Scholarship Winners

Two categories of scholarships will be awarded annually to be selected by the J. Sherman Pelt Scholarship Committee. Applicants will be eligible for only one award per year and must submit an application either as a Seminary Student (Category I) or LBC Atlanta Member (Category II). To be eligible, apply during the April 1 – May 31 acceptance period.

J. Sherman Pelt Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations 2025 Recipient

Minister Emmanuel Kwarf:

Emmanuel Kwarf is a passionate minister and evangelist originally from Ghana, West Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Education in Accounting from the University of Cape Coast and a Master of Arts in Ministry from the Ghana Baptist University College. He is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, where he serves as a key leader of the Candler Baptist Community. After a life-changing encounter with the Lord in 2016, Emmanuel fully committed to the call of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. He served in several Baptist churches in Ghana, including Ahinsan Baptist Church and Calvary Charismatic Baptist Church. In 2019, he founded Jesus Events, a nonprofit mission organization that has reached thousands with the Gospel in Ghana and beyond. Emmanuel now serves as a Ministry Assistant at Amazing Grace Baptist Church of Atlanta, where he leads congregational prayers and provides spiritual support and guidance to church members navigating trauma and marginalization. By embodying the love of Christ, he strives to create a safe and welcoming space where the brokenhearted and downtrodden can find healing and hope.

Category I – Seminary Students

Category II - Liberty Baptist Church-Atlanta Students

Alaina Jane Rearden:

Alaina Jane Rearden is a 2021 graduate and honor student of Woodland High School in Stockbridge, GA. She is currently attending Georgia Southern University majoring in biology with a psychology minor. She is on the Dean’s List and active in extracurricular activities. Her future goals are to complete medical school and become a successful doctor, specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her aspiration is to own her own practice.