4 Anessa Westbrook dedication recipient Dr. Anessa Wesbrook, Associate Professor of Bible and Ministry, was the recipient of the 2024-25 Petit Jean yearbook dedication. It was announced in chapel after the student body voted on the recipient through a survey. Westbrook was the first full-time female professor to teach textual Bible in Harding history. She also served in numerous leadership roles such as Honors Faculty Fellow, Leadership Faculty Council President, co-leader of College Church of Christ women’s ministry, chair of the Tabernacle Committee and co-director of the Bloom Conference. Westbrook came to Harding as a freshman in 1991 and graduated in 1995 with a degree in psychology. After working with missionaries in Hungary during her undergraduate years, Westbrook and her husband, Dr. Tim Westbrook, Professor of Bible and Ministry, felt that God was calling them back to the mission field. They moved to Hungary six weeks after graduation to serve in a church planting ministry. Due to their young age, they often worked in youth and college ministry. Westbrook had her first two children in Hungary as a missionary and her youngest child in Seacy after returning permanently in 2003. In 2005, she began her first job with Harding through the Student Association. The association was responsible for Harding’s relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, LA. While on the mission field, Westbrook earned her Master’s in Church Growth but found she wanted to aim her educational sights higher when she began to adjunct Bible classes for women and behavioral sciences part-time through Harding. She began to work on her MDiv (Master of Divinity) through the Harding School of Theology (HST) and studied women’s ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. In 2011, Westbrook graduated from HST and went through Fuller Theological Seminary. In the spring of 2014, Westbrook underwent the interview process to be a full-time faculty member and began as the first fulltime female in the department of Bible and Ministry in the fall of 2014. She graduated with her doctorate in 2015. The first course Westbrook taught was called “Acts for Women.” Since, she has taught several courses, including New and Old Testament Surveys, Christian Families, Intro to Theological Research, Honors College Bible classes, and a number of online courses. Westbrook is also a published author and co-author of texts such as New Birth: Conversion and Baptism, with Michael Strickland. While ministry is Westbrook’s passion, working with women to help them find their gifts and own ministries has been her main goal. “I love that I have been able to go out and train different groups of women on spiritual gifting,” Westbrook said. “Anytime I can see when women are learning what their spiritual gifts are and also getting involved in church, that is a huge win.” Anessa Westbrook’s husband, Tim Westbrook, was elated to hear that Anessa would be recognized as the yearbook dedication recipient. Tim described Anessa as a “trailblazer” and emphasized that her reach goes beyond the limits of Harding. “What she has to offer is much larger than just one school and a handful of classes,” Tim Westbrook said. “Her influence is global already. I see her sing these gifts that God has given her with her educational background and experience at Harding to be able to do what she does at Harding in a very broad way. We anticipate to continue her broad reach through providing resources to churches and be a facilitator for female spiritual development.” Anessa Westbrook has spoken at multiple national and international events such as Aruba, Lithuania and Gander Brook Christian Camp. Dr. Monte Cox, Professor and Dean of the College of Bible and Ministry, taught Westbrook as a student and has worked alongside her since 2014. Cox spoke about the honor that it means for her faculty peers to elect her as the Leadership Faculty Council President and that it shows what she means to Harding leadership. In the position, she served on the cabinet under University President Mike Williams with the Vice Presidents and Deans. Cox also mentioned how gracefully Westbrook has taken on the minority of being a woman in the Bible department. “[Westbrook] has never carried the female banner with anger,” Cox said. “She’s been able to navigate a challenging first and do it well with grace and compassion.” The 2024-25 school year was Westbrook’s last year as a full-time faculty member at Harding. She hoped to continue writing texts such as an expansion of her early book Placing Your Stone and finish the Women’s Ministry textbook. She hopes her writing will inspire more women in their faith. “I would love to figure out how to get into the broader market with writing and try to produce some things that could be offered to help women grow and help people grow spiritually,” Westbrook said. Westbrook’s love for Harding and its students is eternal and unconditional. She left with hope and conviction that Harding has only begun the work that it will do in the world. “I hope that there are students that know how God has gifted them and will go out and serve in the kingdom,” Westbrook said. “I view Harding as a place with students with so much potential, and I know that we can change the world.” Written by Randi Tubbs
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