The Caskey Center for Church Excellence at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary recently surpassed the milestone of 100,000 student-led Gospel conversations.  

The 100,000 Gospel conversations mark was officially reached when Caskey Center students turned in their weekly evangelism reports on Sunday (Feb. 1).  

Caskey Center students have carried out weekly evangelism efforts since the Center’s launch in 2014. To date, these Gospel conversations have resulted in more than 11,000 professions of faith, with more than 1,300 taking place in 2025 alone. 

Blake Newsom, director of the Caskey Center and associate professor of expository preaching, commented on the incredible significance of this milestone.  

“Often times a large number like this can almost inoculate you to the impact of that number,” Newsom said. 

“But when you we stop to think about this,100,000 people heard the good news about Jesus, and they heard it entirely because of the existence of the Caskey Center at NOBTS. That means if this Center didn’t exist, it would be reasonable to assume that a very small percentage of those 100,000 people would have heard the Gospel.” 

Since its launch in 2014, the Caskey Center has provided resources and training for pastors and ministry staff members through scholarships, conferences and research.   

The Center, named in memory of evangelistic Louisiana pastor Steve Caskey, represents the dream of an anonymous donor family to see Louisiana churches re-engage in the task of evangelism.  

One of the most notable ways the Center helps pastors is through a full-tuition scholarship program for undergraduate and graduate students at NOBTS and Leavell College who serve at normative size churches in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.   

To qualify for the scholarship, students must serve as paid or bi-vocational pastors or staff members in a church with an average attendance of 250 or less (Louisiana) or in churches with an average attendance of 150 or less (Alabama and Mississippi). Many of the more than 200 yearly scholarship recipients serve as lead or senior pastors.  

The Center also provides additional scholarships for some students in Indiana, Montana, and Wyoming. 

Since the donor family wanted evangelism to be a top priority of the program, consistent Gospel witness became a requirement for recipients. To help students achieve consistency and provide accountability, the program requires students to report at least one Gospel conversation per week. 

“We all agree that we should be sharing the Gospel, and we all agree that there are reasons that we’re not sharing the Gospel such as fear or discomfort,” Newsom said.  

“Many of our students come into the program fearful of sharing the Gospel. What we do is come alongside them and provide the necessary ingredient of accountability. That means you have push through the fear and discomfort to share the Gospel. Over the course of time, students get less fearful and more comfortable. For many it just becomes who they are and what they do.” 

Newsom, who is in his fourth year as Caskey director, said the impact of the Caskey Center’s evangelism efforts goes even beyond the 100,000 number. 

“The impact of the Caskey Center is multi-pronged,” Newsom said. “We have tangible evidence of 100,000 people hearing the Gospel, but that also means we have had 100s of students who have shared the Gospel over the years.  

“The 100,000 number only comes from past Caskey students while they were in the program and current students in the program. But I constantly talk with Caskey Center alumni who are continuing to share the Gospel in their ministry context. There are probably thousands of other Gospel conversations that have happened as a result of the Caskey Center in addition to our student numbers. And these alumni will also teach others in their church about the importance of sharing the Gospel.  

“There is a multiplication effect of what we do and that was always the goal. The goal was to raise up generations of students who are serious about Gospel proclamation and who see the benefit and effect of soul-winning. A lot of people talk about sharing the Gospel, but our students are focused on actually sharing it.” 

Newsom praised the support of both the seminary and generous Caskey Center donors for making the ministry of the program possible.   

“Our donors are the best,” Newsom said. “We have the most generous and gracious donors I’ve ever heard of. They love and care not just for us as a Center, but they realize this Center represents a group of local churches and pastors. They give to invest in these churches and pastors. And the seminary’s Presidents have championed the Caskey Center from its infancy.  

“We exist to serve NOBTS and our SBC churches. It really is a phenomenal partnership.” 

Newsom said the ultimate purpose of the Caskey Center is directly tied to the mission of the seminary.  

“Why do we exist if we’re not sharing the Gospel with lost people and trying to build the Kingdom of God?” Newsom said. “The Great Commission is the point, and we have put that front and center here at Caskey.” 

More information about the Caskey Center can be found here.