West Virginia Baptist Education Society

Has God Called You to His Ministry? We May Be Able to Help!

In October 1891, West Virginia Baptists established a scholarship program to assist young men and women, who are members of Baptist churches affiliated with the West Virginia Baptist Convention, in acquiring an education for their service in the ministry and mission fields.

During the society’s existence, over 1,500 loans and scholarships have been made to college and seminary students.  Many of these students have returned to serve in West Virginia Baptist churches.  Several have served as national or international missionaries and some have filled positions in our denominational leadership.

Downloadable applications are available to the right.  Please mail completed application with any accompanying information to: Dr. L. L. Hoptry, 129 Green Acres, Hurricane, West Virginia 25526.  If you have questions, please contact the corresponding secretary, Dr. L. L. Hoptry, at drhoptry@aol.com or 304.760.8379.  If you have any problems or questions with the Education Society website, please e-mail snyder@wvbc.org.

If you feel the call of God for full-time ministerial service and you are an active member of a West Virginia Baptist Convention church, you may qualify for a scholarship.

We require recommendations from two (2) ordained West Virginia Baptist ministers, one (1) West Virginia Baptist Convention Area Minister and a letter from the clerk of the church where your membership is held.  The clerk’s letter affirms your call to ministry and membership.

Scholarships/loans are granted for four (4) years of college work (undergraduate) and three (3) years of seminary.  We do not fund beyond the Master of Divinity or equivalent degree.

Funds are available for pastors or staff to attend Palmer Theological Seminary Campus at Parchment Valley, if the students is working toward a degree.  This is handled differently.

Applications are available online or from the corresponding secretary of the society upon request from the student.  These applications, with the supporting documents, are presented to the advisory committee in June and in October of each year.

Once the student has been accepted into the program, he or she must reapply, without the letters of recommendation, each year.

Students in college and in seminary receive checks in August, for first semester assistance, and in December, for second semester classes.  Palmer grants are paid upon completion of the classes as they are taken.

Students qualify by preparing for a full-time position on a church staff.  Positions would include: pastor, director of Christian Education, children, youth, adult, music or other specialized ministry.  Students also qualify if they plan to serve on our ABC mission fields, whether they be national or international.

For further information, please contact the corresponding secretary.

Following graduation, those who borrow from the West Virginia Baptist Education Society have one year of the loan cancelled for each year of service in a West Virginia Baptist Church or on a mission field of our denomination.  Those who serve outside the state or leave the full-time Christian ministry of our denomination are asked to repay the loan without interest.