[1]NEW ORLEANS (BP)–New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s trustees elected three new faculty members, received the presidential appointment of one faculty member and approved other various faculty promotions and appointments during their March 14-16 meeting in New Orleans.
Trustees approved specialists in church history and New Testament, Curtis Scott Drumm and Norris Grubbs, respectively, for the college of undergraduate studies, to undergird the revised competency-based undergraduate curriculum, which was also approved by the trustees.
“We are delighted to add Scott Drumm and Norris Grubbs to the faculty of our undergraduate college,” said Steve Lemke, NOBTS provost. “Both come to us with excellent academic preparation and pastoral experience. Dr. Drumm has served both as youth staff member of a large urban church and as pastor of a small rural church. These men can help prepare our students to serve in a variety of ministerial settings.”
“Dr. Drumm comes to our institution with a wealth of knowledge concerning church history and a strong commitment to what defines us as Southern Baptists,” said Thomas Strong, dean of the college of undergraduate studies. “Mr. Grubbs, having served as a pastor before coming to teach, brings with him the heart of a pastor and the mind of a New Testament scholar. Our undergraduate faculty is excited about the addition of their expertise and ministry.”
Trustees also approved the first trustee-elected SBC seminary professor of women’s ministry, Bayne Pounds. “Women want to learn from other women and take what they learn to the women in their church,” Pounds said. Specialized training in women’s ministry, modeled after scriptures in Titus 2, equips leaders in the local church to be effective in this ministry, she added.
“Dr. Pounds is a very popular classroom teacher,” Lemke said. “We are delighted to have her as a part of our graduate faculty in this
groundbreaking area of ministry to women.”
[2]Laurie Watts, in a presidential appointment, was received as professor of education technology, an administrative support position designed to undergird faculty and staff in technological issues related to their teaching.
“As we continue our process of reinventing seminary, people with technology skills such as Dr. Watts will become more and more essential for quality theological education,” Lemke said. “We have already profited from her expertise, and her appointment to the faculty makes her even more valuable to our institution.”
Further details about the new faculty members’ backgrounds include:
— Pounds, who will be assistant professor of women’s ministry, has served a variety of positions at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary since 1989, most recently working with its women’s ministry program and serving as adjunct faculty member and contract teacher in the Christian education division of the college of undergraduate studies. Previously, she served as a graduate fellow in the master’s-level Christian education program. A conference leader in the areas of ministerial liability and youth ministry, Pounds also served as adjunct professor in church recreation/religious education at Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tenn., from 1987-88. She has served in a variety of ministry positions, including director of single adult ministries at First Baptist Church, Spartanburg, S.C., from 1994-97, and Sunday school teacher/department director at First Baptist Church, New Orleans, since 1997.
Pounds earned her bachelor of arts degree in church recreation from Samford University, Birmingham, Ala., in 1977 and both her master of religious education and doctor of philosophy degrees from New Orleans Seminary in 1979 and 1999. She and her husband, Jerry Pounds, who serves as assistant to the president at New Orleans Seminary, have two children.
— Watts, assistant professor of educational technology, has served a variety of positions at New Orleans Seminary since 1985, including her present position as assistant to the vice president for business affairs for information technology services. She also has served as adjunct professor in the areas of Christian education and computer technology. Previously, she served as minister of children at Elysian Fields Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans from 1987-97. She has also served as consultant of collaborative programming on the Logos Church Management Accounting System for Lowell Brown Enterprises in Los Angeles, as well as various ministry positions in Louisiana and Alabama.
Watts earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology and religion from Judson College in Marion, Ala. in 1984 and both the master of divinity and doctor of education degrees from New Orleans Seminary in 1988 and 1996. She and her husband, Stanley Watts Jr., who serves as NOBTS director of special services, have one child.
— Drumm, assistant professor in theological and historical studies in the college of undergraduate studies, served as a teaching fellow in 1997 for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. Previously, he was pastor at Plainview Baptist Church in Chalk Mountain, Texas, from 1993-97 and as junior high minister at Alamo City Baptist Church in San Antonio from 1989-92. Drumm earned his bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1992 and both his master of divinity and doctor of philosophy degrees from Southwestern in 1995 and 1999. He and his wife, the former Lisa Avila of San Antonio, Texas, have one child.
— Grubbs, instructor in New Testament in the college of undergraduate studies, has served as a contract teacher in New Testament for New Orleans Seminary since spring 1999. Previously, he was pastor of Lee Hill Baptist Church, Folsom, La., from 1995-99, and in mission outreach projects in Illinois and Michigan in 1992 and 1993. Grubbs earned his bachelor of science degree in religion and mathematics from Union University, Jackson, Tenn., in 1994 and his master of divinity degree from New Orleans Seminary in 1997. He is expected to complete his doctor of philosophy degree in New Testament from New Orleans Seminary in May 2001. Grubbs is married to the former Kimberly Chebahtah of Indiahoma, Okla. She earned her master of divinity degree with a specialization of Christian education from New Orleans Seminary in 1999.
In other action, trustees:
— named Jim Shaddix as the dean of the chapel, an administrative ministry position that will provide continuity in worship planning and regular preaching of the Word for the seminary family, preaching at least once a week in chapel, in connection with the spiritual vitality facet of the seminary’s core values.
— approved faculty tenure and rank promotions for Ken Gabrielse to associate professor of church music, serving at the seminary since Aug. 1, 1995; Randy Millwood to associate professor of Christian education, serving since Aug. 1, 1995; and Jim Shaddix to associate professor of preaching, serving since Aug. 1, 1995.
— re-elected the following instructors: Eddie Campbell, instructor in English in the college of undergraduate studies; Tina Murdock, also an undergraduate instructor in English, as well as assistant music librarian; and Loretta Rivers, instructor in social work.
— approved final faculty sabbatical proposals for 2000-2001 for Harold Mosley, Paul Robertson, Argile Smith and Francis Kimmitt. Also approved preliminary faculty sabbatical proposals for 2001-2002 for Dennis Cole (half sabbatic in fall 2001), Darryl Ferrington, Allen Jackson, Jim Shaddix and Gerald Stevens.