Former professor Bruce Leafblad continues investment in Southwestern with library donation

FORT WORTH, Texas — The School of Church Music and Worship’s Bowld Library recently accepted a collection of scores and works from former Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary faculty member Bruce Leafblad’s library, a donation he called a way for him to continue investing in the institution he came to love in his years as a professor.

“A lot of my heart is in Southwestern because I taught there for almost a quarter of a century and have already invested a big chunk of my life there,” said Leafblad, who was honored with a portrait at Southwestern in January for his 23 years as a professor of worship. “… This will be kind of an ongoing contribution, even when I’m gone, to generations to come as resources of the library.”

Leafblad said Southwestern is unique as it is the only Southern Baptist seminary with an accredited music school within the institution, and he considered it the most logical place to donate his collection.

“Worship leaders and worship theologians literally all over the world stand on the shoulders of Dr. Bruce Leafblad,” SCMW Dean Joe Crider said, naming leaders such as Louie Giglio, John Piper, and Southwestern’s own Chuck Lewis, associate dean and professor of church music and worship, who were impacted by Leafblad’s teaching. “To receive a portion of Dr. Leafblad’s library is to receive a tangible expression of Dr. Leafblad himself. This will be a wonderful addition to an already amazing library as our students study and read from many of the influential voices in Dr. Leafblad’s life.”

Bowld librarian Fang Lan Hsieh said the contribution contains about 1,000 pieces, including books on church music, worship, musicology, and hymnology, as well as hymnals representing a wide range of Christian denominations, choral anthems, handbell music, and collections of sacred songs and gospel music.

“It was both an honor and a privilege to receive this extraordinary gift on behalf of the library,” Hsieh said. “… Carefully assembled over the course of his academic and ministry career, this collection reflects Dr. Leafblad’s lifelong commitment to excellence in church music scholarship and worship.”

Leafblad said he is “glad to be able to leave something more than memories of my years of teaching there. This will be a way of continuing, in a very small but significant way, the ministry that for me began there in 1983.”

“This exceptional donation substantially enriches the Bowld Music Library’s holdings and further strengthens its mission to support the education, ministry, and scholarly research of faculty and students in the field of church music and worship,” Hsieh said, adding Leafblad’s generosity will benefit current and future generations of students.

In April, Leafblad was named the recipient of the W. Hines Sims Legacy Award at the Southern Baptist Church Music Conference in Orlando. Since 1971, the award has recognized exemplary and enduring contributions and legacy leadership in the field of church music and worship in the Southern Baptist Convention.