Convocation Fall 2023

Dr. Hillman has a passion for education, spiritual formation, and leadership development. He came to Dallas Theological Seminary with years of ministry experience in churches and parachurch organizations in Texas and Georgia. He is a rabid college football fan and loves good barbeque. He and his wife have one grown daughter.

Herman Baxter Sr., also known as “Bax,” is an ordained minister and campus pastor passionate about “ministering to the minister.” Reared in Trenton, N.J., he is a retired Major, USAF, who completed 26 years of honorable military service as a Munitions and Missile Maintenance Officer. “Dean Bax” is privileged to serve as Dean of Students at DTS. A collegiate Who’s Who and 2017 H.A. Ironside Expository Preaching Award recipient, Dean Bax served as a Leadership Fellow in the Dr. Howard Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and as Associate Director of Ministry Formation Internships. Dean Bax received his ThM (’17) and DMin (’21) from DTS. He is blessed to marry Brandy, a USAF veteran who earned her Doctor of Strategic Leadership at Regent University (’22). They have two daughters—Joy
and Faith, two adult married children, and a dog, “Monti” (short for Montichiari, Italy). “Team Baxter” is passionate about serving Jesus, whom the Word testifies, is the Christ.

Dr. Thames has served in a variety of academic administrative roles since joining the seminary staff in 1984. He joined the faculty in 1989 when he became registrar. While in the registrar’s office, he was involved in establishing a professional association for registrars and admissions officers for theological schools. He returned to the academic dean’s office in 1997, where he continues to serve now as Academic Dean. His areas of special interest include teaching process, one of his favorite courses to teach, and administration and accreditation in Christian higher education. His years of experience in academic administration at DTS have given him a unique perspective and backdrop for his classes. In addition to his ministry at the seminary, Dr. Thames, an ordained minister, has been involved in overseas ministry and is active in his local church, including several years of service as a teacher and member of the board of elders. Both he and his wife, Laurie, grew up in Colorado and have a love for the outdoors. In fact, most of their vehicles are easily identified by the Colorado Native bumper sticker they sport. Dr. Thames and his wife have two married daughters and two delightful granddaughters.

Dr. Mark Yarbrough began his tenure as the 6th president of DTS on July 1, 2020. He has served in a variety of positions during his tenure at DTS: Research Assistant to the President, Executive Director of Information Technology, Associate Dean for External Education, Vice President for Communications, Academic Dean, and Vice President of Academic Affairs. His love for the classroom draws him to the Bible Exposition department where he serves as Professor.
Along with his responsibilities of leading DTS, he serves as an elder of Centerpoint Church in Mesquite and travels extensively leading tours and speaking at conference centers. Mark has authored Jonah: Beyond the Tale of a Whale and Tidings of Comfort and Joy. He has been married for thirty years to Jennifer, his high school sweetheart. They have four adult children, one son-in-law, and reside in Sunnyvale, TX.