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Garrard to serve NOBTS as VP of institutional advancement


NEW ORLEANS (BP)–New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley has named NOBTS alumnus Jerry Garrard as the new vice president for institutional advancement, overseeing the development, alumni relations, church-minister relations and public relations offices.

At NOBTS, Garrard “will be in a perfect position to strengthen support for our focus on being the church place, a seminary committed to preparing the next generation of leaders for the local church and its ministries,” Kelley said.

“As a student he often did street evangelism with me in the French Quarter,” Kelley recounted. “As an effective and highly respected Florida pastor, Dr. Garrard built a great church in Tallahassee and served as president of the Florida Baptist State Convention.”

Following Hurricane Katrina, Kelley had named Garrard as special assistant to the president. In that role, Garrard traveled around the Southeast speaking at churches, associations and colleges to help with student enlistment.

Garrard said he is excited about the opportunity to help train future Southern Baptist church leaders and to be involved in sharing the Gospel message in New Orleans.

“I’m looking forward to assisting people in investing in the work of the Lord through New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, whether they will studying as a student, coming on a mission trip, giving financially or investing in various other ways,” Garrard said.

Garrard, who has 29 years of ministry experience, comes to NOBTS after serving 20 years as the pastor of Celebration Baptist Church in Tallahassee. Celebration called Garrard as the church’s second pastor. Under his leadership the church grew to a membership of 2,400.

A former trustee at NOBTS, Garrard has served on numerous denominational and state convention committees. In 1998, he served as the president of the Florida convention.

Voicing a strong commitment to Southern Baptist principles and values, Garrard said, “I am excited to be at a school that upholds the Baptist Faith and Message as its guiding document. I’m grateful for the privilege of working alongside one of Southern Baptists’ most dynamic leaders, Dr. Chuck Kelley.”

Garrard grew up in the Baptist church, accepting Christ as Savior as a 9-year-old. After a call to ministry, Garrard was licensed by One Way Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga., and was ordained at Little Woods Baptist Church in New Orleans. He graduated from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga., and earned master of divinity and doctor of ministry degrees at NOBTS.

Garrard and his wife, Ruth, have three adult children, Teresa, Clay and Cris, and a 10-year-old son, Nicholas.
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