Harold Clark Bennett

Background

Bennett, Harold Clark was born on July 30, 1924 in Asheville, North Carolina, United States. Son of Charles C. and Emily H. (Clark) Bennett.

Education

Student, Asheville Biltmore Junior College, 1946. Student, Mars Hill College, 1947. Bachelor, Wake Forest University, 1949.

Postgraduate, Duke University Division School, 1951. Master of Divinity, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1953. Honorary Doctor of Laws, Stetson University, 1968.

Honorary Doctor of Divinity, Campbell University, 1982. Honorary Doctor of Divinity, Wake Forest University, 1985. STD (honorary), Southwest Baptist University, 1991.

Career

Clerk, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, 1942-1943; ordained to ministry, Baptist Church, 1948; pastor, Glen Royal Baptist Church, Wake Forest, North Carolina, 1948-1951; chaplain, Kentucky State Reformatory, LaGrange, 1951-1953; chaplain, Kentucky Woman's Prison, 1951-1953; pastor, Westpoint (Kentucky) Baptist Church, 1952; assistant pastor, First Baptist Church, Shreveport, Louisiana, 1953-1955; pastor, Beech St. Baptist Church, Texarkana, Arkansas, 1955-1960; superintendent new work Sunday School Department, Sunday School board, Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tennessee, 1960-1962; interim pastor, Little West Fork Baptist Church, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, 1960; interim pastor, Two Rivers Baptist Church, Nashville, 1962; secretary metropolitan missions home mission board, Southern Baptist Convention, Atlanta, Georgia., 1962-1965; director missions division, Baptist General Convention Texas, Dallas, 1965-1967; executive secretary, treasurer, Florida Baptist Convention, Jacksonville, 1967-1979; president, treasurer Executive Committee, Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, 1979-1992; president emeritus, Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, since 1992. Vice chairman Religion in American Life, 1979-1991. Member board incorporators Covenant Life Insurance Company, Philadelphia, 1990-1993.

Chairman United States Church Leaders, 1987-1989,active, 1979-1983. Member Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, Washington, 1979-1991, International Advisory Committee for World Evangelization, 1986-1989. Visiting professor Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, 1993-1994.

President North America Baptist Fellowship, 1994-1996, member, 1979-1997.

Achievements

• Harold Clark Bennett has been listed as a noteworthy clergyman, religious organization administrator by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Member advisory council Florida State Alcoholism, 1973-1978. Trustee Florida Memorial College, Miami, 1967-1974, American Bible Society, New York City, 1980-2003. Director First American National Bank Tennessee, 1987-1994.

Member Nashville Literacy Task Force, Souper Bowl of Caring, Columbia, South Carolina, member, 1997-2003, chairman 1997-1999. Deacon First Baptist Church, Nashville, 1991-1994, 98-2001. With A.C. United States Navy, 1942-1945.

Member Association Baptist State Executive Secretaries (president 1978-1979), Association Baptist State Convention Church Bond Plans (president 1978-1979), Florida Baptist State Board Missions (executive director, treasurer, secretary 1967-1979), Baptist World Alliance (general council 1979-2000, vice president 1990-1995), American Bible Sioc. (trustee 1980-2003, corporation secretary 1995-1996, vice-chairman 1996-2003), Nashville Chamber of Commerce (law and justice committee 1984-1993), Friends of College of Judea and Samaria (board directors 2001-2003).

Connections

Married Phyllis Jean Metz, August 17, 1947. Children: Jeffrey Clark, John Scott, Cynthia Ann Bennett Howard.

Father:

Charles C. Bennett

Mother:

Emily H. (Clark) Bennett

Spouse:

Phyllis Jean Metz

child:

Cynthia Ann Bennett Howard Bennett

child:

Jeffrey Clark Bennett

child:

John Scott Bennett