Brochure
Pledge Card
Contact our office at 888-822-1944 for more information.
Dontations may be made to CBFNC: Lolley Fund, 8025 North Point Blvd, Suite 205, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106.
In an article in the November 2006 issue of The Gathering, I wrote about the "good news…bad news" situation regarding theological education. The good news is that the preparation for ministry students are receiving in our CBF partner theological schools is outstanding. In many ways, I wish I could do seminary all over again! The
bad news is that this education is very expensive. Whereas I and many other Baptist ministers in the old system received our theological education basically tuition-free, students today face high costs and often graduate with significant educational debt. I reported that because we in the CBFNC family highly value theological education, we have developed two streams of financial support for theological education (in addition to the support provided by CBF national). These two streams are our CBFNC ministry budget and the CBFNC Mission Resource Plan. Thankfully, in our 2007-2008 fiscal year, these two streams together totaled over $198,000!
This support, which is phenomenal and worthy of celebration, is not the ultimate solution to the theological education funding dilemma because it is built on the ups and downs of annual giving. Therefore, the CBFNC Endowment Management Board has undertaken a massive enterprise to develop a third stream of financial
support for theological education that will be more steady, dependable, and will survive until the Lord returns.
On Thursday, April 10, the eve of the 2008 CBFNC General Assembly, approximately 180 persons gathered for a dinner in the fellowship hall of FBC Raleigh to launch the Randall and Lou Lolley Endowment Fund for Theological Education. The Lolleys are cherished leaders in our state who have given their lives in service of the church and theological education. Randall served as president of Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest and as pastor of several North Carolina congregations, including the First Baptist Churches of Winston-Salem, Raleigh and Greensboro.
Following a delicious dinner provided by the food service staff of FBC Raleigh, the program featured participation by students and/or graduates of the four North Carolina CBF partner schools; a keynote address by Jack Glasgow, pastor of Zebulon Baptist Church and moderator-elect of CBF National; a presentation of a commemorative plaque to the Lolleys by Scott Hudgins, CBFNC Endowment Management Board vice-chair; a response from the Lolleys; and a challenge by Raleigh attorney, Wade Smith.
Contributions and pledges to the Lolley Fund already approach $300,000, thanks to contributions from members of the Coordinating Council, Endowment Management Board, and other donors, including the
generous donation by the Lolleys of a mountain cabin near Valle Crucis, NC.
Some donors are making single gifts; others are making pledges over several years. Outright contributions, including cash, securities, real estate (such as the Lolley cabin), and personal property, are all gift-giving options. Deferred gifts such as charitable trusts and will bequests are also popular ways to contribute to endowment funds.
I dream of a day when the Lolley Fund will produce more support for theological education than is currently provided by the CBFNC budget and Mission Resource Plan. Please join this campaign. Our Lord, our churches, and the ministers who serve them deserve our best effort.
~ Larry Hovis, Executive Coordinator, CBFNC