
The original issue can be found at: http://www.baptistpress.com/issue-04/22/1997

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Southern faculty additions entail 'quantum leap forward'
by James A. Smith Sr.
Date: April 22, 1997 - Tuesday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--A "quantum leap forward" has been taken to  bolster the faculty of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, administrators declared April 22 during a trustee meeting of Southern Baptists' oldest seminary. The nine faculty additions include scholars from an array of academic disciplines and academic, ministry and professional settings.

"These elections and appointments represent a quantum leap forward for Southern Seminary," President R. Albert Mohler Jr. said.

"I believe future generations will look back to this day and see these appointments as a great turning point in Southern Seminary's history," Mohler continued, saying they reflect "the strength, vitality, conviction and scholarship which will mark both Southern Seminary's present and future."

The raft of faculty actions include the addition of scholars in the areas of New Testament, historical theology, preaching, evangelism, Old Testament, missions, church music and Christian education. Four are new to the Louisville, Ky., seminary, while five others presently are serving at Southern and will be elected to the faculty by trustee action during the April 21-23 board meeting. Tenure will be granted to four professors, with three to be elected to various chairs of instruction.

Collectively, the scholars have taught more than 110 years at various evangelical institutions and have written, edited or contributed to more than 50 volumes and other academic publications, in addition to authoring dozens of journal articles, book reviews and denominational publications.

"I cannot imagine that any institution at any time has brought together in new appointments such an array of evangelical and conservative Christian scholars," Mohler asserted. "Represented in these faculty appointments is a level of scholarship and commitment to teach the Word of God that indicates why Southern Seminary intends to be the flagship institution in the evangelical and Baptist world."

The newest members of the faculty include two New Testament scholars from Bethel Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., a historical theologian from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Ill., and a preaching professor from a Kentucky pastorate.

After nearly 30 years at Bethel, Robert H. Stein will join the Southern faculty this fall as professor of New Testament interpretation. The synoptic gospels scholar will be elected to the faculty with tenure and to the Mildred and Ernest Hogan Chair of New Testament. Stein holds degrees from Rutgers University, Fuller Theological Seminary, Andover Newton Theological Seminary and was awarded the doctor of philosophy degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1968.

Stein is the author of numerous books, papers and journal articles addressing the gospels and hermeneutical issues. Among his more recent books are Luke in Broadman & Holman's New American Commentary, "Playing by the Rules," "The Method and Message of Jesus' Teachings" and "Jesus the Messiah."

"Robert Stein is one of the premier evangelical synoptic gospel scholars in the world today," said Daniel Akin, Southern's vice president for academic administration. The fact that the longtime Bethel teacher is willing to leave his home of nearly 30 years to come to Southern is "remarkable," Akin added.

Thomas R. Schreiner, Stein's Bethel colleague, will join the Southern faculty this fall as professor of New Testament interpretation. Schreiner has been appointed to a three-year term on the faculty by Mohler.

In addition to his 10 years at Bethel, Schreiner has taught at Azusa Pacific University and Fuller. He holds degrees from Western Oregon State College, Western Conservative Baptist Seminary and the doctor of philosophy degree from Fuller.

Schreiner, a Pauline scholar, is the author or editor of four books: "Interpreting the Pauline Letters," "The Law and Its Fulfillment: A Pauline Theology of Law," "The Grace of God, The Bondage of the Will" (two volumes) and "Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of 1 Timothy 2:9-15." Two other books are in progress, in addition to a commentary on Romans in the Baker Evangelical Commentary Series on the New Testament.

Tom J. Nettles has been appointed professor of historical theology and will begin teaching at Southern this fall. Coming from the faculty of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he is professor of church history and chair of the department of church history, Nettles previously taught at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. He holds two degrees from Southwestern, including the doctor of philosophy degree, and also is a graduate of Mississippi College.

Along with numerous journal articles and scholarly papers, Nettles is the author or editor of eight books, with another volume to be published this year. Among his books are "By His Grace and For His Glory" and "Baptists and the Bible."

"Tom Nettles is a lifelong Southern Baptist who belongs in the first rank of Southern Baptist scholars," Mohler said. "We are pleased to have him back in a Southern Baptist institution and to have him at Southern Seminary." Akin said he regards Nettles as "the finest writing Baptist historian today."

Also joining the faculty under presidential appointment as associate professor of preaching is Hershael W. York, pastor of Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, Lexington, Ky., since 1990. York holds two degrees from the University of Kentucky and two degrees from Mid-America Seminary, including the doctor of philosophy degree, awarded in 1993.

"Hershael is a gifted pulpiteer who both models and can teach expository preaching, which is a commitment that this administration is absolutely devoted to," Akin said.

"Hershael is one of the leading pastors in the state of Kentucky," Akin said. "He has demonstrated his tremendous commitment to Southern Baptists by bringing Ashland Avenue back into the Southern Baptist Convention." Although the church removed itself from the SBC in the 1970s due to theological concerns, Ashland Avenue renewed its SBC ties through Cooperative Program gifts last year.

Five current Southern professors will be elected to the faculty, having previously served under presidential appointment. Two will be granted tenure.

-- Timothy K. Beougher will be elected, with tenure, associate professor of evangelism and to the Billy Graham Chair of Evangelism. Before coming to Southern last fall, Beougher taught six years at Wheaton College. He holds degrees from Kansas State University, Southwestern Seminary and two degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, including the doctor of philosophy degree. Beougher is widely published in the areas of evangelism and Puritan studies. He also serves as associate dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at Southern.

-- Paul R. House will be elected, with tenure, professor of Old Testament interpretation and to the Martha and Talmage Rogers Professorship in Old Testament. House was chairman of the department of biblical studies, Christian education and philosophy at Taylor University in Upland, Ind. for 10 years before joining the Southern faculty last fall. He is author or editor of seven books, with an Old Testament theology textbook to be published later this year. He also serves as editor of Southern's new theological journal, "The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology."

-- George H. Martin will be elected associate professor of Christian missions. Holding degrees from Florida State University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, including the doctor of theology degree, Martin served as a missionary in Indonesia with the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board from 1988-1994 and associate professor of religion at North Greenville (S.C.) College before coming to Southern last fall.

-- Esther H. Rothenbusch will be elected assistant professor of church music. Rothenbusch holds the bachelor of music degree from Baldwin-Wallace College and two degrees from the University of Michigan, including the doctor of philosophy in musicology degree. She has previously taught at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Adrian College and Bowling Green State University. Rothenbusch has published journal articles, book chapters and presented papers and lectures at the Sonneck Society for American Music, Hymn Society of the U.S. and Canada and various other societies.

-- Mark E. Simpson will be elected associate professor of Christian education and leadership. Simpson holds degrees from Spring Arbor College, Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary, DePauw University and a doctor of education degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Since 1995 Simpson has served as associate dean of the school of Christian education at Southern. He has previously taught at Trinity International University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, in addition to serving in several church staff positions. Simpson is widely published in Christian education studies and has been active in the North America Professors of Christian Education.

Two current faculty members also will be elected to chairs of instruction.

-- T. Vaughn Walker, professor of black church studies, will be granted tenure and elected to the Woman's Missionary Union Chair of Social Work. Walker has taught at Southern since 1986 and holds degrees from Hampton (Va.) University, Eastern Illinois University, Southern Seminary and the doctor of philosophy degree from Oregon State University, Corvallis. He also is pastor of First Gethsemane Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky.

-- Leigh E. Conver, a faculty member since 1991, will be elected to the Lawrence and Charlotte Hoover Chair of Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Counseling. Conver is professor of psychology of religion and pastoral counseling and chairman of the department. Previously he served as adjunct professor and instructor at Southern. He has extensive experience in pastoral counseling in church and clinical settings. Conver holds the bachelor of arts degree from Eastern Baptist College, as well as three degrees from Southern Seminary, including the doctor of philosophy. He also received the diploma in patient counseling from the Medical College of Virginia.
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Southern Baptists help hungry Bulgarians survive
by Staff
Date: April 22, 1997 - Tuesday

SOFIA, Bulgaria (BP)--Southern Baptists have helped many Bulgarian Baptists survive a hard winter by providing $130,000 worth of food and fuel through a relief program administered by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board.

Bulgarian Baptists hope this kind of response from Baptists in other lands will do more than just help their needy countrymen. They hope the aid also will help them win respect from their government, which has maintained an anti-evangelical stance in recent years. Less government interference, Baptist leaders say, will produce more evangelism and church growth.

One positive sign amid the current crisis, Baptist leaders said, is government permission to receive aid from evangelical Christian organizations outside the country. Such aid had been banned.

Since November more than 28,000 food parcels provided by Southern Baptist hunger funds have been distributed by the Bulgarian Baptist Union. About 4,000 Baptist families are receiving a monthly packet of basic foods and $6 in local currency to help pay heating costs. In one recent month, each family received an extra food packet to be shared with someone outside the church membership.

"The people in the churches have expressed deep gratitude for this assistance and have prayed for the Lord to give them the possibility to return this blessing to other needy nations," said Paul Ridgway, a Southern Baptist foreign missionary based in Sofia.

Bulgarian Baptists have distributed more than $320,000 in aid this winter. Baptists in Great Britain, Germany and other European countries have sent funds, and the Baptist World Alliance has provided help through its Baptist World Aid Program.

In addition to church members, Baptists also have provided food to five orphanages, a hospital, two kindergartens and 43 Turkish families, said Theo Angelov, Bulgarian Baptist Union president, said. Baptists also are planning to open a kitchen that will feed 60 to 80 people one meal a day.

Bulgaria is teetering on the brink of total economic collapse. Ninety percent of Bulgarians are below the poverty line. The average Bulgarian salary has fallen to below $10 a month, but a United Nations study said Bulgarians need $4 a day to survive. Baptist pastors earn about $18 a month.

Six out of 10 Bulgarians are reported to be living mostly on bread and yogurt. Most people are surviving only because of food they preserved and stored last summer, a Sofia newspaper reported.

Many Bulgarian Baptists fall into the country's poorest category of people. Eight of the union's 35 churches are made up of minority groups such as Gypsies or converted Muslims. Unemployment among these believers is 95 percent to 98 percent, said Angelov, who conceived and directs the Baptists' "Winter Help" program of assistance.

At least some Bulgarian government leaders acknowledge the seriousness of the country's condition.

"Bulgarian people are going through an unbelievable economical catastrophe at this moment. A big part of the population lives on the edge of poverty. For some people the question is not whether or not to live a life of dignity but whether or not to survive physically in the next months," wrote Georgy Krasteve in a letter to the Evangelical Alliance of Bulgaria in late February.

Krasteve, an official in the Bulgarian government's Ministry of Religion, also urged evangelical churches in Bulgaria to "try to ask for the cooperation and help of international religious and civil organizations in order to secure some humanitarian help for the poorest parts of the Bulgarian population."

He assured the alliance his department "commits itself to assuring that such humanitarian aid will be free of customs duties and will be sent to the evangelical churches to which it is addressed."

Krastev's letter, which praised the "social and humanitarian activities of the evangelical churches," unfortunately only represents his office, not the entire Bulgarian government, one worker in Sofia observed. So, though positive, the letter may not indicate a change of heart toward evangelical Christians, he said.

An orphanage Baptists want to build in Sofia, for example, is still being blocked by the government, though its construction was initially approved in 1993. The orphanage is part of a seminary and union office complex Baptists want to build on the outskirts of Sofia.

In recent years the government has teamed up with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and waged a bitter media campaign against Baptists and other evangelicals, categorizing them as "foreign cults" along with Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Krishna followers and Eastern religions.

Churches and individuals may help with human needs ministries directed by Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board workers by sending contributions to P.O. Box 6767, Richmond, VA 23230.
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Coke is in the Himalayas, but what about the gospel?
by Lee Weeks
Date: April 22, 1997 - Tuesday

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP)--Back in the faraway reaches of the Himalaya Mountains in the center of the Hindu kingdom of Nepal, a conspicuous sign boldly states: "Drink Coca-Cola."

This measure of capitalistic tenacity and resolve by a major American soft drink maker serves as an indictment on Christians in the United States, the president of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board said April 17 at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

"What an indictment," Jerry Rankin said, "that those (who) market a refreshing drink with a zeal for ... monetary profit would carry their product to the ends of the world (where) we as God's people have not yet carried the most gracious commodity of all -- the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Stating there are 1.7 billion people in the world who have yet to hear the name of Christ, Rankin agreed in part with those who argue God would not condemn people to hell who have never heard about Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross for their sins.

"God does not condemn them to hell," Rankin asserted. "They're condemned by their sin."

Delivering the keynote address as part of Global Missions Week April 14-17 at the Wake Forest, N.C., campus, Rankin denounced any type of theology that exempts people of their responsibility or accountability for making a decision to accept or reject God's gift of salvation.

A no-hear/no-accountability theology of missions, Rankin said, would actually advocate a mission strategy that called for Christians to keep silent about the good news of Jesus Christ while vainly hoping unreached people groups would be saved from eternal separation from God.

"Is this what the Word of God tells us? To keep silent? Rankin asked. "No, the pages (of the Bible) literally reverberate with the command, the urgency, the mandate (to) go and preach the gospel to every creature. Go and make disciples of every nation, because there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."

"The glorious truth," Rankin said, "of 'whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved'" applies to Muslims across North Africa; Buddhists in Thailand, Burma and Sri Lanka, as well as Hindus in India, animists in unreached people groups and secular materialists and humanists in Western Europe and Japan.

Rankin said praise for God's grace -- not guilt-ridden theology -- should be the driving force toward fulfilling Christ's Great Commission to take the gospel to the "uttermost ends of the earth."

"You're here today not because of any merit of your own, but because of God's grace who saved you as a sinner," Rankin said. "I believe that God is going to hold us accountable for every person that does not have an opportunity to hear because he has provided salvation for the whole world and he has committed to us the task of telling them."

Rankin suggested Christians' joy in heaven over their eternal salvation may be tempered by the realization of the "vast multitude" of people in parts of the world who never heard about Jesus.

"And much like that look that broke the heart of Simon Peter on his night of denial, the eyes of Jesus will meet ours as we see that multitude unsaved and will simply say, 'I told you to go. I promised you my power. I assured you of my grace but you chose to stay at home, to follow your own plans, embrace your comfortable lifestyle in the amenities of an American church -- and multitudes never had a chance."

Rankin, who described Southeastern as the foremost, SBC seminary in missions emphasis, challenged students to reconsider God's call on their lives.

"Are you simply waiting for a call to a staff position in a traditional church in your culture and background?

"Who is going to the uttermost? Who is sending their resume, responding to (the) search committee for the Kanuri (4 million people) in West Africa, the Berbers (5 million people) in Algeria, the Bhojpuri (43 million people) in north India, the Zhuang (15.5 million people) and Uygers (7 million people) in western China?"

Responding to Rankin's invitation to commit their lives to service on the foreign mission field, students on bended knee filled both sides of the alter kneeling together several rows deep into the center aisle.
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NOBTS mini-mission trip yields neighborhood harvest
by Linda Joyce Zygiel
Date: April 22, 1997 - Tuesday

NEW ORLEANS (BP)--What do a man selling shrimp on the roadside, a woman starting her shift at work and a man cleaning out his car have in common?

They were among 106 people who prayed to receive Christ the afternoon of April 17 during a two-hour saturation evangelism project by more than 100 students and professors at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

The mini-mission trip took place in the Gentilly Woods subdivision on the eastern side of the campus and was the culminating event of the seminary's Tharp lecture series, April 15-17.

Given annually in the spring to present a lay leader's perspective of ministry, this year's Tharp lecture series involved training by Bill Darnell and a lay leadership team from People Sharing Jesus Ministries, Germantown, Tenn. -- and an immediate opportunity to apply the training in the seminary's own backyard.

Darnell, as a pastor in Texas and Tennessee, church planter in Tennessee, Massachusetts and Oregon and participant in revival mission trips to South and Central America and Europe, discovered the potential for expanding the evangelistic outreach of the church through training laypeople to share their faith.

People Sharing Jesus Ministries, founded by Darnell 15 years ago, brings in lay teams to train church members to share their faith in Jesus Christ simply as part of their lifestyles, expanding the church's evangelistic outreach far beyond what a pastor or church staff alone can accomplish.

Darnell began leading his sessions full time last year in order to fill the growing requests for the weekend-oriented training.

Part of the training includes testimonies from lay leaders who assist Darnell.

"I wouldn't want to live one week or one day without sharing my faith because I'm doing what God told me to do," attorney Lundy Daniels said in chapel April 15, explaining how a witnessing lifestyle has changed his life. "It's an opportunity to make an eternal difference in somebody's life."

Doug Nash, a jeweler, expressed the desire many laypeople have to be a part of the important work of winning people to Christ as he gave his testimony April 16.

"The pressure is on you," he said. "Are you going to train your people?

"We let them hand out little bulletins, put them in the nursery or on committees. ... No wonder laypeople in the church don't get excited," he said.

Nash added he has led more people to Christ in the past two years by using the simple lifestyle method than in 20 years of witnessing using complex methods.

"We have been having some phenomenal results," Darnell said. During some of the witness weekends so far this year, 147 professions of faith occurred in Hesperia, Calif.; 117 in Tupelo, Miss.; and 150 in Houston. Most recently, on the weekend before coming to the seminary, in Port Arthur, Texas, 35 people led 128 people to Christ in two hours.

"Revival ignited in that church," Darnell said of the witnessing training weekend at Trinity Baptist in Port Arthur, the church where he grew up in and where his mother still attends.

Along with the outreach campaigns, Darnell, who focused on follow-up evangelism in his doctoral studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas, emphasizes discipleship plans for new believers as a critical part of the training events. People Sharing Jesus Ministries also provides materials to help churches develop and implement an ongoing strategy for evangelism beyond the initial training and intensive witnessing weekend.

"We can make evangelism and witnessing sound so complicated," one NOBTS student said after seeing the results of the two-hour mini-mission trip in the seminary's neighborhood, "but it's just as easy to share Jesus as it is to receive him."
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FMB names Lloyd Atkinson associate vice president
by Staff
Date: April 22, 1997 - Tuesday

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Lloyd H. Atkinson, who directs efforts by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board to appoint new missionaries, has been named associate vice president for mission personnel.

Atkinson, a former FMB missionary to Chile, will continue to direct the board's personnel selection department.

In his new position, however, he also will help administer the day-to-day operations of the office of mission personnel. That office selects long-term career and associate missionaries, plus shorter-term mission personnel such as the International Service Corps and journeymen.

Atkinson and his wife, Sue, were missionaries to Chile from 1972- 77. He later joined the board staff as administrative assistant to the director for western South America, then worked with prospective missionaries as a candidate consultant in personnel selection from 1981- 86. He has been director of personnel selection since 1989.

A native of Miami, Atkinson graduated from Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tenn., and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. At the Institute of Religion in Houston he earned a certificate in clinical pastoral education.

In addition to his foreign missions service, he has been pastor of three Virginia churches.
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Missionary to Brazil dies in car wreck
by Staff
Date: April 22, 1997 - Tuesday

FLORIANOPOLIS, Brazil (BP)--Wendell "Boots" Blackwell, Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board missionary to Brazil, died Sunday, April 20, in a traffic accident in Brazil.

Blackwell, 52, served as director of the evangelism and missions department of the Baptist state board in Santa Catarina, Brazil. He was returning from a preaching engagement when a vehicle reportedly crossed the highway center line and struck his car.

A former construction engineer and a native of Baton Rouge, La., Blackwell and his wife, Sherry, were appointed in 1981 by the Foreign Mission Board. He was a graduate of Louisiana College in Pineville, La., and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Blackwell served as associate pastor and minister of education at Lanier Baptist Church in Baton Rouge prior to missionary appointment.

"This was a great, kind, hard-working servant of our Lord. He will be missed by many," said Ann Fallaw, associate director of the board's work in Brazil. "Our prayers are for his dear wife and their five children."

He is survived by his wife, the former Sherry Weeks of Mansfield, La.; two sons, Jonathan, 17, and Joshua, 14; three daughters, Jennifer, 19, Jodi, 15, and Jill, 12.

A memorial service was held April 21 in Florianopolis, Brazil. United States funeral plans are incomplete.
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FamilyNet to telecast Dove Awards ceremony
by C.C. Risenhoover
Date: April 22, 1997 - Tuesday

FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)--FamilyNet will broadcast the 28th annual Dove Awards on April 26 from 9-11 p.m. Eastern and on April 30 from 2-4 a.m.

FamilyNet, with more than 100 affiliates nationwide, is the broadcast television service of the Southern Baptist Radio and Television Commission.

The Dove Awards ceremony, honoring the best in Christian music, will be April 24 from 9-11 p.m. Eastern at the 4,000-seat Nashville (Tenn.) Arena. Hosts for this year's event are Gary Chapman and CeCe Winans.

At the 1996 awards ceremony, Chapman was named male vocalist of the year and Winans was named female vocalist of the year. Chapman is host of The Nashville Network's (TNN) "Prime Time Country" and Winans is a Grammy winner. They are multiple Dove nominees this year.

All nominees for artist of the year will perform at this year's ceremony: 4HIM, Steven Curtis Chapman, dc Talk, Jars of Clay and Point of Grace. Also performing will be new artist of the year nominees Scott Krippayne, Sarah Masen, Jamie Slocum, Third Day and Jaci Velasquez.

Dove Awards are presented in 40 categories and are voted on by more than 4,500 members of the Nashville-based Gospel Music Association.
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Golden Gate trustees alter decision to end music school
by Cameron Crabtree
Date: April 22, 1997 - Tuesday

MILL VALLEY, Calif. (BP)--Trustees of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary have altered their April 8 decision to close the seminary's Dixon School of Church Music and opted instead to restructure the music school to make it a "financially viable" part of the seminary program.

The new action was prompted by the voluntary resignations of church music faculty members Craig and Beth Singleton in hopes of keeping the school of church music open. Both the Singletons, whose resignations from active employment at the seminary are effective July 31, did not wish to make a public statement about their actions.

"Such a turn of events has obvious impact on the long-term financial concerns of the music school and warranted reconsideration of the matter by our board," said seminary President William O. "Bill" Crews. "We want to honor the steps initiated by our faculty as they seek the best interest of the seminary and the benefit of the churches."

Trustees approved the new action by telephone poll over the April 18 weekend. "Their agreement was unanimous and a substitute motion was also unanimously adopted directing the president to restructure the church music program of the seminary in a way to make it financially viable," Crews said.

At their spring meeting April 8, trustees had declared a "financial emergency" in the school of church music and directed Crews to begin the process for closing the music school by July 31.

A financial analysis presented to trustees showed rising costs combined with falling revenue from years of declining enrollment led to the music program operating with deficits ranging from $35,820 in 1994-95 to $70,959 expected this fiscal year, without including overhead costs. With overhead costs, those deficits ranged from $181,036 in 1994-95 to $187,468 expected this fiscal year. The analysis also projected deficits in the music school annually through the 2001-02 fiscal year, even with budgets trimmed and enrollment increased slightly.

Seminary music faculty and about a dozen music students had urged trustees at their meeting on the Mill Valley, Calif., campus to delay the decision for further study or to turn down the action entirely.

Currently, 25 students are enrolled in the seminary's two church music degree programs. Since 1985, 60 degrees in church music programs have been granted by Golden Gate, according to seminary records.

"This new decision allows the music school to proceed with curricular and program changes that have been in the making prior to the decision to close the music school," said Gary McCoy, director of the music school.

"There's been significant work related to revenue development and in recruitment this past year that has the promise of showing dividends for the future," McCoy noted. The music school has more active student inquiries than any other time in recent history, he said. Also, "We are seeking to be as creative as we can in course scheduling and FTE production related to the teaching loads of faculty."

FTEs, or full-time equivalents, are the basic unit upon which funding from the Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program to the six SBC seminaries is allocated. The 25 students currently enrolled in the music program are generating 17 FTEs.

"It was never the desire of anyone connected with Golden Gate Seminary that the church music program be stopped," Crews said. "Rather, it was the desire of all persons involved in this decision that the music program be both helpful to the churches and financially viable. We believe the future of shaping effective leaders for music and worship in the churches will be enhanced by these actions."

In addition to the Singletons and McCoy, the school of music employs one other trustee-elected faculty member, Max Lyall, professor of church music, elected 1974. Several adjunct faculty also are used to teach music courses. Patsy Yang, an adjunct instructor, also serves as the school's office administrator.

Crews said McCoy will work with these and others to develop "new ways in which men and women can be prepared for ministry in local churches, primarily of the West."

"The music school's advisory council -- made up of local ministers of music and convention-wide music leaders -- has been active in helping us search out new possibilities in program and curricular matters as well as in recruitment and promotion of the music school," McCoy added. "This group can play an important part during the restructuring phase in the music school."

Terry York, associate pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas, chairs the advisory group.

"I deeply regret the personal hurt and misunderstandings that these measures have brought about," York said. "But even working through the pain of these difficult days ... we have to personally hold onto the hope that Golden Gate will continue to be a viable and vibrant force for training ministers of the gospel, whether they be musicians, pastors or education ministers. If the advisory council can play some part in that, that's good and I want to be a part of it."

McCoy also praised the activities of music school students throughout the process: "Our students during this time have shown leadership and competence in relating to the demands being placed upon them at a time of extreme difficulty. They have really proven themselves as capable and dedicated in their calling, to the school and to their studies."

Citing confidentiality in personnel matters, seminary officials said they did not want to announce details of the severance package being provided to assist the Singletons with their transition from the seminary.

"The Singletons will be greatly missed for the quality of their of their service, their expertise and their friendship," McCoy said.

Craig Singleton, former director of the music school, has taught at Golden Gate 17 years. His wife, Beth, was elected to the faculty in 1984, after serving as instructor in church music since 1980. In addition to their seminary duties, the Singletons are co-ministers of music at Tiburon (Calif.) Baptist Church.

Craig Singleton earned a bachelor of arts degree with majors in religion and music from Samford. He also holds master of church music and doctor of musical arts degrees from Southern Seminary and the master of music education degree from Holy Names College, Oakland, Calif.

He has served the National Association of Schools of Music as chairman of the ethics committee. In addition, he has served as vice president of the education division of the Southern Baptist Church Music Conference.

Beth Singleton holds a bachelor of music degree from Samford University, Birmingham, Ala., and a master of church music degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky. She has done additional study at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif.

"We are grateful to Craig and Beth Singleton for their deep devotion and tireless efforts in laying the groundwork for the future of the Dixon School of Church Music at Golden Gate Seminary," Crews said. "We wish them the very best of God's blessings in the future as he leads them to ministries where their talents will continue to bless others and bring glory to God."
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