Texas Tidbits: Howard Payne lectures

Denison & Tillman featured in Howard Payne lectures. “Ethics and Evangelism and the Problem of Hunger” is the theme of the second annual Currie-Strickland Lectures in Christian Ethics, from 1:30 to 5 p.m., April 27 at Howard Payne University . Speakers are Bill Tillman, T.B. Maston professor of Christian Ethics at the Logsdon School of Theology at Hardin-Simmons University, and Jim Denison, recently named theologian-in-residence with the Baptist General Convention of Texas after serving 10 years as pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. The theme of the lectures ties to Texas Hope 2010, a BGCT initiative to share the gospel of Christ with every Texan by Easter 2010 and meet human needs. The Currie-Strickland Lectures were established by a gift from Gary and Molli Elliston of Dallas to honor the life and work of David Currie, executive director of Texas Baptists Committed, and in memory of Phil Strickland, longtime director of the BGCT Christian Life Commission. There is no charge to attend the lectures. For more information, contact Louise Sharp at Howard Payne University at (325) 649-8008 or e-mail lsharp@hputx.edu.

Logsdon programs receive ATS approval. The Association of Theological Schools, the accrediting agency for post-baccalaureate theological schools in North America, granted approval to two programs of Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon Seminary . In the fall 2009 semester, Logsdon will begin offering a doctor of ministry program. And Logsdon’s extension campus at the South Texas School of Christian Studies in Corpus Christi has been approved for degree-granting status.

McCall to deliver HSU Maston Lectures. “Neither Jew nor Greek” is the theme when Baptist statesman Emmanuel McCall delivers the T.B. Maston Lectures at Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon Seminary at 7 p.m., April 13, and 9:30 a.m., April 14. Lectures are free and open to the public. McCall, founding pastor of The Fellowship Group in Atlanta, Ga., is vice president of the Baptist World Alliance and past moderator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. He serves on the faculty at Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology.

Wayland honors Weir Trust. Wayland Baptist University presented its Distinguished Benefactor Award and Keeper of the Flame Award to the Leroy and Merle Weir Charitable Trust. Janice Torgeson of Frost Bank, who has administered the trust since 2000, accepted both awards at Wayland’s homecoming chapel service. In the last nine years, the Leroy and Merle Weir Charitable Trust distributed more than $7.8 million in scholarship funds to seven Baptist universities, and more than $1.7 million has been distributed to those universities to help build Christian study centers and Student Union buildings. During that time, Wayland has received almost $996,000 in scholarship funds from the trust, $100,000 for the Pete and Nelda Laney Student Activities Center and an additional $100,000 for the proposed new Bible building and missions center that is part of the Second Century Campaign.