Exemplars: Deacons as Servant and Spiritual Leaders

Elizabeth (Libby) Allen is the administrative coordinator for the Eula Mae and John Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership at Mercer University. She served for 17 years with Admissions for McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, and was ordained as a deacon in 1986. Libby has also served on boards for Baptist News Global and Passport, Inc. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, Loyd Allen. Daniel Vestal is the director of the Eula Mae and John Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership and the Distinguished University Professor of Baptist Leadership at Mercer University. He has served as a pastor and in leadership with a number of denominational, ecumenical, and institutional organizations. From 1996 to 2012 he was executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. He is the author of five books, including Being the Presence of Christ: A Vision for Transformation. Daniel and his wife, Earlene, live in Atlanta.