The trustees of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary met Monday for their annual Spring meeting, during which they approved the budget, elected new board officers, elected faculty, and honored outgoing board members.
“Southern Seminary is a testimony to God’s faithfulness, said Joshua Powell, current board chairman. “Under the stewardship of Dr. Mohler the school continues in the healthiest of financial stability. This board meeting was clear evidence of the health and blessing of God on Southern.”
As a testament to God’s faithfulness, Southern Seminary and Boyce College continue to have growing enrollment and strengthened financial position, allowing the trustees to move to adopt a $53.4million operating budget for the 2024-2025 Academic Year, a 2.36% increase over last year.
The board unanimously elected Keith Daniels as chairman of the trustees, replacing Joshua Powell, who has served in that role for the past two years. After a long career as an HR professional in corporate America, Keith retired as an entrepreneur and owner of Christian Brothers Automotive in Grapevine, TX. He is an elder at MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church in Irving, Texas. Keith is married to Sharon, his wife of 37 years, and they have two daughters, Marissa and Makayla.
Speaking on his election as board chairman, Daniels said, “I am grateful for this opportunity and consider it an honor to serve as the next Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Southern Seminary.” He continued, “More than the privilege to serve our institution, I am grateful for the greater privilege to serve the broader kingdom of Christ as we continue to invest in the preparation of the next generation of leaders for the sake of the gospel.”
Trustees also elected other officers, including Bill Sones as first vice chairman, Bill Behrens as second vice chairman, Bruce Chesser as secretary, and Jeremy Rhoden as financial board chairman.
In other business, the board unanimously elected four faculty members, including Dustin Bruce as Associate Professor of Christian Theology and Church History, Matthew Haste as Associate Professor of Biblical Spirituality and Biblical Counseling, Andrew Walker as Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Public Theology, and Matthew Westerholm as Professor of Church Music and Worship. Trustees also approved sabbatical leave for professors Stephen Wellum, Shawn Wright, Jim Hamilton, and Andrew Walker.
The trustees also approved the promotions of four faculty members: Dustin Bruce, promoted to Associate Professor of Christian Theology and Church History; Robert Jones, promoted to Professor of Biblical Counseling; Matthew Westerholm, promoted to Professor of Church Music and Worship; and John Wilsey, promoted to Professor of Church History.
Trustees honored the faithful service of three trustees who are rotating off the board after the conclusion of their terms of service: Rick Stabb (KY), Jim Henry (FL), and Tom Rush (GA).
In reflecting on the Spring meeting, President R. Albert Mohler, Jr. said, “I am very thankful for this meeting of our board of trustees. Once again, our board has shown itself faithful in its stewardship and in fulfillment of the task assigned by churches of the Southern Baptist Convention. I am thankful that in every respect we were able to report health and God’s continued blessings.” Mohler continued, “At this trustee meeting, we observed a historic change in leadership. I want to express profound appreciation to pastor Josh Powell, pastor of Taylors Baptist Church in South Carolina, for his outstanding leadership over the course of the last two years. We are so pleased that Mr. Keith Daniels, a businessman from Dallas, TX, has been elected chairman of the board to give outstanding leadership as we look to the future.”
