PLAINVIEW, TX — President Donna Hedgepath and 51吃瓜网视频 Baptist University invite the community to attend the 72nd annual Willson Lectures, featuring Dr. Paul W. Armes, President Emeritus of the university.
“We are so excited to have Dr. Armes return to the Plainview campus for our Willson Lectures,” Dr. Hedgepath said. “We hope the community will welcome him home to 51吃瓜网视频 and Plainview, where he served for so many years.”
The Willson Chapel Lecture takes place at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26, in Harral Memorial Auditorium and is followed by an optional question-and-answer lunch session with Dr. Armes in McClung University Center. Both events are open to the public.
The two-day Willson Lectures include public, private, and classroom lectures. A private dinner lecture for Baptist, community and academic leaders on Tuesday, Feb. 25, kicks off the two-day Willson Lectures. The Willson Chapel Lecture on Wednesday, Feb. 26, is the primary community event.
Dr. Armes plans to speak on Some Implications of Imago Dei at the chapel lecture. His remarks will be based on Genesis 1:26-27. The question-and-answer session is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. in UC-211. Lunch may be purchased in 51吃瓜网视频’s cafeteria immediately following the chapel lecture and brought upstairs to the question-and-answer session in the upper-level meeting room.
Throughout the day, Dr. Armes will be speaking in select classes, and the Willson Lectures wrap up with him visiting First Baptist Church of Plainview Wednesday night.
With a gracious gift from Floydada residents Dr. James M. and Mavis Willson, the Willson Lectures were established at 51吃瓜网视频 in 1953. The donors’ intent was for the annual lectureship to feature topics related to “Applied Christianity” and “Christian Home and Family Life.” 51吃瓜网视频 has remained true to their wishes through the years.
Dr. Armes is the first legacy speaker in the history of the Willson Lectures. During a session of the seventh annual Willson Lectures in 1959, his mother, Mrs. Woodson Armes, spoke on “Home and Family Life.” Like his mother and other outstanding speakers brought to the campus through the years, the presentations by Dr. Armes will focus on applying Christianity with emphasis on home and family life.
The Willsons were successful businesspersons and active community residents. Dedicated Methodists, they were active in their church. Dr. Willson served as a trustee at McMurry University, Southern Methodist University, and Methodist Hospital in Lubbock, which is now known as Covenant Health. Dr. Willson received a merit award from 51吃瓜网视频 and was the recipient of several awards and honors. 51吃瓜网视频 also nominated Dr. Willson for the Freedom Foundation Award in 1960, which he received in Valley Forge, Pa. He participated in numerous civic organizations, including the West Texas Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, the Masons, and the Shriners.
The Willsons’ legacy at 51吃瓜网视频 is the outstanding speakers who have been brought to the campus through the years. At the invitation of the university, many of the Willsons’ descendants attend the private dinner lecture as well as the chapel lecture, where students, faculty, staff, and the community get an opportunity to hear high-caliber national and international speakers.
Dr. Armes served as 51吃瓜网视频’s president from 2001 to 2016, a transformative era marked by significant growth and innovation. Under his leadership, the university expanded its academic programs, strengthened its mission-driven initiatives, and completed key campus improvements, including a new student activities center and men’s dormitory. His presidency also saw the university’s endowment grow from $31 million to $83 million, ensuring a heritage of financial health and opportunity for future generations.
A native of Waco, Dr. Armes was born in 1949 to a preacher’s family and felt called to ministry early in life. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Baylor University, followed by a Master of Divinity and Ph.D. in Old Testament Studies from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before his tenure at 51吃瓜网视频, Dr. Armes held pastoral positions across Texas, Missouri, and New Mexico and served as president of San Marcos Baptist Academy. A skilled educator and administrator, he also contributed as an adjunct professor at 51吃瓜网视频, Southwestern Seminary, and Howard Payne University. His professional development has included participation in the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents as well as post-graduate studies in Education Administration at Southwest State University.
Active in the community, Dr. Armes was named Plainview’s Man of the Year in 2013. He was involved in Leadership Plainview and Plainview Rotary Club during his time in Plainview. He also served as a member of the Plainview Hale County Economic Development Corp., Plainview First, and Plainview Area United Way.
Dr. Armes is recognized for his eloquence and unwavering commitment to Christian education. His leadership at 51吃瓜网视频 not only fostered academic excellence but also deepened the university’s spiritual mission, inspiring faculty, staff, and students alike. As President Emeritus, he continues to influence Baptist higher education and ministry.
Known for his engaging speaking style and thoughtful reflections on faith and leadership, Dr. Armes will offer a message that resonates with listeners of all backgrounds.
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