LEADERSHIP: SHAWN DAGGETT
December 4, 2018
In 2008, the Petit Jean Yearbook was dedicated to Shawn Daggett, professor of Bible and director for the Center for World Missions, recognized by students for his outstanding leadership. In the past 10 years, Daggett has grown and continued to be a source of guidance to so many.
“A leader has a clear vision of an eternally significant mission to accomplish and seeks to rally others to spend their energies and passion to contribute to the accomplishment of the goal,” Daggett said. “Leadership is sometimes defined as the ability to withstand pain because it requires stamina and the ability to see with the eyes of faith, something that does not yet exist with the conviction that it one day will. Followers might complain, opponents may criticize, but to me, a godly leader keeps his/her eyes fixed on pleasing God. These are ideals that I do not yet possess, but on my better days, I seek the leading of God’s Spirit to transform and shape the lives of students.”
Daggett has consistently upheld and fulfilled the roles of being a child of God, husband, father, professor, director of missions, director of Gander Brook Christian Camp and Cloverdale elder. He has strived to balance these roles day to day, being a child of God first, an honorable husband and father second and all other roles that reflect the image of God subsequently.
Vilde Nordseth, a graduate student of speech language pathology, acknowledged Daggett as a brother in Christ, former professor, mentor, boss and director, host father, role model and friend.
“What I have noticed most about Shawn in his many roles are how much he loves his family, his job as a professor and director of missions and God’s church,” Nordseth said. “Even when times are hard and stressful, he pours his heart into his responsibilities and strives to do his best because he loves God, the people around him and the work he does.”
Monte Cox, dean of the College of Bible and Ministry, acknowledged Daggett as a respected peer, fellow missionary, fellow church elder and good friend. Cox personally defined a leader as someone who is a servant in the kingdom of God.
“We are called to lead from a posture of humility, aiming to serve those we lead by helping them maximize their gifts for the kingdom's sake,” Cox said. “In an educational setting, it means encouraging and equipping faculty to teach and mentor students. It also means fostering an environment in which our colleagues enjoy working together for the common cause to which God has called us.”
Within the Bible department Daggett oversaw the multi-faceted efforts of the Center for World Missions and the faculty and staff within the Center. This role included Global Outreach, Outreach America, Harding University Tahkodah, and the Global Missions Experience. He has also taught New Testament and missions, which has included a class trip to Boston, Massachusetts, to give an opportunity for students to learn from devoted missionaries. Daggett’s role within the department alone has showcased a great level of leadership.
“Shawn is a much-loved partner in the gospel,” Cox said. “Dr. Daggett leads by example. He is a man of unquestionable integrity with devotion to the Lord that runs deep. Semester after semester, students comment on his obvious love for God, his passion for the mission of God and his love for them as his students. His commitments beyond the classroom are all exemplary. He practices what he preaches.”
As for practicing what he has preached, Daggett was encouraged and inspired to become a preacher at the age of 14 by Russ Fowler, a man who planted churches in New England.
“My life’s goal from that young age was to be a church planter,” Daggett said. “Russ took me aside one evening when visiting our small congregation in Manchester and put his rather heavy hand on my shoulder. He asked, ‘are you getting ready?’ I replied, ‘for what?’ Then Russ said, ‘you’re going to be a preacher, you need to get ready for that.’”
That conversation set the foundation of his journey to spread the gospel. The trajectory of his future was also influenced greatly by my own parents who had sincere and dedicated hearts for God and for sharing faith with people. When Daggett was a student at Harding, he attended a presentation at Cloverdale by Don Shackelford, who would later became his father-in-law, called, “The State of the World.”
“With tears in his eyes he showed us how 95% of the full-time ministers were serving only 5 percent of the population of the world and that the other 95 percent was in dire need of evangelists and missionaries,” Daggett said. “On that February evening of my senior year, I felt called by God to go. I made a commitment that I whispered under my breath, ‘God, I will try to be a missionary and if can do it, I will.’”
Daggett met his wife and they served together in Italy for 10 years. Then he was invited by Carl Mitchell to teach at Harding, and accepted the offer in 1996. Abroad he stepped into many leadership roles, which in turn prepared him for his career at Harding. Generations of students of students, like Nordseth, have be taught through his leadership and devotion to sharing the gospel.
“Shawn leads and serves with his whole heart,” Nordseth said. “He zealously seeks to love God by loving people well, which means he listens and talks to you when you come by his office or seek advice. He puts others before himself and never stops trying to be a better child of God, husband, father, professor and friend. Shawn is also not afraid to get his hands dirty. When Shawn sees a problem he fixes it. He is always thinking and serving. No job is beneath him and everyone is a friend and worthy of love. Shawn is also not afraid to admit his mistakes and apologize, or respectfully resolve an issue. He is gentle, kind, thoughtful, loving and strong. He reflects Jesus in the way he loves and serves those around him and it is a joy and blessing to be around him. He has taught me that showing the fruits of the spirit is the best way to inspire, challenge and lead people to do good for God’s kingdom. I have been so blessed by the impact he has made in my life.”
Daggett will always be remembered for his leadership, whether he is willing to view all the good he has contributed to in the same way as the people around him.
“The greatest joy in leading is making room for others to lead and to grow,” Daggett said. “It’s invigorating to watch a team of Christian servants rally around the common cause of God’s mission and spend their talents and abilities for Him.”