Southwestern Seminary President to Speak at OBU

October 24, 2002

Dr. Kenneth S. Hemphill, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, will speak to students during the Oct. 30 chapel service at Oklahoma Baptist University. 

Since Hemphill's appointment as president of SWBTS in 1994, the seminary's enrollment has grown 10 percent. He also serves as professor of evangelism at the school.

Prior his presidency at Southwestern, Hemphill served as director of the Southern Baptist Center for Church Growth in Atlanta, Ga. He also served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Norfolk, Va., from 1981-92. While pastor, the church membership grew from 800 to 6,000 people.

He served as a lecturer in Christian education enrichment at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, a Staley lecturer at North Greenville College, and a Gurney Evangelism lecturer at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

He delivered OBU's Hobbs lecture in 1994.

Hemphill has been named to the international Who's Who of Professionals, Who's Who in the South and Southwest, and the Texas Hall of Fame.

He has written numerous books including The Prayer of Jesus, The Names of God, Revitalizing the Sunday Morning Dinosaur and The Antioch Effect. He also is the author of numerous articles and sections in other collections.

Hemphill earned a bachelor of arts degree from Wake Forest University, master of divinity and doctor of ministry from degrees Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctoral degree from Cambridge University.

He and his wife, Paula, have three daughters.

OBU chapel services are at 10 a.m. in the university's Raley Chapel.