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. Read a brief history of Free Will Baptists in the United States.

Hillsdale Graduation Rate Third Highest in Oklahoma

Moore, OK—The graduation rate of 62.2% at Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College is one of the top rates of any college or university in Oklahoma, as verified by the White House College Scorecard: www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education/higher-education/college-score-card

Hillsdale President, Dr. Timothy Eaton, notes the graduation rate is remarkable because many students who enroll at Hillsdale are the first in their families to attend college. “I think it proves the power of a campus whose students are valued and engaged.”

Thirteen Oklahoma public universities averaged 34.1% graduation rates, and 11 private colleges and universities averaged 42.7%. The top five include: University of Tulsa (67.8%), University of Oklahoma (66.9%), Hillsdale (62.2%), Oklahoma State University (61.8%), and Oklahoma City University (60.1%).

Learn more about the college’s institutional profile at: http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/.

Type the word Hillsdale in the space titled Name of School and click on Hillsdale in Moore, Oklahoma. The link will open a detailed profile for the college.

Foundation Offers Estate Planning Seminars

Antioch, TN—The Free Will Baptist Foundation has partnered with Cornerstone Estate Planning to offer seminars to help Free Will Baptists put their estates in order. The one-hour seminars are available to churches upon request. They offer much more than information, with local attorneys ready to help attendees formulate all necessary documents. To learn more, contact the Foundation at 877-336-7575 or visit www.FWBGifts.org.

Free Will Baptist Publications Honored by EPA

NASHVILLE, TN—Both ONE Magazine and Randall House Publications were honored at the 2013 Evangelical Press Association (EPA) convention in Nashville, Tennessee, May 1-3.

Several publications from Randall House received Awards of Excellence. Adventure Guide won the Award of Excellence in the Youth category, along with Awards of Merit for Direction and Explorer’s Guide. The Brink and Fusion magazines also received Awards of Merit in the Devotional Magazine category.

In the Higher Goals division, Explorer’s Guide won third place in Publication Design, and Forward magazine, a devotional publication for high school teens, won fourth place in Fiction for “The Choice,” an article by Marilyn J. Chase.

ONE Magazine won awards in three categories: second place in Biblical Exposition, for the article “Paulitics” by Eric K. Thomsen; Fourth Place in Editorial for First Glimpse; and third place in the Devotional Article category for “Unexpected Treasure.”

The contest honors the best work by EPA publications during the 2012 calendar year and includes a wide variety of Christian publishers, from Compassion International to Focus on the Family, Christianity Today, and various LifeWay publications among many others.

Eric Thomsen, managing editor of ONE Magazine, noted, “It was encouraging to see Free Will Baptist publications receive high scores across the board. Peers in the publishing industry recognized the hard work and dedication of writers and editors, designers and production staff.”

Foundation Sets Rates

Antioch, TN—The Free Will Baptist Foundation recently announced that interest rates on their Money Management Trusts will continue at 2.75% through December 2013, in spite of recent market volatility.

Director David Brown explains, “The Federal Reserve continues to hold interest rates near 0%, and this impacts the rates we can offer. We expect the Foundation’s current rate to continue for perhaps another year until the Fed begins to raise rates again. We are pleased to offer rates that are competitive, if not higher than most similar investment opportunities.”

Money Management Trusts are easily accessible, and do not require a set investment period, with earnings based on an average daily balance. To learn more about MMTs and other options, contact the Foundation at 877-336-7575 or visit www.FWBGifts.org.