May 27, 2011
For Immediate Release

By Elena Groholske, student news writer

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — For the ninth year in a row, Campbellsville University has awarded
the prestigious Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.

“Sullivan was a lawyer, devout Christian, mediator, powerful and appealing orator, a courageous citizen during perilous times, a noted philanthropist and a devoted family man,” Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, said at commencement.

This year's community recipient is Dr. James E. Jones of Campbellsville. He is a member of the CU Board of Trustees and Church Relations Council. Jones is a part-time assistant in the Office of Church and External Relations, adjunct faculty member in the School of Theology, all while serving his third term as an elected member of the Taylor County Fiscal Court.

He attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas and received his bachelor degree from Samford University in Homewood, Ala. Jones holds bachelor of divinity and doctor of ministry degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He received an honorary doctorate degree from CU in 2001.

Jones is the pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Campbellsville, Ky. He was the pastor of Campbellsville Baptist Church for more than 20 years. He has served as pastor of a number of churches in Kentucky, Alabama and Indiana.

He has been the moderator of Taylor County Baptist Association, president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention and a member of several KBC committees and boards. He is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee and chairman and member of SBC committees.

He has made mission trips to Korea, Venezuela, Brazil (four times), Kenya, Russia (two times), Hong Kong, China, Poland and Honduras.

Jones is a member of the Taylor County Ministerial Association, president and member of the Kiwanis Club, chaplain for Campbellsville/Taylor County Rescue and Taylor County Sherriff's Department.

He has been awarded the honor of Campbellsville-Taylor County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year twice.

“Dr. Jones has a pastor's heart, a servant's humility and the passion of an evangelist and missionary,” said Carter. “He is one of the fine pulpiteers of Southern Baptist life today. He has demonstrated servant leadership all of his life and continues to do so to this very day as he gives of himself in service to his Lord, his family and his community.”

He and his wife, Martha, have three children: Angela, Darlene and Byron, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

This year's student recipient is Micah Spicer from Wingo, Ky. in far western Kentucky. Some of Spicer's honors while at CU include: president of the Student Government Association, class president and member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Alpha Chi and Theta Alpha Kappa, plus graduating with a 3.85 GPA.

He has participated in the ministerial education days in Taylor County and Liberty Baptist Associations since his first year at CU. He traveled to Israel in spring 2010, along with a group of CU students and theology faculty members, as part of his academic studies.

Spicer served as a pastoral ministries intern with Dr. Skip Alexander, former pastor at Campbellsville Baptist Church and a legislative internship with State Rep. Jody Richards in Frankfort, Ky.

He was named 2011 “Mr. Campbellsville” during the spring Honors and Awards Day chapel program.

“Micah has demonstrated a spirit of Christian servant leadership while at CU,” said Carter. “He has given of himself in service to others in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Spicer is serving as the pastor of Canmer Baptist Church in Canmer, Ky. In the fall, he will be attending the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, where he will be studying for a master of divinity degree.

He said he would like to return to his native western Kentucky to serve as a pastor and pursue other career interests including the possibility of serving in public office.

He is the son of Donald Spicer and Mike and Becky Jones.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with over 3,000 students offering 63 undergraduate programs, 17 master's degrees and five postgraduate areas. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.