March 9, 2010
NEW ORLEANS - Jim Gibson has joined the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary staff to serve as director of advancement relations.
"Jim Gibson will assist us in cultivating people who will catch a vision of the importance of theological education and how their financial investment will have impact for the kingdom of God," said Jerry Garrard, vice president of institutional advancement. "His primary focus will be to identify new financial supporters of NOBTS and also to strengthen alumni relations."
Working from Nashville, Tenn., Gibson will primarily focus his attention to areas north of Interstate 20. The region includes Kentucky, Tennessee and portions of Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. Long-time NOBTS staffer Jim Lee will continue to perform a similar role south of Interstate 20.
"I look forward to all that God will do in using Jim Gibson to assist us in providing funds to reach the mission of the seminary. His years of ministry experience, contacts throughout Southern Baptist life and his love for NOBTS places him in a unique position to make a difference now and forever," Garrard said.
Gibson, who earned a master of church music from NOBTS in 1970, spent eight years in local church ministry serving churches in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. For most of his career, Gibson worked in music publishing with LifeWay Christian Resources (formerly known as the Baptist Sunday School Board), Word Music and Meadowgreen Music.
"He has had such an impact on Southern Baptist worship and music down through the years," said NOBTS President Chuck Kelley. "He's touched so many lives and we are so very, very proud of all that he has done."
One of Gibson's most significant projects was the Celebration Hymnal. As the executive project manager, Gibson teamed with Integrity Music, Word Music and Tom Fettke to produce the hymnal. Since its release in 1997, the hymnal has sold over 2,000,000 copies.
The last seven years of his publishing career were spent at LifeWay. From 1997 to 2001 Gibson served as associate director of the music ministries department at LifeWay. When he retired in 2004, Gibson was the director of music, publishing and recording.
In 2005, Gibson received the seminary's distinguished alumni award.
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