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November 08, 2005
Rebuilding a Seminary in New Orleans
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is one of the largest seminaries in the world (about 2200 on campus and 1800 by extension), and by some accounts the largest Southern Baptist seminary. But none of that counted for much when Hurricane Katrina made the urban seminary campus part of Lake Pontchartrain. When the waters receded, the NOBPTS was facing some $20 million in damage, and many thought it was time to move to a more comfortable and safer setting. But the trustees voted to rebuild and return. Posted today is my story from the new issue of Christianity Today on the seminary's struggle to recover from Katrina.
Posted by Jim at November 8, 2005 07:55 AM
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Here's the most instructive and inspirational part of the whole story:
"This is not the first time the seminary faced a decision about staying in New Orleans. In 1986, a seminary task force studied an opportunity to relocate the seminary to the suburbs, but the trustees voted to remain in the city.
'The future of the church depends on its ability to minister in urban settings,' Kelley said. 'So we are well placed in a tough, transitional urban neighborhood halfway between downtown and Lake Pontchartrain.'"
"Tough, transitional urban neighborhood" is an understatement. NOBTS twice had opportunities to bail on its current location in a dangerous and poverty-ridden (and now flood-devastated) area of the city, but administrators had the wisdom to see that God had placed the seminary there as a light. May He bless their obedience.
Posted by: Josh Britton at November 8, 2005 10:14 AM