Retired NGU administrator donates his personal collection of books on prayer

A retired North Greenville University administrator recently donated his extensive collection of books on the subject of prayer to the school.

The donor, Charles “Buddy” Freeman, was honored at a dedication ceremony Nov. 28.

Freeman, from Conover, N.C., came to North Greenville University in 1997 as executive director for admissions and financial planning. Under his leadership, student enrollment doubled. More than 7,000 students were recruited to the school during Freeman’s service.

He also organized and directed the school’s Christian Ministry Scholarship Fund, which has grown to more than $4.4 million and currently assists 81 students. He directed the organization during his 10-year tenure before retiring in 2007.

Freeman returned to NGU’s office of university advancement in 2011 as the director for the CMSF and officially retired two years later. He now is pastor of First Baptist Church of Marshall, N.C. His wife is a radiation oncologist with Iredell Hospital System in Statesville, N.C.

“In conversations with Buddy through the years, you didn’t talk with him long before he got around to something about prayer. Prayer was on his heart, and that was a great motivation in his life,” said dean of the College of Christian Studies, Walter Johnson, at the dedication ceremony.

Freeman said the appropriate place for his prayer library is at NGU. He said wanted it to be available for the students, faculty and staff.

The collection is located just inside the front entrance of the Averyt-Wood Learning Center, next to the Miller Bible Museum.

“I’m really excited about having this [collection] in our location as a reminder to pray with expectation,” said NGU president Gene Fant. “I’m thrilled we have this and thank [Freeman] for blessing us with it. We look forward seeing how it can influence our students and faculty for the next generation.”

Freeman donated more than 1,000 books and he said he continues to collect them and will give them to the university.

Freeman started collecting prayer books in the 1980s. Authors in the collection include Henry Blackaby, Jack Taylor and Ken Hemphill, among others.

Freeman said that of the seven institutions he attended as a student, there was not one class taught about prayer. He said when he came out of seminary, he didn’t know how to pray or what to pray.

He made a suggestion to the NGU administration to pray about offering a three-hour class on prayer in the fall and in the spring.

Vice president for campus ministries Steve Crouse said Freeman has been a friend and mentor to him for many years.

“He has devoted many years to studying and practicing prayer. This gift to the university library will influence the lives of students for years to come,” said Crouse.

 

LaVerne Howell is director of communications at North Greenville University.

2 thoughts on “Retired NGU administrator donates his personal collection of books on prayer

  1. Buddy Freeman has impacted many college students for Christ! I knew him from his days at Gardner Webb University.

    • Loved Buddy Freeman! Pure down to earth leader with humor as well. Glad I got to know him at my time at NGU. Great emphasis on Prayer ! Thank you Mr. Freeman!

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