BSK has made great strides across a number of initiatives in 2021. Scroll down to view highlights of our accomplishments!
Largest enrollment in 15 years
BSK welcomed 52 students to the classroom in the Fall 2021 semester! Enrollment has grown steadily over the last 4 years since BSK first partnered with Simmons College of Kentucky. In 2020, BSK was named the official seminary of the National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc., and many new students that have enrolled at BSK are NBCA pastors and leaders.
Hinson Lectures focused on Baptist history and Pentocostalism
Dr. Doug Weaver, Director of Undergraduate Studies and Professor of Baptist Studies at Baylor University, was this year’s Hinson Lectures speaker. The Hinson Lectures were held virtually in March of 2021.
Louisville’s Festival of Faiths draws a crowd
In the days before Thanksgiving, BSK had the opportunity to be a sponsor of Louisville’s Festival of Faiths. As a part of this sponsorship, Dr. Lewis Brogdon led a panel discussion entitled, “Black Faith’s Encounter with Black Trauma, Pain and Nihilism.”
BSK receives $750,000 grant to start Institute for Black Church Studies
Supported by a $750,000 Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation grant, BSK launched the Institute for Black Church Studies in Louisville in 2021.
The Institute now offers a graduate-level certificate program in Black church studies as well as a Master of Divinity concentration in Black Church Studies. The Institute also provides related library resources in a digital format and will serve White congregations and their leaders through a program of racial justice education.
In September of 2021, Rev. Erica Whitaker, formerly the pastor of Buechel Park Baptist Church in Louisville, was hired as Associate Director of the Institute, working with Dr. Lewis Brogdon, the Institute’s Executive Director.
2021 Commencement
BSK’s annual commencement ceremony was held on Saturday, May 8 at Calvary Baptist Church in Lexington, KY. The event was held in person and was also live-streamed. BSK honored the following graduates: Kelly Hale, Hannah Moody, Morgan Fritz, Austin Fraley, Todd Weber, Mark Thomas, Scarlette Jasper (2020 graduate), and Samuel Bland (Pastoral Care Certificate recipient).
New options offered for theological education
BSK’s Flourish Center for Congregational Imagination began offering a special workshop series for youth leaders in March of 2021. These online, non-credit workshops, entitled,Introduction to Youth Ministry and Essential Topics for Youth Ministry, include 6 sessions each.
In April of 2021, BSK began offering two certificates that focus on general ministry training. The “Exploring Ministry” Certificates (Levels 1 and 2) offer a variety of foundational and more advanced courses drawn from our Master of Divinity curriculum. These courses encourage theological reflection on lived practices of ministry, for ordained ministers and lay leaders alike. If you start with these certificates and later decide to pursue a Master of Divinity degree, completed courses may be used toward credits required for the Master of Divinity degree.
The certificate requires 9 hours graduate credit with multiple course options available, allowing you to customize the certificates for your area of interest.
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