The Pilot
GAKDNER-WEBB UNIVERSnY
Official Campus 9{euJspaper
Thursday, January 28,1993, No. 6 Boiling Springs, North Carolina
School Of Divinity Opens
University
Status Official
by Abdul Asghar
Staff Writer
The 19th of January was a very big day
for Gardner-Webb. If you couldn’t feel the
charge in the air, you must have definitely
noticed the changed (and reduced) class times.
Indeed, excitement was in the air, for Tues
day was the day that Gardner-Webb College
ceased to exist, and Gardner-Webb Univer
sity was bom. To celebrate this new birth, the
school decided to hold a special convocation.
The convocation, which was one of the
largest ever held at Gardner-Webb, had an
attendance of over 1300, wiyh a student at
tendance of over 900. The ceremony started
off with a bang; hterally, with Aaron Copland’s
Fanfare to the Common Man, conducted by
Stephen Plate and performed by G-W's very
own Wind Ensemble.
After that came the faces known by the
students at G-W all too well; the Faculty and
Staff, donned their black robes and looked
very elegant and exquisite as they filed into
the arena. This was followed by President
White’s son, Martin L. White’s ringing of the
University Bell. Reverend Burdette Robinson
then said the prayer. The Chair of the Board
of Trustees, Lloyd C. Bost, then gave the
welcoming message. After that the whole
arena stood up and sang the national anthem,
led by Dr. Terry Fern.
From then on came the words of greet-
... UNIVERSITY continued on page 4
Students Do
Mission Work
by E J. Dolce
Staff Writer
With months of prayer and prepara
tion under their belts, a group of 17 students
set out on a mission. Mission Impossible?
Not quite.
On December 29th, whUe 1992 was
racing towards it’s end, this group was just
beginning to learn about life outside of the
United States. Glenview Baptist Church of
Ponce, Puerto Rico received this church group
enthusiastically. The group’s first taste of
Puerto Rico came through the uniquely char
ismatic celebrations held in church.
“They said they were Glenview Baptist,
but I’ve never known a baptist church like
it!”, said Keith Mckinney, a member of the
group. The lively usage of the tamborines,
congas, guidos (a native Puerto Rican instru-
by Amy Sharpe
Staff Writer
Students of Gardner-Webb this year are
seeing history being made. Many changes
have occured that will be written in the his
tory books of Gardner-Webb. We are now
officially Gardner-Webb University, a change
that will become a stepping stone for more
advancements.
One major advancement that has come
with the change is the addition of The School
of Divinity. The school will provide the
opportunity for students to obtain a Masters
of Divinity. The MDIV is the basic standard
theological degree recognized by the Asso
ciation of Theological Schools in the U.S.
and Canada as professional preparation for
pastoral ministry.
Approval for the program was given in
December by the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools. Dr. Robert Lamb,
Dean of the new School of Divinity, says that
while some students obtain their MDIV right
out of college, the majority are people who
are in their thirties and forties who feel it is
God’s call as a second career. Dr. Lamb also
states that most who enroll in the MDIV
program do not have degrees in religious
studies, so the program must start from scratch
with courses such as Introduction to the Old
Testement, but on a much more intense level.
The School of Divinity now offers a
Masters of Arts degree, which is new this
semester. The MA consists of students who
ment), and other instruments made Glenview
anything but traditional.
Keith reports that the group was very
impressed with the way the church not only
celebrated in the church, but outside as well.
While caroling, many avenues for evangeU-
zation opened. The mission team used a com
bination of short dramas, puppet plays, and
music to share the love of Jesus to the people
of Ponce, Puerto Rico.
This is not to say that the team received
are pastors, staff ministers, and some who
work in the field of social services. Currently
there are twenty-three students enrolled in
the MA program.
In order to enroll in the MA program, a
person must have a major in religion. In order
to obtain an MA, a person must complete
forty-two hours. The MDIV does not require
a person to have majored in religion. In order
to obtain a MDIV, ninety hours must be
completed.
Although the MA program has already
gotten underway, the MDIV is still in the
beginning process. Dr. Robert Parsons has
been appointed assistant to the Dean. Rev.
Buddy Freeman will be in charge of admis
sions for the new school. Dr. Larry Gregg is
the first full-time faculty member of the School
of Divinity.
As for the rest of the faculty, that has not
been determined yet. Their offices are lo
cated on the first floor of Noel Hall. The NC
Baptist State Convention voted last Novem
ber to give scholarship aid to students in NC
Baptist Colleges and Universities who have
professional theological educational pro
grams. This will make it possible to offer
scholarships to those who enter the MDIV
program.
Admission to the school is not open yet.
Each applicantwill be screened, butDr. Lamb
added that they want to meet the need for any
qualified person who wants to come.
Gardner-Webb is the second University
among Southern Batist schools to start a
School of Divinity.
have a
dream..,**
little from the people. “Sometimes I think
that we as a team were more ministered to
than we actually ministered,” said Mckinney,
“the people were so giving.” The memories
of that trip are unique to the mission team
members. However, the mission they took
overseas is the same mission that Christians
need to take right here at “The Webb”.
What mission? A mission from a call to
love, serve, and respect others for Christ’s
sake. Mission Impossible? Not quite.
A special service was held, January 18, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in the Dover Chapel.