Northeastern Baptist College Disciples Students and Impacts the World With the Gospel
On November 8, the Northeastern Baptist College Board of Trustees unanimously appointed as chancellor its founding president, Mark H. Ballard (center, in a May 2025 photo.)
Since New England’s only Southern Baptist school of higher education was founded in 2013, students have graduated into a lifestyle of missionary service, and the college has grown in enrollment size and reputational stature.
One of the favorite parts of a long hike in the mountains is the change of scenery throughout the journey. Beginning at the trailhead, a hiker will usually find trees that are full of life, underbrush that is dense, and a path that is clearly marked.
As the elevation increases trees become smaller, undergrowth loosens its grip, and the path ahead becomes less clear. Eventually, a hiker may find an alpine zone without trees—and the view there is remarkable.
The journey always holds elements of boredom, danger, and weariness. Yet, in the same vein, there the hiker will discover excitement, safety, and life!
Such is the case with the journey of Northeastern Baptist College, Bennington, Vermont (NEBC) in recent times. There are struggles that can be tiring, but there are blessings that we continually thank God for as he works in and through us.
Emily Edenfield
The 2025-26 academic year kicked off in September with NEBC’s largest student body ever—105 students! As you read that number, I encourage you to avoid concrete, impersonal thinking. Consider this: God brought on the campus 105 disciples, with their beautiful stories. Each student is a child of God, a laborer in the harvest fields of Vermont. That perspective will change the way someone thinks about what God is doing here. Two NEBC students will make the point.
Reese Sweeney, a sophomore from Cortland, New York, is studying Biblical Studies with a concentration in Pastoral Ministry. He is also serving as the Evangelism Pastor of Great Commission Baptist Church, a NEBC church plant that currently meets on campus.
Beyond an emphasis on degrees and ministry, Sweeney is a student who has grown tremendously in the Lord since arriving in Vermont. When asked what NEBC has taught him, he said, “NEBC has taught me the importance of surrender and humility to God’s Word in everything that I think and do.”
Emily Edenfield is a freshman who moved to Vermont from Dothan, Alabama, to study Christian Counseling. She has been working part-time as a barista at The Well, a student-run, on-campus café. Through her work-study job and service at a local church, she has made many great connections.
“Since moving from Alabama to Vermont in August, God has shown me his provision and has blessed me tremendously. I’ve also grown so much closer to him while being here,” commented Edenfield.
Impacting the World With the Gospel
Our mission is to impact the Northeast, the United States, and the world by training students to have the Mind of a Scholar, the Heart of a Shepherd, and the Perseverance of a Soldier through the provision of a college education with a biblical foundation and a distinctive blend of academic excellence and practical mentoring until Jesus comes.
Though all journeys are unique, consider that more than a hundred NEBC students are learning while serving in a local church, as they continue growing in Christ.
Alongside their personal growth, God is also using students, staff, and faculty for corporate growth in the body of Christ. During 2025, more than 400 people from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the United States were transformed—from death to life by the gospel—through the faithful ministries of the students and staff of NEBC. The college is impacting the Northeast, the nation, and the world.
Recent Developments at NEBC
Chancellor Mark H. Ballard
An exciting development happened when a generous and anonymous donor gave funds to purchase property including two buildings in downtown Bennington that will serve as the graduate library and a new chapel. When Clarks Summit University in South Abington Township, Pennsylvania, closed in 2024, they sold their 60,000-volume library to NEBC. The books are being stored and catalogued while the buildings are being renovated.
If nearby properties become available, the main campus of NEBC will be relocated to the heart of historic Bennington, which is known for the Battle of Bennington during the Revolutionary War.
On November 8, the Board of Trustees unanimously appointed Mark H. Ballard, the college’s founding president, as chancellor, a post he is serving while continuing as president until the second president assumes office. A search committee has been named.
Ballard’s leadership is deeply appreciated by students and staff. We are filled with confident hope that he has made this decision by following the guidance of Jesus, and we are joyful that the Lord will supply the next president of this college.
If you are curious as to how you, your church, or your small group can get involved in what God is doing here, reach out to Chancellor Mark Ballard or Director of Financial Advancement and Strategic Projects Kevin Payne.