fbpx
News Articles

EDUCATION BRIEFS: Southern has new VP; …


LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)–Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. has appointed Dan Dumas, executive pastor at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, Calif., as senior vice president for institutional administration.

Dumas will replace Clark Logan, the new vice president for business and finance at the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee.

Dumas has served as executive pastor and overseen conferences at Grace Community Church, where noted evangelical leader John MacArthur is pastor.

Dumas has earned degrees from The Master’s Seminary in Sun Valley, Calif., and Criswell College in Dallas. He is also a U.S. Navy veteran. Dumas and his wife Jane have a 4-year-old son, Aidan.

“Dan Dumas is an outstanding Christian leader and Christian minister,” Mohler said. “We look forward to having him join the Southern Seminary team in coming days. He is well qualified for this position. He has done outstanding work and demonstrated outstanding Christian leadership in previous ministry posts.”

Prior to joining the staff at Grace, Dumas logged extensive ministry experience in Southern Baptist churches. He served as college and singles pastor at Westside Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., at Cottage Hill Baptist Church in Mobile, Ala., and at Victory Baptist Church in Dallas. Previously, he served on staff at First Baptist Church in Dallas.

“I am eager to serve alongside the strong biblical character, strong theological mind and expanding vision of Dr. Mohler and Southern Seminary,” Dumas said. “It is a tremendous privilege and stewardship to train soldiers for the Gospel ministry. To be training men and women for the ministry with the purpose of building healthy churches and fulfilling the Great Commission is unmatched in its responsibility.”

CONDUCTOR MAKES DEBUT — Nationally known conductor David Thye (pronounced Tee) led Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Oratorio Chorus for the first time at its “Gloria Concert” Oct. 5.

Thye, a new faculty member at the Fort Worth, Texas, campus, was installed into the Robert L. Burton Chair of Conducting during the seminary’s convocation chapel Aug. 23.

Alongside his position at Southwestern Seminary, Thye currently serves as principal conductor-in-residence with MidAmerica Productions in New York City, a major producer of concerts in Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center.

For more than 30 years, Thye has conducted and managed musical and dramatic performances for elementary schools, high schools, universities, communities and professional ensembles. He has conducted, produced or performed in more than 100 oratorios, operas and large-scale productions.

Thye earned his doctor of musical arts in choral conducting and master of music degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music.

Stephen Johnson, dean of Southwestern’s school of church music, introduced Thye during a lecture preceding the Gloria Concert. Johnson noted that Thye was taking a significant step during the concert by emphasizing a cappella performances.

The concert opened with the performance of “Prayer Before Singing” by Don Hustad. Thye said this selection was appropriate for commencing the new musical season at Southwestern as a prayer that people might come to know and glorify God through music.

“I really believe God placed me on the planet to be a servant of the church,” Thye said. Throughout his career, he said he has served God, “the author of excellence,” by striving to demonstrate excellence, integrity and compassion through his work.
–30–
Based on reporting by Jeff Robinson, director of news and information at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Benjamin Hawkins, a writer for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

    About the Author

  • Staff