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—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.
For the remainder of the week (Thursday and Friday), classes will meet virtually, college offices will be closed, and staff and faculty will work from home.
Rush events for the remainder of the week will continue as planned, and the Saturday game against Boyce will be played at 2:00 p.m. If you’re on campus, we invite you to support our men’s basketball team for this exciting matchup. Go Flames!
On behalf of President Pinson and Provost McAffee, let me extend a special thank you to everyone for your patience during this time. We look forward to welcoming you back to campus in full this coming Monday.
For updates, please check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.
____________________
Monday, January 26, 2026, 2:25 PM
Subject: Schedule for Tuesday & Wednesday
Faculty, Staff, & Students:
Due to widespread power outages and freezing temperatures, Tuesday classes are canceled and will not meet virtually. Offices are also closed, and staff and faculty will have the day off. Wednesday classes will be held virtually, and staff will work from home. The dining schedule for Tuesday and Wednesday is as follows: breakfast is 8:00–8:30 a.m., lunch is 12:00–1:00 p.m., and dinner is 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Students, please be patient during this time. Several faculty and staff members are dealing with downed trees and power outages at their own homes.
For updates, please check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.
____________________
Sunday, January 25, 2026, 10:30 PM
Subject: Pre-Monday Reminders
Here are some quick reminders about Monday’s schedule:
Monday classes are cancelled and will not meet virtually. Offices are also closed, so faculty and staff may not be readily available. Please be patient—several of your faculty & staff are dealing with downed trees and power outages at their own homes.
The dining schedule has been adjusted: breakfast is 8–8:30 a.m.; lunch is 12–1 p.m.; dinner is 5:30–6:30 p.m.
The library will be open tomorrow from 12:00–11:00 PM.
More information regarding the rest of the week will be provided tomorrow.
____________________
Sunday, January 25, 2026, 12:00 PM
Subject: Students, Let’s Continue Working Together!
Dear Students,
As predicted, the snow has turned to ice. We need your help as we continue working together to keep everyone warm, safe, and connected on campus.
I’m very proud of the spirit of cooperation we are seeing on campus. Mr. Mike Anderson reports that only one thermostat was adjusted (in the PDR), which reflects your desire to help in this area, and for that, we are very thankful. If your dorm room becomes too warm or stuffy, please speak with Mrs. Lute or Mr. Presley so we can address it without adjusting thermostats.
At 10:40 am today, the Gallatin Department of Electricity reported that customer outages have been reduced to 500 out of more than 26,000 served! This means that more than 98% of GDE customers currently have power—very good news for our campus. Let’s continue to pray for the more than 250,000 people in the Nashville area who are still without power.
Lord’s Day Worship
To our Student Council, who led the worship service this morning: thank you for uniting our campus in this special time of singing, prayer, Scripture reading, and preaching!
Student Activities
Here are some activities you can look forward to:
West End will be holding weekend hours. Watch for text and email updates as hours are added throughout the break.
The library will be open tomorrow from 12:00–11:00 PM. This is a great space to hang out, do puzzles, play games, or study.
A volleyball tournament will take place from 1:45–3:45 PM. Coach Fawbush and Coach Bryan will pick teams, and the winning team will receive a gift card.
A dodgeball tournament will be held from 3:45–5:30 PM in the Student Activities Center. See Coach Fawbush for more details.
At 7:00 PM, you’ll have two options: an UNO tournament in the Student Activities Center or movie night at the Presleys.
If there is enough interest, we will play hide-and-seek tonight. Meet at the gym around 9:00 PM to decide on game rules.
You can still enter the Snow Photo Contest by emailing your winter photos of campus to anna.pinson@welch.edu. Prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card (1st place) and $25 (2nd place).
Stay Safe and Connected
Please help by doing the following:
Leave thermostats set and windows closed, dress wisely outdoors, keep devices charged, and change out of wet layers when you come back inside.
Although conditions are improving, please do not underestimate potential dangers. Stay away from trees, as falling branches remain a major hazard.
Roads and parking lots are expected to re-freeze this afternoon—please use extreme caution while walking outside.
State and local officials continue to encourage caution with travel; if you must leave campus, please follow the check-out/in process.
A Special Thank You
Please take time to thank our maintenance team when you see them. Mr. Mike Anderson, Mr. Alex White, Walker, and Ethan have been outstanding. Coach Fawbush was even on the tractor this morning assisting with snow removal. You are safe and warm because of the continued efforts of our maintenance team. Thank you, men!
For updates, please check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.
____________________
Saturday, January 24, 2026, 12:45 PM
Subject: Students, Let’s Stay Warm, Safe, and Connected!
Dear Students,
As you know, the snow has officially started! As we head into this weekend, here are a few important reminders to help us stay warm, safe, and connected on campus. Please read through the sections below, so you know what to expect.
But first, let me commend you: Mr. Mike Anderson reports 100% participation with the request to move your cars. Great job!
Student Activities
Winter weather doesn’t stop campus life:
There will be some activities on the quad today at 2:30 pm. Dress warm and grab your favorite outdoor group game.*
West End will be holding weekend hours, just for you! The first opening will be after today’s activities on the quad. Watch your text/email updates as hours will be added throughout the break.*
The Lutes will host a movie night this evening. Check your campus notifications or contact Mrs. Lute for more details.*
We will have a student-led worship service this Sunday at 10:30 am, regardless of the weather or power situation. Casual dress is totally fine.
The library is open on Saturday (3–9 pm) and Monday (12–11 pm). This is a great space to hang out, do puzzles, play games, or perhaps… study.
Coach Fawbush will provide a gym schedule for Flames practices and open-gym times for students.
Be sure to enter the Snow Photo Contest by emailing your winter photos of the Welch campus to anna.pinson@welch.edu. The top two photos will receive an Amazon gift card: $50 (1st place) and $25 (2nd place).
We’ll let you all handle the snowmen, snowballs, and snow forts. If anyone is planning a larger group activity, let us know. As long as your activity prioritizes safety, we’ll get a text out to everyone.
While the Power Is On
Please help by doing the following:
Please leave thermostats set and windows closed in the residence halls and other buildings. Our maintenance team is adjusting temperatures to help us retain heat if power is lost.
During outdoor activities, be safe, warm, and wise.
Keep your devices charged (phones, laptops, power banks) while power is available.
Keep your layers dry when you come back in from playing outside.
If We Experience a Power Outage
We have several options in place to keep you safe. As we assess the situation, please immediately follow these simple instructions.
When possible, try to stay put.
Follow instructions from Residence Directors and staff.
When possible, avoid using automatic door openers to reduce heat loss.
Dress warmly and stay in designated areas.
Meals in Celorio will continue as conditions allow, but the times may change due to kitchen staff adjustments.
Be flexible.
Stay Connected
Our TN State Governor has already declared a state of emergency, and local officials are expected to follow. As the storm intensifies, we need to be good neighbors and stay off the roads unless it is an emergency.
If you must leave, be serious about following the check-out/in process established by your Residence Directors. This is essential.
The National Weather Service advises, “If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 511.”
We’re grateful for how well you have already responded—your cooperation truly helps keep everyone safe. Enjoy the snow, look out for one another, and stay warm!
We will provide more updates as conditions develop. An asterisk (*) indicates updates that were added after the initial post.
____________________
Friday, January 23, 2026, 1:50 PM
Subject: Parking Lot Plan
Residential students are asked to move their vehicles to the green zone (see image below) by 10:00 PM on Friday, January 23. Essential staff may use the spaces in the yellow zone. There is no parking in the red zone. The only exception is for students who require an ADA-approved parking space.
Thank you for your cooperation. This parking configuration will allow our maintenance team to efficiently clear the red zone and will provide appropriate egress for response vehicles in the unlikely event of an emergency.
For updates, please check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.
____________________
Friday, January 23, 2026, 8:00 AM
Subject: Winter Storm Preparations and Student Safety
The Welch College administration is closely monitoring the winter storm expected to impact Middle Tennessee and the more than twenty surrounding states.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for our area from Friday (1/23) evening through Sunday (1/25) evening. The forecast calls for heavy mixed precipitation, which could cause widespread power outages and hazardous road conditions.
The safety and well-being of the Welch community remain our greatest priority. At this time, the college will operate on a normal schedule on Friday (1/23). Classes on Monday (1/26) are cancelled and will not meet virtually; offices are also closed, and employees (except for essential employees) will not work on Monday. Updates regarding the rest of the week will be provided later.
Students, faculty, and staff should prepare for the possibility of hazardous travel and extended power outages. Residence halls will remain open to dorm students. While our buildings do not have backup power, in the event of a short-term outage, residence hall students will continue to be served hot meals. In case of an extended outage, a contingency plan is in place to relocate students to an alternate location. Residence hall students are encouraged to dress warmly, keep their phones charged, and prepare for the possibility of a transition to a safe, but potentially less-than-comfortable arrangement.
President Matt Pinson said, “Our first priority is our students, and we’re going to take great care of them during this storm. That’s one of the reasons I love living on campus, and in addition to Melinda and me, our resident directors and their families, the Presleys and the Lutes, will be on campus during the whole weather event. We will also have continuous support from our maintenance and food services personnel, and additional members of our staff are staying on campus throughout the entire weather event to help keep students safe. I want parents to rest assured that your childrens’ safety is our first priority.”
For updates, please check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.
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.
GALLATIN, TN—Welch College President Matt Pinson announced to faculty and staff this week that Craig Mahler has resigned from Welch as Vice President for Financial Affairs, after nearly twenty years at the college, first as Comptroller and then, for thirteen years, as VP and Chief Financial Officer.
Pinson said, “My dear friend shared with me that after much prayer and reflection, he and his wife Sabrina feel it’s the right time for him to conclude his season of full-time service at Welch. Craig has endured financial challenges and made Welch stronger over the past thirteen years. He has shown incredible tenacity and believes that, given the college’s financial stability, now is the time God has granted him peace to step away. He has accepted a job as the Chief Financial Officer at Christian Community Schools in the nearby city of White House, where his daughter attends.”
“This has been one of the hardest decisions of my life,” Mahler said. “But the Lord has impressed on me the importance of presence and priority of ministry to my family, especially our girls, with whom time and opportunity are fleeting. With the college experiencing its highest enrollment in 42 years this fall and having received much-needed cash infusions from gifts and real estate investments this calendar year, it has become clear that it’s the right time to step away, given the current financial stability and momentum.”
“We wept together,” Pinson said, “as he shared how difficult a decision this was and reassured me of his deep commitment to Welch and its mission, and to me and our shared vision for the college he loves so deeply. Craig spoke of how thankful he is for what God has done under his tenure, the solid place he has helped us get to with God’s help, and the integrity with which we have done it. He spoke of his and Sabrina’s desire to be Welch’s biggest fans in the future.”
President Pinson has appointed Dr. Daniel Webster as interim Vice President for Administration and Student Engagement. In this role he will continue managing the student experience from recruitment to graduation from Welch, while ensuring the uninterrupted management of the Business Office.
“When I began serving as Comptroller in 2006, I could not have anticipated the profound impact this place would have on my life,” Mahler said. “Since being invited into the CFO role in 2012, I’ve had the tremendous blessing of helping steward Welch’s resources through seasons of both challenge and growth. I sincerely love and appreciate President and Mrs. Pinson and am thankful to God for the opportunity to work alongside them for nearly twenty years. I am confident the Lord will continue to use President Pinson to lead the college to a position of thriving. While I believe the time is right for me to step away, it is not without a heavy heart. I remain confident in our beloved college and the Lord’s continued care for it.”
Mahler will continue full-time through mid-January, moving to a limited, remote and part-time capacity for the next several weeks following that, then serving as a consultant.
Pinson said, “I am so thankful for this dedicated servant of God and close friend who has loved and served Welch so selflessly over these nearly two decades.”
