by jowens | Dec 5, 2013
NASHVILLE, TN—Welch College will host its annual FORUM/Bible Conference March 9-11. The event will be held on the campus of Welch and will focus on the theme “The Gospel for Life.” Through plenary and breakout sessions, speakers will address the implications of the gospel for evangelism, discipleship, Christian living, ministry, and public ethics.
The event promises to be engaging and informative with a wide range of highly accomplished speakers set to address this important topic. The featured speakers this year will be Ajith Fernando and Dr. Russell Moore.
Ajith Fernando, internationally acclaimed speaker and author, is the teaching director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka. Prior to his current position, Mr. Fernando served as the National Director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka for 35 years. A graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary, he is a visiting lecturer at Colombo Theological Seminary and is the author of 15 books published in 20 languages, including Jesus Driven Ministry and Sharing the Truth in Love: How to Relate to People of Other Faiths. He is actively involved in a grassroots ministry to reach the urban poor in his area with the gospel. Mr. Fernando will speak several times over the two-day conference.
The event will also feature Dr. Russell Moore, who will speak on Monday. Dr. Moore is President of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, a post he assumed after many years as vice president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Moore is the author or editor of five books, including The Kingdom of Christ and Tempted and Tried. Highly respected as an ethicist and cultural commentator, Dr. Moore brings fresh, well-informed perspective to the topic of the implications of the gospel.
Four outstanding Free Will Baptist ministers will also address conference attendees.
Dr. Jeff Manning has been the senior pastor of Unity Free Will Baptist Church in Greenville, North Carolina since 1991. A 1986 Welch College graduate, Dr. Manning serves on the Board of Free Will Baptist International Missions and also teaches as an adjunct faculty member in expository preaching at Welch College. He earned his D.Min. in expository preaching in 2002 from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His blog can be found at http://www.jeffmanning.org/blog/.
Jeff Nichols recently celebrated twenty years of service on the ministry staff of the Donelson Fellowship, a Free Will Baptist church in Nashville, Tennessee, where he now serves as Executive Pastor. He is a 1987 graduate of Welch College and holds a M.A. degree in Business Science from Trevecca Nazarene University. Before his current position at Donelson, he served as children’s pastor, and prior to that as a youth minister in Missouri.
Chris Talbot is a 2012 graduate of Welch College. He now serves as the Minister of Students at Unity Free Will Baptist Church in Greenville, North Carolina. He is currently pursuing an M.A. in Ministerial Studies at Grace Theological Seminary and is a regular contributor to the Helwys Society Forum, http://www.helwyssocietyforum.com.
Welch College Vice President for Institutional Advancement David Williford will speak Sunday night to open the conference. Mr. Williford joined the Welch College staff in 2002 after 27 years of successful pastoral ministry, including several years as Promotional Director for Florida Free Will Baptists. He is a 1979 graduate of Welch College. He also completed an M.A. in Pastoral Studies at Welch and additional graduate study at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
President Matt Pinson said, “This is shaping up to be one of our best conferences ever. We have an excellent slate of speakers preaching and leading breakout sessions on the most important topic we must consider: the gospel and its implications for private and public life. All are invited to come and join the conversation.”
by jowens | Dec 4, 2013
Welch College 97
St. Louis Christian College 78
November 25, 2013. Freshman sensation, Carson Outlaw had a career night for Welch College as the Flames’ easily handled St. Louis Christian College, 97-78.
Outlaw scored 23 of his 40 points in the first half to give the Flames seven point advantage going into the locker room, 43-38.
In the second half, it was an all-out offensive for Welch as they scored fifty four points to pull away for the nineteen point margin.
“We really played well in the second half,” said Flames’ coach Nathan Willhite. “We ran the floor well and executed our half-court game when we needed to. There are still things for us to work on, but we did a good job tonight.”
In addition to Outlaw’s 40 points, three other Flames scored in double figures: Lim Chol and Jeffery Carter had 18 each and Tim Hutchinson chipped in 14. Hutchinson had a big night on the boards as well, pulling down 21 rebounds, while Outlaw added 11. Carter led Welch with seven assists.
by jowens | Nov 26, 2013
One hundred one prospective students representing 17 states attended Fall 2013 Welcome Days November 7-9, at Welch College, according to Debbie Mouser, director of enrollment services.
The 70 young ladies and 31 young men who visited the campus attended classes and chapel and interacted with current Welch students. Seniors, parents, and sponsors also met with President Matt Pinson during a Friday morning reception.
The visiting students toured the campus, enjoyed a time of comedy and entertainment with area youth minster Jon Forrest, and closed out the night cheering on the Welch College Flames basketball teams and playing dodgeball.
Exit evaluations completed by visiting students indicated that for well over half, this marked their first visit to Welch College. The students praised the hospitality and helpfulness of the Welch College faculty, staff, and students during their visit.
Mrs. Mouser said, “I was very pleased with the number of visitors on campus for Welcome Days and am thankful we had the opportunity to present Welch College to them. This marks the highest number of visiting students for a Fall Welcome Days in quite some time. We look forward to future correspondence with these students, parents, and sponsors as they consider this important step.”
Welch College will host Senior Days February 6-7, 2014 and Spring Welcome Days April 17-19, 2014. For more information, contact the Enrollment Management Office at recruit@welch.edu.
by jowens | Nov 24, 2013
Warren-Wilson College 72
Welch College 66
November 23, 2013. Warren-Wilson College came away from the Picirilli Activity Center with a 72-66 win over the host Lady Flames Saturday.
The game was a tale of two halves. The Flames owned the first half, but the Lady Owls took control in the second half to pull out the victory.
The Flames came out fired up in the first half, scoring 40 points while shooting 53% from the field, led by Ashton Johnson’s 15 points. They took a seven point lead into half-time, but the Owls were able to chip away at the WC lead and tie the game with 12:08 left in the game. WWC would not relinquish the lead again.
“I know we are young,” said a disappointed Flames’ coach Larry Bryan. “But, we have got to find a way to finish ball games.”
Johnson led the Flames in scoring with 20 points, pulled down seven rebounds and dished out six assists. Amy Pickett had a good day from the field, scoring 14 points, and Jessie Melvin had 12 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
The Lady Flames travel to Mid-Continent University Monday.
by jowens | Nov 24, 2013
Trinity Baptist College 71
Welch College 61
November 23, 2013. A cold shooting first half cost the Flames as they dropped a hard-fought 71-61 contest to visiting Trinity Baptist College before a spirited Welch crowd at Picirilli Activity Center.
David Reeves hit a three-pointer with 9:12 left in the first half to give the Flames a four point lead, but the rest of the half belonged to the Eagles as they outscored WC, 25-10 to take 37-26 lead into the locker room.
The Flames outplayed their guests in the second half, but the eleven point deficit was too much to overcome.
“We can’t just trade baskets with a team when we are down,” said Flames’ coach Nathan Willhite. “But, we should have done a better job defensively in the first half.”
For the third straight game, Lim Chol leads the Flames in scoring with 20 points, shooting 63% from the floor. Tim Hutchinson and Jeffery Carter were also in double figures with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
The Flames host St. Louis Christian College on Monday.
by jowens | Nov 19, 2013
Johnson University? 48
Welch College?? 45
November 18, 2013. It was a tight, well-played game for Welch College Monday night against Johnson University, but in the end, it came down to who would make their free throws, as the Lady Flames came up just short in the end, 48-45.
The teams were evenly matched throughout much of the game with neither team taking any more than a two-point advantage until late in the game. With 5:28 remaining in the contest, the Royals held their largest lead of the game, 39-33, and it looked like their momentum would be enough for them to pull away from the Flames. But, an Amy Pickett baseline jumper and a pair of Ashton Johnson field goals ended JU’s brief run.
The Royals maintained their slim lead until (Ashton) Johnson hit a floater in the middle with 1:37 left in the game, to give the Flames the lead, 45-44. But, four consecutive Royals’ free throws allowed JU to regain the lead. A last-second three-point attempt for the Flames came up short as time expired.
“It was all about making free throws,” said Flames’ coach Larry Bryan. “They made theirs and we didn’t make ours. It was a good game, but we have to make our free throws.”
For the game, neither team shot particularly well from the field, but Johnson made 17 of 20 free throws (85%), while the Flames were seven for 16 (44%).
Center, Leslie Nichols had another solid game, scoring 14 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and blocking seven shots. Ashton Johnson led all scorers with 17 points. Jessie Melvin led the team in assists, with four.
The Lady Flames drop to 1-4 and host Warren-Wilson on Saturday at 1:00pm.
