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HOUSTON—The Jim and June Richards Endowment for Kingdom Advance, established by the Southern Baptists of Texas Foundation (SBTF) in 2021, has designated its first allocations to ministries in Texas. The announcement was made during the November board meeting of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC) Executive Board by the convention’s executive director, Nathan Lorick.
The endowment’s purpose is to support “individuals or organizations which promote kingdom causes through religious ministry consistent with the doctrinal statement of The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention” according to the endowment’s establishing documents. The initial funding for the endowment came from SBTF’s reserves.
“SBTF formed the Richards ministry endowment to acknowledge the continuing legacy of Jim and June Richards and to honor their years of service to the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention,” SBTF Executive Director Bart McDonald said. “I am excited to oversee distributions that will continue Dr. Richards’ legacy.”
In addition to allocations to Reach Texas, the SBTC’s state missions offering, the endowment provided funds to the SBTF Jubilee Fund, an effort to preserve the properties of churches in crisis or disbanding. A further gift was made to Austin church planting resident Brock Braxton.
Jim Richards said of Braxton, “I watched Brock grow up and answer a call to ministry, and he has strong connections to the SBTC. June and I are happy to be able to facilitate this investment in the next generation of pastoral leaders.”
Jim is executive director emeritus for the SBTC and is well-known as the convention’s founding executive director. He served in that role from 1998 through 2021. The convention grew from 120 churches to more than 2,600 churches during his tenure. Prior to coming to Texas, he pastored for 21 years in Louisiana and then served as an associational executive director in Northwest Arkansas.
June is a faithful pastor’s wife, mother, and grandmother who assisted Jim through decades of ministry. She has been widely known among SBTC staff members and church leaders as a constant prayer warrior and encourager.
Jim and June have three grown children and six grandchildren. They have retired to East Texas, though Jim still serves as a consultant to the convention while maintaining a busy preaching schedule.
