October 1, 2026
TIGERVILLE, S.C. — President David S. and Lanese Dockery were named the recipients of the Paula and Ken Hemphill Denominational Service Award at North Greenville University in South Carolina, prior to his giving the institution’s commencement address on May 8, recognizing the couple’s service in Southern Baptist life.
“You are one of the most significant Baptist theologians of this generation,” said NGU President Gene Fant of David Dockery, whom he served under as executive vice president at Union University. “You have preached around the country and around the world. You have mentored innumerable pastors and leaders across evangelicalism, but particularly in Southern Baptist life.”
Fant pointed out that Dockery has served in Christian higher education for more than 30 years, mentoring others who would also become leaders and presidents in Christian institutions, and has had a significant impact in “your current role as the president of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where you have led in one of the most remarkable and significant turnarounds in American higher education history.”
Lanese was also named a recipient of the award, as Fant said she has encouraged and influenced numerous men and women in Baptist life through her prayers and mentoring.
“You have not only supported David in his work and in his ministry, but you, too, have had a long and significant ministry, as you have mentored and encouraged the wives of innumerable pastors, leaders, and indeed dozens of university and seminary first ladies,” Fant said. “Your service to the Kingdom is an overflow of your own calling to serve God with your talents and skills.”
“We were both surprised and blessed by President Gene Fant and the North Greenville University community with the announcement that Lanese and I had been named as this year’s recipients of the Paula and Ken Hemphill Denominational Service Award,” Dockery said. “To receive this meaningful recognition named after the seventh president and first lady of Southwestern Seminary is certainly quite special for both of us. We have known the Hemphills for four decades and have greatly appreciated their personal friendship and their faithful service to Southern Baptists.”
NGU established the award in 2019, named in honor of the Hemphills, who Fant called “a special couple who have been important leaders in Baptist life,” and who have been longtime friends of NGU. A gathering space on the NGU campus is named after Paula’s parents, Paul and Donna Moore, and Paula’s sister, Gretchen Epting, was the first lady alongside Fant’s predecessor, former NGU president Jimmy Epting. The College of Ministry building on the NGU campus is named after Hemphill, who was president of Southwestern from 1994 to 2003.
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