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news about the denomination
The following news items apply to (or affect) the Free Will Baptist denomination scattered across the nation and around the world.To read more about Free Will Baptists and the various departments that make up the national organization, visit www.nafwb.org.
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ROGER REEDS DEAD AT 79
GOODLETTSVILLE, TN Free Will Baptist visionary, Dr. Roger C. Reeds, died on May 2, 2007 following an extended illness. Converted in1947 and called to preach the following year, Reeds is best remembered for founding Randall House Publications (the Sunday School and Church Training Department of the National Association of Free Will Baptists). His vision for quality Free Will Baptist Sunday School curriculum blossomed, and today Randall House Publications provides ministry resources for churches and organizations around the world.
Following his retirement from Randall House, Dr. Reeds pastored Trinity FWB Church, Goodlettsville, TN. Read more about his amazing life in the August-September 2007 issue of ONE Magazine.
FOUNDATION DELIVERS ENDOWMENT EARNINGS
Antioch, TN The Free Will Baptist Foundation delivered more than $332,000 in endowment earnings to various Free Will Baptist ministries in 2006. The gifts came from endowment funds managed by the Foundation, according to William Evans, director. For the year 2006 these earnings were delivered to the following ministries:
State and Local Ministries - $155,610
International Missions - $53,353
FWB Family Ministries - $35,228
Free Will Baptist Bible College - $33,739
Board of Retirement - $17,794
Master’s Men - $13,441
Home Missions - $9,055
California Christian College - $3,649
The Together Way - $3,445
Hillsdale FWB College - $2,778
Seminary of the Cross - $1,119
ONE Magazine - $1,097
WNAC - $1,064
International Fellowship of FWB - $604
FWB Foundation - $280
National Commissions - $175
Randall House - $78
TOTAL EARNINGS - $332,509
Endowments are permanent gifts invested so that income is available for ministry. These gifts continue to give year after year. The Foundation manages gifts for every national agency and will accept gifts to these endowments in any amount. Over the last ten years, the Foundation has delivered over $1.3 Million to denominational ministries
For information about endowments, please contact the Foundation at (877) 336-7575 or email at foundation@nafwb.org.
 COLLEGE MOVES FORWARD with relocation plans
NASHVILLE, TN Less than 24 hours after a proposed buyer terminated the contract to purchase the current campus, Free Will Baptist Bible College officials renewed efforts to market the West End campus and relocate the 400-student college in the Greater Nashville area, according to Colonel Mark Johnson, relocation consultant.
“We already had several potential buyers to express interest in the campus,” Johnson said. “In the past week, nine have stepped forward. While we’re disappointed that the first buyer backed out, other developers are talking with us now. We still hope to relocate to a new campus by the fall of 2009.”
FWBBC signed a contract in December 2006 to sell the campus by May 2007 after a due-diligence and inspection period. The buyer notified college officials in mid-March that he would be unable to move forward with the proposed purchase. Later, however, he cited parking concerns during a newspaper interview. Colonel Johnson said, “We were on track to satisfy parking requirements during the transitional period and had developed a concept plan. We engaged a traffic and parking engineering firm, and were formalizing agreements with neighboring institutions that would meet our needs for parking spaces. We discussed the issue with the metropolitan government codes administrator and traffic and parking engineer, and were assured that this approach would meet all requirements regarding parking.”
College officials had been advised by leaders in the real estate market to expect bumps in the contract process, especially in light of the multi-million dollar campus price tag.
College officials had been advised by leaders in the real estate market to expect challenges in the contract process, in light of the multi-million dollar price tag.
President Matt Pinson said, “We are undaunted in our relocation efforts. In God’s own time, we will locate a buyer and sell the campus. The next interested buyer may be the one to purchase the current campus, or perhaps the buyer after that. We believe it’s simply a matter of when and who, not if.”
The college’s current facilities satisfy near-term needs and provide for limited growth. Future growth needs, however, in student population and in undergraduate and graduate programs, will require a larger campus.
REGISTRATION AT FWB COLLEGES TRENDS UPWARD
ANTIOCH, TN According to the annual registration numbers submitted by each school since 1988, the number of students attending Free Will Baptist colleges is on the rise. Schools reporting include: California Christian College, Free Will Baptist Bible College, Gateway Christian College*, Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College, and Southeastern Free Will Baptist College.
During the five-year period between 1988 and 1992, the average number of students in FWB colleges was 575 nationwide. From 2002 through 2006, that average rose to 915, an increase of nearly 60 percent. While enrollment numbers fluctuate year in and year out, the figures indicate a steady pattern of growth among the schools.
* founded 2002
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