ARKANSAS ALUMNUS MAKES $10,000 GIFT TO FWBBC

SEARCY, AR Reverend Lawnie B. Coffman, retired pastor and the most highly decorated soldier from Arkansas in World War II, made a $10,000 gift to Free Will Baptist Bible College on January 5, according to FWBBC president Matt Pinson. Coffman and his wife, Alene, attended FWBBC and have faithfully supported the college for more than 50 years.

President Matt Pinson traveled to Reverend Coffman’s home area (Searcy) and spent several days with the 83-year-old minister at his cabin near Hector. While there, Pinson presented a plaque of appreciation to Coffman.

“Lawnie Coffman is one of America’s true heroes,” Pinson said. “He defended the nation’s freedom at great personal sacrifice as a young man. While lying in a pool of his own blood on a battlefield in Germany, he promised to serve God. Lawnie kept that promise. ”After returning home from the war, Coffman organized two Free Will Baptist churches and eventually pastored eight churches in 42 years before retiring. He wrote two books about his war experiences, The Promise and My Leg of the Race.

Coffman presented a 10-volume DVD collection, “World War II Remembered, An Oral History of Arkansas Veterans,” to President Pinson. Volume two features a 30-minute segment in which Coffman describes his war experiences. The DVD collection will be placed in the Free Will Baptist Historical Collection.

Brother Coffman received seven citations while serving as a sergeant with the 35th Infantry Division. The citations include a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts. He fought in four major battles and was wounded three times.

Lawnie Coffman and five family members flew to France in September 2004 where that nation honored him for his actions in World War II that liberated a French town. The French ambassador escorted Coffman to the city he helped liberate where a plaque was unveiled commemorating his courage.

Photo Identification: Lawnie Coffman (L) receives plaque from FWBBC president Matt Pinson who holds DVD collection. Arkansas executive director Tim Campbell joined them at Coffman’s cabin.

FWBBC STUDENTS ELECT NEW OFFICERS

NASHVILLE, TN Three juniors and two sophomores were elected in April to serve as 2005-2006 student body officers at Free Will Baptist Bible College.

Gerald Turner, junior youth ministry major from Tupelo, MS, was elected president and will preside at all student body meetings. Gerald is a member of Eggville FWB Church.

He will be assisted by early childhood development major Ashley Coker, a junior student from Clarksville, TN who was elected vice-president. Ashley is a member of Two Rivers FWB Church.

Bethany Parks, junior elementary education major from Pleasant View, TN, will serve as secretary-treasurer. She is a member of Goodsprings FWB Church.

Kentucky pastoral ministry major Scotty Curtis was elected chaplain and will provide spiritual leadership for the student body. Scotty is a member of Eastside FWB Church in Thelma.

FWBBC Offers Lifetime Learning Program

NASHVILLE, TN Free Will Baptist Bible College now offers a distinctive study opportunity for individuals who are not able to take courses on the Nashville campus. The Lifetime Learning Department was created to bring Bible-based educational instruction directly to the student’s home where he can learn at his own pace.

According to director, Rusty Campbell, “These video-based studies are filmed live during classroom sessions over the course of a semester. The student can listen to classroom lectures by respected FWBBC professors. It’s the closest thing to actually being in the classroom.”

Thirteen courses (37 credit hours) are currently available. Although a degree is not available through the program, an individual can accumulate significant college credit toward a degree.

Individual who do not wish to receive college credit may study on a non-credit basis as a means of broadening Bible knowledge. Any course taken for non-credit provides the student with the same information and materials at a significantly reduced rate.

For more information or to request a brochure, contact Rusty Campbell at (615) 844-5269, or e-mail him at rcampbell@fwbbc.edu.

OWENS NEW MISSIONARIES-IN-RESIDENCE

NASHVILLE, TN Veteran missionaries Dennis and Trena Owen will serve as Free Will Baptist International Missions’ (FWBIM) missionaries-in-residence at Free Will Baptist Bible College for 2005-2006, according FWBBC missions program coordinator, Ron Callaway.

“Dennis and Trena Owen bring 25 years of experience as Free Will Baptist missionaries to the post,” Callaway said. “They served 10 years in Spain and the past 15 years in Montevideo, Uruguay. They have two children, Miranda Craddock (Fort Myers, FL), and Jonathan, now serving with U.S. forces in the Middle East.”

Dennis received a master of divinity degree from Grace Theological Seminary and is completing a doctor of missions degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Dennis and Trena will succeed Don and Ruth McDonald as missionaries-in-residence. The McDonalds returned to Japan this summer.

“Don did an excellent job in classroom preparation,” Ron Callaway said. “He brought practical skills, experienced observations and missiological knowledge to his students. We will miss their presence with us.”

The college’s missionary-in-residence generally serves a one-year term before returning to the field. During that year, the missionary lives on campus in the Laura Belle Barnard House, and teaches and promotes missions among the students.

The goal of the missionary-in-residence (MIR) program is to help students develop a vision for and accept the challenge of global evangelism. The MIR program is operated in cooperation with the Free Will Baptist International Missions Department.

HILLSDALE STUDENTS ACTIVE IN SUMMER MISSIONS

MOORE, OK This summer, 18 Hillsdale students took part in summer missions programs.

Adam Blehm, Casey Jones, Kristi Smith, Jennifer Martin, and sponsor Amanda Thompson, traveled to Harsovo, Romania with Ruth Ministries International. Ruth Ministries is a non-denominational evangelical mission organization.

Lacey Trosper, Sheila Howard, Sacia Franklin, Erin McFarland, Leslie Owen Julie Stanford, and their sponsor, Autumn Drake, traveled to France, to work with Free Will Baptist Missionary Dennis Teague.

Kerrie Morgan went to Cuba as an intern with E-TEAM, a Free Will Baptist missions program that sends high school students to the mission field.

Mariah Sandiford, Tasha Foster and Dan Quirzo spent the summer in China with ELIC (English Language Institute/China).

Emily Hoover and her husband Kyle along with Lee Gibson had the opportunity to go to Vietnam with ELIC.