Abide Women's Conference

Women from 19 states and hundreds of churches came together for Abide 2022, “Women of the Word,” at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College, Feb. 4-5, to hear Jen Wilkin, popular Bible study author and speaker.

Tara Dew, wife of NOBTS and Leavell College President Jamie Dew and director of the NOBTS ministry wives certificate program, welcomed the audience of 1200 women.

“Our heart is that we would be women who abide in Christ,” Dew said. “Women who know Him, love Him.” Leading the Saturday breakout sessions were Kelly King, manager of Lifeway’s magazines and devotional publishing and Women’s Ministry Training; Kathy Litton, wife of former SBC President Ed Litton; Elizabeth Luter, wife of former SBC President Fred Luter, and others.

In Friday’s evening plenary, Jen Wilkin said spending time with scripture should transform believers' lives, but that the biblical illiteracy she encounters within the church shows something is amiss.

“Are we interacting with scripture in a way that is compounding our understanding and fueling our sanctification?” Wilkin asked the audience. “Are we being transformed?

“The heart cannot love what the head does not know,” Wilkin explained. “If we want to feel deeply about God, we must think deeply about God.”

Next year’s Abide conference, Feb. 3-4, 2023 features Kelly Minter, Bible study author, speaker, and musician. For information, visit www.PrepareHer.com.

BCM Grants

Baptist Community Ministries awarded NOBTS and Leavell College a $1.2 million grant to promote and provide health, education, and counseling service to NOBTS and Leavell College families, and to the neighboring community.

The BCM award consists of a series of three grants of $400,000 per year for three years. The grant supports the NOBTS Leeke Magee Counseling Center in providing free or affordable counseling services to the community and seminary families; will support the NOBTS Early Learning Center and will equip its childcare professionals with trauma-sensitive skills for their work with children, provided by Leeke Magee Counseling Center; and will provide expanded access to healthcare for seminary and community families.

“The BCM grant is a tremendous blessing for our seminary and a transformational opportunity for us to create new partnerships and to expand our community outreach,” said Mike Wetzel, NOBTS vice president of Institutional Advancement. “We are grateful for BCM and their continued efforts to provide life-changing support in the city of New Orleans.”