Why give to Welch College?

Carry the Torch

By Mike Edwards, Director, The Welch Fund

My name is Mike Edwards, and I am an alumnus of Welch College. For more than 22 years, it was my honor to pastor Free Will Baptist churches in Georgia, Indiana, and South Carolina. God blessed my wife Karen and me with three lovely children. They are all alumni of Welch College. Our family has always loved our college!

In 2011, God called us from pastoral ministry to return to Welch College and serve as director of the Welch Fund. I am often asked, “What do you do at Welch College?” To the older generation, I describe my role as being a modern-day Paul Ketteman. For those too young to have known this denominational icon, I describe my responsibilities as fundraising and public relations. (Brother Ketteman considered himself as a “friend-raiser,” because he “raised up” friends to support the college.)

Before long, I realized most students attending Welch College relied on scholarships and other financial aid to stay in school. It became obvious I needed to “raise up” many more friends to keep these students on campus. Then I learned another startling lesson: many students are unable to attend Welch College for lack of funds. Everyone knows higher education is expensive, and Christian higher education is even more expensive. The pressure just got worse.

Since being founded in 1942, the college has depended on gifts from Free Will Baptist churches, alumni, and friends to carry out its mission to educate leaders to serve Christ, His church, and His world through biblical thought and life. We remain faithful to our mission, which makes hearing that a student cannot attend Welch College because of finances some of the saddest news I hear.
This is why our team spends many days on the road and nights away from home visiting churches and individuals, asking for old and new friends to step up and support the college. It is all about the students…educating leaders to serve Christ.

Did you know 90% of students at Welch College receive financial aid and/or have jobs to finance their education? Did you know Welch’s tuition, room, and board costs rank in the lowest 25% of accredited colleges in Tennessee? In fact, US News and World Report ranks Welch the fifth best college value in the entire southern region (2018).

Why give to Welch College?

I like to think of giving to Welch College as a partnership. You partner with Welch to fulfill its mission. You assist students in their educational pursuit. You make a difference in a student’s life and meet a need with eternal significance. Here are a few specific reasons for giving to Welch College:

• Your gift helps fulfill our mission.
  

• Your gift provides a Christ-centered educational environment for future leaders in our churches and denomination.
  

• Your gift is an investment in the lives of students who are developing a Christ-centered worldview.
  

• Your gift enables students to become Great Commission disciples.
  

• Your gift makes Christian higher education more affordable.
  

• Your gift reduces student costs and prevents student debt accumulation.
  

How can I partner with Welch College?

The simplest way for an individual to partner with the college is to become a Torchbearer Club member. Torchbearers are individuals or families who commit to become monthly donors via bank draft or an automated credit card gift of at least $25 per month to the Welch Fund. Torchbearer Club members light the way for the next generation! Torchbearer Club members are honored by receiving a Welch College tee shirt, free admission to Flames athletic events, a special reception at the annual Bible Conference/Forum event, and an e-newsletter keeping them up to date with what is happening in the college community.

To date, we have 260 Torchbearer Club members. This partnership currently raises $7,575 per month in gifts to the Welch Fund. Our first Torchbearer Club gift goal is $10,000 per month. Would you consider becoming a Torchbearer? Sign up today at www.torchbearerclub.com. You can also give a one-time gift at welch.edu/give.

In addition, every Free Will Baptist church should consider including Welch College in its budget. Since Welch College is owned and operated by the National Association of Free Will Baptists and accountable to the denomination, every church should support the college through prayer, encouraging your students to attend the college, and with financial support.

If you would like to host a Welch College Day, contact us! David Williford, Todd Parrish, Derek Altom, or I would be happy to come and share the ministry of the college with your congregation: www.welch.edu.