Craig  has had a long history of involvement with both American Baptists Concerned and the Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists. In fact Craig was part of the group that defined "Welcoming & Affirming" as the name of a church where LGBT Baptists would be included and affirmed.

Originally from Michigan, Craig, was the founding Executive Director of the Esther Davis Center in Chicago and was called by Seattle First Baptist Church in 1993 to organize a similar nonprofit outreach agency called Companis Mission Workers Association.

As Companis Executive Director, Darling's primary pastoral responsibilities at Seattle First are in the area of community networking, vocational discernment/call counseling and outreach.

In addition to serving American Baptist Churches in Michigan and Illinois, Darling served the national staff of the American Baptist Churches, USA as its Director of Mission Promotion and Fund Development in the American Baptist Region of Metro Chicago. Darling was educated at Lincoln Christian College & Seminary, Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Integrated Family Therapy Institute of Chicago and The Institute for Organizational Management, Notre Dame University.

The Christian Service Award is named in honor of Dr. Rick Mixon, who worked tirelessly for more than twenty years in the cause of LGBT rights within the American Baptist Churches, and continues to do so.