June 13, 2018 | Mikayla Heldt
Former Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) Business Professor and Department Chair, Barry Gordon, was sworn in as the mayor of Duncanville, Texas, at a city hall meeting this past May.
“This particular chapter in my life, I didn’t plan on it, but apparently God did,” he says.
While running for mayor, Gordon held city positions of President, Duncanville Community and Economic Development Corporation Board, Vice President of the Tax Income and Financing District, and was also a member of the steering committee for city’s master plan.
The decision to run came up when citizens actively involved in the city requested him to do so. The current mayor at that time was not planning on running for reelection, and people in the city felt that Gordon would be a good mayor. Gordon and his wife, Marlyse, thought it over and prayed about it for a long time, and eventually felt God was appointing him to go for it.
“We ultimately felt that it was God leading me to take this position into politics and be the mayor of the city of Duncanville,” he says.
Throughout the entirety of his campaign, Gordon made sure everything was done in a godly manner. He made sure that everyone helping out with the campaign knew that it was completely submitted to God’s direction and done with integrity and honor.
“My priorities are God’s priorities, which are: God first, family second, and work third,” he says.
Gordon won the mayoral race by getting 61.14% of the vote.
As the mayor of Duncanville, Gordon hopes to unite all the pastors in the city by establishing a monthly coffee gathering. He wants them to get connected with what goes on in city hall, and to familiarize themselves with the city council and overall, the community.
“They are extremely influential in what goes on in their churches. One of the things I want to work on is for their unity, to get together regardless of denomination,” he says.
Gordon believes that their common interest of belief in the Lord is going to help them unite as one Christian community and help make the city better.
Before pursuing politics, after 33 years in the marketplace, Gordon started his teaching career at SAGU in the fall of 2004 when he became an adjunct professor in the Business Department. After becoming a full-time professor, he was appointed to the department chair in 2006. He remained serving in these two positions until he left full-time teaching in 2013. He continues teaching today as an adjunct online business professor for SAGU and Tarleton State University and maintains a consulting business for small business entrepreneurs.
When asked to give advice to anyone planning to pursue a career in politics, Gordon says it is important to follow God’s will, and to be absolutely sure that the Lord is pointing you in that direction, because it is not easy by any means.
“Integrity is above all. And that integrity comes from knowing exactly what the Lord wants you to do and staying true to His calling.”
This past August Barry and Marlyse celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary. They have one son and a daughter-in-law. Marlyse is in ministry at Gospel Lighthouse in Dallas as missions liaison and prayer coordinator. Their son, Jonathan, is a SAGU business graduate and Marlyse earned her Master’s Degree in Theology from SAGU. Gordon says that they are a SAGU family.