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Missions, leadership initiatives approved by NOBTS trustees


NEW ORLEANS (BP)–The executive committee of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees approved two missions initiatives, a doctoral specialization and a new faculty member during their meeting June 8.

“We are living inside a miracle. God is opening doors of opportunity that we could not begin to imagine eight years ago,” NOBTS President Chuck Kelley said in reference to the trustees decisions. “Our greatest challenge is to let God teach us how to dream as big as His plans for this School of Providence and Prayer.”

Trustees continued to support missionary training by approving a tuition discount for returning Journeyman and International Service Corp (ISC) missionaries and a new 25-hour graduate certificate in missions. Last year trustees voted to establish the Global Mission Center to foster missions support and participation among students and faculty members. The seminary currently has two mission partnerships in Russia and numerous degrees in missions.

The tuition discount gives returning Journeyman and ISC missionaries a $1,000 per semester tuition discount during their first two semesters at NOBTS. The discounts are available only to returning missionaries who completed two years of service with the International Mission Board and must be taken within 18 months after returning to the United States.

“The new ISC/Journeyman discount will make it possible for many who have served recently with the IMB to prepare for further missions service and ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary,” said Philip Pinckard, associate professor of missions and director of the Global Missions Center at NOBTS.

The discount is a natural step for NOBTS which has an active “missionary-in-residence” program. Missionaries-in-residence are given reduced tuition rates to help them sharpen their skills during stateside assignments, Pinckard said.

“The missionary-in-residence program enriches the lives of our students and seminary family as they interact with IMB missionaries,” he said. “The J.D. and Lillian Gray townhouse, furnished by the First Baptist Church of New Orleans, provides a wonderful example of our seminary working in partnership with a local church.”

The new graduate certificate in missions, approved by trustees, offers a systematic approach for students seeking to fulfill IMB seminary requirements. The IMB currently requires 20 hours of seminary training for those who will serve as strategy coordinators. Instead of 20 unrelated hours of seminary training, students in the program will receive a focused missions and ministry education.

The certificate includes 12 hours of training in biblical studies, nine hours of study in missions and evangelism and targeted electives. The 25 hours can be used toward a master of arts in missiology degree to be completed during stateside assignments.

During the meeting, NOBTS President Chuck Kelley took a few moments to remember former President Ronald Reagan who died the previous Saturday. After a prayer for the Reagan family, Kelley reminded the board that many mission opportunities are now open because of Reagan’s effort to end communism in Eastern Europe. Kelley said he is hopeful even more countries eventually will open their borders to a Gospel witness.

The board also approved a specialization in denominational leadership for the doctor of ministry and doctor of educational ministry degree programs. Reggie Ogea, director of the doctor of ministry program, designed the specialization with the unique needs of denominational leaders in mind.

“This new specialization in denominational leadership is the result of dialogue and interviews with denominational leaders which indicated a need in this area of advanced ministry training,” Ogea said. “We believe that the interest will be high, especially among directors of missions and state convention personnel.”

Ogea, one of several NOBTS faculty members with associational director of missions or state convention staff experience, said many SBC leaders have had only one option for training — the “school of experience.” He said the program can enhance the ministry of those who are serving in denominational leadership as well as prepare individuals for future service.

“This new specialization reflects the effort of the NOBTS professional doctoral programs to be as relevant as possible to the varying roles of ministry that are found in the SBC,” said Steve Echols, associate dean of professional doctoral programs. “This has been one of the important keys in why our professional doctoral programs over the last six years has grown from less than 50 to more than 275 students.”

Doctor of ministry and doctor of educational ministry seminars may be taken at eight different locations in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida. In August, the professional doctoral course will be offered in Ruston, La., the newest off-campus site.

Trustees elected Jeff Griffin, seminary librarian, to the faculty. He will serve as assistant professor of Old Testament and Hebrew. He has worked at the John T. Christian Library since 2002, serving as circulation manager, acting librarian and librarian.

Griffin received a master of divinity degree and a doctor of philosophy degree from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tenn. He also has one year of post-doctoral studies in literature from the second temple period and in biblical Hebrew at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Griffin also completed the master of library and information science degree at the University of North Texas.

“In addition to the significant contribution he is making to theological scholarship on our campus as director of libraries, Dr. Griffin is an excellent scholar in Old Testament and Hebrew, along with successful ministry experience as a local church pastor,” said NOBTS Provost Steve Lemke.

Griffin served as pastor of Lula (Miss.) Baptist Church from 1995-99 and as prison ministry coordinator for Mid-America Seminary.

Trustees also approved a one-year extension for Donna Peavey, instructor in Christian education for Leavell College, the undergraduate studies program at NOBTS.

Chris Friedmann, associate vice president of operations, gave a progress report on a number of construction projects currently underway on campus. Work has started on the singles apartment complex and building that will house William Carey College’s School of Nursing and the seminary’s MissionLab program. Both buildings are on schedule for completion by the year’s end.

Trustees also received updates on projects to replace playground equipment at two seminary playgrounds and the creation of two additional playgrounds. Friedmann said new equipment has been ordered and construction will begin during the next two weeks.
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