RTS Jackson is called the Belcher campus because of the leadership and generosity of Elliot Belcher until the Lord called him home in December 2006. Mr. Belcher served as a member of the founding Board of Trustees for Reformed Theological Seminary (pictured left with Mr. Bob Cannada, the original Chairman of the Board), and the blessing of his generous financial support has enabled RTS to remain steadfast in our commitment to train future men and women for Bible-centered Gospel ministry in the Church both here in America and around the world.

As an original member of the Board of Trustees, he served on both the Executive Committee and the Investment Committee and maintained an active relationship with the current Board of Trustees until his death. In 1988, Mr. Belcher demonstrated his vision for seeing the Gospel run to the ends of the earth by creating the Chair of Christian Mission at RTS. The Lord has used many people in significant ways in the life of the seminary since RTS began in 1966, but Elliott Belcher’s unique contributions both in leadership and in financial support to the Jackson campus have been essential as the Lord has grown RTS over the years. Because of his leadership and contributions to RTS over the years, Mr. Belcher’s portrait hangs in the RTS Jackson Library.

Mr. Belcher’s involvement in and commitment to ministry was not limited to RTS but included a substantial list of positions and honors.  Mr. Belcher had been involved with Campus Crusade for Christ since 1967 and had served on the Board of the college ministry starting in 1971.  Mr. Belcher served as a member of the Board of Trustees for Montreat-Anderson College in Montreat, North Carolina, and he acted as Chairman of the Montreat-Anderson College Foundation.

Mr. Belcher served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Southeastern Bible College in Birmingham, Alabama where his donation to the school funded the building of Belcher House Dormitory. From 1980 until 2006, Mr. Belcher also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Palmer Home for Children in Columbus, Mississippi. In honor of his 90^th birthday, Palmer Home awarded Mr. Belcher with honorary lifetime membership in the organization’s Board of Directors.

In 1987, Mr. Belcher was named the Business and Professional Man of the Year by the Religious Heritage Foundation of America. With the Boy Scouts of America, Mr. Belcher served on the Executive Council of the Black Warrior Council. He was granted the Silver Beaver Award in 1992.