2027 EFCA Presidential Nominee Bio: Carlton Harris

Carlton Harris entered ministry as a pastoral intern at First Evangelical Free Church (EFCA) in Wichita, Kansas, in 1981. There, Carlton was impacted by the leadership of senior pastor Mike Andrus, who became a lifelong friend and gave him a deep admiration for the EFCA.

With a Master of Theology (Th,M.) from Dallas Theological Seminary and 40 years of pastoral ministry, God brought Carlton back to the EFCA when he accepted the role of executive vice president of national ministries in 2021. In that role, Carlton brought structure and stability to ReachNational while finding ways to unify national, regional and local ministry efforts, and build relationships with leaders across the movement.

In 2024, then-EFCA president Kevin Kompelien was asked to join Trinity International University as its president in a time of severe need. The EFCA Board of Directors invited Carlton to fulfill the remainder of Kevin Kompelien’s term and serve as acting president of the EFCA. In his time leading our movement, Carlton has built on the foundation of his predecessors, recognizing the unique cultural challenges impacting church leaders and their communities, and calling the movement toward a renewed spirit of prayer and evangelism. He has also equipped ministry leaders, missionaries and staff with a clear and memorable way to articulate the identity of the EFCA by establishing the tagline, “Biblical and missional. United and free.”

Before serving the EFCA, Carlton led three local churches as senior pastor during the course of almost four decades. These experiences helped him to develop and strengthen his interpersonal skills, build bridges with a wide range of people and unify disjointed and siloed church cultures.

Carlton and his wife Carol have three married children and seven grandchildren. They are members of New Hope Church (EFCA) in New Hope, Minnesota. Carlton is a life-long fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, and he loves spending time with Carol and his family.