Land Center announces eight additions to Fellows Program

Eight Christian thought, ministry, and academic leaders are the newly named fellows to the Fellows Program of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Daniel M. Darling, director of the Land Center, announced today.

“Each of these men are brilliant scholars/leaders engaged in Christian ministry that helps Baptists engage the world with both the Great Commission and Great Commandment,” said Darling. “As the world becomes more complex, we need leaders to help inform and equip God’s people with a robust public theology.”

The Land Center exists to train the next generation of Christian leaders to engage society with Gospel truth that results in human flourishing through educational pathways, thoughtful forums, relevant content, and critical research.

In addition to naming the new fellows, Darling announced C. Ben Mitchell, who has served as one of three senior fellows since August 2022, transitioned to distinguished fellow for ethics. Mitchell is the retired Graves Chair of Moral Philosophy at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.

Eight Christian thought, ministry, and academic leaders are the newly named fellows to the Fellows Program of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, joining the 20 other fellows who have served since August 2022.

The new fellows join the 20 men and women who have been a part of the Land Center Fellows Program since they were named as the inaugural fellows in August 2022.

Founder and executive director of Everyone’s Wilson, Daryl Crouch, was named fellow for pastoral ethics. Before assuming the leadership role of the non-profit organization he began in 2021, Crouch pastored Southern Baptist churches for 28 years. He holds degrees from Southwestern Seminary and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary where he earned a Doctor of Ministry in 2001.

David Trimble, vice president for public policy and education for The Religious Freedom Institute (RFI), was named fellow for global religious freedom. Through his work at RFI, Trimble advocates for supporting religious freedom through education that equips future leaders. In addition to his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Seminary, Trimble holds a law degree from Texas A&M University School of Law.

Two-time Southwestern Seminary alumnus, Daniel Sanchez, was named fellow for human dignity and public policy. Sanchez, who serves as the director of ethics and justice for the Christian Life Commission, has more than 20 years of ministry experience. He holds a Master of Arts in biblical studies and a Doctor of Philosophy in New Testament studies from Southwestern.

Evan Lenow, who will serve as fellow for Christian ethics, is associate professor and chair of Christian studies at Mississippi College (MC) in Clinton, Mississippi, where he is also the director of church and minister relations. Lenow directs the Clinton extension of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and teaches courses in ethics, philosophy, and theology through the extension which meets on the campus of MC. He holds a Ph.D. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Stephen O. Presley, named fellow for history and public theology,  serves as senior fellow for religion and public life at the Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy. Through his role he works through the center’s educational initiatives that promote the essential role of religious convictions, peoples, and institutions in society among college students, Christian leaders, and pastors. Additionally, he serves as associate professor of church history at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Named fellow for human dignity and public policy, David Closson serves as the director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at the Family Research Council. His research and writings focus on the biblical worldview of life, human sexuality, religious liberty, and other relevant issues. Closson’s work has appeared on Fox News, Decision Magazine,WORLD Opinions, and The Gospel Coalition, among others. Closson is a Ph.D. student at Southwestern Seminary.

Miles S. Mullin II was named senior fellow. Mullin, vice president and chief of staff for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), is an active member of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS). He previously served with the Missouri Baptist Convention, Hannibal-LaGrange University in Hannibal, Missouri, and Southwestern Seminary. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia, a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Seminary, and a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy from Vanderbilt University.

Malcolm B. Yarnell III, research professor of theology at Southwestern Seminary, was named senior fellow. Yarnell, who serves as editor of the Southwestern Journal of Theology, holds a Master of Divinity from Southwestern, a Master of Theology from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and a D.Phil. from Oxford University in England. Yarnell is the author of several books, including the forthcoming B&H Books publication God: Theology for Every Person.

More information about the Fellows Program can be found here.