Truett Seminary Announces the Establishment of The Scott L. Engle Director of the Wesley House of Studies

October 22, 2024

Waco, Texas (October 22, 2024) – Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary announced today the establishment of the Scott L. Engle Director of the Wesley House of Studies. This endowed directorship of Truett’s Wesley House is being made possible by gifts and pledges from members and friends of St. Andrew Methodist Church in Plano, Texas, in honor of their dearly beloved senior teaching pastor, Scott L. Engle, PhD. 

“Through the magnanimity and generosity of the leadership and membership of St. Andrew Methodist Church, the directorship of our Seminary’s Wesley House is now endowed in the good name of Dr. Scott L. Engle,” remarked Todd D. Still, PhD, dean of Truett. “This significant, strategic, endowed gift, which will exist in perpetuity to help fund the salary and benefits of the Wesley House’s director, further strengthens not only the Wesley House but also our school writ large. That Rusty Freeman, DMin, would serve as the inaugural Engle Director is altogether appropriate, as it is he more than anyone else who has helped to build a House of considerable size, strength, and substance over the course of the past four years through his tireless and sacrificial efforts.”  

St. Andrew Methodist Church has identified Truett Seminary as a key partner for preparing future clergy through its Wesley House of Studies, which will also serve as a destination location for sending students affiliated with and employed by the church for theological education. The creation of the new directorship strengthens this mutually beneficial partnership, establishing a clear pathway for ongoing collaboration and leadership development. 

“This incredible partnership not only honors St. Andrew’s beloved senior teaching pastor, Scott Engle, it also gives our church a way to support Truett and connect with those students outside of our community who are following a calling to go into the ministry,” said Rev. Arthur Jones, senior pastor, St. Andrew. “At St. Andrew we have always admired the stellar program and people of Truett Seminary, and when we learned of this directorship naming opportunity for the Wesley House of Studies, everything fell into place. This partnership will play a pivotal role in the long term at St. Andrew by bringing the best and the brightest to our campus to serve our congregation and our community.” 

Rusty Freeman, DMin, program director for the Wesley House of Studies, has been appointed as the first holder of this endowed directorship. In 2020, Freeman came to the Seminary to support the initial development of the Wesley House and has played a pivotal role in recruiting, connecting, and mentoring as well as with the overall vision of the program. 

Freeman holds a BA in journalism and religion from Baylor University and a MDiv and DMin from Asbury Theological Seminary. He has served the Methodist Church in a variety of roles, including as a pastor in local churches and as a leader of youth ministries in Texas for over 30 years. Freeman is an elder in the Methodist Church and is the founder and leader of The Revive Movement, a non-profit camping and retreat ministry for youth and children in the Wesleyan tradition.

“It is my honor to assume the Scott L. Engle Director of the Wesley House of Studies at Truett Seminary,” said Freeman. “I am humbled to serve in this position and to represent Dr. Engle who is a highly esteemed and deeply loved leader and teacher at St. Andrew Methodist in Plano. This is a significant position for the future growth of the Wesley House as we continue to train Wesleyan/Methodists for ministry. I am so thankful for the Lord’s blessing upon the House as we continue to form disciples for Jesus Christ through theological education and help to grow God’s kingdom." 

“At St. Andrew, we are excited to announce that this partnership will also result in the launch of The Scott Engle Lecture Series,” continued Rev. Jones. “St. Andrew will work with Truett Seminary, who will provide speakers from their academic team, including teachers who can connect academia to the church. This series will be a unique and exciting addition to our Christian education program at St. Andrew.”

Truett Seminary’s Wesley House of Studies was established in the summer of 2020 to equip Christ-centered, Spirit-led students to serve churches and institutions in the Wesleyan tradition. Since its inception, the Wesley House has flourished, and it now supports 90 full-time, degree-seeking students both in Waco and at Truett’s extension campuses in Houston and San Antonio. Additionally, the House has recently launched its Pastoral Studies Program, a non-credit, certificate course of study that offers accessible, affordable, and achievable theological education and necessary certification for Wesleyan ministers.

Visit Truett Seminary’s Wesley House of Studies page to learn more.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT GEORGE W. TRUETT THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
George W. Truett Theological Seminary is an orthodox, evangelical, multi-denominational school in the historic Baptist tradition embedded into Baylor, a Christian R1 University. Truett’s mission is to equip God-called people for gospel ministry in and alongside Christ’s Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Baptist World Alliance, Truett Seminary provides theological education leading to the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, Master of Arts in Contextual Witness and Innovation, Master of Arts in Theology, Ecology and Food Justice, Master of Arts in Theology and Sports Studies (online), Master of Theological Studies, Doctor of Ministry, and PhD in Preaching. In addition to a number of distinctive programs, institutes, and centers, Truett Seminary also offers joint degrees through Baylor University school/college partnerships in social work, business, law, music, and education. Besides its flagship Baugh-Reynolds Campus in Waco, the Seminary also has locations in Houston and San Antonio. Visit the Truett Seminary website to learn more.

ABOUT ST. ANDREW METHODIST CHURCH

St. Andrew Methodist Church, founded in 1986, is located on 21.2 acres in Plano, Texas, and has more than 7,000 members. The church hosts over 2,000 people each weekend for worship services in both a traditional style with the classic pipe organ and a contemporary style with an LED center screen and lighting technology. St. Andrew extends an open invitation for all to be a part of a community ready to embrace faith in Christ that is real, practical, and life changing. Many opportunities are provided to gather on campus and serve locally, regionally, and globally. Through Invite Ministries, St. Andrew’s publishing house, and Beacon of Light, a mental health ministry, St. Andrew offers innovative ways to reach Christians within its congregation and out in the community. The new 300-seat Hasley Chapel provides worship and other gathering opportunities in a scenic and more intimate setting. In 2022 St. Andrew became an independent Methodist Church seeking to live more like Jesus every day and to learn in deeper ways what it means to follow His teachings, live in community, and serve the world. 5801 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75093. Visit www.standrewmethodist.org; call (972)380-8001.