Mark Lafluer ‘06
was called to the pastorate of Christ Baptist Church in Cold Spring, Kentucky. Mark formerly served as an associate pastor at Highview Baptist Church in Louisville. His new ministry will take place within minutes of Northern Kentucky University, giving him the opportunity to reach hundreds of college students with the gospel.
Ervin Dimeny ‘97
has been appointed as the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Commissioner for the Department of Workplace Standards. This department has the primary responsibility of enforcing Kentucky’s occupational safety and health laws, wage and hour laws, child labor laws, and administering the state’s registered apprenticeship programs.
Brandon Boone ‘07
was called as the pastor of Red Hills Baptist Church in Enoch, Utah. Both Brandon and his wife, Meaghan, are 2007 graduates from Boyce College. After growing up in both Oregon and Idaho, Brandon is excited now to lead a gospel church in the western United States.
Gene Parr ‘82
retires after 34 years with the Kentucky Baptist Convention as the campus missionary at Morehead State University. “Gene has established on a national level the best discipleship ministry at probably any Baptist campus in the nation,” said Jon Barron, campus missionary for University of Kentucky.
Mike Routt ‘89
was elected president of Colorado Baptist General Convention. He will also continue to be the pastor of Circle Drive Baptist Church in Centennial, Colorado, where he’s served since 2002.
Brett Vaden ‘08
will join the staff of Three Fourteen Institute of the Journey Church in St. Louis. Vaden’s ministry will include teaching and mentoring the two-year ministry residents who belong to the Institute.
Sean Gould ‘09
was called as the member care pastor at the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham. Sean joins Brook Hills after six years of member care ministry in Georgetown, Texas, at Terranova Church.
Jay Hardwick ‘05
becomes the director of church planting for South Carolina Baptist Convention. Gary Hollingsworth , executive director-treasurer of the SCBC said, “As an experienced church planter in our state, Jay is a respected voice and leader among a significant group of church planters both in state and around the nation. He will bring that wealth of experience into our work here.”
Curt Sharbaugh ‘16
was called to the pastorate of First Baptist Church of New Carlisle, Ohio. The church extended a call to Curt after a two-year transitional process. While studying at Southern, Sharbaugh was a member of Kenwood Baptist Church.
Nate Bishop ’14
was called to the pastorate of Forest Baptist Church in Louisville. Previously, Nate worked in the Campus Technology office at Southern as the director of software and development.
Andrew Case ’11
is a translation coordinator for Wycliffe in Equatorial Guinea.
Tim Smith ‘15
was named the new president of the University of Mobile in Mobile, Alabama. Previous to this position, Tim served in leadership at Anderson University in South Carolina and Union University in Tennessee. He received from Southern both his Ph.D. in Leadership and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies.