By John D. Pierce, Executive Editor, Nurturing Faith Journal
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — The Baptist Seminary of Kentucky (BSK) has named Christian educator, publisher and consultant David Cassady, founder of the communications and consulting firm Faithlab based in Macon, Ga., as its new president. His service at the seminary on the campus of Georgetown College near Lexington, Ky., begins in May.
“I have long been impressed with the quality, creativity and contributions of graduates from BSK,” said Cassady. “It is exciting to be part of a seminary community that cares deeply about the vitality of congregations and the future of creative ministry leadership.”
Cassady said he looks forward to working with “forward-thinking board members, faculty, staff, alumni, students and BSK supporters to serve a Church that is facing new challenges and fresh opportunities.”
Trustees Chair Everett McCorvey said Cassady’s “experience, connections, and dedication to the cause of teaching and preparing students for the ministry made him an outstanding choice.”
“I am excited for the BSK family of students, alumni, church leaders and the community at large to get to know him,” McCorvey added. “He will do a tremendous job for the seminary.”
BSK student Sara M. Herrington Jones commended Cassady’s support of student involvement and nurturing student leadership within Baptist life.
“I look forward to Dr. Cassady’s leadership at BSK,” she said. “He has proven himself to be a thoughtful, prepared, creative, and energetic leader even with us during the search and discernment process.”
BSK alumni Bert Montgomery, pastor of University Baptist Church in Starkville, Miss., said he has known Cassady for more than 25 years but “continues to be inspired by his passion for knowledge, his intellectual curiosity, his quick wit, his deeply rooted faith, and his persistent love for the church.”
Cassady’s entrepreneurial experience as the founding president of Faithlab includes innovative and collaborative initiatives such as the online Bible study curriculum Faithelement, podcasts and the field-tested resource “Youth Ministry Conversations.”
In collaboration with the independent publishing venture Nurturing Faith, Cassady serves as Church Resources Editor for the Nurturing Faith Bible Studies and as part of the Nurturing Faith book-publishing enterprise.
Cassady will continue to oversee the collaborative work of Faithlab to be carried out by the company’s expanded team. “Because of them, I have the freedom to pursue this new work with BSK,” he said.
Cassady earned a B.S. in Religion and Philosophy from Ouachita Baptist University, followed by graduate studies in philosophy at Baylor University. He received the M.Div. C.E. and Ph.D. degrees from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. While in seminary he served as Associate Pastor for Education and Youth at Buechel Park Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky.
For 16 years Cassady worked in various roles, including Executive Vice President and Publisher, with Smyth & Helwys Publishing, where he created numerous curriculum lines and resources.
For the past eight years he taught philosophy and religion courses at Wesleyan College, a historic women’s college in Macon, Ga.— and serves as a deacon and Sunday school teacher at Macon’s Highland Hills Baptist Church. He also serves on the Christian Education and Nurture Committee for the Baptist World Alliance.
Cassady said he sees the same innovative spirit at BSK that have propelled Faithlab, Nurturing Faith and other ventures to expand and provide relevant and creative resources for churches.
“Organizations that focus on serving the local church are thriving and growing,” he said. “And God is doing something important through congregations.”
Cassady will serve as the seminary’s second president, following Greg Earwood who retired in 2016.
Director of the Jesus Worldview Initiative at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee and former executive editor and publisher at Good Faith Media.
