Bearden’s call to ministry began in his teen years but became fully realized in his early 30s under the leadership and counsel of his pastor, the Rev. Janice Riggle Huie (now bishop of the Houston area and president of the Counsel of Bishops.)

All of Bearden’s ministry has been in the North Texas Conference. Before serving in Rowlett, he was pastor of First United Methodist Church of Grand Prairie for eight years. He previously served as the sole pastor at Wesley Church in McKinney for 10 years, and he was an associate with Christ Church in Farmers Branch before that. He interned with Glenn Oaks United Methodist Church in Oak Cliff.

All three of the churches where Bearden has been pastor-in-charge were struggling or declining at his time of appointment to them. His greatest joy in ministry has been to build coalitions of staff and laity that have accomplished significant membership growth as well as undertaking several building and renovation projects.

Bearden was born Nov. 20, 1946, in Lubbock. He spent his childhood in the West Texas town of Levelland and his high school years in nearby Andrews. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Texas Tech University. He also holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Perkins School of Theology at SMU.

Following an internship with the City of Lubbock, he moved to Austin to take a position with the Texas Research League, a consulting group to state and local governments funded by the major corporations of the state.

While with the Texas Research League, Bearden consulted on organizational structure, policies and procedures surrounding public school finance, the Department of Public Safety and the Texas Youth Counsel. He also headed up a team recommending organizational changes in the governor’s office. He also managed to find time to earned a master’s degree in community planning from the School of Architecture at University of Texas at Austin.

Bearden met his wife, Donna Johnstone Bearden, while they were students in college. They were married Oct. 3, 1969.

Donna Bearden grew up in Albuquerque. Her first career was as public information officer for a division of the governor’s office and later for a regional planning agency. In changing careers, she earned a doctorate in educational psychology and was an administrator with the Dallas Independent School District. She served as department head in the research and evaluation division and was assistant superintendent for curriculum and learning. She left the district in 2005 to pursue other interests. She has taught at the college level and is a published author and woman of many talents and interests.

The Beardens have three grown children. Stacy and her husband, Felipe Zavala, are attorneys in El Paso. Steven is in revenue management for Southwest Airlines in Dallas, and Jef has his own window-washing and home services business in the Dallas area.

Leighton Bearden

Donna Bearden