BMA Seminary Home | Prospective Students | Current Students
Alumni  /  Friends | Faculty | News and Events  

BMA Seminary

Campus Life

Worship. The aim of the seminary is to foster an atmosphere that is conducive to devotion and consecration as well as high standards of learning. Worship is fundamental in the lite and work of the seminary. Forty-five minutes on Tuesday and Thursday are set aside as special periods of worship in the chapel. Faculty and students gather for a service that is usually conducted by a faculty member or by a visiting pastor or layman. Students are frequently invited to lead, finding this a challenge to their God-given abilities.

Religious Life Committee. The Religious Life Committee of the seminary is concerned with the personal and devotional spiritual life of the students. To foster this, occasional prayer meetings are conducted on campus. Students are encouraged to participate in chapel service, and to share special blessings in ministry with their peers. Each spring there is a Spiritual Emphasis Week in which an outstanding speaker is brought in to stimulate interest in spiritual revival on campus.

Student Life Committee. The Student Life Committee is composed of the student body officers, the Seminary Women's Auxiliary officers and a faculty adviser. The committee is charged with promoting various areas of student life including social growth, awareness of community and campus projects, and physical fitness activities.

Student Council. The student body has its own organization, the Student Council. The purpose of this organization is to promote unity of interest among the students in matters relating to the well-being of the student body and to create at all times a spirit of cooperation in the promotion of the best interests of the seminary.

Placement Service. Students are helped in religious vocational employment and service through the office of the Director of Student Services. Consequently, many of the seminary students serve as pastors in churches in the Jacksonville area, sometimes to distances exceeding 100 miles from the seminary. At the same time the student is receiving academic training in the classroom, he can also be putting this training into practice.

Clinical Pastoral Education. The Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary grants academic credit up to six semester hours to those students who desire to spend one of their summers at a training center which is approved by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. In this ACE program, students learn theory and gain experience in ministering to the mentally ill. More information concerning this opportunity in clinical training may be obtained from the Seminary Dean.

Internship Training. Internship courses are offered in the fields of missions, pastoral theology, and religious education. Taken normally during the summer, these courses offer the student on-the-field training with competent pastors and missionaries.

Secular Employment. Some students supplement their resources by part-time secular work. The administration gladly renders assistance to students seeking employment. A number of business firms in the city of Jacksonville employ seminary students whenever openings occur.

L. H. Raney Endowment. This endowment was established in honor of L. H. Raney, a faithful advocate of Christian education. Funds presently equal approximately $25,000. Interest from this endowment is used to provide for the L. H. Raney Visiting Professor of Christian Education.

Harold Leytham Preaching and Evangelism Fund. The Harold Leytham Preaching and Evangelism Fund was established in the summer of 1990 by the family of Thomas Harold Leytham, Jr., as a special memorial in his honor. This fund is dedicated to the furtherance of Christian education, preaching, and evangelism. Proceeds from the fund will be used each year to provide services in which a special chapel speaker will focus on some important aspect of preaching or evangelism.

Brand Lectures. Since the 1986-87 school year the lectures delivered each spring during "Spiritual Emphasis Week" have been designated as the "Brand Lectures" in recognition of the years of dedicated service rendered to the Lord and Associational Baptists by Brother and Mrs. Ralph A. Brand of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. A permanent endowment of $10,000 or more will be established in their names to provide funds for the lectures.

William Newton Paschal Memorial Bible Lectures. An endowment was established in 1984 in honor of William Newton Paschal (veteran BMA preacher of Columbia County, Arkansas) by his daughters, Dessarine Paschal McNeill of Waldo, Arkansas, and Kathleen Paschal Fullenwider of Magnolia, Arkansas. Interest from this endowment funds the annual Bible lectures at BMA Seminary during the first week of October. Dr. Harold McNeill, a grandson, was selected to bring the 1984 lectures.

Visiting Lecturers and Bible Conference speakers. Students and guests are given spiritual blessings as outstanding preachers throughout the Baptist Missionary Association of America come to proclaim the Word of God. Since 1968, Spiritual Emphasis Week has been held each spring and the Bible Lectures each fall. The spring lectures are designed for spiritual renewal and revival. The fall lectures, although inspirational in content, have an object primarily to stimulate student discussion and dialogue. Spiritual Emphasis speakers are usually leading pastors from the Baptist Missionary Association of America, and the fall lecturers are outstanding Baptist educators. The following people have been speakers since the lectureship programs were instituted:

1968 A. R. Reddin, B.A., M. Ed., Former President of Central Baptist College, Conway, Arkansas and President of Southeastern Baptist College, Laurel, Mississippi

1969 E. Harold Henderson, B.A., B.D., Th.D., Pastor of Central Baptist Church, Lubbock, Texas

1970 Grover Laird, Former Interstate Missionary for the North American Baptist Association, and Pastor of Creston Hills Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi

1971 Clyde Coleman, B.A., M.A., Professor of Religion, Central Baptist College, Conway, Arkansas

1972 Members of Faculty and Staff

1973 John W. Duggar, M.A., B.D., Th.D., President, Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary

1975 Members of the Preaching Class

1976 Members of the Preaching Class

1978 Members of Faculty and Student Body

1979 Eugene Murphy, Th.B., B.A., M.R.E., President of Southeastern Baptist College, Laurel, Mississippi; A.D. Livingston, Evangelist-Pastor, Rison, Arkansas; Joe C. Pendleton, B.A., M.Div.., D.Min., Dean and Professor of New Testament and Practical Theology, BMA Theological Seminary

1980 Mrs. G. E. Jones, Lecturer on "The Tabernacle," Morrilton, Arkansas

1981 Gene Edwards, B.S., Executive Director of Baptist Missionary Loan Association; Coy L. Quesenbury, B.A., B.D., President of Motivation for Christian Growth

1982 Ralph A. Brand, B.S., M.S., Specialist, M.R.E., Th. D., Director of Development for BMA Seminary

1983 Harold Leytham, B.A., B.D., Evangelist, Mobile, Alabama

1984 Robert Isaacs, A.A., Th.B., Managing Editor for the Spanish Literature Ministry of the Baptist Missionary Association of America, Lubbock, Texas

1985 Grady Higgs, B.D., M.Div., Pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Texas

1986 Gerald Kellar, B.A., Th.M., Th.D., Executive Vice President, Southeastern Baptist College, Laurel, Mississippi

1987 Jerry Lynn Burnaman, B.S., M.Div., Pastor of First Baptist Church, Carthage, Texas

1988 John Warren Greene, B.A., M.Div., Pastor of Harmony Hill Baptist Church, Lufkin, Texas

1989 Brent Strehlow, B.A., Pastor of West Park Baptist Church, Houston, Texas

1990 Paul Robinson, A.A., Pastor of the Center of Life / Centro de Vida, Houston, Texas

1991 Jim R. Sayers, Pastor of Antioch West Baptist Church near Magnolia, Arkansas

1992 J. T. Harris, A.A., B.A., M.R.E., Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Carthage, Texas

1993 Charles Olin Strong, B.S., M.S., Th.D., former Editor-in Chief of Publications (1971-'77) for the BMA of America

1994 Lynn Stephens, Pastor of Keltys Baptist Church, Lufkin, Texas

1995 R. D. Cline, B.S., M.A.R., Pastor of East Amory Baptist Church, Amory, Mississippi

1996 Jurl Mitchell, A.A., B.S.E., Evangelist and revival speaker, Greenbrier, Arkansas

1997 Joseph Simon, Pastor of First Baptist Church, Oradea, Romania

1998 Jason "J. D." Brown, Director of Voice and Praise Ministries, Hallsville, Texas

1999 Ted Johnson, President of the Texas Baptist Home for Children, Waxahachie, Texas

2000 Grady Lee Higgs Jr., Pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Texas

2001 David E. Clippard, Associate Director of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma

2002 Thomas E. Mitchell, Pastor of Chenal Valley Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas

2003 Vernon Lee, Pastor of Wyatt Baptist Church, El Dorado, Arkansas

1968 John J. Kiwiet, B.A., B.D., Th.D., Professor of Historical Theology, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth. Texas

1969 Glenn O. Hilburn, B.A., B.D., Th.D., Associate Professor of Religion, Baylor University, Waco, Texas

1970 Jesse Northcutt, A.B., Th.M., Th.D., Dean of the School of Theology and Professor of Preaching, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas

1971 Donald Keith Campbell, A.B., Th.M., Th.D., Academic Dean, Professor of Bible Exposition, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas. Texas

1973 Harold Cooper, B.S., M.S.E., Ph.D., Dean, Central Baptist College, Conway, Arkansas

1974 Leland Callaway, B.B.A., M.B.A., Ed.D., Professor of Business and Head of Vocational and Business Education Dept., Southern State College, Magnolia, Arkansas

1975 S. T. Sullivan, B.D., Ph.D., Pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Texas

1976 M. S. Arrington, M.Div., BMA Missionary Io Bolivia

1977 Carl B. Case, B.D., Th.D., Chaplain Supervisor, Rusk State Hospital

1978 Larry Silvey, B.S., M.Div., Ph.D. cand., Editor of Baptist Publications, Texarkana, Texas

1979 Robert G. Jones, A.B., B.D., M.A., Ph.D., Professor of Religion at George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

1980 L. L. Collins, B.A., B.D., M.Div., Th. D., Director of Admissions and Registrar, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas

1981 Michael Gott, B.A., M.Div., Evangelist, Jacksonville, Texas

1982 Kenneth F. McKinley, B.A., Th.M., Th. D., Professor of Bible, LeTourneau College, Longview, Texas

1983 Joel Slayton, B.A., M.Div., Th.D., Professor of Religion, Central Baptist College, Conway, Arkansas

1984 Harold M. McNeill, B.A., M.R.E., M.A., Th.M., D.Min., Mental Health Chaplain, Rusk State Hospital

1985 L. Russ Bush, III, B.A., M.Div., Ph. D., Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas

1986 Roy O. Beaman, Th.M., Th.D., Professor of Greek and Theology, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Memphis, Tennessee

1987 William B. Tolar, B.A., M.A., M.Div., Th.D., Dean, School of Theology, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas

1988 Tony M. Cleaver, B.A., B.D., M.Div., D.Min., Training Evaluation Officer of the United States Army Chaplain Center and School, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey

1989 Elmer Towns, B.A., M.A., Th.M., D.Min., Dean of Liberty Baptist Seminary, Lynchburg, Virginia

1990 Millard J. Erickson, B.A., B.D., Ph.M., Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Dean of Bethel Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

1991 Donald A. Carson, B.S., M.Div., Ph.D., Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois

1992 David O. Dykes, B.A., M.Div., D.Min., Pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church, Tyler, Texas

1993 Ildeu Campos Gomes, Pastor of the Jardim Londres Church, Campinas, Brazil

1994 Douglas L. Laird, B.S., M.A., B.D., Th.D., President of Christian Stewardship Ministries, Inc., Dallas, Texas

1995 Stanley D. Toussaint, B.A., Th. M., Ph. D., retired Professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas

1996 Kenneth S. Hemphill, B.A., M.Div., D. Min., Ph.D., President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas

1997 Lewis A. Drummond, A.B., B.D., Th.M., Ph.D., Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama

1999 Dr. Ronald B. Allen, Professor of Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas

2000 Matthew McKellar, B.A., M.Div., Ph.D., Pastor of Sylvania Baptist Church, Tyler, Texas

2001 HalBrunson, B.A., M.Div., M.A., Ph.D., Pastor of First Baptist Church, Parker, Texas

2002 Matthew McKellar, B.A., M.Div., Ph.D., Pastor of Sylvania Baptist Church, Tyler, Texas

2003 Darrell Farney, B.A., M.Div., D.Min., U.S National Director, Central Region for Evangelism Explosion International

The Challenge. A quarterly paper, The Challenge, is sent to all students, ex-students, and other friends of the seminary. It contains devotional, doctrinal, and informative articles about the work and plans of this institution.

Other Publications. The seminary publishes a catalog for the benefit of prospective students. As a guideline to student life, a Student Handbook is published annually to supplement the catalog.

S.T.A.F.F. is an organization composed of Students, Trustees, Alumni, Faculty, and Friends of the seminary. S.T.A.F.F. endeavors to promote the interests and improvements of BMA Seminary. This group will normally meet for fellowship and business during the annual meeting of the Baptist Missionary Association of America.

Student Council. The Student Council consists of representatives elected from the student body for the purpose of stimulating greater fellowship and spiritual growth among the students and to encourage active participation in student affairs.

Seminary Women's Auxiliary. The Seminary Women's Auxiliary consists of female students, the wives of students, and faculty members organized for the purpose of spiritual and social fellowship. The auxiliary meets periodically during the school year and presents various programs of interest.