February 5, 2020
President Bruntmyer, Provost McNair, and Chair Moore,
We send this letter to you out of a deep care and love for both Hardin-Simmons University and
Logsdon Seminary.
We understand Hardin-Simmons experienced challenges over the last few years financially. Many
beloved faculty and staff are no longer part of the university. We kept your tough decision making
and actions in our prayers as you guided the university into the present as well as the future.
We send this letter for two reasons:
1) In support of our wonderful Logsdon Seminary
2) An invitation for dialogue with the Logsdon Alumni Council and other graduates
We understand a Hardin-Simmons Trustee meeting will happen soon and we want to make sure our
testimonies regarding Logsdon Seminary are heard. We serve as pastors, ministers, chaplains,
professors, teachers, denominational leaders, and many other professions inspired by Logsdon’s
mission.
Logsdon Seminary cultivated and prepared us for our callings. Logsdon Seminary proudly averages a
90% placement rating, meaning 90% of all students who graduate Logsdon Seminary go on to serve in a
related field. This number is incredibly impressive and is evidence of the good work of the staff
and faculty of Logsdon Seminary over the years.
Logsdon Seminary has been a Christ-centered place where we have found unity in the gospel of Jesus
Christ, through the guidance of Scripture. While graduates serve in various contexts and
capacities, we are brought together through preparation of the good news.
Logsdon Seminary has been a true education for students over the years. Rather than indoctrinate,
Logsdon Seminary educates. Former HSU President Jesse Fletcher once said that an education serves a
student best when it teaches a student “how to think over what to think.”
This serves Logsdon’s graduates well as they do ministry under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in
the real world and have to think/feel/do for themselves.
The faculty and staff of Logsdon Seminary has been top notch over the years. They have invested in
students and continue to do so. The faculty and staff are committed to the mission of the seminary
to equip students to respond to God’s call through academic and spiritual formation
for a lifetime of servant leadership in the Kingdom of God. The seminary simply centers itself on the Lordship of Christ, guided by the authority of Scripture, focuses itself on the global mission of the church, and affirms historic principles of Baptist identity.
Thousands of individuals and hundreds of churches have experienced the positive impact of Logsdon Seminary graduates. We believe in both the importance of the seminary now and in the world moving forward.
We invite you into conversation surrounding how wonderful and important Logsdon Seminary is, as well as how we as graduates can help grow the university and seminary moving forward.
Signed,
Kyle Tubbs; Church Starting Manager for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in Atlanta, Georgia, Master of Divinity 2010; President of the Logsdon Alumni Council
Scott Sharman; Senior Pastor of Alsbury Baptist Church in Burleson, Texas; Doctor of Ministry 2014; Vice President of the Logsdon Alumni Council
Yvonne Harold; Pastor of Destined Ministries in Killeen, Texas; Master of Divinity 2016; Secretary of the Logsdon Alumni Council
Meredith Adams; Art Teacher; Bachelor of Science, Minor in Religion 2006
Nathan Adams; Minister of Missions and Men’s Ministry at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas; Master of Arts in Family Ministry 2008
Addie Barnett; Writer and community facilitator of Grassroots Abbey; Master of Divinity 2016
Daniel D. Brockhan; Staff Chaplain at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, New York; Master of Divinity 2008
Matthew Broyles; Pastor to College and Young Adults at the First Baptist Church of Abilene, Texas; Master of Divinity 2012
Bethany Busby; Hospice Chaplin in Waco, Texas; Master of Divinity 2016
Ryan Busby; Pastor of Bosqueville Baptist Church in Waco, Texas; Master of Divinity 2013
Owen Clifton; High School Teacher and Baptist Deacon; B.B.S. Church Ministry 2005
Taylor Cruse; Master of Divinity 2017
Jonathan Davis; Senior Pastor of Beale Memorial Baptist Church in Tappahannock, Virginia; Doctor of Ministry 2019
Brian Edwards; Mental Health Counselor; B.B.S. Applied Theology 2002 and Master of Divinity 2005
Cody Favor; Pastor of First Baptist Church in Cisco, Texas; Master of Divinity 2006
Ferrell Foster; Prosper Waco, Texas; Doctor of Ministry 2016
Amanda Hamilton; DFPS Adoptions Supervisor; Master of Divinity 2009
Paul D. Hamilton; Assistant Director of Housing Operations at Angelo State University, Master of Divinity 2009
Kristen Harris-Bridwell; Director of Christian Education of First Central Presbyterian Church in Abilene, Texas, B.B.S. 2009 and Master of Divinity 2013
Wes Henson; Minister of Youth at Trinity Baptist Church in Kerrville, Texas; Bachelor of Arts in Bible 2006, Master of Divinity 2009
Rosemary Hollingsworth; Licensed Professional Counselor; Master of Arts in Family Psychology and Family Ministry 2015
Summer Hoover; Current stay at home mom and former Senior High Director; Master of Arts in Family Ministry 2010
Abby Horrell Neinast; 6th Grade Teacher in Dimmitt, Texas TX; Bachelor of Arts 2006 and Master of Family Ministry 2010
John Hunt; Associate Pastor Calvary Baptist Church Waco, Former Instructor of Ministry at Logsdon Seminary; Master of Divinity 2010
Cory Hutchison Carter; Teacher at a Christian school; Bachelor of Science with a major in Theatre and a minor in Bible 2010
Becky Jackson; Pastor of Northwest Baptist Church in Ardmore, Oklahoma; Master of Divinity 2012
Erin James-Brown; Interim Pastor at Ravenswood Fellowship; Master of Divinity 2012
Marv Knox; Coordinator of Fellowship Southwest; Former editor of the Baptist Standard; Distinguished young alumnus of Logsdon; Distinguished alumnus of HSU; Bachelor of Science 1979
Jeffrey Lee; Field Personnel with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in Skopje, Macedonia, Master of Divinity 2010
Brittany McDonald Null, Pastor of Families and Spiritual Formation, First Baptist Church, Columbia, Missouri; Master of Divinity 2017
Matt McGowen; Pastor Trinity Baptist Church of Sweetwater, Texas; Master of Divinity 2008
Matthew Morton; Bivocational Pastor & Welder; Master of Divinity 2013
Stephanie Nash; Senior Pastor of Second Baptist Church of Lubbock, Texas (retired); Master of Divinity 2013
Sarah Neeley; Chaplain at Christus Trinity Mother Frances in Tyler, Texas; Master of Divinity 2009
Cody Neinast; Minister of Youth and Education at the First Baptist Church of Dimmitt, Texas; Bachelor of Arts in Church Ministry 2007 and Master of Divinity 2011
Bryce Null; Lay-leader/technology chair at the First Baptist Church of Columbia, Missouri; Master of Divinity 2015
Brian Odom; Teacher of Latin and New Testament Studies at Geneva School of Boerne; Master of Divinity 2017
Jay Patterson; Small Business Owner; Bachelor of Science 2007 and Master of Divinity 2010
Charles R. Perkins; Minister of Missions Pioneer Drive in Abilene, Texas; Master of Arts in Theology 1994
Krystal Phillips; 3rd grade teacher, Master of Arts in Family Ministry 2011
Nolan Porter; Hospice Chaplain and Pastor; Doctor of Ministry 2017 and Master of Divinity 2013
Martha Pritchett; Public school teacher; Bachelor of Science in Education 1977
Emily F. Sharp; Teacher – Fort Worth ISD East side; Current Logsdon graduate student
Cinda Smith; Chaplain for Arkansas Hospice in Batesville, Arkansas; Master of Divinity 2014
Julie Sorrels; Marketing manager for Baptist Standard, B.B.A. 2003 and attended Logsdon Seminary 2013-2014
Benjamin Scott Stephens; High School English Teacher; Master of Divinity 2015
Larry Tarver; Director of Missions for the Abilene-Callahan Baptist Association in Abilene; Doctor of Ministry 2012
William M. Tillman, Jr.; Professor Emeritus, First holder of T. B. Maston Chair of Christian Ethics
Mark Traeger; United States Air Force Chaplain, Current Doctor of Ministry student
Benji Van Fleet; Pastor of FUMC Munday; Master of Divinity; 2015
Alena Vaughn; Associate Pastor of Missions at Sugar Land Baptist Church in Sugar Land, Texas; Master of Divinity 2017
Jessica Watson; Executive Director of Alignment Leadership; Master of Divinity 2017
Kyle Watson; Former Assistant Chaplain of McMurry University & member of Rockbridge Church in Cedar Park, Texas; Master of Divinity 2015
Tracy Wright Baker; Minister at United Christian and Presbyterian Church in Coleman, Texas; Master of Divinity 2010