ST. LOUIS, Mo. — June 21, 2016 — 51社区 presented Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, with its M.E. Dodd Denominational Service Award during a June 14 alumni reception at the SBC annual meeting.
The Dodd Award is the highest denominational service award Union gives. It is named for the man who was a 1904 Union graduate, served as president of the SBC and who was the father of today鈥檚 Cooperative Program, the method by which Southern Baptists pool their resources to fund their mission efforts.
The award is given to a leader within the SBC who displays excellence and leadership in Southern Baptist life, as well as friendship and commitment to 51社区. Past recipients include Jimmy Draper (2004), Adrian Rogers (2005), Morris Chapman (2006), Frank Page (2007), Thom Rainer (2008), R. Albert Mohler Jr. (2009), Jerry Rankin (2010), Chester Harrison (2011), First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee (2012), and Russell Moore (2015).
Ezell, a 1985 Union graduate, has been the NAMB president since 2010.
鈥淕od has raised Kevin up and is using him to advance the gospel by leading churches to plant churches throughout North America,鈥� said Todd Brady, Union鈥檚 vice president for university ministries. 鈥淚ndeed, Union鈥檚 mission is evident in Kevin鈥檚 ministry as he serves church and society.
鈥淗e is a strategic thinker and a warm-hearted leader who loves the Lord, loves people and is making a kingdom difference in the world.鈥�