our story

How it started

The first mention seen about Baptist Student Union at Jacksonville State University was 1930. First Baptist Church of Jacksonville was where it was established. According to their 1985 church history, written by Dan Hollis, the church started ministry to students at Jacksonville State Normal College shortly after it was established in 1871. It was a Baptist state convention study committee in 1923 that explored ways to enhance student work. Records show that by 1937 there was an active BSU group at JSU.

In 1935, the BSU president participated in the BSU convention. A campus minister was employed by the State Board of Missions beginning in 1957. There have been five since that time.

Campus Ministers

  • Leonard Roten

    1957-1967

    Leonard is from Missouri and moved back there after his ten years as campus minister at Jacksonville State. 

  • John Tadlock

    1967-1981

    Tad is from Mississippi. He left JSU to be campus minister at Clemson and later served as state director of campus ministry in Virginia. He is retired in Richmond.

  • Bob Ford

    1982-199

    Prior to coming to Jacksonville, Bob served at both Montevallo and Livingston.  Bob still resides in Jacksonville.

  • Gary Brittain

    1990-2023

    Gary moved to Jacksonville to work as an associate to Bob Ford. He is from nearby Hokes Bluff.  He previously served at Livingston University, as a volunteer campus minister and an area campus minister.

BSU secretaries & Directors

Mary Jane Buoy
Joy Cunningham
James W. Railey
David Richardson
Richard D. Wallace
Mary Jo Thomas
Frances Jones
Betty Ann Hogue
Lula Mae Leake
Anita Ward
Willis Harper

January – June 1948
June – December 1948
January 1949 – January195
January 1950 – August 1950
September 1950 – August 1951
September – December 1951
January – March 1952
April – September 1952
April 1953 – November 1954
April – August 1955
August 1955 – July 1957

*** from A History of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Alabama 1836-1986, p 164

Faculty Advisors

P.J. Arnold
Mrs. Lucille Crow
Mr. Gibson
Dr. Gary (Doc)
Mrs. Charlotte Thornburg
Mr. Opal Lovett
Dr. Virgil Benson
Mr. Jim Roberts
Mr. Rodney Friery
Mrs. Miriam Higginbotham
Dr. Marvin Shaw
Coach Jim & Dr. Jan Case
Mr. Rence Cochran
Mr. Jonathan Adams

947-1953
1954-1955
1957
1958
1963-64
1968-1972
1972-1973
1974-1975
1979-1981
1983-1989
1990-2011
2012-2015
2016-2025
2025-current