Betts leaves legacy of leadership

By Lucretia Goddard - Jul 24, 2007 - 2

Charles D. Betts, Southern Baptist pastor and former trustee of the Christian Life Commission and The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, passed away July 18, 2007, at the age of 73.

“The impact of his leadership here and of his broader ministry literally goes to the ends of the earth,” said Dr. Richard Land, president of the ERLC.

Born on Jan.12, 1934, near Judsonia, Arkansas, Betts was the son of the late Jesse O. and Thamar Betts. At the age of 12, he was saved and baptized at Providence Baptist Church in Arkansas just before moving to Missouri.

After graduating from Senath High School, Betts went on to earn degrees from Hannibal-LaGrange College, the University of Missouri and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

While a student, Betts served as the pastor of Peno Baptist Church from 1958-1959, Mineola Baptist Church from 1959-1962 and First Baptist Church of Grain Valley, Missouri, from 1962-1965. After graduating from seminary, he went on to pastor Willoughby Baptist Church in Willoughby, Ohio, from 1965-1976, and finally First Baptist of Vandalia, Ohio, from 1976 until his death.

While in Vandalia, Betts spent two years serving as president of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.

In the 1990s, Betts also served as the last chairman of the trustee board of the Christian Life Commission and the first chairman of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission board.

A reorganization and realignment plan addressing several convention entities, entitled “Covenant for a New Century,” was adopted by the SBC in 1995. As part of the initiative, in June 1997 the number of SBC agencies were trimmed from 19 to 12 and several agencies, including the then-Christian Life Commission, embraced new names. The CLC, renamed The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, also saw its share of national Cooperative Program receipts increase.

To recognize him for his service during this transition, the ERLC board of trustees adopted a resolution in his honor at the 1997 annual trustee meeting and presented Betts with a plaque to commemorate his service the following year. The resolution noted “the distinguished and esteemed service of Chairman Betts as well as the appreciation of those commissioners that were privileged to serve during this historic transition in the life of the Southern Baptist Convention.”

Betts is survived by his wife of 55 years, Shirley Joyce, and two sons, Don and T. J., among numerous other relatives.

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2 comments (post your own) feed

1 On Nov 3rd, 2007, at 2:14pm, Paul W. Hannah wrote:

Sorry to hear Rev.Betts pass to the house of Jesus Christ, he baptist me in Peno creek in 1957 or 1958.  My name is Paul W. Hannah. My Condolences to the family

2 On Nov 3rd, 2007, at 6:44pm, Ellen Hannah- Lookhe wrote:

Hi Mrs Betts, Do you remember the Hannah kids
who lived in the ratty old house behind Peno Baptist Church?
I still remember you and the 2 boys they were just little tykes back then.  I often wondered where you went and how you were doing.
I’m really sorry to hear that pastor Betts had passed on. We diden’t hear about it until Wayne found it on the net.
We all are living in Moline Ill.  We have been here for years. If you get to read this or someone who knows you will pass this on to you and you can e-mail us back. Would really like to hear from you
Please look us up.
Your ever Ellen

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