fbpx
News Articles

7/16/97 New Orleans Seminary trustees elect Steve Lemke as provost


NEW ORLEANS (BP)–Trustees of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary elected Steve Warner Lemke as provost during a special called meeting of trustees July 15 on the seminary campus. He will assume the position Aug. 1.
“We are thrilled over the addition of Dr. Steve Lemke to our administrative team,” said Chuck Kelley, seminary president. “He brings the mind of a scholar, the heart of a pastor and the passion of a missionary to the office of provost.
“Our target is a graduate who can lead and grow healthy churches. I am confident that Dr. Lemke will help us hit that mark.”
Lemke has been chairman of the philosophy of religion department and associate professor in philosophy of religion at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, since 1990. At Southwestern he was on 10 academic committees at various times, including chairman of commencement/academic events, chairman of student relations and chairman of a subcommittee rewriting guidelines for the doctor of ministry degree program. He also was on the president’s task force, the educational technology task force and the curriculum committee.
Lemke previously was pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church, Bryan, Texas, 1988-90; an instructor in philosophy at Blinn College, College Station, Texas, 1988-89; chairman of the religion and philosophy department and associate professor of philosophy at Williams Baptist College, Walnut Ridge, Ark., 1984-88; instructor in philosophy and ethics at Weatherford College, Weatherford, Texas, 1981-83; pastor of First Baptist Church, Santo, Texas, 1979-84; a teaching fellow in philosophy of religion and systematic theology at Southwestern Seminary, 1978-82; and an instructor in philosophy at Tarrant County Junior College, Fort Worth, Texas, 1979-80. He also has five years of experience in youth ministry at several churches.
In his activities as a Christian philosopher, Lemke has been on the institutional ethics committee at John Peter Smith Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas, the past five years and has been a chaplain at several other hospitals. He has been a guest professor at Oradea Bible Institute and Bucharest Theological Seminary, Romania, and St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, Russia, and has made presentations for meetings of the American Society of Aesthetics, the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society of Christian Philosophers, the American Academy of Religion, the Christian Life Commission (now Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission) of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist Association of Philosophy Teachers. He also has been active as a supply preacher, a revival evangelist and a speaker for seminars and Bible conferences.
Lemke was co-editor with Bruce Corley and Grant Lovejoy of “Biblical Hermeneutics: A Comprehensive Introduction to Interpreting Scripture,” published by the Baptist Sunday School Board’s Broadman & Holman division in 1996. His numerous writings for denominational publications include more than 50 adult Sunday school lessons, 11 issues of Home Bible Study Guide, six articles in Biblical Illustrator and two articles in the Holman Bible Dictionary. He taught in 21 broadcasts of “Good News” on the ACTS/VISN television network, 1991-95.
Originally from Ruston, La., Lemke received the bachelor of arts degree cum laude in history from Louisiana Tech in 1972, with a minor in journalism. He completed three graduate degrees at Southwestern Seminary, the master of divinity in 1976, the master of arts in religious education in 1978 and the doctor of philosophy in 1985 with a major in philosophy of religion and minors in ethics and preaching. His dissertation, on the Christian philosophy of Emile Cailliet, is part of the Cailliet Collection at Princeton Theological Seminary.
He currently is completing work on a master of arts in philosophy at Texas A & M University.
Lemke, who will be 46 in August, is married to the former Carol Clapp of Winston-Salem, N.C. She completed the bachelor of music degree program at Meredith College, Raleigh, N.C. They have one son, Austin, who will be 5 in August.
“I’m glad to be here and am looking forward to helping shape and share the vision of Dr. Kelley,” said Lemke following his election.
“I am very concerned that the institution be student-friendly and that we have both academic excellence and close ties to the local church as we prepare students for ministry. If we skimp on either one of these commitments, we have not provided a good theological education.
“Education must be broad-based these days, as well as cover the baseline disciplines that relate to all aspects of the ministry, since ministry is more diverse now than in the past.
“Some information may not have immediate payoff, but it will prepare the student for a lifetime of ministry.”

    About the Author

  • Debbie Moore