Whatever your future occupation may be, we want you to know that life is about God. That’s why we dedicate ourselves to the spiritual formation of our students.
At Welch College, you will be part of a community where students and professors know who you are.
Our students love it here, and you will too! You will have a great time making friendships that last a lifetime while learning in a safe, wholesome environment.
GALLATIN, TN—Welch College is proud to announce a banner year for the Lady Flames basketball program, highlighted by extraordinary individual honors and team success that will be remembered in Welch history.
The 2025–26 season marked one of the most successful campaigns in program history for the Lady Flames. Under the leadership of Head Coach Katie Bryan, the team achieved remarkable accomplishments on and off the court, earning recognition across the region and drawing national attention. The Lady Flames received the ranking in the February Coach’s Poll of 2nd overall—the highest rank in Welch history.
Coach Katie Bryan was selected as Mideast Region Coach of the Year in recognition of her outstanding leadership, strategic excellence, and commitment to developing student-athletes. This prestigious honor reflects a season in which the Lady Flames demonstrated resilience, teamwork, and competitive excellence.
Senior Karilyn Wieting was named Mideast Region Player of the Year, a testament to her dominant play throughout the season. Wieting’s leadership and performance were instrumental in many of the team’s key victories, and she closed out her season as one of the most impactful players in Welch College history.
In a feat rarely seen in college basketball, Karilyn Wieting and teammate Faithe Johnstone each reached the milestone of 1,000 career points this season. Their scoring achievements highlight not only their individual talent but the offensive versatility and balance that defined the Lady Flames’ attack. Up to this point in her career, Wieting has 1,414 points and 734 rebounds. Johnstone has 1,015 points, 302 assists, and 518 rebounds.
The Lady Flames capped their exceptional season by winning the Regional Championship, securing their place in the upcoming National Tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota, scheduled for March 11–14. This marks the first time in program history that the Lady Flames will participate in the National Tournament, setting the stage for an exciting postseason run.
Welch College Athletics is committed to developing leaders who combine academic excellence, Christian character, and athletic achievement. The Lady Flames’ historic season stands as a testament to that mission and to the continued growth of the athletic department. The Lady Flames look forward to representing Welch College in Minnesota at the National Tournament.
GALLATIN, TN—The Welch College Choir will conduct its spring tour March 11–16, according to Todd Parrish, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. The 31-member choir, directed by Dr. James Stevens, Dean of the Welch School of Music, will embark on a unique spring tour experience.
The choir will tour Washington, D.C., singing on the grounds of the United States Capitol in celebration of the 250th anniversary of America. In addition, the choir has been invited to tour and sing at the Embassy of Israel to the United States. The choir has also been scheduled to sing before the Tennessee House of Representatives in Nashville, Tennessee.
In addition to these opportunities, the choir will conduct services in Free Will Baptist churches in Middle and East Tennessee, as well as Christ Chapel Academy in Woodbridge, Virginia.
“I am thrilled for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students and our college,” Parrish said. “Welch College will have the opportunity to sing before some of our state and nation’s elected representatives and at the Israeli Embassy and experience the wonder of our nation’s capital at a momentous time in America’s history, all the while sharing the love of Christ through gospel music and message.”
“We ask people to pray for the health and safety of the choir as they travel and minister. Join us in prayer that the Holy Spirit would be evident as our students represent Christ in our state and nation’s capital and in Free Will Baptist churches.”
GALLATIN, TN—Welch College announces an opening for the Student Accounts and Payroll Coordinator position. The college seeks a detail-oriented and dependable individual to support student financial operations and employee payroll processes while providing excellent service to students, staff, and campus partners.
The Student Accounts and Payroll Coordinator will report to Alyssa Hill, Director of Financial Services. He or she will play a key role in maintaining accurate financial records, supporting compliance requirements, and helping to ensure smooth day-to-day financial operations for the college.
Key Responsibilities
The Student Accounts and Payroll Coordinator will prepare and invoice student billing each semester; collect, track, and reconcile student account payments; and send monthly student account statements. This employee will also assist students with payment plans, process financial aid batches, and request federal funds.
Additional responsibilities include processing monthly payroll and payroll reports, preparing new hire paperwork and assisting with employee onboarding, setting up employee benefits in coordination with benefits brokers, supporting the annual financial audit, reconciling petty cash on a monthly basis, and other related tasks as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field preferred but not required
Experience in accounting, finance, or administrative support
Intermediate-level skills in Microsoft Excel
Ability to work independently and collaboratively, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines
Strong organizational, communication, and customer service skills
Active church involvement, Christian commitment, and alignment with the mission of the college
Interested candidates should submit the following:
A cover letter outlining qualifications and interest in the position
A detailed resume
Contact information for three professional references
Please send this information to Alyssa Hill, Director of Financial Services, at the address listed below or via email to alyssa.hill@welch.edu by March 6.
Welch College is a Christian college located in Gallatin, Tennessee, whose mission is to educate Christian leaders to serve Christ, His Church, and His world through biblical thought and life. The college is committed to providing high-quality education in a supportive, spiritually enriching environment.
The college looks forward to welcoming a dedicated professional to our team to help support our students and employees through excellent financial services.
Alyssa Hill Welch College Business Office 1045 Bison Trail Gallatin, TN 37066
GALLATIN, TN—Dr. Daniel Webster has been named Vice President for Administration and Student Engagement at Welch College, according to President Matt Pinson. In a major administrative reconfiguration, which includes the naming of two new directors, Webster will strengthen coordination across campus operations, fostering a more cohesive and effective experience for current and prospective students and employees.
“In recent years, many institutions have consolidated the campus experience under one vice president who oversees multiple department directors and coordinators,” Pinson said. “I’m so excited about Dr. Webster’s appointment. Not only is he a stellar leader and administrator, but he has just the skillset we need for this streamlining of campus operations.”
After Dr. Jon Forlines’s retirement from the Vice President for Student Services role in October 2025, Webster was named Interim Director of Student Services. Then, following Craig Mahler’s resignation as Vice President for Financial Affairs, Webster became Interim Vice President for Administration and Student Engagement.
“In this restructuring, a single vice president will supervise three departments with corresponding directors or coordinators in the areas of Enrollment, Student Services, and the Business Office,” Pinson said. “Dr. Webster will be supervising these departments, not taking on the jobs of the former VPs in these areas. We’ll be hiring three new employees to ensure the workload is adequately spread out.”
Webster began serving part-time in 2016 as Director of Marketing and Recruiting for Welch Online. In 2017 he became full-time Director of Enrollment Services. Then in 2022 he was named Director of Enrollment and Marketing, while overseeing chapel worship and the worship ministry program. He also holds a faculty appointment, teaching part-time as Assistant Professor of Music and Theology.
Before coming to Welch, Webster served ten years as Music Minister at Gateway Free Will Baptist Church and teacher at Gateway Christian School and College. Then he served as pastor of a Free Will Baptist church in North Carolina for four years. He has been married for twenty-one years to his wife Kimberly, a homemaker and homeschool mother of their three children, Aaron, Julianna, and Noah. (Aaron, a high school senior, is dually enrolled at Welch and will be a freshman this fall.)
A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Webster holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Gateway Christian College, a master’s degree in biblical studies from Virginia Beach Theological Seminary, and two master’s degrees from Maranatha Baptist University, in theology and church music.
Webster was recently awarded the Ph.D. in church music and worship from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has also served extensively as an author for D6 Family Ministry, has written numerous popular and academic articles and papers, and serves on the Music Commission of the National Association of Free Will Baptists.
“This restructuring move aligns Welch College with best practices in higher education and positions us strategically for continued growth as an institution,” Provost Matthew McAffee said. “I can think of no one more uniquely qualified to lead this particular effort than Dr. Webster. His diverse experience and expertise are just what we need in someone to lead these three crucial departments.”
To facilitate this transition, Welch will employ three new full-time-equivalent employees and will shift existing employees. Former Welch Student Accounts Coordinator Alyssa Hill, originally from Norton, Virginia, has been named the college’s Director of Financial Services. A 2018 Welch graduate with a B.S. in Business Administration, Hill served four years as Financial Aid Assistant and later Assistant in both Financial Aid and the Business Office, before assuming the role of Student Accounts Coordinator in the Business Office in 2022. The college will conduct a search for a full-time employee to fill Hill’s former role.
Women’s Resident Director Whitney Lute has been named Interim Dean of Students. Currently assisting President Pinson part-time with administrative roles in the President’s Office, Lute is in her sixth year in the Student Services department at Welch. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Welch (2018) and an M.S.W. from Tennessee State University in Social Work, having served as an adjunct instructor in psychology at Welch for the past three years. The college will be conducting a search for the Dean of Students position soon.
In Enrollment Services, Dr. Webster will continue to provide direct, daily oversight and strategic leadership, working closely with Pam Buck, Admissions Records Coordinator; AnnaGee Harris, Coordinator for Enrollment Events and Student Reps; and Abby Settle, Senior Admissions Counselor. Together, this experienced team brings nearly forty years of combined undergraduate recruiting and admissions experience and will continue building on the 42-year high enrollment the college had last fall.
“I’m so excited about what the future holds as these stellar, proven leaders assume these new positions with fresh ideas and a firm commitment to the mission of Welch College to educate leaders to serve Christ, His Church, and His world,” Pinson said. “I want all our supporters to pray for them as they step into these exciting new roles in this hopeful time after the 42-year enrollment record this past fall. Also continue to pray for the other employees in these departments, who will continue their dedicated service to Welch.”
In addition to these changes, Welch will be searching for another full-time-equivalent administrative assistant to offer assistance in this new administrative structure. For more information about Welch, visit the college’s website at welch.edu.
GALLATIN, TN—The University of Tennessee Press recently announced its forthcoming publication of Welch President Matt Pinson’s book The Free Will Baptists: A New History. The book will be available in hardcover and ebook formats on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Pinson’s book is the latest in UT Press’s America’s Baptists series, edited by Dr. Andrew Smith of Carson-Newman University. The series explores the complex history of the Baptist tradition through scholarly monographs and edited collections of primary and secondary documents.
In the book, Pinson offers a comprehensive history of the Free Will Baptist movement—a distinct theological tradition within the larger Baptist family. (Welch College is the educational institution of the National Association of Free Will Baptists.)
University of Tennessee Press has nominated The Free Will Baptists for the Susanne M. Glasscock Book Prize at Texas A&M University. The prize, first awarded in 1999, was permanently endowed in December 2000 by Melbern G. Glasscock and his wife, Susanne, for whom the prize is named. This unique prize honors outstanding, original interdisciplinary research in the humanities that appeals to both academic and wider audiences.
Several scholars have endorsed the book:
“Matthew Pinson has given us here a thorough, comprehensive survey of Free Will Baptist history, theology, and church life. The story bristles with drama.”
—From the Foreword by Timothy George, founding dean and distinguished professor of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University
“I welcome the opportunity to add my enthusiasm for Pinson’s new book on Free Will Baptist history. . . . Kudos to him and to the University of Tennessee Press for this innovative book.”
—Robert E. Picirilli, professor emeritus of New Testament and former academic dean, Welch College
“. . . a well-written and very readable book for twenty-first-century students and interested readers and researchers of denominational history.”
—Gary Fenton Barefoot, curator, Free Will Baptist Historical Collection, University of Mount Olive
“Students and scholars of Baptist and American history now have a definitive resource for teaching and researching a diverse and evolving Baptist tradition.”
—John Inscore Essick, associate professor of Church History, Baptist Seminary of Kentucky
“The subtitle of this book could easily read, “A New and Definitive History” . . . will shape this field of study for decades to come.”
— Anthony Chute, professor of Church History, California Baptist University
“We are indebted to Pinson for this critical monograph . . . it helps us to see that the Baptist story is diverse and contested.”
—Curtis W. Freeman, research professor of Theology and Baptist Studies and Ruth D. Duncan director of the Baptist House of Studies, Duke University Divinity School
“Traversing four centuries of history in his analysis, Pinson divides his study into five parts, arranged in chronological and geographical order,” the announcement said. “He traces the beginnings of the Free Will Baptists in the Carolinas from the late 1600s; the denomination’s early expansion across the Southeast; the rise and decline of the Northern Freewill Baptists; and the identity and development of the Free Will Baptist movement into the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.”
“The scarcity of archival evidence for the history of Free Will Baptists in the American South makes the chronicling of their history challenging. To illustrate the development of ideas within the tradition over time, Pinson creatively engages a unique combination of primary source materials, including general conference and local church minutes, confessional documents, and worship materials such as hymnals. A scholarly history as accessible as it is comprehensive, The Free Will Baptists: A New History is a valuable resource for students of religious history as well as Baptist historians.”
The Free Will Baptists: A New History will be available for purchase at utpress.org and wherever books are sold.
