 40 years and a Central Texas pastor who has served the same small, rural congregation for 60 years and counting,” Camp recalled.
Early days in journalism
Camp’s name has appeared in bylines for more than 50 years, first as the editor of his high school newspaper and as the writer of a weekly column about school news for the Greenville Herald Banner. The summer after he graduated, he worked the evening sports desk part time for the local newspaper.
Despite his high school experience in journalism, Camp had other career plans. He began college with a double major in English and history, with plans to go to law school.
“My plans changed after I attended a free lunch at the Baptist Student Union at East Texas State University,” Camp wrote.
“A missions speaker was talking about how Christian vocational service involved more than preaching, and people with specialized skills – including journalism – were needed on the mission field,” he continued.
Though he didn’t feel called to foreign missions, he did have “a clear sense God was calling me to Christian service as a writer. I changed my second major from history to journalism.”
Becoming a Texas Baptist journalist
To prepare for Christian service, Camp attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Upon his arrival, he learned Southwestern was launching a communications program. The program required an internship, which he found with the Texas Baptist Public Relations Association, working at the BGCT during the summer of 1983.
When Camp graduated from seminary in 1984, he went to work for Tom Brannon and Orville Scott in the BGCT public relations (communications) office.
At the BGCT, Camp wrote news and feature stories on Texas Baptist Men, Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, the Christian Life Commission, River Ministry, Church Extension (church starting) and more for 19 and a half years.
“Our primary vehicle for communicating with Texas Baptists was through the Baptist Standard. So, I was in daily contact with Toby Druin,” Camp wrote, referring to the Standard’s managing editor at the time.
“Our office also served as the Dallas Bureau for Baptist Press. That meant I was in contact several times a week with Dan Martin and Marv Knox at BP,” he added. Knox later became editor of the Baptist Standard.
MBTS honors Pastor Zachary Evans in Pastor Appreciation Month giveaway
By MBTS Staff
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – This past October, nearly 10,000 ministry leaders and church members entered their pastors for a chance to win Midwestern Seminary’s $10,000 giveaway for Pastor Appreciation Month. From this year’s entries, Zachary Evans was randomly selected to win the $10,000 giveaway. Evans has served as the pastor of New Life Baptist Church in Newalla, Okla., since 2022.
The pastor who is randomly selected receives $5,000 to use on a family vacation and another $5,000 to use for church needs. In addition to the cash giveaway, Midwestern Seminary offered several others, including prizes for the pastor who has served the longest and the pastor who is newest to ministry.
“Being a pastor entails incredible joys but also incredible challenges,” said President Jason Allen. “That is why I am so thankful that Midwestern Seminary celebrates pastor appreciation month. Ministers should be reminded of the eternal consequences their ministries can have and should be encouraged to persevere in the calling that the Lord has placed on their lives. I’m grateful for the anonymous donor who made this gift possible, and I want to extend a congratulations to Zachary Evans for winning our giveaway this year. I pray the Lord blesses you and the ministry that he has entrusted to you.”
Receiving the news
Reflecting on his reaction when he learned he had won, Evans said, “We were certainly surprised and a bit overwhelmed when we found out we won. This gift was a huge reminder of God’s kindness in a time that we needed it.”
Zach is married to Erica, and they have a daughter, Hadley. The Evans family plans to use half of the giveaway funds for a vacation to rest and enjoy time together amid the demands of ministry.
Regarding the portion dedicated to their church, Evans said, “The money comes at a critical time for our church. We have some maintenance in our small-group spaces that this will help with. We will also use half of it to help fund our food pantry.”
New Life’s food pantry – run by volunteers every Saturday – provides essential resources for families in difficult circumstances, allowing members of the church to minister to those who come for help.
“This funding will help us continue to serve people in the community in a time of need,” Evans said.
Evans’ call to ministry
Evans shared that God used his family’s faithfulness to draw him into ministry. From a young age, he observed what ministry involvement looked like as his parents served in music ministry for more than three decades. Through their example, God planted an appreciation and desire to serve the Church in him.
