AM24: Spring’s Estep named recipient of Leaders Legacy Award

HOUSTON—Mark Estep, pastor of Spring Baptist Church for 27 years, was named the 2024 recipient of the Leaders Legacy Award on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting at Sagemont Church.

The Leaders Legacy Award was established in 2021 by the Southern Baptists of Texas Foundation (SBTF) to recognize an individual who has “distinguished himself or herself by service to Christ through the Southern Baptists of Texas or the Southern Baptist Convention.” SBTF funded from unrestricted reserves the initial corpus of an endowment to fund the award each year.

Estep began his ministry in Spring in January 1997 after pastoring in Oklahoma. Under his leadership, Spring Baptist has been a consistent leader in the SBTC in baptisms and Cooperative Program giving.

Spring Baptist has been involved in disaster relief and children’s ministries through the SBTC, in addition to hosting several events for the state convention. Estep has served on the SBTC Executive Board and for the SBC as a member of the Lifeway Christian Resources Board of Trustees.

SBTC Executive Board Chairman Caleb Turner, pastor of Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church, in making the award on behalf of the board, called Estep “a valuable partner in the ministries of the SBTC across the years.”

Estep holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Master of Arts in Religious Education, and a Doctor of Ministry. He and his wife, Robin, have three adult children and six grandchildren.