David
S. Dockery almost grew up to be a sports journalist. He certainly was headed
in that direction.
After playing high school basketball, Union's new president received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Alabama to be a manager for basketball and other sports and an assistant in the sports information office. At Alabama he worked with Coach C.M. Newton and Coach Paul Bryant.
"It was perfect preparation for what I hoped to do," he says.
Then the direction of his life changed. Between his sophomore and junior years in college, David spent seven weeks at the Institute of Biblical Studies in Chula Vista, Mexico, where he learned to study the Bible. He formed lasting friendships with other students from across the United States.
"For the first time, the Bible really made sense to me," David said. "I always believed the Bible, but I'm not sure I really understood it. . .Those seven weeks shaped my future. I had a spiritual renewal in which God changed the direction of my life and I became re-committed to Him and more focused in what I wanted to do."
Though he knew he wanted to study and teach the Bible, he still got that first degree at the University of Alabama in journalism and education. Later, David would use his journalism skills to write books on theology and to edit the New American Commentary Series for the Baptist Sunday School Board.
He also would earn four other degrees: a master of divinity with an emphasis in the New Testament from Grace Theological Seminary in Indiana; a master of divinity with an emphasis in theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth; a master of arts from Texas Christian University; a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Arlington.
While he continued his studies, he worked a variety of jobs to support his wife, Lanese, and three young sons. He cleaned carpets, worked as a security guard, was a chaplain/clerk at a funeral home, and coached women's basketball. What he really wanted to do, though, was teach.
Finally, after pastoring a church in Brooklyn, N.Y., from 1981-84, he got his wish. For the next 4 1/2 years, he taught New Testament and theology at Criswell College in Texas.
The next stop in his career was at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where between 1988 to 1996, he rose quickly from assistant professor to full professor, to dean and to vice president of the seminary.
He also took a leave of absence for two years to serve as general editor at Broadman Press for the Sunday School Board. It was there that he started editing the 40-volume New American Commentary Series. The series is halfway done. He also has written six books. One of them, Ephesians: One Body in Christ, is the basis for an Ephesians course he taught at Union.
These days, he wakes up every day excited about his new job at Union. He calls it a perfect fit for himself and the University: "The faculty and staff have been incredibly supportive and enthusiastic about the direction in which we're going. Union has a great opportunity to become a leader in not only Christian higher education, but have a seat at the table in shaping the direction of higher education."
David is 43, a young man to be a college president. "God has opened some doors and we walked through it," he says modestly.
The "we" refers to David and his wife, Lanese. "Everything we do is as a team," he says. "We have complementary gifts, and we balance each other well. There's no question that Lanese is the best asset I have."
Lanese describes him as having a typical Type A personality. He works hard and long hours, driven to do well.
"I don't sleep much," David admits, but adds that he can get by on less sleep than other people. An average work day is 16 hours. On Sundays, he speaks at area churches. He's already visited more than 40 since last March and his Sundays are practically booked through the spring.
On his desk is a quote from Lou Holtz, Notre Dame's football coach: "It's amazing how much you can get done if you don't sleep."
At first, David comes across as quiet, maybe even shy. However, he says, "I don't think I'm quiet or shy. I think I'm careful. Words matter. There are several dimensions to who I am."
One of those dimensions is as a father to three teen-aged sons – Jon, 17, Ben, 15, and Tim, 14. David calls himself a "fun, relaxed" parent. "I love to play basketball, play ping pong, watch sports with them."
Another area is his continued interest in sports, especially basketball. "I love college basketball," he says. "March is my favorite month during tournament time."
If he could ever trade jobs, his dream is to be a sportscaster like Bob Costas or Al Michaels.
Though he's interested in many sports, he's still a University of Alabama fan. In a corner of his office bookcase is a collection of Alabama memorabilia.
He's known for a dry sense of humor. Once when asked how he compared himself to outgoing Union President, Dr. Hyran Barefoot, David said, "I don't wear bow ties."
"I had a spiritual renewal in which God changed the direction of my life and I became re-committed to him and more focused in what I wanted to do."
In his other interests, he likes to read about things that have an impact on people's lives and to listen to music. His family tries to keep him in the latest John Grisham books. His musical interests range from classical and the old hymns to country and old rock 'n roll.
He's also been known to tune in "Click and Clack" on "Car Talk," a radio program broadcast from Harvard Square in Boston, found on Public Radio on Saturday mornings.
First and foremost, though, David Dockery considers himself a theologian.
His Christian roots are from his family. "I grew up in a very faithful Christian home," he says. Besides his parents, Sam and Pansye Dockery, he has a younger sister, Molly Dockery Howell.
He and Lanese believe everything they do in their lives should be Christ centered. "Though no one is consis-tent," he says, "it remains our constant goal. We don't want to have Christian hearts and secular heads... There are Christian ways to live, Christian ways to have fun, Christian ways to have relationships."
That's his hope for Union–its students, faculty and staff, "to be a Christian academically excellent institution."
David feels such a calling to this University, Lanese says of her husband and Union. "We both feel very strongly about coming to Jackson. God made it clear to us that this is where we need to be."
