Fifty Years Ago: The Beginning of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary

Michael R. Spradlin, PhD

Michael R. Spradlin, PhD, President of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, received a BA from Ouachita Baptist University, and an MDIV and PhD from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. He has a versatile ministry background that includes preaching, teaching, church planting, military chaplaincy, and many international and North American mission trips. In addition to serving as the president, Dr. Spradlin is also professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, church history, practical theology, and missions and chairman of the evangelism department. He is the author of many scholarly articles and books, including The Sons of the 43rd: The Story of Delmar Dotson, Gray Allison, and the Men of the 43rd Bombardment Group in the Southwest Pacific. Dr. Spradlin served as editor of Studies in Genesis 1-11: A Creation Commentary, Beaman’s Commentary on the Gospel of John, and Personal Evangelism. His newest edited book, That One Face: The Doctrine of Christ in the First Six Centuries of Christianity, by Lawrence R. Barnard, will be available in 2023. Dr. Spradlin and his wife Lee Ann live in Memphis and have three children (David, Thomas, and Laura) and two daughters-in-law (Laurel and Madelyn).

In 1972, now fifty years past, the beginning of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary was announced to the Southern Baptist world with a letter from Dr. B. Gray Allison to every pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention. The letter is included in this article to show the original vision, mission, and passion of the proposed seminary. Over thirty thousand letters were prepared by the Allison family and friends for mailing. What is fascinating is that Dr. Allison began the letter by sharing his personal testimony and then he shared the mission and vision of the new seminary. With the benefit of hindsight one can see how this approach personified the early years of Mid-America and the insight of Dr. Gray (as we all called him). A brand-new educational institution can state any purpose or mission, but with no history, it has little or no credibility. However, an experienced minister does have a track record. Dr. Allison used his extensive ministry experience to show that the school he was starting did have instant credibility. The later announcement of the first faculty members, men with considerable ministry experience, further enhanced this.

In the following letter, Dr. Allison modeled his philosophy of being known more for what you are for than for what you are against. He obviously believed that theological compromises existed in the theological institutions of his day, otherwise why start another seminary? Yet, he wanted to be distinctive more than disruptive. It is always a difficult balance to take a strong stand for what truly matters without seeming to engage in negative attacks. Nevertheless, strong stands must be taken, and Dr. Allison and the first faculty members took a stand knowing that many considered this to be the end of their denominational careers.

The original name of the Seminary was to be The School of the Prophets. It was Dr. Gray’s brother, Dr. Philip Allison, who came up with the idea of MidAmerica Baptist Theological Seminary as the name for the new school. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Dear Baptist Friends:

For several years I have sensed a need in our convention Life. This letter is being mailed to the Southern Baptist pastors listed in the Southern Baptist Convention Annual. Many of you know me, but some do not. Please read this letter carefully!

Jesus became my Lord in 1935 (when I was 11 years of age) and I joined the Ida Baptist Church, Ida, Louisiana, a cooperating Southern Baptist Church. I surrendered to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ on July 4, 1949. My formal educational background includes the B.S. from Louisiana Tech University, the B.D. and Th.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (in church history, with minors in Theology and Homiletics). After receiving my Th.D. in 1954, I was invited to teach Church History and Evangelism and direct the Practical Activities Program at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. In January of 1956, Dr. Roland Leavell asked me to switch from Church History to Missions. For four and one-half years I taught in the field of Missions. In 1960 God led me into full-time evangelism. I was asked to return to N.O.B.T.S. in 1962 for a term as visiting Professor of Evangelism. I was elected Professor of Evangelism at N.O.B.T.S. in 1964 and taught in that position for two years on a part-time basis, devoting the rest of the time to field evangelism. From January,1966, to July 1967, I served as Associate Director of the Division of Evangelism, Home Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention. Since that time, I have been engaged in evangelism in Baptist Churches, evangelism conferences, Bible conferences, etc. Each year I spend some weeks in pioneer areas, trying to help our struggling churches there. During the past fourteen years I have made ten overseas trips at the invitation of our Baptist Missionaries for evangelistic meetings, conferences, Bible studies, etc. The Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist

Convention assisted financially in the travel expenses of two of these trip—the others were financed by interested friends, and myself.

My family and I are active members of Temple Baptist Church in Ruston, Louisiana. We tithe our income through our church—undesignated. We also contribute to the work of our Lord and our denomination through the special offering—Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong, etc. I am a firm believer in, and supporter of, the Cooperative Program. It is our life line

All of the biographical material has been given simply to say, I am a Southern Baptist, by conviction and choice. I thank God for the privilege of being a Southern Baptist preacher.

For some years, however, I have sensed a special need in our Convention Life. We have six seminaries, supported by Southern Baptists, to train leaders for our churches, schools, and mission endeavors. I have counseled with many college and university students in the past seventeen years and have said to each one: “You can get a good theological education in any of our six seminaries.” I still believe this. However, I have a deep-seated feeling that there is a need for another seminary which is through and through conservative in its theological stance where every professor believes in the verbal inspiration of the Bible. I would like for the young men surrendering in our churches for the ministry of Jesus Christ to have the option of attending this school. If they choose to go to another school, that would be their privilege. I believe our primary task is evangelism at home and abroad, and that our young preachers should be required to take more hours in the field of evangelism and missions than are required in most schools.

Because there seems to me to be such a great need, I propose to begin such a school. I pledge to you several things as we begin:

1. Every professor will be a soulwinner.

2. Every Professor in the theological field (Theology, Bible, Church History, Evangelism, etc.) will hold an earned doctorate.

3. Every professor will be conservative in his theology, believing the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God and so teaching.

4. Every professor will be an active pastor and/ or member of a co-operating Southern Baptist Church.

5. Every professor will be available for counseling with students.

6. Academic standards will be maintained at the highest level, but no outside agency will be allowed to dictate requirements, etc.

7. Students will not only be taught evangelism and missions but will be required to do them.

8. Financial support will be sought from churches and individual church members.

Let me add that I have personally visited with the president of each of the six Southern Baptist Convention Seminaries, and with a number of Convention leaders, to assure them that we are not fighting them or are we opposed to them. We rather desire to have friendly relations with all, and to try to meet what we believe is a genuine need in our Convention Life. Therefore, “The Schools of the Prophets “(for Evangelism and Missions) will open in Ruston, Louisiana in August 1972. I will serve as President and Professor of Church History and Evangelism. Other professors are committed and will be announced later.

We need three things:

1. Prayer—This above all!

2. Money a. At least 100 churches that will budget at least $100 per month b. At least 100 individuals who will give $1000 per year c. At least 1000 individuals who will give $10 per month d. We welcome any contribution, and especially need friends who will contribute on a regular basis.

3. Students

If you are interested or have young people in your church who are interested in attending our school, please fill in and mail the enclosed form and you will receive our bulletin. We ask for your prayerful consideration, and if the Lord leads, for your support.

Thank you very much for letting me share with you the burden of my heart.

In Christian Love, B. Gray Allison

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world”. Romans 1:8