Smith inaugurated as 6th president of University of Mobile
By Kathy Dean, U of Mobile
MOBILE, Ala. — Charles W. Smith Jr. was formally inaugurated as the 6th president of the University of Mobile in a faith-focused ceremony that reaffirmed the university’s foundation in Christ and cast a bold vision for the future.
“Since 1961, the foundation and fuel of the University of Mobile has been none other than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we renew our commitment to build our foundation upon His Word — as we commit to existing ‘For Christ & His Kingdom’ — we can expect the Lord’s faithfulness to continue,” Smith said in his presidential address at the Inaugural Celebration held on May 1 at Redemption Church in Saraland, Alabama.
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) President Jason Allen delivered the keynote address. Distinguished guests from across the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC); dignitaries from colleges and universities; civic, community and business leaders; and the university’s Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students and supporters filled the sanctuary for the time-honored academic tradition marking the formal investiture of a university president.
Allen spoke on Proverbs 9:10, U of M’s foundational scripture: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” The first half of the scripture is on the university’s official seal, along with the phrase “For Christ & His Kingdom.”
“The temptation for every institution, large or small, old or young, is to drift from the founding convictions and mission that the institution once held so dear,” Allen said. “In the Southern Baptist world there are 53 Baptist colleges historically associated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The majority of those these days in the 21st century really maintain no true affiliation or connection with, nor oversight of, the Baptist bodies at large.
“But this institution, praise God, continues to be serious about its commitment to serving the churches of the Alabama Baptist Convention, serious about its Christian identity, serious about its Christian convictions, serious about the Bible as the Word of God, and the Great Commission as the urgent task for churches and for Christian believers.”
Watch the full inauguration ceremony at umobile.edu/inauguration.
Spurgeon College announces Christian education degree programs
By Michaela Classen, MBTS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Starting fall 2025, Spurgeon College students will have the opportunity to pursue three new pathways to a degree in Christian education.
Adding to the college’s growing curriculum of ministry- and marketplace-oriented degrees, the new programs include a Bachelor of Arts in Christian education and two new Accelerate tracks focused on preparing students to teach at the elementary and secondary levels.
“I am grateful to announce the addition of Christian education degrees at Spurgeon College,” said President Jason Allen. “Education is pivotal for all of life. With these new degree programs, we will be able to equip believers with a robust and Christian view of education. The future is largely affected by educators; therefore, we are grateful that we can be involved in equipping the next generation in this field.”
Midwestern Seminary Provost Jason Duesing said, “I am grateful to our faculty for the development of these programs in Christian education as they reflect our desire to equip a new generation of Christian educators, for both churches and schools.”
“If you know anything about Spurgeon College, you know we are for the Kingdom,” added Sam Bierig, vice president of undergraduate studies and dean of Spurgeon College. “This is simply the latest exhibit of our laser-focus on preparing the next generation for Kingdom assignment.”
Through a biblical foundation and experiential training, the new degree programs are designed to prepare graduates for teaching K-12 students in Christian schools.
Sharing the vision for the new programs, Assistant Dean of Spurgeon College Andrew King said, “As Christians, we believe education has a particular role in discipleship. The K-12 years are an especially formative time in the lives of children and young people. The addition of these new degree programs equips Spurgeon College students to make disciples and shape worldviews in classrooms across the country and around the world.”
He added: “We recognized that many of our current and prospective students desire to teach in a K-12 classroom, but to this point we did not have an efficient way to best equip these students. Christian education is an easy fit with the mission of Spurgeon College. With this in mind, we sought to develop programs that are biblically faithful, academically rigorous, and experientially practical.”
Starting this fall, Spurgeon College students interested in elementary education will have the option to pursue a new bachelor’s degree in Christian education or a new Accelerate track offering both a B.A. and M.A. in Christian education. Students interested in secondary education will have the opportunity to enroll in a new Accelerate track offering a B.A. in history and M.A. in Christian education.
