Jamie Dew, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College president, greeted a record-breaking 1350 alumni and friends in attendance at the alumni luncheon, June 14, and thanked them for giving him the “best job in the whole wide world.”
Attendees received a free copy of Dew’s latest book, “Let This Mind be in You: Exploring God’s Call to Servanthood” and a prayer calendar highlighting ways to pray for the seminary.
A special moment came at the beginning when Dew was presented with Oklahoma Baptist University’s Herschel H. Hobbs Award for Distinguished Denominational Service. The award is given in honor of Herschel H. Hobbs, author, long-time pastor of First Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and a two-term president of the SBC. The OBU School of Theology and Ministry in named in Hobbs’ honor.
Heath Thomas, Oklahoma Baptist University president, presented the award and noted that the selection committee had voted unanimously to grant Dew the award.
“This is a prestigious award in the life of our university,” Thomas said. “And OBU is delighted to honor our friends, Jamie Dew and his wife Tara, for their incredible leadership at New Orleans Seminary. They continue to lead effective revitalization—I would even call it a renaissance—at this strategic seminary.”
Thomas said it was “fitting” to give Dew the award and pledged to pray for “God’s continued blessing on his leadership and on his ministry.”
A short video highlighting the school’s history was shown that related how Byron H. Dement, the first president, led the school to adopt the motto of “training for service by training through service.”
Dew stressed in his address to attendees that the commitment to help students learn by doing has not changed and that the legacy of service represents what NOBTS and Leavell College have always been.
To explain, Dew pointed to the NOBTS and Leavell College mission statement adopted four years ago that states that the seminary exists “to prepare servants to walk with Christ, proclaim His truth, and fulfill His mission.” Dew said the mission statement is undergirded and fulfilled through four principles: servanthood, devotion, proclamation, and mission.
“But that is absolutely not a new set of ideals or principles that we’re rallying around right now,” Dew said. “No … it represents the very best of who we have always been. It represents what we’ve always done throughout our history.”
Dew noted a “renewed energy” to the principles of service, devotion, proclamation and mission on campus and said God has granted the seminary favor in that task.
NOBTS and Leavell College students reported 10,094 gospel conversations this year as they served through local churches and ministries, on the street and at work, resulting in 1,163 coming to faith in Christ, according to the NOBTS Caskey Center for Church Excellence and the NOBTS Leavell Center for Evangelism and Church Health.
Dew called the four principles “a rallying point” for the entire seminary family including faculty, staff, students, alumni, and “for all who have come before us.”
“This is what it has meant and what it does mean, and what it will mean to be a part of NOBTS and Leavell College,” Dew said.
Dew thanked the seminary family again for giving him “the best job in the world” and praised them for their work in remaining true to the mission of service for the sake of the gospel.
“I love that mission. I love our city … I love the favor God has given us.” Dew said. “I love our people most of all. I love watching my people rise to the occasion and work hard with passion and joy and the kingdom in their hearts.”
