Biblical Studies Student of the Year: A study in transformation

Graduate Caleb Taylor will take a quantum leap of faith this summer, moving from Hillsville, Va., the small southwestern Virginia town where he grew up, to the metropolis of Houston, Texas.

After undergoing tremendous spiritual growth at Liberty, he will join a staff of 1,100 to serve as a worship pastor at the 70,000-member, six-campus Second Baptist Church.

Taylor’s testimony of transformation — from a child abandoned by his biological father and raised by his birth mother and two alcoholic and drug-addicted step-fathers to a man who has been given a platform to share his faith through worship — is an inspirational one.

“Coming to Liberty was the first decision I had made in my walk with Christ to actually follow Him, and since then, He has transformed me and renewed me and opened my eyes to see who He truly is,” Taylor said. “I did not have good fatherly influences growing up, but Christ has shown me what it means to truly be a father, and now I want to devote my life to Him in ministry. He has equipped me … to take what I’ve learned from Scripture and apply it to help others navigate the waters of life.”

Taylor, who received his Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies with a minor in Biblical Languages, was recently honored as the 2016 Biblical Studies Student of the Year based on his character, ministry involvement, leadership, and potential for future service in the church, as well as his near-4.0 GPA.

Since last summer, Taylor has served as interim worship leader at Crosspoint Church in Lynchburg, Va., and as a resident assistant at Liberty, gaining valuable experience in ministry and leadership.

“The Lord’s power of redemption and grace is readily evident in Caleb’s life,” said Dr. Gabriel Etzel, administrative dean of the School of Divinity. “The Lord spoke to Caleb and told him to come to Liberty, study the Bible, and eventually lead His people in worship. He will be working to share the Gospel and be a positive impact in the lives of the youth (in Houston), a passion that the Lord redeemed from out of his family’s state of brokenness.”