Elliff to Lead GO Week Chapel Sept. 2

Dr. Tom Elliff, former president of the International Mission Board, will address the OBU community Wednesday, Sept. 2, during the 10 a.m. chapel service in Potter Auditorium. The service will take place as part of OBU's annual GO Week Aug. 31 through Sept. 4. The week focuses completely on missions, with activities ranging from special GO Chapels to a GO fair.

Elliff served as President of the IMB from 2011-14. Before joining the IMB, he pastored churches for 42 years in Arkansas, Texas, Colorado and Oklahoma. Additionally, he has served the Southern Baptist Convention as president for two terms from 1996-98. As the founder of Living in the Word Publications, a written and spoken word publishing ministry, Elliff brings his message of evangelical urgency to conferences and crusades around the world.

Elliff and his late wife, Jeannie, served as missionaries to Zimbabwe in the early 1980s. They have been guests on widely received programs such as Family LifeToday, Focus on the Family and For Faith and Family. He earned a bachelor's degree from Ouachita Baptist University, a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Elliff has spoken at OBU recently for the 2014 OBU Pastors School and during "Focus Week" in February. Elliff will kick off OBU's 2015 Chapel Series theme, "The Minor Prophets: Twelve Contemporary Messages from the Living Text of the Old Testament," with a message on Jonah. The remaining messages will be delivered by OBU faculty members and guest speakers.