Dr. Joshua Crockett, senior pastor of Morningside Baptist Church in Greenville, will become the sixth president of Bob Jones University, Dr. Sam Dawson, chair of the BJU Board of Trustees, announced Tuesday.
Dawson informed the university community of Crockett’s election by the board in an announcement at Founder’s Memorial Amphitorium at 4 p.m., May 7. Crockett was greeted with a standing ovation following the announcement of a five-year-contract.
Crockett, a BJU alumnus who has spent two decades in pastoral ministry, will succeed the university’s former president, Dr. Steve Pettit, who resigned in 2023. Dr. Alan Benson, BJU’s vice president for student development and discipleship and vice president for ministry advancement, served as acting CEO during the just-completed 2023-2024 academic school year.
Crockett’s primary goals as he assumes the presidency are to support faculty and staff, increase enrollment, continue the emphasis on a biblical worldview and formulate the next strategic plan, the university said in a press release.
“I am grateful to the Board of Trustees for giving me this opportunity to lead Bob Jones University and excited to work with our incredible students, faculty and staff as we move toward our 100th year in 2027,” Crockett said in a statement. “I’m committed to BJU’s mission and to giving students the best possible spiritual and academic training to prepare them to fulfill God’s calling on their lives.”
During his time at Morningside, Crockett has overseen a period of significant growth with multiple building renovations and an expanding multicultural ministry. He also shepherded the church through the coronavirus pandemic. Crockett serves as chair of Open Door Baptist Missions and on the boards of Majesty Music and Elijah’s Harbor, a Christian retreat center. He has been a frequent guest speaker at camps and conferences.
Before joining Morningside as senior pastor in 2015, Crockett pastored Grace Baptist Church and led Indiana Christian Academy in Anderson, Indiana. In those roles, he led the organizations through the Great Recession and saw significant growth in the church and school. He also led the academy through the process of accreditation.
He also held leadership roles during his time at Grace, serving as vice president of the Indiana Fundamental Baptist Fellowship and on the board of the Indiana Association of Christian Schools.
Notably, Crockett will be the second president of Bob Jones University who is not a member of the Jones family. Following the university’s founding in 1927, the presidency was held by Dr. Bob Jones Sr., Dr. Bob Jones Jr., Dr. Bob Jones III and Dr. Stephen Jones before longtime evangelist Pettit’s appointment. Learn more about the school’s presidential history in this article.
Crockett holds a Bachelor of Arts in rhetoric and public address and a Master’s Degree in counseling from BJU. He earned a Master of Divinity from BJU Seminary. He earned a Doctorate of Ministry with an emphasis on expository preaching from Liberty University in 2020.
Crockett and his wife Karie, a 2003 graduate, have four children.
Crockett was elected by the board of trustees following an extensive presidential search. In the fall of 2023, the board sought assistance from the university community as it updated its presidential profile, a list of characteristics sought in the university’s next leader. The board finalized the profile and opened nominations for president. By February, the board’s nominating committee had reviewed more than 140 recommended candidates and whittled the number down to a final list of candidates to interview.
“As we considered the institutional profile which was informed by feedback from our constituents, we concluded that Dr. Crockett was the individual best equipped to lead Bob Jones University at this time,” Dawson said in a statement. “As a graduate with deep ties to the University who has been away for two decades, he has keen insight into our history, provides a fresh perspective for our future and is deeply committed to our mission. His pastoral experience and heart for young adults are evidenced in his thriving church ministry. We trust God will give him wisdom as he leads us into BJU’s next century.”
