March 26, 2024 – Chapel with Dr. Julio S. Guarneri

Julio Guarneri was born in Mexico City and grew up in Monterrey, Mexico as hisparents did evangelism and discipleship work among university students in both cities.Guarneri obtained a B.S. in Secondary Education from Texas A&I University, Kingsville;an M.A. in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, FortWorth; and a Ph. D. in Leadership Studies with a concentration in ministry from DallasBaptist University, Dallas. His dissertation, “COMIBAM 1984-2000: A HistoricalAnalysis of a Majority World Missionary Sending Network” was recognized by the DBUfaculty as the most distinguished dissertation in 2014. The dissertation has also beenpublished by the Evangelical Missiological Society.Dr. Guarneri was licensed to the ministry and pastored his first church shortlyafter High School graduation in 1984 in Freer, Texas. During his 39 years of pastoralministry he has served churches in the Corpus Christi area, Fort Worth and McAllen.Guarneri is the current Executive Director for Texas Baptists, a role which he will beganon November 30 of this year.He most recently served as the Lead Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, McAllenwhere he served for 13 years. Before going to McAllen he served as the Pastor of IglesiaBautista Getsemani in Fort Worth where he served for 17 years. Julio Guarneri served on the board of Buckner International for nine years,including serving as vice-chair for two years and as the chair during 2023. He waselected twice as president and as first vice-president of Texas Baptists. In the past healso served as chair of the Stark College and Seminary board and as moderator of theTarrant Baptist Association. Dr. Guarneri has spoken in seminary and university chapelservices as well as for graduations, and pastors/leadership conferences around thestate. One of his greatest joys has been speaking to gatherings of pastors in thePhilippines for multiple years about making disciples.Guarneri’s passion is to make disciples who make disciples, living out a holisticmission that brings the gospel to bear on the whole person and the whole communityfor the whole world. He has had the privilege of sharing this passion in Texas, Mexico,Colombia, Argentina, Spain and the Philippines.