When Pastor Chris Seay was 16 years old, he destroyed two of his grandfather’s most prized possessions: his car and his house. After driving his grandfather’s brand-new Oldsmobile 98 straight through a wall, a shaken teenage Chris braced himself for the anger and disappointment he assumed would follow. Instead, his grandfather, a Baptist preacher, responded with unexpected compassion. Looking at the wreckage, he told his grandson, “Son, it’s just a thing. I value, and I love you more than I love things.”
That moment left a lasting imprint on Seay. He learned that good spiritual leadership is not rooted in control or condemnation, but grounded in love and practiced as a daily, tangible action. It is a lesson that has shaped his understanding of faith, community, and ministry ever since, and one he continues to live out through his work as a pastor, author, and advocate.
Seay is the pastor of Ecclesia, a holistic missional Christian community in Houston. A third-generation preacher, Seay understands the role of a pastor to be far more expansive than preparing and delivering a sermon each Sunday. For him, pastoral leadership includes being a teacher and storyteller, a listener and friend, a mentor, and a steady source of hope. He views the church as a restorative space and one that invites people to move beyond rigid rules and religious performance toward love, generosity, and justice.
Under Seay’s leadership, Ecclesia has become deeply rooted in both local and global service. The community is passionate about loving the city of Houston and actively engages in issues such as poverty, injustice, and access to clean water. Ecclesia’s work reflects Seay’s conviction that faith should always move outward, meeting real needs and honoring the dignity of every person.
Seay arrived at Baylor in 1990 as a vocal performance major and led his fraternity brothers in All-University Sing during his undergraduate years. Encouraged by professors who recognized his gifts, he discovered a growing passion for theology and biblical studies and ultimately shifted his academic focus from music to religion. While at Baylor, he preached his first sermon at First Baptist Church in McGregor, where he began to sense a calling to vocational ministry. Baylor instilled in Seay a lifelong love for scripture, one that has continued to inform his preaching, church planting, and writing.
After graduating, Seay went on to help found University Baptist Church in Waco, and later founded Ecclesia Houston. Over the years, he has helped build multi-campus faith communities in diverse neighborhoods, partnered in efforts to drill clean-water wells around the world, and now leads initiatives focused on developing affordable and supportive housing for neighbors experiencing homelessness. Across each endeavor, Seay continues to guide communities toward generosity, justice, and embodied love.
In addition to his pastoral work, Seay is an accomplished author. His books includeThe Gospel According to Lost, The Gospel According to Tony Soprano, and Faith of My Fathers, each reflecting his commitment to connecting faith, justice, and story that Seay embodies.
Seay has four children and is married to Kristin Odair Seay.
Read about the complete 2026 class of Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony honorees in a special edition of Baylor Line Magazine.
