Coleman joins SBTS faculty as assistant professor of church music and worship
By Travis Hearne/SBTS
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has named Trevor Coleman as Assistant Professor of Church Music and Worship. Coleman brings over a decade of pastoral ministry and a robust background in vocal performance and music education to Southern’s Department of Biblical Worship.
“I am honored to step into this new role and to be a part of the rich legacy of Southern Seminary,” Coleman said. “I am passionate about raising up and training worship leaders, providing them with a wide breadth of experience in musical opportunities, a strong theology of worship, and an understanding of the multi-faceted role of worship leadership in the local church.”
Provost Paul Akin applauded Coleman’s heart for ministry and care for students.
“Trevor Coleman combines the heart of a pastor with a deep love for students,” Akin said. “He has a passion and vision for training the next generation of worship leaders to serve the church here and around the world.”
Coleman has directed the Doxology Vocal Ensemble at Southern since 2022 and has served as a voice instructor at Boyce College since 2020. He has also served as worship pastor at Hurstbourne Baptist Church in Louisville since 2020, where he has led the congregation in theologically rich and musically excellent corporate worship.
Coleman earned his Master of Church Music from Southern Seminary in 2019 and holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Youngstown State University. He is currently completing his PhD in Christian Worship at Southern, with an anticipated graduation date of 2027.
Coleman believes the stakes of worship ministry extend well beyond the platform.
“I believe that worship leadership goes beyond what happens on the platform,” Coleman said. Leaders must learn to navigate the complexities of worship ministry with wisdom and love, prioritizing the care of their people and their love for Christ while they lead.”
Jeremy Pierre, dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Ministry, welcomed the appointment with enthusiasm.
“Trevor Coleman is the piece that completes the set of a stellar music faculty,” Pierre said. “Trevor loves the church, loves students, and loves the craft of music leadership. That’s exactly on mission for Southern Seminary and Boyce College.”
President R. Albert Mohler Jr. also expressed his excitement for Coleman’s appointment.
“Trevor Coleman brings an unusual combination of character, experience, and passion to teaching,” Mohler said. “His deep experience in the local church, his deep investment in choral music, his understanding of Christian worship honed through many years of Christian ministry, all of this makes Trevor Coleman an outstanding professor in the classroom. We know this already because he’s been teaching and is excited by this now in this formal role. We look forward to many years of service together.”
The local church needs biblical worship to form deep disciples. Coleman stressed the necessity and privilege for investing in the next generation of worship leaders.
“There is a continued urgency for our churches and seminaries to invest even more in training people for worship ministry,” Coleman said. The local church worship gathering has a shaping effect on the hearts and lives of the people we lead.”
IMB liaisons conclude term at NOBTS, move to UMobile
By Timothy Cockes/NOBTS
NEW ORLEANS – Austin and Megan Holcomb have been serving an IMB missionary term at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for the last three years.
The couple has served at NOBTS as seminary and pipeline liaisons for the International Mission Board, representing a unique and strategic partnership between the entities.
The Holcombs served as International Mission Board representatives primarily tasked with assisting, guiding and mentoring NOBTS students who are in the application process to become IMB missionaries or have potential interest in missionary service.
After the couple’s missionary term at NOBTS ended in May, Austin and Megan will embark on a new journey of missions leadership this upcoming fall.
Austin will serve as director of the brand-new Tom Elliff Center for Missions at the University of Mobile, as well as assistant professor of theology. Beginning this fall, Austin will lead a team of staff at the Center as it launches as a new initiative of the university.
Similar to the Global Mission Center (GMC) at NOBTS, the Tom Elliff Center will seek to continue to build a missional culture at the University of Mobile by providing training and education to students, as well as helping mobilize them toward the mission field.
“This opportunity was not on our radar, but we could honestly see the Lord going before us in this process with almost every detail,” Austin said. “I’m excited to work on developing this new Center with the leadership at the University of Mobile.
“We want to be a Center that impacts, affects and holds hands with students during a time where they are developing their professional skills. Our goal is to create a Great Commission vision in every student that comes to the school no matter what their major is.
“We desire to bolster their faith but also help mobilize some of them to the mission field, whether that be short-term or potentially longer.”
The Holcombs expressed thankfulness for the way their time at NOBTS prepared them for their new ministry assignment.
“I don’t think we would be in this position had it not been for our time of ministry here at NOBTS,” Austin said. “I just have a heart of gratitude for everyone here.”
Beyond helping them prepare for their next opportunity, the Holcombs said their term at NOBTS also provided a time of stability where they developed new ministry passions.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a host of other reasons, the Holcombs’ first IMB missionary term was filled with a lot of changes and unexpected turns. While serving at NOBTS, the couple helped guide young adults experiencing similar things.
“The Lord helped Megan and I discover how much we enjoy ministering to college students during this term at NOBTS,” Austin said.
“We have had to navigate a lot of transitions, unknowns and unpredictable changes in our lives, especially on the mission field. I think that is one reason that we find ourselves comfortable training and discipling young people during this time in their lives where they are trying to navigate what is next for them.”
Although they became accustomed to transition out of necessity, the constant change did eventually take a mental and emotional toll on the Holcomb family.
Austin recalls the family staying the night for at least five consecutive days in more than 30 different physical locations over the course of their four-year term.
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