NEW ORLEANS (BP) — The board of trustees for New Orleans Baptist Theology Seminary (NOBTS) and Leavell College approved new faculty positions and heard a variety of positive reports during its fall meeting Oct. 8-9.

The trustee board heard reports regarding spiritual formation initiatives on campus, budget updates and fundraising success, facilities updates around campus, enrollment updates, plans to develop strategic initiatives for the next five years and the announcement of a new program for Leavell College.

Jamie Dew, president of NOBTS and Leavell College, opened the first plenary session on Tuesday morning (Oct. 8) by talking through some of the administration’s goals for trustee meetings.

“We are really excited to have you here and can’t wait for you to see the campus and the students and hang out with people more today,” Dew said.

“I’ve said to you before, I think about our responsibility as the administration and the stewardship that’s been placed by you and ultimately by Southern Baptists. I think we should measure ourselves with these three categories: mission, morale and money. By money, we don’t just mean financials, we really mean the overall health of the institution.

“As such, we arrange these entire meetings, everything about them, to try to give you the best possible look into those three categories.

During the two-day meeting, trustees were notified of two new presidential faculty appointments:

• Eli Byrd, assistant professor of Christian ministry
• Michael Wang, assistant professor of discipleship

These faculty will serve a two-year period under this presidential appointment and then be eligible for election by the trustees.

Two faculty members elected by trustees after serving their two-year period were:

• Tawa Anderson, associate professor of philosophy and apologetics
• Matt James, assistant professor of historical theology

“The Lord has allowed us to really build a faculty that is exciting and that people want to study with,” Dew said.

“We are thankful to the Lord for this. And it’s not just the new faculty that we’ve got, but the existing faculty when I came here that are still with us today, these are exciting people and these are good people.”

Additionally, Kevin Cho, who serves as a chaplain for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, was welcomed as a new trustee.

Mike Wetzel, vice president for Institutional Advancement, gave seminary budget updates and discussed continued fundraising success.

“God’s faithfulness surpasses any goals or hopes we could ever have,” Wetzel said.

“Psalm 90:17 says, ‘Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands.’ God has indeed shown us favor and established the work of our hands.”

Regarding spiritual formation initiatives on campus, Thomas Strong, vice president for spiritual formation and student life, said he is thrilled at what God is doing on campus.

“I continue to be amazed at God’s work in and through the lives of our students, faculty and staff,” Strong said.

“We see individuals growing in their intimacy with Christ, being prepared to live well for Him as a servant and following Him wherever He leads, including serving in our city while here as a student. The realization is that what is happening on our campus in our lives is something only God can do, and we quickly recognize that He alone deserves the glory.”

Trustees also heard an announcement about a brand-new one-year Leavell College program called “ServeNola.”

The gap-year program is designed for incoming students who are interested in pursuing ministry but are not sure what their next step is. Participants will be able to explore their calling during a sustained season of service in New Orleans, all while receiving up to 30 hours of course credit.

After a day filled with positive updates, trustees joined other NOBTS family and friends for the school’s annual fall fest. The event, held Tuesday (Oct. 8), was an evening filled with food, fun and fellowship as the fall season settles in.

Eddie Wren is chairman of the board of trustees and senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Zachary, La.

“The meeting was very productive, and we accomplished all the tasks that were set before us,” Wren said.

“Two things that were great were welcoming Dr. Anderson and Dr. James as faculty and welcoming Kevin Cho from California as a new trustee. Welcoming new trustees reflects the cooperative nature of Southern Baptists.

“Probably the highlight of the week for me was just being on campus and hearing the stories of what God is accomplishing through the seminary in various ministries and in the lives of our students. The fall fest on campus was great and seeing the energy in worship during chapel. As a former student here, it encouraged my heart, as I’m grateful for this place and love this school.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Timothy Cockes is a writer in Nashville.)