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LUBBOCK—Russ Ponder, who has served West Texas churches for more than 25 years, received the Leaders Legacy Award during the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Executive Board report on Tuesday, Oct. 28, the second day of the convention’s annual meeting.
Ponder pastors First Baptist Church of Hamlin.
“I am humbled and surprised to receive the Leaders Legacy Award,” Ponder said. “[I’m] deeply grateful for the SBTC’s 25-year impact on my life and the churches God has allowed me to serve.”
The Leaders Legacy Award was established in 2021 by the Southern Baptists of Texas Foundation to annually recognize an individual who has “distinguished himself or herself by service to Christ through the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention or the Southern Baptist Convention.” The foundation funded from unrestricted reserves the initial corpus of an endowment to provide the award each year.
Ponder has served churches in Potosi, Hamlin, and Farwell since his ordination in 2000. He was youth pastor and senior pastor for First Baptist Farwell in addition to First Baptist Hamlin.
His ministry has been marked by growth and effective evangelism. Since coming to Hamlin in 2021, the church has completed a major development campaign while maintaining a strong evangelistic witness in the community. He has also led out in a series of community prayer meetings asking the Lord for revival.
Steven Gaither, chairman of the SBTC Executive Board and pastor of First Baptist Church in McAllen, described Ponder as a “valued partner to the SBTC, a friend to the convention, a leader in West Texas, and a faithful pastor.”
Ponder supported the convention as a member of the Executive Board and currently assists the SBTC Regenesis church health and renewal process as a cohort trainer. In that role, Ponder has mentored pastors and guided churches as they worked toward stronger ministries. He hopes to provide financial help to two church plants using funds from the Leaders Legacy Award.
Ponder is a graduate of Cisco Junior College, Clovis Community College, and Walsh Counseling Center. He has begun a master of divinity degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He is married to Kim, and the Ponders have two adult sons and three beloved grandchildren.
