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Bandy Receives Promising Teacher Award

May 15, 2012

Bandy, who joined the OBU faculty in fall 2009, received the award from OBU President David W. Whitlock during the graduation ceremonies before an overflow audience of more than 1,800 in the university's Raley Chapel.

The Promising Teacher Award is presented to a junior faculty member who has taught at OBU less than six years, who has demonstrated outstanding potential as a teacher and who has the characteristics of one who may be a future recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award.

In presenting the award, Whitlock said Bandy is an exemplary teacher who is involved not only in OBU, but also in the lives of his students, even inviting them into his home for video game marathons.

"His classes are rigorous and filled to capacity," Whitlock said. "His personal concern and commitment reach far beyond the classroom. He is a published expert on the Book of Revelation. He is involved in his church as a discipleship teacher. He has a strong mission involvement in the Amazon Basin with Global Outreach trips.

"His students seek him out for assistance, encouragement and service as a mentor."

Bandy earned a bachelor's degree from Clear Creek Baptist Bible College, a master's degree from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctorate from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before joining the faculty of the Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry, Bandy served as assistant director of Ph.D. studies for Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to that he was an assistant professor of Christian Studies at Louisiana College and taught adjunctively for Liberty University Online.

His area of expertise is the New Testament and Greek with a specialization in The Apocalypse of John. He published his dissertation as "The Prophetic Lawsuit in the Book of Revelation" in the "New Testament Monograph Series" by Sheffield Phoenix Press (May 2010). He also contributed to "God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation" by Andreas J. Köstenberger and David W. Jones (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2004); the chapter on the Book of Revelation in "The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: A Comprehensive Introduction to the New Testament" by Andreas Köstenberger, Scott Kellum and Charles Quarles (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2009); and the chapter on interpreting the Book of Revelation in "Invitation to Biblical Interpretation" by Andreas Köstenberger and Richard Patterson (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2011).

Bandy has been actively involved in church ministry since 1992, holding positions including senior pastor, associate pastor and student pastor in churches in North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. He has led OBU students on Global Outreach trips to the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon jungle to work among the people groups living there. He has traveled to Manus, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and Belo Horizante in Brazil on mission trips and lectured at a seminary in Cameroon, Africa.

He and his wife, Necoe, have five children.

Each year at Spring Commencement, OBU presents three important awards to recognize quality teaching and faithful, productive service: the Promising Teacher Award, the Meritorious Service Award and the Distinguished Teaching Award. Nominations for the awards are made by alumni, current students, faculty and administration. In addition to public recognition and a token of the university's appreciation, the recipients receive cash awards provided by OBU graduates John and Janet Hudson of Edmond, Okla.