Rex Horne, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark., the past 16 years, has accepted the presidency of Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) in Arkadelphia, Ark. He will begin his duties May 1.
As the 15th president in OBU’s 120-year history, Horne follows Andy Westmoreland, who begins June 1 as president of Samford University in Birmingham.
Horne, a member of the board of trustees for the 1,500-student OBU, was elected unanimously during a special trustee meeting April 6 in Little Rock. William H. “Buddy” Sutton, OBU trustee chairman, presented Horne at a news conference following the meeting. Horne was the unanimous choice of the 18-member search committee.
He has led Immanuel Baptist, one of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention’s largest churches with a membership of more than 4,500, since 1990. In 2003, he led the church in its move from downtown Little Rock to a $40 million building in a highly visible location just off Interstate 430.
Ken Shaddox, chairman of the committee and pastor of First Baptist Church, Searcy Ark., commented, “It’s a great day for Ouachita.”
Shaddox said Horne rose to the top of the candidate list based on his “integrity, vision and extraordinary communication skills.”
Emil Turner, executive director of the Arkansas convention, welcomed the news. “Dr. Horne is a proven leader who is widely respected across the Southern Baptist Convention. He’ll be an asset to the school and serve all Baptist churches well in that position.”
A native of Bastrop, La., who was raised in Camden, Ark., Horne has many memories of OBU. “Our church had a part-time minister of music from Ouachita. We spent time on campus, too. Dad and I would go to Tiger football and basketball games. My parents always had great respect for Ouachita.”
Horne completed his freshman year at OBU but finished his bachelor’s degree at Arkansas College (now Lyon College) in Batesville. His first church staff position was at First Baptist Church, Batesville, Ark. He earned a master of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and a doctor of ministry degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Horne has served on the Arkansas convention’s executive board and as chairman of the 1994 Southern Baptist Convention Tellers Committee. He was president of the Arkansas convention from 1995 until 1997. (BP)
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