Texas Baptist Men helped Peter Dyson of Waco and Travis Caywood of China Spring collect much-needed supplies as part of First Baptist Church of Woodway’s ongoing ministry in Cuba. On Sept. 26, TBM helped Dyson and Caywood secure building materials, medical equipment and food, including high-protein soup mix and large bags of pinto beans and rice. The two Waco-area laymen delivered the goods to Houston for an anticipated 21-day journey through Kingston, Jamaica, and on to Mariel, Cuba, a port near Havana. The previously scheduled but well-timed shipment should help in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which hit the western tip of Cuba early Sept. 27, packing more than 115 mph winds and knocking out electricity throughout the island nation. Peter Dyson’s father, L.M. Dyson, a retired business professor at Baylor University, has assisted Cuban Baptists for two and a half decades by providing logistical help to link resources in North America to needs in Cuba.

Texas Baptists’ Chaplaincy Relations ministry recently marked its 20th anniversary. Since its inception, Chaplaincy Relations has endorsed 1,125 chaplains in eight categories—military, correctional, lifestyle, public safety, health care, marketplace, crisis response and pastoral counseling. Currently, 650 chaplains are in active service. Bobby Smith, a former hospital chaplain, is the founding director of Texas Baptists’ Chaplaincy Relations.

Hundreds of area residents gathered for East Texas Baptist University’s annual Great East Texas Hymn Sing on Sept. 23. “It is so sweet to be able to worship with everyone again,” said Cari Johnson, director of alumni relations and intercessory prayer ministry. “ETBU has produced phenomenal worship leaders over the years, and it is a rich opportunity to have them return and lead us today.”  ETBU alumni who helped lead segments of the worship included Gary Chevalier, Katie Ashcraft, Kermit Tandberg and Ricky Hall.

Jeremy Everett, founding director of Baylor University’s Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, participated in the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 28. The conference assembled government leaders, academics, activists and other concerned Americans to work toward a goal of ending hunger and reducing diet-related diseases in the United States by 2030. “Access to food is a human right, but no one sector or organization can solve hunger by themselves,” Everett said. “If we’re going to make systemic change on a local, state, national or even global level, we need both the public and private sector working in concert with each other. That’s what this conference is about.”

Roland Johnson, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Keller, will receive the José Rivas Distinguished Service Award from Howard Payne University during the Stinger Spectacular weekend on Oct. 14-15. Johnson, who has served the Keller congregation since 2014, has provided pastoral leadership to several churches in North Texas and Central Texas during five decades of ministry. Johnson attended HPU in 1969 and later received a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University in 1973, a master’s degree in biblical studies from Criswell College in 1989 and a master’s degree in counseling from Grand Canyon University in 2016.

The 21Wilberforce human rights organization will present its fourth annual Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award to Bob Fu, founder and president of ChinaAid, an organization based in Midland. Fu will receive the award at an Oct. 17 dinner at Dallas Baptist University. The award is presented to a leader who is working to advance freedom of religion, belief or conscience by standing up to oppression. “Bob Fu is courageous and relentless in his support of those persecuted for their faith. He instills fear in the Chinese Communist Party as he exposes their abuse of Christians, Uyghurs and other people of faith,” said Randel Everett, founding president of 21Wilberforce. “Dr. Fu has earned the confidence of political and religious leaders with his accurate reports and effective strategies.”

Haleigh Akin of Tyler, a senior elementary education major at East Texas Baptist University, was crowned as Miss ETBU on Sept. 24. Akin, president of Student Foundation and a resident assistant at Ornelas Hall, was selected from 11 contestants during the annual pageant sponsored by ETBU’s Student Government Association. She leads worship on Sunday mornings for the college group at Mobberly Baptist Church in Longview. Senior English and Christian ministry major Ashly Quintanilla was selected as first runner-up and audience favorite. Sophomore ministry major Avery Abshier was voted Miss Congeniality. Senior music education major Hannah Stewart won best talent.

Baylor University President Linda Livingstone recognized the university’s research staff and faculty in an email and online statement released prior to National Research Administrator Day on Sept. 25. She noted their commitment and dedication helped Baylor gain Research 1 status as a doctoral university with very high research activity. “In the course of achieving R1 status and growing in our research enterprise, Baylor has remained firmly grounded in the Christian principles and transformational education that have defined the Baylor experience for generations,” Livingstone wrote. “We believe it is our responsibility to instill in our students a commitment to serving the surrounding world as Christian leaders. … As we continue advancing as a university, we will continue to discern God’s will as we strive to prepare students for worldwide leadership and service and address some of the world’s greatest challenges.”

“The world is messed up. It’s not perfect. But take heart. The kingdom of God is real, and it is at hand,” Katie Frugé, director of Texas Baptists’ Center for Cultural Engagement and the Christian Life Commission, told students at Dallas Baptist University. In a Sept. 14 chapel presentation, she challenged students to follow God’s guidance rather than writing their own narratives. When Jesus stepped down to earth, he began writing a brand new narrative, better than anything his followers could have ever imagined, she emphasized. “Jesus came to defeat evil itself,” Frugé said. “His death was a triumph for his kingdom.”

Pastor Tony Evans of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas will deliver the 2022 McLane Lecture at 11 a.m. on Sept. 28 in the arena of the Frank & Sue Mayborn Campus Center on the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor campus. The event is free and open to the public. Evans, founding president of The Urban Alternative and former chaplain to the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks, was named one of the “12 Most Effective Preachers in the English-Speaking World” by Baylor University. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on more than 1,400 U.S. outlets daily and in more than 130 countries. The McLane Lecture, sponsored by Elizabeth and Drayton McLane Jr., was created to bring outstanding individuals to the UMHB campus to share their experiences and insights about leadership, government, business and faith.

Bob Roberts, global pastor of Northwood Church in Keller, was honored at the United We Stand Summit at the White House, Sept. 15, along with fellow cofounders of the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network, Imam Mohammed Magid and Rabbi David Saperstein. The trio were recognized as “uniters” for their bridge-building efforts in the faith community. “Our multi-faith coalition is a model for how faith leaders can find common ground and create change for the good of our community despite significant differences theologically or politically,” Roberts said. “In a time of polarization that seems to be tearing America apart, faith communities should show others how to bridge divides by working together and better loving our neighbor.” The livestreamed summit took place in the White House’s East Room.

Anniversary

140th for First Baptist Church in Lorena. Heath Kirkwood is pastor.

130th for classes at Hardin-Simmons University on Sept. 13. While the school has been in existence 131 years, classes did not begin until one year later.

25th in pastoral ministry for Pablo Juarez, pastor of First Baptist Church en Español in Kaufman. A celebration is scheduled at 1 p.m. on Oct. 9 at First Baptist Church in Kaufman. Albert Reyes, president and CEO of Buckner International, is the guest speaker.

Texas Baptist Men disaster relief workers donated more than 3,000 hours of volunteer labor in the aftermath of flooding in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Between Aug. 24 and Sept. 7, TBM volunteers completed 26 flood-recovery projects. They prepared 465 meals for volunteers and the public, provided access to 170 showers, washed 64 loads of laundry and distributed 277 storage boxes to residents. They distributed 82 Bibles and recorded 21 professions of faith in Christ.

Howard Payne University’s School of Education and office of alumni relations recognized more than 160 alumni who serve as teachers and administrators in the six school districts within Brown County. Each educator received an HPU t-shirt, delivered to his or her school at the beginning of the school year, with a note of encouragement. The goal of the initiative was to celebrate the impact the teachers and administrators have in the Brown County area. “We knew our alumni teachers have a big impact in the community, but realizing the actual number of individuals was truly remarkable,” said Kalie Lowrie, assistant vice president for alumni relations. “We wanted to take time to let them know we value and appreciate the impact they are making in our area. The last few years through the pandemic have been really difficult for many people, and we wanted these teachers and administrators to know we were praying for them and are here to support them in any way we can.”

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor students placed 2,977 American flags on campus to honor the lives lost in terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The memorial, organized by the UMHB chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas, was  located at the center of the UMHB campus, adjacent to Walton Chapel and Luther Memorial. Two boards listed the names of 9/11 victims. To remember the lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, East Texas Baptist University hosted a memorial stair climb at the Marshall Grand—home of ETBU’s Teague School of Nursing—in conjunction with the Harrison County ESD 3 Fire Rescue on Sept. 10. Active and retired firefighters, law enforcement officers, first responders and military service joined in the event. Participants climbed the equivalent of 78 floors—the highest point reached in the World Trade Center towers—wearing a name of a fallen 9/11 hero.

The Center for Healthy Churches named Matt Cook as its director. He succeeds Bill Wilson in that role. Cook, who began service as the center’s assistant director in September 2019, holds a Master of Divinity degree from Truett Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in church history from Baylor University. His pastoral experience includes five years as pastor of First Baptist Church in Rosebud, along with later pastorates in Little Rock, Ark., and First Baptist Church of Wilmington, N.C.

Anniversary

90th for First Baptist Church of Lake Worth. The church will celebrate a homecoming reunion Sept. 18. Four former pastors are expected to attend. Lunch will follow the 10:30 a.m. service of worship and remembrance. Charlie McLaughlin is pastor.

75th for Hampton Road Baptist Church in DeSoto on Sept. 18. Kelly Wolverton is senior pastor.

35th for Cyndy Engel as administrative assistant and financial secretary at Broadview Baptist Church in Abilene.

5th for Bob Cheatheam as pastor of Builders Baptist Church in Merkel.

Retirement

Joseph Tillery as pastor of First Baptist Church in Lockney, effective Oct. 2. He served more than 51 years in vocational Christian ministry.

Dallas Baptist University welcomed a record number of international students from more than 50 countries this fall and helped ease their arrival to a new country with a special event Aug. 25. The university made it easier for international students to set up housekeeping by providing them an assortment of new and gently used items donated by DBU staff, members of the Women’s Auxiliary board, DBU international alumni and other friends of the university. Donated items included furniture including couches, dressers and futons, as well as 24 eight-foot tables covered with household items such as dishes, cookware and towels. “Over 80 students were blessed by these donations and now have new household items that will help them navigate life a little more easily here in the U.S.,” said Susie Cassel, director of international student services. A similar event will be scheduled in the spring semester.

As part of its inaugural graduate residency day, the McLane College of Business at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor recognized Joey Longoria as the first recipient of a graduate program certificate. Longoria completed a concentration in data analytics as part of his Master of Science in Information Systems degree, while also serving as a graduate assistant coach for Cru football. He now is employed by NASA as a recon specialist. The graduate residency day also featured a presentation by Dave Malenfant, executive vice president for the Biotech Supply Management Alliance. He also serves as director and oversees the advisory board for the Center for Supply Chain Innovation at Texas Christian University. The next McLane College of Business graduate residency day is scheduled Oct. 22.

Howard Payne University will combine homecoming, Yellow Jacket Preview and family weekend during Stinger Spectacular on Oct.14-15. The annual alumni banquet is scheduled at 5:45 p.m. on Friday in the Mabee University Center’s Beadel Dining Hall. Cobbler on the Campus will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the Muse Mall and Plaza. Saturday’s festivities will begin with a breakfast for alumni and families at 8 a.m. in Beadel Dining Hall. The Stinger Spectacular Parade will begin at Brownwood Coliseum at 10 a.m., traveling through downtown Brownwood on Center Avenue and on to Fisk Street, where it will pass through the HPU campus. The HPU Family Picnic will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Muse Mall and Plaza on campus. The HPU Yellow Jacket football team will play Southwestern University at 2 p.m. at Gordon Wood Stadium, with the homecoming court to be announced at halftime. The HPU women’s and men’s soccer teams also have games scheduled at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively at Citizens National Bank Soccer Field against McMurry University. Yellow Jacket Preview will provide prospective students an opportunity to meet faculty and staff, tour the campus and participate in HPU life. Family weekend will allow parents and families of current HPU students to experience a weekend at HPU. For more information about Stinger Spectacular and to register for events, click here. Prospective students interested in attending Yellow Jacket Preview can register here.

Houston Baptist University will observe the grand opening of the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty on the HBU campus at 10 a.m. on Sept. 15. U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade will be keynote speaker. “This beautiful building represents a powerful addition to the campus of HBU,” President Robert Sloan said. Lead donor Stewart Morris Sr. and the Joella and Stewart Morris Foundation will be recognized for their contributions to the complex. “It declares our commitment to teaching the founding principles of American democracy, and it stands as a visible symbol of the inextricable connection between law and liberty. The equality of all under the rule of law provides stability for a civil society and promotes the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans, freedoms that people the world over long for.”

East Texas Baptist University marked its highest recorded student enrollment in the university’s 110-year history with 1,771 total students. For three consecutive fall terms, ETBU’s total enrollment has exceeded 1,688, with two of the three years exceeding 1,700 students. The university has experienced steady growth over the last decade, with this year’s enrollment marking a 36 percent increase since 2014. Part of the growth in the past year can be attributed to an increased focus on the retention of undergraduate students with enhanced academic success services, and the expansion of graduate degree program offerings. ETBU holds an 84 percent undergraduate retention rate. “As we prayed for our enrollment for fall 2022, we worked earnestly to bring the students called by the Lord to study here on the Hill,” ETBU President J. Blair Blackburn said. “Throughout the pandemic, we prayed for God’s provision for physical, financial and spiritual health, and God was gracious to us. We have been showered by his faithfulness and blessed by the diligence of our campus community. East Texas Baptist’s faculty and staff have remained faithful to the Lord’s call on their lives to serve our students and one another, each displaying what it means to live as committed followers of Christ.”

The engineering accreditation commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology accredited University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s bachelor’s degree program in engineering. “ABET accreditation assures that UMHB’s engineering program meets the quality standards of the engineering profession and is a key milestone in the continued growth of our program,” said Paul Griesemer, UMHB associate professor and engineering department chair. “We are excited about the opportunities our accreditation will open up for our students.” ABET accreditation reviews examine program curricula, faculty, facilities and institutional support. It currently accredits 4,361 programs at 850 colleges and universities in 41 countries and areas.

Anniversary

175th for First Baptist Church in Honey Grove on Nov. 6. A “meet and greet” reception with Pastor Casey Rogers is scheduled at 10 a.m., followed by worship at 11 a.m. and a barbecue lunch at 12 noon. For more information or to make a lunch reservation, call (903) 378-2768 or email [email protected].

Yesenia Brunette, a graduate of Bangs High School, and Aishwarya Nigalye, a senior at Brownwood High School, participated in a four-week Summer Research Symposium at Howard Payne University. The students performed research with physical science department faculty and concluded their studies with a presentation to their families and HPU faculty, “Investigation into the Leaching of Microplastics from Food Containers.” Their project focused on determining if food containers could contaminate foodstuffs through routine usage.

The strength and conditioning education program at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is the first in the country to receive accreditation from the Council of Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning. UMHB’s program is a concentration within the exercise physiology major. UMHB’s exercise physiology major follows the guidelines established by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the leading membership organization for thousands of elite strength coaches, personal trainers, and dedicated researchers and educators worldwide. Accreditation indicates compliance with the professional standards and guidelines of the Council of Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning. According to the official letter from the council, “By achieving initial accreditation, the program has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and demonstrated its commitment to offering a measurable, accountable program, and of the highest quality in preparation for students pursuing careers in strength and conditioning.”

The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty named Caitlin Childers Brown, who earned her Master of Divinity degree from Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary, to its BJC Fellows Class of 2022. She is associate pastor of Freemason Street Baptist Church in Norfolk, Va. BJC Fellows are young professionals united by a call to defend religious liberty. The 10-member 2022 cohort recently completed an intensive, five-day training seminar in Colonial Williamsburg, Va., designed to equip them in advocacy to protect faith freedom for all. The seminar explored the historical, legal and theological underpinnings of religious liberty.

Anniversary

130th for Caprock Plains Baptist Association. The association will observe the anniversary at its annual meeting, Oct. 23, at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview. Featured speakers are Victor Harkins, pastor of Shady Grove Baptist Church in Bessemer, Ala., and Gus Reyes, director of Hispanic partnerships at Dallas Baptist University.

Retirement

Glenn Ward from Paluxy Baptist Association after 11 years as director of missions, effective Oct. 24. He previously was pastor 45 years, including 37 years at Acton Baptist Church, near Granbury.

South Main Baptist Church in Houston collected more than 7,000 shoes for Buckner International and its Shoes for Orphan Souls initiative. The Houston church has sponsored an annual shoe drive to benefit Buckner International for 22 years. Volunteer Damon Ankenman, who currently coordinates the church’s shoe drive, began in July purchasing shoes with funds South Main Baptist Church donated. Over the course of five weeks, about 30 volunteers helped prepare the shoes for a packing event on Aug. 21 that involved about 70 children and youth and close to 50 adults. Texas Baptist Men volunteer Kenneth Landers transported the shoes in a TBM 18-wheel tractor-trailer rig and helped unload them at the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid in Mesquite. Steve Wells is senior pastor at South Main Baptist Church.

Texas Baptist Men disaster relief volunteers responded quickly to flooding in North Texas after record rainfall Aug. 21-23. By Aug. 24, TBM had established an incident command unit, began assessing needs, initially mobilized two flood-recovery teams and activated a unit to distribute boxes to help families affected by high water to pack and store items they reclaimed from their flooded homes, TBM Disaster Relief Director David Wells reported.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women’s basketball team organized a three-day school supply drive for elementary school students in Uvalde. Women’s Basketball Coach Mark Morefield and his team collected school supplies, sorted the donated items into individual bags for students and then journeyed to Uvalde on Aug. 20 to deliver the supplies and pray for all those affected by the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School. The UMHB men’s and women’s soccer teams also hosted a special needs soccer event on Aug. 20. The teams invited local athletes with special needs to join them on the UMHB soccer field to run drills and score goals.

Dallas Baptist University sent out more than 600 new students—along with about 100 upperclassman leaders and DBU faculty and staff—to serve in 19 different locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area at the conclusion of SWAT (Student Welcome and Transition Week). The students participated in clean-up projects, apartment outreach, hunger relief and a wide variety of service projects with many of DBU’s community partners. “We always look forward to our service project day during SWAT,” said Jay Harley, DBU vice president for student affairs. “It allows our incoming students to experience first-hand our mission to produce servant leaders—individuals who care for others by serving their communities. And what better place to start that than here in the Metroplex?” Students served with Beautiful Feet homeless ministry, Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid, Dallas Life recovery center for the homeless, Mission Arlington and many other ministries and organizations in the area.

Move-in day and Tiger Camp marked the start of the fall 2022 semester at East Texas Baptist University. Faculty, staff and students lined up outside campus residence halls to help incoming freshmen and new transfer students with the heavy lifting that move-in days typically require. Tiger Camp offered new students a weekend filled with activities designed to connect them with campus life and their new college community through outdoor games, fellowship and information sessions.

Wayland Baptist University President Bobby Hall welcomed new students at the university’s convocation chapel by focusing on the “I Am” statements of Jesus as recorded in John’s Gospel. “He is our daily sustenance, our direction, our protector, our sacrificial savior, our victory over death, our access to Father God and eternal life, and our vitality and strength,” Hall said. “I can stand before you today to declare that Jesus is all you need or will ever need. He checks all the boxes.”

Houston Baptist University will host the Ground Zero 360 Remembrance Exhibition to commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. The collaborative exhibit featuring work by 72 artists from 12 countries will open to the general public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 10 in the contemporary gallery of the HBU University Academic Center. The exhibition will run from Sept. 12 until Jan. 31, 2023, Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. HBU President Robert Sloan will offer words of comfort at a 9/11 worship service at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 11 in Belin Chapel in HBU’s Morris Cultural Arts Center. A 9/11 memorial ceremony is scheduled at 10 a.m. outside the Morris Family Center for Law and Liberty. Family members of victims will dedicate a tree on the HBU campus in commemoration of all 9/11 victims. The Ground Zero 360 Remembrance Exhibition will open for viewing at 11 a.m. after the ceremony. “It is an honor for HBU to host this significant event. By remembering the events of that catastrophic day and honoring all those whose lives were taken, including brave first responders, we offer comfort to their survivors and also recommit ourselves to the work of ensuring that such acts of terror never happen again,” Sloan said.

Members of The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson lined neighborhood streets and cheered when former Ironman triathlete Phil Hollen returned home after nearly 10 months in the hospital following a life-threatening bout of COVID. In October 2021, Hollen was in the best shape in his life, completing a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.2-mile marathon. A month later, he was admitted to the hospital with COVID. Within days, he was on a ventilator. In a few weeks, he was placed on an ECMO life-support machine, which removed carbon dioxide and sent oxygen-filled blood back to body tissues. He spent an extended time in a medically induced coma. Members of The Heights Baptist Church provided meals to his family and held prayer vigils in hospital parking lots. Their prayers were answered when he returned home on Aug. 14.

First Woodway Baptist Church provided 400 lbs. of medical supplies to a hospital in Matanzas, Cuba. The hospital treated burn victims and asthma patients in the aftermath of four fuel tank explosions in the supertanker port area of the city in western Cuba. Officials said lightning struck one fuel storage tank, and the blaze spread to three other tanks. One firefighter died, and more than 120 people were injured. Working with Blessings International, based in Broken Bow, Okla., the Waco-area church secured medicine at a discount. The church supplied 80 tubes of burn medication, albuterol inhalers and nebulizers, blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes and other medical supplies. Peter Dyson and three other volunteers from the church traveled with the shipment to ensure its safe delivery to the hospital. His father, retired Baylor Univesity business professor L.M. Dyson, has helped Cuban Baptists for two and a half decades by linking resources in North America to needs on the island nation.

Joe Loughlin, lead pastor of First Baptist Church in Temple, was featured speaker at the Aug. 10 fall convocation service at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. “Each of you is placed here for a reason, just as God wanted,” Loughlin told students. Loughlin serves on the UMHB board of trustees. UMHB President Randy O’Rear welcomed more than 750 new freshmen to campus. He noted when the school began in 1845 at Independence, 24 students attended the first classes. This fall, more than 3,500 students from 33 countries and 41 states are enrolled at UMHB, including 564 students who are the first in their families to attend college.

Baylor University received a significant gift from Katie and Jimmy Garrison of Boerne to support the Give Light Campaign and provide support for the capital priorities of Baylor athletics. Baylor will recognize the couple’s philanthropic support through the naming of the Dimmitt Garrison Family Berm within McLane Stadium and the Dimmitt Garrison Family Lobby within the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. “The Dimmitt Garrison family has truly established an inspiring legacy of family commitment at Baylor University,” President Linda A. Livingstonesaid. “The family’s commitment to Baylor’s Christian mission is exemplified in their generational support of Baylor’s students, faculty and staff. They understand the vision for the university, and their thoughtful, multigenerational approach to philanthropy is encouraging and inspiring. We are grateful for a family of Baylor alumni who value supporting Baylor’s current priorities to ensure the institution’s future growth and prominence.”

Dallas Baptist University recognized Amy Ford, president of Embrace Grace, at its 15th annual Community Partners Luncheon. Embrace Grace is an organization devoted to providing spiritual and practical care for unplanned pregnancies and single mothers in need. Ford, the author of Help Her Be Brave: Discover Your Place in the Pro-Life Movement, experienced her own unplanned pregnancy in her teens. Out of her loneliness and shame, she developed a passion to enact change. “The heart of Embrace Grace is to make the church one of the first places a young woman runs to instead of the last because of shame and guilt, and that is the heart of Jesus,” said Desi Henk, assistant vice president of career and personal development at DBU.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth announced it will provide a full tuition scholarship to all Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board missionaries enrolled in the seminary’s master’s degree and doctoral programs. President Adam W. Greenway also announced students who are current IMB applicants who have not yet received appointments to the mission field will have 100 percent of their tuition covered for a 36-hour Master of Theological Studies degree, which meets the mission board’s theological education requirement for appointment.

Anniversaries

5th for Juan Valdez as pastor of Templo Bautista in Abilene.

5th for Blake White as pastor of South Side Baptist Church in Abilene.

10th for DeOri Newman as pastor of Ash Street Baptist Church in Abilene.

Ordination

Maddie Rarick to the gospel ministry by First Baptist Church in Waco. She is pastor of Meadow Oaks Baptist Church in Temple.

Retirement

Greg Oppenhuis from Big Springs Baptist Church in Garland after 19 years as pastor there and after 36 years in the gospel ministry. He plans to become a Christian life coach.

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor students participated in Love CTX on Aug. 6 as part of Welcome Week. The annual event is designed to provide service opportunities for students. Love CTX 2022 supported One More Child of Belton, which provides Christ-centered services to vulnerable children and struggling families. About 350 UMHB students packed 18,000 meals and wrote notes for Belton Independent School District students. The meals will go to Belton ISD’s Project Heartbeat program to help students who may not have food at home.

Baylor University ranked among the nation’s Top 10 Most Trusted Universities, according to research firm Morning Consult as part of its Most Trusted Brands project. The report measures public trust in the top 135 doctoral research universities featured in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 Best National University Rankings and explores how trust varies among diverse groups and different types of institutions. Baylor—the only Texas university in the Top 10—ranked No. 9 behind Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, the University of Notre Dame, Cornell University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Yale University and Harvard University. It ranked ahead of No. 10 Princeton University. Baylor also was ranked No. 2 among Morning Consult’s Most Trusted Universities by parents, behind Princeton and ahead of Duke, Notre Dame and Yale. “Such recognition is certainly a testament to the campus-wide efforts of our dedicated faculty and staff who live and promote Baylor’s Christian mission every day, as well as the overall Baylor Family who serve as our brand ambassadors across the country,” said Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone. “We have made tremendous advances as an institution over the past five-plus years, including our recent recognition as a Research 1 university and unparalleled success in so many areas across the campus.” Morning Consult’s report is based on a survey conducted June 11-15 among a representative sample of 11,050 U.S. adults, with an unweighted margin of error of plus or minus 1 percentage point. An additional survey was conducted June 13-24 among 1,000 high schoolers ages 16 to 18, with an unweighted margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Dallas Baptist University awarded degrees to 158 graduates—63 baccalaureate degrees, 85 master’s degrees and 10 doctoral degrees—during its summer commencement ceremony Aug. 5. DBU awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree to Pastor Byeong Rack Choi of Kangnam Joongang Baptist Church in Seoul, South Korea. Choi received his bachelor’s degree from Korea Baptist Theological Seminary before moving to Fort Worth, where he continued his ministry studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While working on his Master of Divinity in Biblical Languages degree, Choi interned at a small church plant and later became its senior pastor. Semihan Baptist Church grew over the years from 15 families to 1,500 under Choi’s pastoral leadership and eventually moved to its current location in Carrollton. The Choi family later returned to South Korea where he accepted a call to serve as senior pastor of Kangnam Joongang Baptist Church. In partnership with Semihan Baptist Church, a special evangelistic cooperative program was established known as WORLD Ministry Institute. Choi currently is a Doctor of Ministry degree candidate at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Lauren have two children, Rachel and Jordan.

David Ummel was named executive director of Buckner Westminister Place in Longview, effective Aug. 8. He most recently served as executive director for Calder Woods senior living community in Beaumont, also operated by Buckner Retirement Services. Ummel worked for Buckner Children and Family Services and Buckner church/ministry engagement prior to his move to Buckner Retirement Services. As church engagement officer, he oversaw Faith Fosters Texas, a statewide initiative to engage the faith-based community with the child welfare system. Before coming to Buckner in 2008, Ummel was an associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Plano and held various church ministry leadership positions over a 15-year period, including at First Baptist Church in Longview. Ummel was born in Tyler and grew up in Bryan. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oklahoma Baptist University, a Master of Arts degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from B.H. Carroll Theological Institute.

Baylor University President Linda A. Livingstone was elected chair of the NCAA Board of Governors, which met on Tuesday, Aug. 2, for the first time in its new iteration. “It is an honor to be chosen by the board to lead the group at such an important time in the history of college sports,” Livingstone said. “We are at a critical moment, with an opportunity to shape the association and successfully navigate the transformation taking place across all three divisions. We are also undergoing a search for the next president of the NCAA. The work of this smaller board will be vital in determining our way forward.” As the rare Division 1 student-athlete-turned-university-president, Livingstone was appointed in June to the NCAA Board of Governors as one of just nine voting members—and one of only two Power 5 university presidents—helping lead college athletics during a season of fast-moving changes. She is the current vice chair of the Big 12 Conference Board of Directors, while preparing to assume the role of chair next year. She also was appointed as a member of the NCAA’s initial constitution and transformation committees. In addition, she is chair-elect for the American Council on Education board, which represents more than 1,700 colleges and universities on effective public policy and innovative, high-quality practice. She will become chair of the ACE board in March 2023.

The State Board of Education Certification recently commended Howard Payne University’s School of Education for exemplary performance in preparing and supporting teachers employed in rural schools. HPU’s Educator Preparation is one of only four other programs to receive the commendation. “A considerable number of HPU Educator Preparation graduates from all over Texas stay and teach in Brown County,” said Kylah Clark-Goff, dean of the HPU School of Education. “These teachers are equipped to be especially effective in the classroom because of the quality of education and field-based experiences they are receiving during their undergraduate experiences at HPU.” The Department of Music in HPU’s School of Music and Fine Arts also is serving rural schools through its Center for Rural and Small School Music Education. The center seeks to provide assistance, support, research, professional development and advocacy for the students and teachers in Texas’ rural and small-school music programs “These teachers often lack the resources available to larger enrollment schools, including those in urban and suburban settings,” said Richard Fiese, dean of the School of Music and Fine Arts. “Nevertheless, the students in small, rural schools deserve the opportunity for quality music education, irrespective of where they live.”

Dallas Baptist University hosted the International Forum on Education and Leadership on campus July 17-23, after conducting last year’s forum online due to the COVID pandemic. The event drew 27 participants representing upper leadership from 12 school groups and seven countries. Forum participants discussed topics including the integration of faith and learning, mentoring, teaching methodology, institutional issues and leadership. Attendees had opportunities to take part in plenary sessions, workshops, local school visits, networking opportunities and local tourism. “School leaders from around the world built relationships and left encouraged by the speakers. It was a real privilege for us to be a part of this program,” said Jon Dooley, assistant vice president for international affairs. “It truly accomplished the goal of the program: to serve and equip school leaders in their incredible work.”

As University of Mary Hardin-Baylor students arrive for the fall semester, they will see messages throughout the Belton campus encouraging them to “Live on Purpose.” The “Live on Purpose” theme reflects the university’s desire to see students “discover and live out all they were created to be and do,” said Rebecca O’Banion, UMHB vice president for advancement. “For 177 years, UMHB has equipped students for purposeful lives that honor God. UMHB has and will always prepare students for lives of leadership, service and faith-informed discernment in a global society.”

Anniversary

Fifth for Mark Snowden as pastor at First Baptist Church in Floydada.

Abe Jaquez, president of Baptist University of the Américas, and Larry Floyd, executive director of El Paso Baptist Association, signed a memorandum of understanding to work together in offering accredited undergraduate theological education in Spanish. The partnership, designed to equip Spanish-speaking pastors for Texas Baptist churches, will involve recruiting students for BUA’s Bachelor of Arts in Biblical/Theological Studies degree, offered online entirely in Spanish. The fall cohort begins Aug. 22. For more information, click here.

Dallas Baptist University students traveled this summer to England to learn about events in intellectual, political and religious history where they occurred. DBU President Adam C. Wright, Vice President Blake Killingsworth and Mary Nelson, director of the Ph.D. in leadership studies program, led 41 doctoral students from three cohorts. Undergraduate students were led by Mark Cook, assistant professor of leadership and biblical studies; Michael Whiting, assistant professor of Christian history and leadership; and Nick Pitts, an alumnus of the Cook School of Leadership. DBU students visited the home of C.S. Lewis, attended evensong service at Oxford’s Christ Church, and explored both Cambridge and Windsor Castle. They also participated in historical tours of Blenheim Palace, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Churchill War Rooms in London.

During the Baptist World Alliance annual meeting, Texas Baptists participated in a panel discussion on immigration and ministry along the U.S./Mexico border. Julio Guarneri, senior pastor, Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen, provided the biblical rationale for ministry to immigrants, including the command to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 10 to remember when they were aliens and sojourners in Egypt. “Everybody’s a stranger sometime,” Guarneri said, quoting Joel Gregory, professor at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary. Calvary Baptist in McAllen worked in cooperation with Texas Baptists, Buckner International, Texas Baptist Men and BCFS, formerly Baptist Child and Family Services. George Solis reported on the work of Texas Baptists’ River Ministry, and Jorge Zapata described Fellowship Southwest’s immigrant relief ministry.

Albert Reyes, president and CEO of Buckner International, won an award for Leadership Excellence in the category of mega nonprofit at the D CEO’s Nonprofit and Corporate Citizenship Awards on July 21.

Anniversary

175 for First Baptist Church in Gonzales. The congregation and guests will celebrate with a potluck meal following the morning worship service on July 31. Josh Breslaw is senior pastor.

Forbes recently named Howard Payne University as the top-ranked university in Texas on its 2022 College Financial Grades list. HPU received an A- grade and ranked No. 61 out of 905 private, not-for-profit institutions of higher education nationally and No. 1 in the state. Only 69 institutions on the Forbes list received an A- ranking or higher. Ranking criteria analyzed institutions for financial aid distributed to students, spending to educate their students and the ratio of debt to assets, as well as other factors. “We are honored to have been named to the Forbes 2022 College Financial Grades list,” said HPU President Cory Hines. “This recognition is the result of hard work by many, but it doesn’t mean the work is finished. This university’s mission is ongoing. I am pleased to reflect on the impact of HPU’s mission on our students and know it will continue with the support of the HPU family.” For more information about the 2022 College Financial Grade list, click here.

Two University of Mary Hardin-Baylor students—Raymond Kennedy, a mechanical engineering major from Waxahachie and defender on the soccer team, and Bayleigh Grogan, a pre-physical therapy major from Wimberley and a softball pitcher—received American Southwest Conference Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Awards. Twelve other UMHB students were named to ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Teams: Ryan Farmer, an engineering major from Manvel, baseball; Luke Feely, a finance major from Argyle, men’s basketball; Ashley Faux, a pre-physical therapy major from Frisco, women’s basketball; Sean Reid, an international business major from Killeen, men’s cross country; Holly Dasher, an education major from Katy, women’s cross country; Sante Parker Jr., a computer science major from Katy, football; Parker Mitas, an engineering major from The Woodlands, men’s golf; Sarah Kmiecik, a marketing major from Houston, women’s golf; Maren Fields, a pre-physical therapy major from Keller, women’s soccer; Ethan Kittredge, an accounting major from McKinney, men’s tennis; Adrianna McElwain, a biology major from Friendswood, women’s tennis; and Kayla Janikula, a pre-physical therapy major from Kingwood, volleyball.

B.H. Carroll Theological Institute received a $827,746 grant from the Lilly Endowment to help establish its Hispanic Theological Education Program. The program is funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, a three-phase initiative designed to help North American theological schools prioritize and respond to pressing challenges as they prepare pastoral leaders for Christian congregations. Carroll’s program, under the direction of Adlin Cotto, is designed to provide access to theological education programs and services in the heart language of current and future ministers. In particular, the grant will help fund the employment of professors who teach in Spanish, make possible the creation of course materials in Spanish, enhance internet access in locations where classes are offered, and assist in obtaining theological library resources for Spanish speakers.

Anniversary

First Baptist Church in Booker will celebrate its centennial—postponed two years due to COVID-19 restrictions—on Sept. 17-18. The church would like to reconnect with past members. For more information, call (806) 658-4672 or visit the Facebook page “FBC Bookers 100+ Year Celebration” by clicking here.

The American Southwest Conference named Price Peden from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Leah Akridge from East Texas Baptist University as Community Service Athletes of the Year. The award honors a male and a female student-athlete who best display leadership and action in fostering community service on their campus and within the local community. Peden, a four-year soccer letterman from Flower Mound, served in leadership roles on UMHB’s Student Foundation, revival steering committee and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes leadership team. He worked with Love For Christ Food Pantry, Lighthouse Mentoring Program, UMHB Soccer Camps, Feed My Sheep and UMHB Champs Day. He volunteered with several soccer camps and community service projects, and he served as a mentor at Lake Belton Middle School. He was a weekly volunteer and small-group leader at Temple Bible Church. Akridge, who earned a letter four years with the Tigers softball team, is from Lufkin. She served as a Thrive mentor for underclassmen and as a volunteer intern at Immanuel Baptist Church in Marshall, where she also taught Sunday school to youth three years. During the summer, she worked in the nursery and taught the college group at First Baptist Church in Lufkin. She volunteered as a youth softball coach and in a local food pantry. She has been an active part of the ETBU softball team’s pen pal program, sending letters each week to patients in children’s hospitals. Akridge served on the leadership council for ETBU Fellowship of Christian Athletes and in a variety of community service projects.

East Texas Baptist University recently received a $100,000 grant from the East Texas Medical Center Foundation. This marks the third year the university has received grant funds from the foundation to help meet the growing need for mental health care in Smith County and the greater East Texas region. “Our desire is to stand in the gap between East Texas citizens and the need for mental health care in the region,” said ETBU President J. Blair Blackburn. He called the foundation’s support “crucial to the growth of ETBU’s clinical mental health counseling program and the increase in clients that the Community Counseling Center at ETBU-Tyler has been able to serve.” ETBU opened the Community Counseling Center in 2020 at the ETBU-Tyler site and launched a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program at ETBU-Tyler in January 2021. The total number of students enrolled in the program at the Marshall and Tyler campuses has doubled since 2019 as a result of the additional ETBU-Tyler campus. “In a post-COVID world, the mental health needs of all ages have become more acute,” said Thomas Sanders, ETBU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “This investment by the ETMC Foundation provides care for the needs of people today and increases the capacity for more licensed counselors in the future.”

Several universities affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas were named to the list of Military FriendlySchools by VIQTORY, a marketing company for military personnel entering the civilian workforce. Dallas Baptist University, Houston Baptist University and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor were named to the gold level in the category of private schools offering a doctorate. Wayland Baptist University was named to the silver level and Howard Payne University to the bronze level in the same category. Hardin-Simmons University also was named to the Military Friendly School list. Institutions that appear on the list of Military Friendly Schools are evaluated in areas such as student retention, graduation, job placement and loan repayment for all students and student veterans, using public data sources and surveys.