Alumni Spotlight: Jamie Otto

Jamie serves on staff at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. In her role, she primarily oversees Bellevue’s internship/residency program. Jamie also participates in their staff’s overall leadership development vision, strategies, and efforts. When asked what she enjoys most about her position, she said, “My favorite responsibilities include shepherding ministry leaders to keep the ‘why’ before them at all times and developing female leaders to find and use their leadership voices.”

Q: How has your degree helped prepare you for ministry leadership?

A: My Christian leadership and church ministries degree has helped prepare me for ministry leadership in a variety of ways. Some of the most impactful lessons during my time at Liberty came in considering the biblical and theological implications of leadership in the Church. As mentioned previously, the “why” behind what we do is very important to me, and my degree helped lay the foundation for this clarity of focus as I serve at Bellevue. It was in my CLED classes that God sparked a passion for healthy and effective team dynamics and for the integrity of both heart and mind in ministry leadership.

Q: How would you describe Bellevue’s connection with Liberty interns/residents?

A: The mission and vision of Bellevue and Liberty align so closely that Liberty students tend to understand and fit our culture right out of college. It’s a special thing to partner in ministry work with Liberty; we get to see students’ academic foundation come alive with hands-on experience and significant leadership through our internship program. We believe the Gospel’s impact on our church, our city, and beyond is heavily influenced by the Liberty students He sends our way — trust me, I get to watch it daily! Lastly, it is worth mentioning that we are starting to see Liberty rise as a top choice for many of our students here at Bellevue. We are seeing the Lord call many to ministry through the influence of Liberty interns/residents who have served with us. God is working mightily through this connection.