Julio Guarneri was born in Mexico City and grew up in Monterrey, Mexico as his
parents did evangelism and discipleship work among university students in both cities.
Guarneri obtained a B.S. in Secondary Education from Texas A&I University, Kingsville;
an M.A. in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort
Worth; and a Ph. D. in Leadership Studies with a concentration in ministry from Dallas
Baptist University, Dallas. His dissertation, “COMIBAM 1984-2000: A Historical
Analysis of a Majority World Missionary Sending Network” was recognized by the DBU
faculty as the most distinguished dissertation in 2014. The dissertation has also been
published by the Evangelical Missiological Society.
Dr. Guarneri was licensed to the ministry and pastored his first church shortly
after High School graduation in 1984 in Freer, Texas. During his 39 years of pastoral
ministry he has served churches in the Corpus Christi area, Fort Worth and McAllen.
Guarneri is the current Executive Director for Texas Baptists, a role which he will began
on November 30 of this year.
He most recently served as the Lead Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, McAllen
where he served for 13 years. Before going to McAllen he served as the Pastor of Iglesia
Bautista Getsemani in Fort Worth where he served for 17 years.
Julio Guarneri served on the board of Buckner International for nine years,
including serving as vice-chair for two years and as the chair during 2023. He was
elected twice as president and as first vice-president of Texas Baptists. In the past he
also served as chair of the Stark College and Seminary board and as moderator of the
Tarrant Baptist Association. Dr. Guarneri has spoken in seminary and university chapel
services as well as for graduations, and pastors/leadership conferences around the
state. One of his greatest joys has been speaking to gatherings of pastors in the
Philippines for multiple years about making disciples.
Guarneri’s passion is to make disciples who make disciples, living out a holistic
mission that brings the gospel to bear on the whole person and the whole community
for the whole world. He has had the privilege of sharing this passion in Texas, Mexico,
Colombia, Argentina, Spain and the Philippines.
