Criswell College enrollment official linking with churches

DALLAS?In the four decades since W.A. Criswell founded the school, Criswell College has pursued its mission of “serving the churches of Jesus Christ by developing God-called men and women for ministry leadership.” Andrew Hebert is traveling Texas, making sure the churches of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention are aware of the benefits of a Criswell College education.

As the newly named director of enrollment services, Hebert serves as a liaison between the college and the SBTC. He said he plans to deliver a two-fold message?challenging those God-called servants to commit their lives to ministry and encouraging them to prepare at the Dallas-based school.

“For those who are interested in either full-time ministry or just want to be better prepared as a believer, I will be encouraging them to take a class or start a degree at Criswell College.”

He said SBTC churches will enjoy the benefit of Criswell graduates, who prove to be conservative pastors, missionaries and Christian leaders who will serve Southern Baptist churches with doctrinal clarity, missionary fervor and moral integrity.

“I will be working to build relationships with pastors and churches so that we can explore new and creative opportunities to partner together for ministry in the future” and build a stronger connection between SBTC churches and Criswell College, raising awareness for the school and preaching messages that will challenge people to a stronger commitment to Christ, he said.

Hebert earned his bachelor of arts in biblical studies from Criswell and is currently working on the master of arts in theological and biblical studies with an emphasis in New Testament. Last year he received the Paige Patterson Preaching Award. He has pastored two churches in North Texas, encouraging evangelistic outreach that led to contacting every house within a 10-mile radius of the last congregation he led in Sumner.

“Although young, Andrew Hebert has become a seasoned pastor of a Southern Baptists of Texas Convention church,” noted SBTC Executive Director Jim Richards. “He is a Criswell grad who can represent the values that the college and SBTC share. Andrew models what other young ministers can do by going to Criswell,” Richards added.

Whether a church needs a preacher for a revival, regular church service or an event like DiscipleNow, Hebert is glad to travel to Texas churches at the school’s expense. “Criswell College is the best place in the state of Texas to prepare for ministry and I want to get that message to the churches,” Hebert said.

“We have a servant-hearted and scholarly faculty. We require more classes in biblical studies and theology than any other undergraduate program in the state and more than many graduate programs.”

With convenient class schedules and low tuition rates, Criswell College remains well below the national average for private Christian education, he said.

“We offer the kind of specialized training that is hard to find anywhere else.”