March 10, 2010
For Immediate Release
Sean Stengl, right, of LaGrange, Ky., has his book signed by Dr. Don Mathis, president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Stengl, of Westport Road Baptist Church in Louisville, credits Dr. Chip Pendleton, pastor of Westport Road Baptist Church, as his mentor. (Campbellsville University Photo by Joan C. McKinney)
By Joan C. McKinney, news and publications coordinator
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Dr. Don Mathis, president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, had a gift for Campbellsville University School of Theology students today.
Mathis gave away, and signed, copies of his revised book, “Surviving & Thriving in Today’s Ministry, Prescription for Effective Leadership” to some of the “brightest and most committed Christian students who have answered God’s call.”
Mathis said his book was suggested to every young minister who is going into the service of the Lord.
He hopes to give away 500 before he is finished, and students at Christian colleges who are going into theology are receiving them as gifts.
Mathis said Kentucky is one of the leading states in the United States in cultivating young pastors.
Mathis said the first edition of the book was printed in 1998 and 10,000 were sold and are out of print. Mathis said some of the topics covered in his book include: teaching young ministries what they do after getting their degrees and begin preaching at a church, how to make changes without getting fired, how do you serve the best under the Lord when people are against you, etc.
Members of the School of Theology faculty at Campbellsville University met with Dr. Don Mathis, president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, who donated his books to students in the School of Theology. From left are: Dr. Joe Early; Dr. Shane Garrison; Dr. John Hurtgen, dean of the School of Theology; Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University; Mathis; Dr. Ted Taylor; Dr. Jarvis Williams; and Dr. Scott Wigginton. (Campbellsville University Photo by Joan C. McKinney)
Mathis said, who previously served as KBC president 24 years ago, said revivals are still being held in Kentucky with about 73 percent of churches having them. He said the delivery has changed since he’s been in the pastorate for almost 50 years.
He said he thinks Southern Baptists have “forgotten how to get lost people in the building” in churches.
“No unsaved, unchurched person will walk into a church by himself,” he said, and he said Christians must go to the homes of the unsaved and bring them to revivals.
He said Taylor County Baptist Association, in terms of percentage giving to the Cooperative Program, ranks number one among the Baptist associations in Kentucky.
He said he is proud of the “Find it Here” campaign to deliver the gospel to 1.5 million households across Kentucky in the weeks leading up to Easter Sunday 2010.
The ministerial leadership team at Campbellsville University meets with Dr. Don Mathis, president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. From left are: Dr. John Hurtgen, dean of the School of Theology; Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University; Mathis; Dr. Ted Taylor, CU School of Theology professor; the Rev. John Chowning, vice president for church and external relations at Campbellsville University and executive assistant to the president; Ed Pavy, director of campus ministries; and Dr. Skip Alexander, pastor of Campbellsville Baptist Church who is an adjunct professor at CU. (Campbellsville University Photo by Joan C. McKinney)
Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, thanked Mathis for his gift and said, “nothing is more important than being closer to the Lord.”
“There is a lot of wisdom in Dr. Mathis’ book,” he said. “There are things in the book that you might not hear in the classroom, but they are lessons learned from Dr. Mathis’ years of service in the ministry.”
“Thank you, Dr. Mathis, for the rich heritage you bring to us and for your servant leadership,” Carter said.
Students at Campbellsville University who received copies of Dr. Don Mathis’ book include from left: Josh Hardesty of Owensboro, Ky.; Tim Johnson of Campbellsville, Ky.; Brian Isaacs of Lancaster, Ky.; Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University; Mathis; Leland Merritt of Jacksonville, Fla.; Daniel Motley of Scottsville, Ky.; and Sean Stengl of LaGrange, Ky. (Campbellsville University Photo by Joan C. McKinney)
Dr. John Hurtgen, dean of the CU School of Theology, said, the students present receiving the books represent Campbellsville University’s “best students.” He said the theology school has about 160 academic majors at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
He said the School of Theology is in a good point in momentum as is Campbellsville University who now has her 20th semester of record consecutive enrollment with 2,821 this spring semester.
Hurtgen said Dr. Ted Taylor, professor of Christian studies, director of FIRST CLASS and lead professor of the sports ministry program, serves as transition pastor at Columbia Baptist Church in Columbia, Ky., and Mathis is serving as the evangelist for Taylor’s church this week.
Hurtgen said Taylor always says, “what a time for ministry,” in today’s world of changing culture and churches. Hurtgen said he prays Mathis’ book will “help you along your path” as you are challenged and follow the Lord.
Campbellsville University is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 3,006 students who represent 97 Kentucky counties, 30 states and 37 foreign nations. Listed in U.S.News & World Report’s 2010 “America’s Best Colleges,” CU is ranked 23rd in “Best Baccalaureate Colleges” in the South, tied for fifth in “most international students” and fourth in “up-and-coming” schools in baccalaureate colleges in the South. CU has been ranked 17 consecutive years with U.S.News & World Report. The university has also been named to America’s Best Christian Colleges® and to G.I. Jobs magazine as a Military Friendly School. Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his 11th year as president