Why Southeastern?

Love God

The first of the great commandments is that we love the Lord our God with our heart, soul and mind (Matt. 22:37). We are committed to seeing Southeastern students grow in their love and knowledge of God, so they will worship, trust, hope and delight in him more. Our love for God and others, the Bible tells us, is based first on God’s love for us (1 John 4:19). We believe when we are captivated by the love of God (2 Cor. 5:14-15), we are compelled and directed to live lives for his glory and for the salvation of all peoples.

Love the Truth

Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Because God is truth, we believe his inspired Word is true. By God’s Word, he makes himself known to us, sustains our faith in him, provides a light for our lives and transforms us. We train students to understand and to trust the sufficient Word of God. We cherish his enduring and unfailing Word because it is the message of salvation for all those who believe (Rom. 1:16). We are committed to seeing Southeastern students love and know the truth, so they may faithfully teach and share it.

Four Marks of a Great Commission Seminary

1. It is characterized by spiritual vibrancy.

Our hope is that the classes you take at Southeastern will spur you on to love God deeply and pursue his mission passionately around the world.

2. It is certain in its doctrinal conviction.

Our leadership and faculty affirm the Abstract of Principles, The Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

You’ll gain a solid foundation for ministry preparation in any context.

Love the Church

The Scriptures call us “to care for the Church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). We love the Church because God loves the Church and identifies with the Church as his body (Eph. 1:23). The Church is central to God’s work in the world—a redeemed people called to be devoted disciples of Christ and ambassadors of the gospel. We equip students to serve the Church and fulfill its mission.

Love the World

The Scriptures say, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). We are committed to seeing Southeastern students love what God loves and to participate in his redeeming work in the world. Southeastern is a Great Commission seminary. We are consumed with a global focus because we are called and commissioned by Jesus “to make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19).

3. It is committed to ministry preparation.

We seek to partner with local churches to train students at every level to be faithful teachers of the Word who are committed to the Great Commission.

4. It is consumed with a global focus.

We train missionaries, pastors, church planters and more from every tribe, tongue and nation to GO so that the Church on earth can look like the Church in heaven.

Keith Whitfield

Provost, Dean of Graduate Studies, Associate Professor of Theology

Thank you for your interest in Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary! We believe that Southeastern is a special place. As the Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies, I would like to share with you what we are about and why we do what we do.

Southeastern is a Great Commission seminary with a Great Commission culture. It is a community made up of men and women—faculty, staff and students—who love the Church and are consumed with a global focus.

We are blessed with a wonderful faculty who are committed to helping you prepare for the ministry where God has called you. Every semester, our faculty greet new students into the Southeastern community and promptly cast their gaze “to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.”

All of our degree programs combine rigorous theological education with faithful and practical ministry preparation. While you are a student, we want you to gain more than intellectual knowledge. We desire that you experience transformation through your educational experience, for there is no other way to be equipped for ministry.

We want you to love God, love the truth, love the Church and love the world even more because of your time at Southeastern. We believe that by establishing these four loves, you will be prepared to endure where God has called you. Your faithfulness to God’s call is our passion because we want to see you fulfill the mission.

Here at Southeastern, we are not just doing theological education. We are pursuing ministry preparation. Our faculty considers it a great honor to teach, mentor and disciple those whom God calls, to prepare them to serve and equip others. We can’t wait to help you pursue the calling God has placed on your life.

As you consider Southeastern for your ministry preparation, please let us know how we can serve you.