Covenant Theological Seminary’s board of trustees, following its recent called meeting, announced the Rev. Dr. Thomas “Tom” C. Gibbs as its sixth president in the institution’s 65-year history.
Dr. Gibbs will assume the presidency on July 1, 2021 pending the approval of the General Assembly Theological Examining Committee of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). He will succeed Dr. Mark Dalbey who announced his retirement in 2020. Dr. Dalbey will remain close with the seminary serving as an advisor to the next president to ensure a smooth transition.
In response to this new role and ministry call, Dr. Gibbs said, “Covenant Seminary has long stood as a leader in training up pastors and counselors for the denomination and broader church. I am deeply humbled by this invitation to serve in this new role and honored to lead this great institution in training up gospel leaders for the church during this next season.”
A succession plan, and the search for a new president, was initiated at the request of Dr. Dalbey in 2018, who after serving over 20 years on the faculty and staff at Covenant Seminary, requested that the board begin to prepare for the next generation of leadership to steward the ongoing mission of equipping leaders for the Church. One year ago, the seminary board of trustees established a search committee made up of PCA teaching and ruling elders, along with faculty and staff of the Seminary. As a part of this process, the search committee selected one of the nation’s leading executive recruiting firms, The Dingman Company, to assist and manage the extensive global presidential search. After considering over 75 candidates, conducting dozens of interviews, and identifying qualified finalists, the committee concluded that Dr. Gibbs was the man whom God had prepared to lead Covenant Seminary into the future.
Covenant Seminary board chairman Dr. Miles Gresham said, “I am happy to report that following a thorough and prayerful search by the committee, the board of trustees has enthusiastically selected Dr. Tom Gibbs to lead the seminary as its sixth president. The board could not be happier with this decision. Tom has a proven record of successful leadership with a deep commitment to local church ministry. These are the things that Covenant Seminary holds dearly. We look forward to a new generation of pastors, counselors and ministry leaders trained under the leadership of Dr. Gibbs as we seek to equip the Church in the years ahead.”
Seminary trustee and presidential search committee chairman Sam Graham stated, “God has clearly been preparing Tom Gibbs for this unique and strategic role. During our search, we received over 75 nominations from alumni, faculty, leaders across the PCA, and friends of the Seminary resulting in candidates from five continents. After devoting over 14 months to this careful, comprehensive, and prayer-filled search, I enthusiastically endorse Tom Gibbs to be the next president of Covenant Seminary. Tom is a proven leader who possesses an elusive combination of genuine humility, grace-driven strength of leadership, and vision. His passion for God’s word, commitment to the great commission, and deep experience in organizational leadership will serve him well as he enters this new role during this strategic time in the life of the seminary and the denomination.”
Dr. Gibbs brings a great love for the Bible and pastoral ministry, having served as a pastor for 24 years. After graduating from Covenant Seminary in 1997, he started a new Reformed University Fellowship chapter at Baylor University, which continues to this day. He then planted Redeemer Presbyterian Church of San Antonio, Texas, in 2002 and has served as its senior pastor ever since.
Current seminary president, Dr. Mark Dalbey reflected on this new announcement: “I could not be happier with the selection of the search committee and to now see Dr. Gibbs appointed to this role. I have known Tom for many years and have seen firsthand his high commitment to the truth of God’s word and the grace of the gospel in his own life as well as those he serves. He is a man of deep faith and character with a track record of strong vision and gracious leadership. I am thrilled to hand the baton to him and have every confidence he will lead the seminary with excellence in the years ahead.”
Dr. Gibbs also brings a commitment to organizational leadership and church planting to his experience in ministry. In addition to planting Redeemer Presbyterian Church and Baylor RUF, he has overseen numerous church plants through his role as the chairman of the Southwest Church Planting Network, a network encompassing more than 60 churches across four states. Tom also founded and leads Reach South Texas – an organization focused on strategic church planting in South Texas to reach a rising generation amidst the nation’s changing demographics.
Tom also currently serves at the denominational level as church planting assessment director with Mission to North America (MNA). His work of mentoring church planters and ministry leaders will see further fruition as president of Covenant Seminary.
The presidential inauguration is tentatively scheduled for September 2021, with more information forthcoming. You can learn more about Dr. Gibbs, and updates on the inauguration celebration at covenantseminary.edu/presidential-transition.
Covenant Theological Seminary is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). For over sixty years it has equipped thousands of pastors, counselors and ministry leaders to pursue a lifetime of ministry through its distinctive whole-person discipleship training in the Bible and ministry practice, both for the PCA and beyond. It offers a number of graduate degrees through its residential courses in St. Louis and Phoenix, along with many degrees online.
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