Hobbs College Welcomes Melendez to Faculty

June 4, 2020

Dr. Mario Melendez will join the faculty of the Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry beginning this fall. He has been hired as the Auguie Henry Chair of Bible and assistant professor of Old Testament and biblical studies.

Melendez earned a Bachelor of Christian Ministry in 2010 from Leavell College in New Orleans. He then went on to earn a Master of Christian Studies in 2012 from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He continued by earning a Master of Theology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and then most recently completed a Ph.D. in Biblical Interpretation, also from NOBTS.

Dr. Matthew Emerson, dean of the Hobbs College, is excited to welcome Dr. Melendez to Bison Hill.

“Dr. Melendez comes to us with expertise in Old Testament studies and biblical interpretation. He is particularly interested in the connections between biblical books and how those connections help us better understand Scripture. While he is eminently qualified to teach our academic courses, equally important to us is the fact that he has also served for many years as a pastor and is passionate about discipleship and preaching. His love for Christ and his Church, his commitment to the faithful interpretation of God’s Word, and his passion for equipping students are obvious.

“Dr. Melendez is a crucial addition to the Hobbs College faculty and he embodies our commitment to providing biblically rooted, theologically faithful and practically relevant education for those called to ministry. We look forward to him equipping students to understand the Bible, and especially the Old Testament, so that they can fulfill their God-given vocations in ways that demonstrate their love for our Lord and our neighbors.”

Prior to joining the OBU faculty, Melendez served both the church and the academy. He most recently served as senior pastor of Gretna Covenant Church in New Orleans from 2015 to 2020. Before pastoring at Gretna, he served in Hispanic, Asian and English churches in various pastoral roles. He taught at NOBTS as an adjunct professor and worked as an academic affairs specialist for the Memphis Center for Urban Theological Studies. He has also served as an Old Testament adjunct professor and academic counselor at Victory University in Memphis, Tennessee, as well as an adjunct professor at Union University, where he was also a coach of the Union Judo Club.

His research interests include biblical interpretation, Ancient Near Eastern backgrounds and themes, language acquisition, and multi-ethnic psychology and ministry. As a multi-ethnic believer, he has been a guest lecturer on several multi-ethnic ministry topics.

Melendez and his wife, Rebekah, married in 2012 and have a German Shepherd. His wife has served as a licensed social-worker in Memphis and New Orleans. In his spare time, he enjoys practicing Judo, Karate and Jujitsu. He also is an avid furniture maker.