FALL FALL 2020 2020
the mISsion endurEs
Equipping disciple makers for every context for all people for the glory of God.
M.DIV.
Master of Divinity BIBLICAL. THEOLOGICAL. PRACTICAL.
Learn more at sebts.edu/mdiv
A Letter from the President President Daniel and Mrs. Charlotte Akin
ow do you like 2020 so far? Or, more to the point: How are you responding to the challenges of 2020? Though our world has faced pandemics, natural disasters, wars, social upheaval, political polarization and a multitude of other crises throughout its history, it seems that 2020 has yielded an abundant dose of difficulties. The word “unprecedented” comes to mind again and again. And yet, in the midst of this turmoil, God calls on us to be trusting, joyful, encouraged, hopeful! How? This issue of our magazine presents various perspectives from Southeastern faculty on how believers and the church can function as a shining light during these dark times. This issue also highlights stories of how Southeastern’s mission to train its students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission is enduring even in a time of crisis. For the past several months, the news media’s daily delivery of unpleasant news concerning the intrusion of the coronavirus into our lives and the social unrest in our nation has shaken the ground beneath our feet. The predictable, comfortable, normal aspects of life have perhaps been irretrievably disrupted. As those who claim the name of Christ, what is our response, our message, at this moment in time? Throughout history, God has used crises to awaken people to certain truths. Life-altering disturbances remind us that something is dreadfully wrong in our world. Scripture informs us that injustice, conflicts and rogue viruses are mere symptoms of the deepest problem in the universe: Humans have rebelled against a sovereign God. Sin is the ultimate pandemic, infecting and delivering a death blow to every son and daughter of Adam. There is no political solution, scientific remedy or educational program that can cure or contain the pandemic of human sin. What do we do? How do we respond? We have the cure – the only cure, the only hope: “…for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which you must
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be saved” (Acts 4:12b). The true solution to our ills is found only at Calvary, where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, suffered and died for sinners and then disarmed death by conquering the grave. Our hope is in Calvary’s hill, not Capitol Hill! So, how do we respond? What do we do? We pursue our mission to boldly proclaim the gospel across our nation and to the ends of the earth with unprecedented zeal. As gospel-proclaimers, we are essential workers! What is more essential than sharing the life-giving message of the gospel of Jesus Christ that changes lives today and forever? This current state of affairs has not paused our mission; it has accelerated it! Though we face great challenges, our passionate pursuit of the Great Commission is greater! Christ’s mission won’t be stopped. It can’t be stopped. Now is the time that we must “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38). Now is the time for the body of Christ to be salt and light in our nation and in the world (Matt. 5:13-16). And now is the time for the church to reenergize its commitment to sending and supporting more laborers in fulfilling the Great Commission. Be assured, Southeastern’s mission endures. Nothing will deter us. We will continue to train and equip. We will continue to send. We will continue to GO. We will continue to give glory to whom all glory is due. And, we will continue to thank him for sending us loyal and loved ministry partners like you! Do not be discouraged. Remember, there is a Lamb on a throne in heaven who is completely in control of all things. And never forget, in the end our God wins! We have a great Lord. We have a great task. Let’s get on with the work our Savior has placed before us.
Daniel L. Akin, President
the mISsion endurEs
About This Issue
The Southeastern Fall 2020 Magazine is being written and published in unexpected times. This could be one of our most defining issues to date. This installation has been titled, “The Mission Endures” and is geared toward highlighting the certain hope of our Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of uncertain times. As a Great Commission seminary, we relentlessly pursue disciple making and going to the ends of the earth. It is our sincerest desire to encourage, uplift and remind God’s people of their purpose and calling. Our feature provides perspective by comparing a past pandemic, the 1918 flu pandemic, with the present by seeing how Christians have responded in our current situation. Our cover story features Southeastern students, alumni and their response to fulfill the Great Commission even in quarantine. We are privileged with contributions from our Southeastern family including Karen Swallow Prior, Chuck Lawless, Steve McKinion, Ross Inman and Krystal Wilson.
Abstract Art The Southeastern Fall 2020 Magazine features abstract art by our very own graphic designer, Emily Flowers. Usually photographs are featured to capture the events of the magazine’s coverage period. However, these past few months evoke emotions which were hard to capture in a photo. Therefore, our artist has rendered abstract paintings to represent the events since the last issue of the SEBTS magazine which engender feelings. Just as each person’s experience in the last few months has been different, so each person’s response to this art should be unique. Art is a wonderful tool that allows us to walk up to the edge and look into our hearts to process these feelings.
Shifting Blocks For this issue, we have also taken an additional step in presenting the artwork. The abstract paintings are meant to represent some of the brokenness and chaos of the past few months. They have been broken into pieces to capture how we have experienced the world in bits and bytes through digital technology. This segmenting and rearrangement show us that we all have a perspective and sometimes those are out of place because we are limited in our global knowledge. Not only is our overall vision limited, but we have seen the finitude of our planning ability. Though we may make plans every week, they change, and we plainly realize the truth that “the Lord establishes [our] steps” (Proverbs 16:9). In this issue, we offer up some perspectives from our faculty and staff. You will see that our pieces are sensitive and nuanced and appreciate this limitation. QR Code Give it a try here. Just pull out your camera, scan the QR code and you’ll be presented with a link that will take you to sebts.edu.
This issue features an exciting interactive dimension. Throughout the magazine, QR codes have been added to articles and advertisement pieces which allow you to access more information regarding the topic. Whether you have iOS or Android, simply launch your phone camera and bring the QR code into focus on the screen. The phone will automatically read the code and an alert will appear in which you can simply click on and it take you to the related website. No separate app download required.
Let’s pray together. these are most unusual days. Sometimes we’re not even sure how to pray, but we know you are in control. We thank you that nothing we face today has taken you by surprise. We praise you that you are just as much on the throne today as you were before the COVID-19 crisis began.
Father,
Lord, grant us grace to find joy even when the world is in chaos. Help us proclaim the gospel through peace the world cannot comprehend. Use us to be light in the darkness, offering the answer of Jesus to a world that has only questions. Even in this time of social distancing, help us connect with others and tell them the good news of Jesus. Magnify yourself through our lives, our families and our churches. We intercede for pastors who are leading their churches in gathering again. Give them wisdom, strength, perseverance and patience. Use them to preach the Word clearly and powerfully. Keep them spiritually and physically healthy as they lead. We also pray for missionaries around the world— many who themselves have been sheltering in place. Grant them creativity to reach their peoples even when they cannot travel like they once did. Protect them and their families from COVID-19, and help them to minister wisely but faithfully in the midst of this pandemic. You alone are the Almighty One. We rest in you, Lord. Use us to help others find that same rest through Christ’s shed blood. In his name we pray. Amen. Listen to Dr. Lawless read the prayer. Together, may the Spirit unite our hearts.
Prayer by Dr. Chuck Lawless Professor of Evangelism and Missions, Dean of Doctoral Studies, Vice President for Spiritual Formation and Ministry Centers, Richard & Gina Headrick Chair of World Missions
Fall 2020 Table of Contents
Stories
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On the Front Lines of Ministry
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Going Online
Articles written by Lauren Pratt unless otherwise credited
Headlines 11 Pressing On Trustees Approve 2020-2021 Budget, Vote on COVID-19 Institutional Changes
12 Finishing the Race
Prison Program Adapts Training Methods
Going by Giving
How Generosity Fuels the Mission of God
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Preaching in a Pandemic
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the mISsion endurEs Learning from the Past, PersEvering in the Present
Southeastern Celebrates Spring 2020 Grads Online
13 A Candid Conversation
Baptists Pursue the Great Commission Amid 1918 Flu Pandemic
Discussing Racial Tensions in America
14 Southeastern Partners with Fruitland Baptist Bible College
15 Pursuing a Global Academic Footprint
Celebrating Scholarship Amid COVID-19
18 Unconventional Convention Southeastern Hosts Virtual Talks in Lieu of SBC Annual Meeting
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the mISsion endurEs how the great cOMmiSsIon advAnces in quarAntiNe Southeastern’s Mission Endures in the Midst of COVID-19
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, NC
Daniel Akin President
Perspectives
Keith Whitfield Acting Provost
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Prayer in a Season of Crisis Dr. Chuck Lawless
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A Vision for Unity
Moving Forward Through Sacrifice Krystal Wilson
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Where is God in a Pandemic? COVID-19 and the Severity of God’s Redemptive Love this Side of Eden Dr. Ross Inman
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Literature & Love of God Dr. Karen Swallow Prior
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Finding Stability in God Dr. Steve McKinion
56 New & Upcoming Faculty Works
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Spreading Love & Good News During COVID-19 Harper McKay
58 At the Office with Ronjour Locke 60 Alumni Spotlight Uniting Theology & Ministry During COVID-19
64 A Letter from the Director of
Financial & Alumni Development
Ryan Hutchinson Executive Vice President for Operations Art Rainer Vice President for Institutional Advancement Marketing and Communications Sharon Chung - Interim Director, Assoc. Director of Design Jesse Chaney- Assoc. Director of Marketing Emily Flowers - Graphic Designer Rebecca Hankins - Photographer, Graphic Designer Pamela Pfeffer - Administrative Assistant Lauren Pratt - News and Information Specialist Ryan Thomas - Senior Graphic Designer
Financial and Alumni Development Jonathan Six - Director George Harvey - General Counsel & Director of Planned Giving Drew Davis - Associate Director Chris Allen - Denom. Relations & Ministry Teams Coordinator Michelle Ard - Events & Alumni Relations Coordinator Caden Farr - Donor Relations & Data Management Coordinator Chandler Donegan- Gift Accountant Jonathan Goforth - Development Officer Jeff Hedgepeth - Grant Writer Becca Warren - Development Officer Billy Vernon - Administrative Assistant Stacie Hetrick - Administrative Assistant
To inform us of address changes or if you would like to receive the magazine, please contact us at 919-761-2203 or email alumni@sebts.edu. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary seeks to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). Southeastern is an institution of higher learning and a Cooperative Program ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention. Support comes through the gifts of the Cooperative Program and the individual friends of the seminary who provide assistance through wills, estates and trusts. Great Commission Magazine of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (ISSN 2327-154X) is published by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary P.O. Box 1889 Wake Forest, NC 27588
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Pressing On Trustees Approve 2020-2021 Budget, Vote on COVID-19 Institutional Changes
he executive committee of the Board of Trustees for Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) convened virtually in order to adopt a reduced budget for 2020-2021 in response to COVID-19. On June 15, they approved a three percent reduced budget in response to the ongoing pandemic and economic downturn. During the April meeting of the Board of Trustees, the board voted to allow a rescheduling of budget approval in order for SEBTS to have a better understanding of the overall economic and enrollment impact of the pandemic. With a better picture now in sight of reduced Cooperative Program contributions, a slowing economy and other factors related to the current moment in society at large, SEBTS presented a budget that accounts for an estimated $932,000 in revenue reductions. The budget adopted by the trustees amounts to an overall reduction of three percent, from $31.2 million to $30.3 million. Included in the newly proposed budget was also a cut to student tuition by five percent across the board. This overall reduction is another step is assisting students financially during the pandemic, in addition to nearly a quarter of a million dollars in student financial aid that was made available at the start of the pandemic. Trustees also approved two items that directly relate to the seminary’s response to COVID-19, including the authorization to move forward with the Paycheck Protection Program and full provisions of the CARES Act for the SEBTS staff retirement plan.
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Participation in the CARES Act is part of a multi-faceted revenue plan to offset potential revenue losses of up to 30 percent. This precautionary measure was approved to protect the financial integrity of the school, as well as assist in an overall goal of weathering unexpected financial turmoil caused by COVID-19. In addition to reduced tuition, the 2020-2021 budget also allowed SEBTS to achieve its goal of not laying off full-time staff members during the pandemic. In order to maintain all employees, full-time staff received a reduction in pay, led by President Akin and the members of Cabinet, according to the following schedule: President Akin: 6% Cabinet members: 5% Full-time staff according to base salary: Over $60,000: 4% Between $40,000 - $60,000: 3% Between $30,000 - $40,000: 2% Below $30,000: 1% Faculty members were not asked to take a reduced salary during the 2020-2021 budget year. Instead, the base teaching load for faculty will be increased from 18 credit hours per year to 21 credit hours per year. Further, SEBTS will be switching insurance carriers from Cigna to GuideStone. With Guidestone, full-time employees will continue to receive full coverage for themselves and their families at no cost. Thanks to lower premiums, SEBTS is able to save $400,000 to help meet the reduced budget. Employer HRA contributions, however, will be reduced from 80 percent reimbursements to 40 percent reimbursements for deductible costs. Although SEBTS leadership has taken every step to ensure the financial health of the seminary, make adequate provision for employees, and provide aid for its students, there is little doubt that the
unprecedented events of the last three months could still have unforeseen consequences for the future. During the April meeting of the Board of Trustees, it was noted that SEBTS has more than doubled its operating cash reserves from $4.4M in 2013 to $10.1M in 2020. These reserves are separate from the board-designated endowment funds. As part of its preparations to meet any unforeseen circumstances, trustees gave permission to allow the seminary to release up to $3 million in cash reserves to cover any revenue shortfalls in the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The seminary does not anticipate using these reserves, but this contingency (along with the use of the PPP Funds received in April) will allow the seminary to remain in a strong financial position through the present economic recession.
Danny Akin, Southeastern President
King Jesus has called us to take the gospel to all nations. He is not surprised by the state the world and our country is in and he has not pressed pause on the Great Commission. We may be surprised and disappointed by all we have experienced in the last few months, but we have not lost sight of our goal. We must press on in our commitment to equip students to serve Southern Baptists and to reach the lost.
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Finishing the Race Southeastern Celebrates Spring 2020 Grads Online hile an in-person spring graduation ceremony was not possible at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) this semester, SEBTS honored the 288 seminary and college graduates through its online Service of Celebration on May 15. “We did not want to pass this opportunity to congratulate you on the work that you’ve done and to recognize you and this marvelous accomplishment,” President Danny Akin told graduates. Preaching from Hebrews 12:1-3, Akin charged graduates to run the Christian race with endurance. Running with endurance does not just mean starting well, but also finishing the Christian race well. In Hebrews 12:2-3, the writer reminds believers to have their focus narrowly fixed on Jesus and nothing else. Akin told graduates that when life and ministry challenge them, Hebrews 12:3 is an encouragement. “Wherever you go, whatever you do, keep looking to Jesus and I can promise you this: He’s the one who got you in the race, he is the one who will keep you in the race and he is the one who will get you to the finish line.”
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“We’ve not invested in you merely to give you a piece of paper,” said Keith Whitfield, acting provost at SEBTS. “You did it because you believe God has placed a calling upon your life. We can’t wait to see where God uses you and how he uses you in the years to come.” Included in the online celebration service was a congratulatory message from the college, graduate and doctoral deans at SEBTS. To conclude the virtual celebration, Keith and Kristyn Getty videoed in to lead those watching in the seminary hymn, “For the Cause,” which they wrote and produced in 2016. SEBTS is inviting all interested Spring 2020 graduates to walk at the Fall 2020 commencement ceremony on December 11 at 10:00 a.m.
I challenge you to use your degrees not to set yourself apart from others, but rather to serve the local church and the nations. Chuck Lawless, Dean of Doctoral Studies
Top: A virtual procession down Southeastern’s iconic quad from Stealey Hall to Binkley Chapel Middle: Scott Pace, Dean of The College at Southeastern, encouraged college graduates to work with excellence as unto the Lord as they pursue their God-given callings. Bottom: Keith and Kristyn Getty View the full service at youtube.com/sebts
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A Candid Conversation Discussing Racial Tensions in America n recent months, the nation has mourned over the continued racial injustice that pervades every corner of every community in America. This spring, the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery garnered national attention and sparked protests around the country. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) stands against all forms of racism and believes Scripture makes abundantly clear that all men and women are created in the image of God. That’s why SEBTS faculty, staff and students gathered virtually to lament the racial injustice in America, pray for change and discuss practical applications for how the church should respond. “Those of us who follow the Prince of Peace need to be leading the way as peacemakers and we need to lament over the fact that we haven’t led as well as we should have,” said President Danny Akin during an online service of prayer and lament. In addition to a time of prayer, SEBTS also hosted two virtual panels: “How to Shepherd Your Church Through Issues of Racial Injustice” and “A Conversation Regarding Theology, Ethics and Racial Injustice.”
How to Shepherd Your Church Through Issues of Racial Injustice In the first panel, William “Duce” Branch, Clint Darst, Ronjour Locke and Walter Strickland discussed the ways pastors can care for their congregation in the midst of grief. One vital component of pastoral care is grieving alongside their congregation while also using their position to teach how the Bible addresses injustice.
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A Conversation Regarding Theology, Ethics and Racial Injustice In the second panel, Akin, Strickland, Mark Liederbach and Ken Keathley addressed the ethical and theological implications of the history of racial injustice in America. One way that Christians expand their understanding of justice is by studying the Bible in community. Strickland noted, “We place our experience and our authority under the scriptures, but as we do it together we actually see the fullness of Christ’s lordship in ways that we would never see it in isolation.”
Those of us who follow the Prince of Peace need to be leading the way as peacemakers and we need to lament over the fact that we haven’t led as well as we should have.
Top: Ronjour Locke, Director for the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership and Instructor of Preaching and Urban Ministry; Walter Strickland, Associate Vice President for Diversity and Assistant Professor of Systematic and Contextual Theology; Clint Darst, Pastor of King’s Cross Church in Greensboro, NC and a current M.Div. student at SEBTS; William “Duce” Branch, Assistant Professor of Preaching and Bible and Undergraduate Chapel Coordinator for The College at Southeastern Bottom: Ken Keathley, the Jesse Hendley Endowed Chair of Biblical Theology, Director of the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture, and Senior Professor of Theology; Danny Akin, President of SEBTS, the Ed Young, Sr. Chair of Preaching, and Professor of Preaching and Theology; Walter Strickland, Associate Vice President for Diversity and Assistant Professor of Systematic and Contextual Theology; Mark Liederbach, Dean of Students, Vice President for Student Services, and Professor of Theology, Ethics and Culture
Scan here with your phone to watch this series.
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Southeastern Partners with Fruitland Baptist Bible College outheastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) and Fruitland Baptist Bible College (FBBC) are partnering together in an effort to more effectively train the next generation of
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leaders. Beginning in the fall of 2020, FBBC graduates can also earn 46 hours toward a Bachelor of Arts in pastoral ministry from The College at Southeastern. Nearly half of western North Carolina pastors graduate with their associate’s from Fruitland, making this partnership invaluable by providing more extensive theological training to those called to pastoral ministry. “Southeastern Seminary has enjoyed a long and blessed relationship with Fruitland Baptist Bible College. Almost all of their administration are graduates of SEBTS, as are a number of faculty,” said SEBTS President Danny Akin. “Further, we share common commitments to the inerrancy of the Bible, expository preaching, personal evangelism and the Great Commission. We each love
our Baptist heritage and are excited about what God is doing now and will do in the future. This partnership is the natural outcome of all these common commitments and convictions. Great days, I believe, are ahead of us.” Select courses for the B.A. in pastoral ministry will be offered on FBBC’s campus and all courses are available in an online format. In its first year of partnership, SEBTS will be offering Greek I and II as well as History of Ideas I and II at FBBC. These courses are part of the core curriculum of Southeastern’s B.A. in pastoral ministry. The degree introduces students to the knowledge and skills central to the work of pastors through classes in pastoral ministry, discipleship, counseling and Bible exposition.
Southeastern received $7.4 million last year because of Southern Baptist churches like yours committed to bringing good news to the whole world.
www.sbc.net/cp
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HOWCASE AS
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Dr. Liz Mburu
Pursuing a Global Academic Footprint Celebrating Scholarship Amid COVID-19
n April 16-17, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) seized the opportunity to bring together scholars from across the world to present papers and dialogue about a variety of theological topics. These scholars included SEBTS professors, students and alumni who focused on areas of missiology, public theology and more. “The symposium demonstrated the level at which our faculty, alumni and students are engaging in high-level biblical and theological scholarship,” said Jake Pratt, director of Ph.D. Studies at SEBTS. “I am excited about the global academic footprint our
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Ph.D. program will have as we begin planning for the next symposium.” The Southeastern Symposium highlighted the collaborative spirit of scholarship at SEBTS, showcasing both published and unpublished works from 27 professors, alumni and students. The symposium brought in 552 registrants from 18 different countries, further capturing the global heartbeat behind scholarship at SEBTS. In spite of COVID-19, the symposium provided a unique opportunity to host a digital conference for scholars soon after quarantine was well underway across the world. Of these presentations, plenary addresses were given by SEBTS alumni, including Liz Mburu, associate professor of New Testament and Greek at Pan African Christian University as well as the International Leadership University and African International University in Nairobi, Kenya; Matt Emerson, dean of the Hobbs School of Ministry, Floyd K. Clark Chair of
Christian Theology and professor of Religion at Oklahoma Baptist University; and Matthew Bennett, assistant professor of missions and theology at Cedarville University. Chuck Lawless, dean of doctoral studies at SEBTS, closed the symposium with the final plenary session. Lawless also serves as vice president for spiritual formation and ministry centers and holds the Richard & Gina Headrick Chair of World Missions. SEBTS is grateful for the sponsors who made this conference possible, including IVP, Baker Academic, B&H Academic, Langham Press, Lexham Press and Logos Bible Software.
Scan here with your phone to see videos from the symposium.
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On April 10, 2019, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary launched For the Mission: 4 Years, 4 Strategic Initiatives, For the Glory of God. The purpose of the campaign is to raise $20.5 million to fund multiple projects that serve to aid in the Great Commission work of Southeastern. These projects include a new dining hall, renovations to Bostwick Hall to provide campus housing, financial aid, the Southeastern Fund and faculty endowments. With your help, Southeastern can continue to fulfill its mission by preparing the next
FOR THE STUDENTS
FOR THE FACULTY TOTAL RAISED
119
%
78%
generation of pastors, counselors and community leaders to serve in towns and cities in North Carolina, across the nation and around the world. Southeastern has raised more than half of its total goal for the campaign as of October 2020 thanks to many generous donors. God has given Southeastern a distinct vision of being a school committed to training Christians for Great Commission work. Every year, Southeastern sends more than 500 gospel-prepared warriors to join over 16,000 graduates who are on mission for Christ and advancing the kingdom of God.
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%
69%
FOR THE CAMPUS
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AMOUNT
$11,715,509
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BECAUSE YOU GIVE, WE
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Cash or Check Please make checks payable to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and send to the address below: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Attn: Financial and Alumni Development P.O. Box 1889 | Wake Forest, NC 27588
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Headlines Learn more at ForTheMission.com
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Unconventional Convention
SBC President J.D. Greear and SEBTS President Akin addressed the audience on issues of racial reconciliation, pastoral ministry in 2020 and the upcoming presidential election in November. Akin provided a brief update on Southeastern’s encouraging growth and health during COVID-19. “These have been some of the most unusual days in the history of Southeastern Seminary, yet at the same time God has been unbelievably kind to us in pouring out his blessings.” Some of these blessings included the sending out of graduates to become church planters and international missionaries. Spring 2020 was one of the largest graduating classes in the school’s history. Akin noted that even with growth, a great need for giving still exists. Giving to Southeastern’s financial campaign, For the Mission, helps students receive affordable theological education, create faculty endowments and renovate buildings on campus to better accommodate the school’s growing student population.
Southeastern Hosts Virtual Talks in Lieu of SBC Annual Meeting 020 has been a year of unprecedented changes. With the onslaught of COVID-19, every business, organization and individual has adapted seemingly overnight. The cancelling of the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in person only solidified those feelings of change even more. While a pandemic kept Southeastern Seminary friends and former students from gathering together in person this year, it was a joy to still celebrate virtually the many ways God is continuing to use SEBTS to further the gospel in the United States and around the world. In his address to Southern Baptists, President Danny Akin noted that SEBTS surpassed 5,000 students in enrollment, from dual enrollment high school students through advanced degree students. Likewise, ethnic minority and female student enrollment have increased to 18.5 percent and 36 percent, respectively. Through Southern Baptists’ gifts to the Cooperative Program, SEBTS has received over $7.4 million in the past year to continue its Great Commission work. “Joining hands with Southern Baptists, we have a comprehensive approach to reaching our nation and the nations with the gospel, sending out well-trained men and women who love the Bible, who think well theologically and who have a heart and a passion to reach every lost person with the gospel,” said Akin.
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These have been some of the most unusual days in the history of Southeastern Seminary, yet at the same time God has been unbelievably kind to us in pouring out his blessings. Ronjour Locke, director for the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership at SEBTS, transitioned to a time of Q&A with Akin and Greear. The first of these questions centered on racial reconciliation. The racial tension occurring throughout the nation is causing churches to take inventory of the multicultural heartbeat of their congregations.
President Danny Akin highlights the ways the Lord is continuing to work at Southeastern Seminary throughout COVID-19 during his virtual address to Southern Baptists in June.
Alumni and Friends Livestream Over 1,200 registrants joined virtually for the Southeastern Alumni and Friends Livestream. 18
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Akin explained that listening breeds empathy. “As we seek to love our brothers and sisters of color, we learn to be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19).” This intentionality to listen led Akin to begin the Kingdom Diversity Initiative at Southeastern in 2013. In 2014, the Kingdom Diversity Scholarship was created to include several scholarship funds, including an endowment in honor of Akin’s 10th anniversary as president. From 2014-2020, SEBTS has seen its ethnic minority enrollment increase from 5 percent to 18.5 percent. As Akin celebrated this progress, he knows that there is more work to be done. “I’m just getting ready for eternity where the big family will be gathered around the throne from every tribe, tongue, people and nation adoring the same Father, worshiping the same Savior and all indwelled by the same Holy Spirit.” SBC Women’s Livestream As the country rages with racial tension, disease and death, how do Christian women put theology into practice and lead others to do the same? This question and many others were addressed at Southeastern’s women’s livestream event on June 9, which took place in lieu of the annual Women’s Leadership Breakfast at the Southern Baptist Convention. Missie Branch, assistant dean of students to women at SEBTS, moderated the panel discussion with Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, Kristie Anyabwile and Dr. Julia Higgins. Prior, who is joining The College at Southeastern faculty this fall as its first research professor of English and Christianity & Culture, believes God is using brokenness to awaken the world to the sin that already exists. The key to pressing on amid the pain is to ask the right questions about the current circumstances. “God is revealing these horrible, painful truths to us, and he’s allowing us to see what has been there all along,” said Prior. “It’s difficult, but it’s also a great mercy. We are all left with the decision every day: What do we do with what God is revealing to us now, do we see it and how do we respond?” Despite the challenges of 2020, Anyabwile discussed how she has seen triumph in the midst of adversity. Anyabwile, a speaker, pastor’s wife and editor of “His Testimonies, My Heritage: Women of Color on the Word of God,” explained that the Lord has been helping her learn how to have redemptive conversations with those who hold different perspectives. “Particularly women of color, and women in general, have felt voiceless. In the opportunities that the Lord gives me, part of what I’ve been trying to do as I lead and shepherd is model truth, clarity and being unapologetic with the truth.”
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Higgins, associate dean of graduate program administration and assistant professor of ministry to women at SEBTS, explained that as she leads her students to stand for justice, she encourages them to remember the gospel. “We can’t follow that command unless we first reflect on God and his justice and how he accomplished justice for himself by sending his son.”
Top: Ronjour Locke, Danny Akin and J.D. Greear participate in a panel discussion on pastoral ministry and faithful Christian living in 2020 during the Alumni and Friends Livestream. Bottom: Julia Higgins, Kristie Anyabwile, Karen Swallow Prior and Missie Branch discuss how women can live out their theology in the midst of the cultural upheaval that is taking place in 2020.
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“Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” – Galatians 6:9-10
rom pastors in the United States to missionaries across the globe, Southeastern alumni are finding creative ways to engage the lost in their communities despite a pandemic that has radically altered everyday life.
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In Montgomery, AL Daniel Atkins, pastor of Taylor Road Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama and a 2011 SEBTS alum, believes that one of the biggest lessons he’s learned about evangelism during COVID-19 is availability. He learned this lesson firsthand when a member of his church reached out to him about his fiancé (from a long-distance relationship), who was not a believer. He asked Atkins to share the gospel with her over a FaceTime call between the three of them. As Atkins walked through the gospel, the man who had grown up at Taylor Road suddenly realized he had been living a lie. That day, he and his fiancé were transformed by the gospel and gave their lives to Christ. That’s not the only salvation story Atkins has witnessed in recent weeks. Another man called to tell him that after their virtual service one Sunday, he became overwhelmed at his need 20
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*Names changed for security reasons
On the Front Lines of Ministry for Christ. In the privacy of his closet and through tears of repentance, he surrendered his life to Christ. It’s stories like these that fuel Atkins in his preaching ministry and spur him on to continue ministering to his community. The coronavirus has certainly presented challenges for pastors and church staff as they navigate uncharted waters, moving to virtual small groups and church services. However, Atkins’ encouragement to those in ministry is to keep going even on the most difficult days. Atkins, who received his Master of Divinity at SEBTS, recalled how the seminary changed his outlook on the Great Commission. “It gave me a more robust, gospel worldview and an emphasis on the mission of God to all people in all places. That’s why I’m so passionate about making the most of our online circumstance right now because you don’t know where that gospel is going.” In these uncertain times, SEBTS alumni like Atkins are serving in ministries across the United States and around the world, serving on the front lines of gospel ministry in their communities. At SEBTS, every classroom is a Great Commission
classroom. That emphasis on the Great Commission is still making a difference in Atkins’ ministry today. In Moscow, Russia Patrick and Stella Marsh* watched as their country shut down in a matter of weeks. They counted the cost of fulfilling the Great Commission to see their neighbors in Moscow, Russia reached with the gospel. Now, the life they knew has shut down. God’s work has not. Patrick sees this specifically through the Central Asian migrant workers to whom he and his wife minister regularly. “Because of the ministry we were seeing—that people were so open to the gospel—we wanted to stay here,” said Patrick, who is pursuing a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies at The College at Southeastern and has served in Moscow with his family for five years. COVID-19 presents unique challenges for those ministering around the globe, but God is providing creative solutions to these obstacles. In light of the pandemic, many Central Asians have left the country to go back to their families. Those who have stayed or were not able to get back to their home countries have remained in jobs that present health
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risks due to the high amount of interaction involved and their living conditions. These jobs often include food or grocery delivery. While Patrick and his family are quarantined, they are choosing to be intentional about ordering food and groceries in order to interact with Central Asians. More importantly, with each Central Asian they encounter, they are giving them gift bags filled with hygienic items, including a mask and a bar of soap to keep workers safe. The bag provides more than physical sustainability, though. It also includes a book with portions of scripture and the Jesus film to guide these workers to a knowledge of the gospel. As Patrick puts it, “We’re actually providing a way for them to not only be physically clean but also spiritually clean.” What’s even more striking about the mask project is the connection that made the idea a reality. Marsh and his wife had established a relationship with a Muslim family living in an unengaged, unreached part of Russia. One of the Muslim family members, a seamstress, told Marsh that their company had mandated them to start making masks instead of regular clothing items. In just two days, the couple received 500 masks. Through an unlikely partnership, Patrick and his family hope that with each gift bag, each conversation and each prayer that the gospel is being planted in the lives of Central Asians. Though these days feel uncertain, the Lord is teaching Patrick about his sovereignty in all situations. “God’s really been teaching me to be satisfied in who he is…because honestly we find our sanity to live life in the sovereignty of God,” he said. That sovereignty is what is propelling the gospel forward in a time of crisis. While COVID-19 may be placing lives on hold, God is still using Southeastern students and alumni to advance his mission in Alabama, Russia and throughout the world.
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God’s really been teaching me to be satisfied in who he is… because honestly we find our sanity to live life in the sovereignty of God.
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“We love Jesus Christ our Lord with all our hearts, souls and minds and wish to serve him in deep gratitude for his sacrificial grace as we live out our remaining years in this world.� Scott & Pam Reed, Charter Members of the Timothy Society, Southeastern Society Members, & Creators of the Scott & Pam Reed Student Aid Fund
Leave A Legacy of Faith The Timothy Society exists for supporters of Southeastern Seminary to make an impact though legacy giving dedicated to equip students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. Training gospel-ready champions requires the support of Christians who believe in this mission. When the time comes that you are home with Christ, your support can continue to make a Great Commission impact for those in need of the gospel. Become a part of the Timothy Society by including Southeastern in your estate planning.
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To join or for more information, visit sebts.edu/give, or email jgoforth@sebts.edu
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Going by Giving How Generosity Fuels the Mission of God cott and Pam Reed have a heart to see the nations reached with the gospel. After seeing the Great Commission emphasis at Southeastern, they were convinced that this was an institution in which they wanted to invest. The Reeds heard about the gospel-centered spirit of Southeastern from their friends, Cecil and Jean Rhodes before being invited to campus by Tim and Carol Dale in 2006. The Reeds quickly saw that every classroom is a Great Commission classroom at Southeastern. They saw this as they listened to faculty speak about teaching and mentoring their students to know and love God more deeply. They saw this as they spoke with President Danny Akin and as they encountered other donors as well. Perhaps the most striking way they saw this emphasis was during an April commissioning service, where the Reeds prayed over Southeastern students who were preparing to be sent out across the world. The impact of this moment coupled with their deep love for the lost prompted the Reeds to establish the Scott and Pam Reed Student Aid Fund, a scholarship that provides financial assistance for Southeastern students in the International Church Planting program. This 85-hour degree program is in partnership with the International Mission Board and allows students to spend two years on campus followed by two to three years on the mission field. The Reeds believe there’s no better way to spend their remaining years on earth than giving to the mission of God. On April 22, 2009, the Reeds joined the Southeastern Society (SES) and two
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years later they became charter pray for people throughout the city. members of the Timothy Society. The two met an older woman, who “While we gain great joy in sharing came from a Catholic background our resources with such deserving and expressed her inability to know students, more than anything we truth and her desire to know what want King Jesus to be glorified,” said she believed. Phil and his teammate Scott. “If these monies assist SEBTS shared their testimonies along with students ‘to go’ to the ends of the John 14:6 where Jesus proclaims he is earth and fulfill his Great the way, truth and life. She was Commission, then we will rejoice and astounded by this verse and is now give thanks. The more sent, the more reading through the Gospel of John reached, the more eternally saved.” for the first time. Phil Bartuska, who is serving in “The Reeds’ scholarship allowed Vienna, Austria with his wife Becca me to finish my degree without the and two children, has received the burden of debt so that I could focus Reeds’ scholarship and is seeing the on my kids, marriage and ministry,” numerous said Phil. “I am ways the Lord truly grateful for has used it as the generosity of they serve the the Reed family people of and many others Austria. The like them.” Bartuskas have Phil has watched lived in Austria as his theological since 2017, education and where less ministry on the than .05 field have been percent of intertwined. residents have Through his time in a personal seminary, he’s also relationship learned with Christ tremendous life and many lessons through his churches are professors and declining. classmates as Phil & Becca Bartuska, recipients of the Since the they’ve modeled Scott & Pam Reed Student Aid Fund pandemic and godly living outside the city’s of the classroom. recent reopening, the Bartuskas are As his scholarship has helped him seeing a willingness in Austrians to continue this education from the hear the gospel. As the Bartuskas live classroom to the mission field, he is their everyday lives among Austrians, reminded of how giving is an they are seeking ways to engage outward demonstration of the gospel. them with answers that are only Because of donors like the Reeds, found in Christ. students are being equipped to serve This happened recently as Phil and the church and fulfill the Great a national believer were looking to Commission throughout the world.
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Going Online Prison Program Adapts Training Methods hen North Carolina went into a state of emergency on Friday, March 13, Southeastern’s prison program did not miss a beat in moving its classes online. The North Carolina Field Minister Program (NCFMP), which began in 2017, was only one of two programs in the country to move into teaching live, synchronous classes for incarcerated persons this spring. “I could not be prouder of the team that God has assembled to steward the educational opportunities that he has entrusted to The College at Southeastern,” said Seth Bible, director of Southeastern’s prison program. “Collectively, we were determined not to let COVID-19 prevent us from continuing to educate the men of the Field Minister program. Having said that, we were acutely aware of the risks associated with the virus and committed ourselves to finding a creative way to deliver the spring and summer content without compromising the health of our students or faculty. In God’s providence, we were able to achieve those goals.” The NCFMP offers long-term incarcerated men the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts in pastoral ministry from The College at Southeastern (The College). Through a partnership with Game Plan for Life, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and The College, the NCFMP trains and equips men of faith to be servants to the offender population in their own faith tradition.
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When COVID-19 came to North Carolina, Southeastern administration began discussing the possibility of moving all classes online. That’s when Southeastern’s prison program staff began preparing for the possibility of a lockdown at Nash Correctional Institution (NCI). They took steps to provide the necessary resources for students to receive all their lectures via Zoom. This meant getting approval from DPS on items they brought in, from computers to pencils to notepads. The Monday following the state’s shelter-in-place announcement, students at NCI were able to receive all their classroom instruction online. “We didn’t miss even a day,” said Deanna Kabler, associate director of prison programs at Southeastern. “It really was quite miraculous.” At NCI, prison staff implemented social distancing and sanitizing procedures immediately, allowing no cases to be reported upon a statewide testing of all incarcerated persons. Because of social distancing measures, each cohort of students in the NCFMP was divided into three classrooms. Throughout the spring semester, students logged into one Zoom meeting on a TV screen to watch their professor’s lecture together, which they will continue to do in the fall. What will change, however, are the methods for new students entering into the NCFMP. This fall, 22 freshmen started the first eight weeks of instruction through a correspondence method until they can transfer into NCI.
Nineteen of the students are located in 12 other North Carolina prisons outside of Nash County. The correspondence method was created and provided by Southeastern and includes eight weeks of instruction, with printed lecture material from professors. NCI, unlike the other prisons, has computers for students and classroom spaces. Along with these implementations to create a more cohesive learning environment, Southeastern also began a prison program for women at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women in downtown Raleigh. Funded in partnership with the Sunshine Lady Foundation, the women’s program began in August with 15 students who are participating in a correspondence learning method this fall. The program provides women an opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, politics and economics with an entrepreneurship minor through The College. The women are given a traditional education that makes them more employable upon release. Unlike the men’s prison program, the women’s program will focus on those serving a shorter sentence. In these uncertain days, Southeastern will continue to adapt its methods so that both men and women throughout the North Carolina prison system can receive a robust, theological education. Every classroom, whether on campus or in prison, will remain a Great Commission classroom at Southeastern.
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Preaching in a Pandemic God is using the partnership between the seminary and the local church to equip God’s people to continue the mission forward, even in times of crisis. outheastern’s mission is to equip students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission. During these unexpected months, many churches have stopped meeting in person for the safety and health of their congregations. But how do pastors continue to shepherd their people from a distance if they don’t have the resources? Southeastern took this unique opportunity to step in and serve the church by providing a studio space to local pastors to help them continue
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teaching God’s Word to their congregations. Doug Nalley, who pastors Plainview Baptist Church in Durham, experienced firsthand the blessing of having Southeastern staff work with him to record sermons, produce CD and video copies for his congregation and upload the sermons on YouTube. “Plainview, like many small churches, did not have video recording capabilities when COVID-19 hit,” said Nalley. “The ministry that Media Services provided in offering the use
of their recording services was truly a God-sent blessing in a moment of critical need.” After using Southeastern’s space for nine weeks, Plainview had the capacity to purchase the equipment needed to begin recording on its own. The Media Services team at Southeastern is responsible for the recording, editing and overall production of the 51 sermons that were recorded for nine preachers between March 19 and July 24. In order to serve most efficiently, the Media Services team
provided basic editing for each of their sermon recordings. These edits included color correction, church graphics at the beginning of the video and fading the video at the end. The team also uploaded the sermons to the churches’ online platforms, including social media pages and YouTube. Nalley’s situation appears similar to many pastors in America. According to a study done by Lifeway Research last year, 41 percent of pastors don’t normally put their sermons online. In fact, most Protestant pastors are shepherding congregations of 100 people or less. This demographic is the least likely of all to have any online version of the sermon. For small congregations, sometimes it’s simply a matter of money and manpower. Take Colin Crawford, for example. His congregation of 35 mostly elderly people is one in which virtual resources weren’t necessary
until COVID-19. Likewise, the church didn’t have the equipment necessary to address the need in a moment of crisis. That’s when Crawford, pastor of Harvest Glen Baptist Church in Durham, decided to record his sermons in Southeastern’s Media Services studio each week from the middle of March through the end of July, after finding out Southeastern provided a recording service to pastors. On Friday mornings, Crawford recorded his sermons on the Sermon on the Mount, Proverbs and Esther while also preaching them on Sunday mornings to those in his congregation who were comfortable meeting in person. Because he was able to provide these sermons online, his church was able to reach approximately 60 more people than normal. Many of Southeastern’s professors are also serving the church through itinerant preaching and interim pastorates such as Jim Shaddix,
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professor of preaching at SEBTS. Shaddix, who is interim pastor at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison, Mississippi, had been traveling out of state each weekend to preach on Sundays. However, with the onslaught of COVID-19, he began recording his sermons at Southeastern in order for the congregation to continue hearing weekly teaching from God’s Word. “Because I was serving as an interim pastor at a location to which I had to fly every weekend, their service made it possible for me to preach via video here and continue to shepherd the congregation there through the ministry of God’s Word,” said Shaddix. As pastors continue to weather these uncertain times, the Lord is using digital platforms to reach those in and outside of the church. While the pandemic may halt meeting in person, it cannot stop the proclamation of the gospel.
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the mISsion endurEs Learning from the Past, PersEvering in the Present
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Story by Lauren Pratt
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nprecedented. The word has been used countless times to explain the indescribable turn of events that COVID-19 has brought upon the world. Over the past few months, normalcy has faded away and control has slipped from everyone’s firm grasp. If there’s one thing followers of Christ can be sure of it’s this: God is still sovereignly working all things for the good of his people and the glory of his name. He has used suffering to bring forth a robust mission in the midst of crisis in the life of Southern Baptists, and he will do it again. Maybe these times aren’t so unprecedented after all. During the 1918 flu pandemic, it’s estimated that the virus killed approximately 50 million people worldwide, six times the number of deaths from World War I, which was occurring simultaneously. The 1918 flu was the most severe virus in recent history, coming on quickly and killing swiftly, with people feeling fine when they woke and dying by nightfall. While the flu wreaked havoc on missionaries and their respective
ministries across the world, it did not destroy them. In fact, many celebrated as they watched the Lord help them both survive and thrive in a time of crisis. When Baptists missionaries encountered the 1918 flu pandemic, it wasn’t without suffering. Many stories were told of missionaries on the field during 1918-1919 who felt both praise and heartbreak over all that they experienced in ministry during the pandemic. Many watched as the people they served became sick or succumbed to the flu. Likewise, many medical missionaries who sought to care for the sick fell prey to the flu themselves, some even dying from it. As Southern Baptists gathered for the annual meeting in 1919, they received reports from missionary after missionary who shared the ups and downs of ministry during a global pandemic. Missionaries serving at the Ogbomosho, Nigeria Station saw 49 African church members die from the flu as well as large numbers of families attending African churches. George Green, a medical missionary to Nigeria, displayed this tension of praise and pain in his report to Southern Baptists in 1919.
While missionaries were serving the sick overseas, those sitting in the pews back home were carrying the mission forward through giving. “We have had our seasons of gladness when we rejoiced in the progress of the work of the Kingdom, and the numerical, financial, and spiritual growth of the churches,” said Green. “We have also had our times of anxiety and sadness, especially during the weeks that the epidemic of Spanish Influenza raged in our midst.”
Previous Page: An emergency hospital at Camp Funston, at Fort Riley, Kansas, during the 1918 flu pandemic. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology/National Museum of Health and Medicine, via Associated Press
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With masks over their faces, members of the American Red Cross remove a victim of the flu from a house at Etzel and Page Avenues, St. Louis, Missouri. St. Louis Post Dispatch photo
But in spite of these difficulties and hardships, as we look back over the achievement of the year, we find that we have manifold reasons to rejoice. Margie Shumate, South China Mission, SBC 1919 Annual Meeting
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For nearly 40 years, Green and his wife served in Ogbomosho, Nigeria in many ways, including providing medical services. They created a waiting room under a tree outside their home where they would teach from God’s Word while patients waited for treatment. During the 1918 flu, Green cared for the sick and dying while also suffering from the flu himself. Because of the continued support of Southern Baptists, the Africa Mission was able to see eight churches increase membership by 159 congregants, with a total of 1,453. Likewise, $2,657 was raised for pastoral support and church construction and renovations. In the town of Ijagbo, 40 miles outside of Ogbomosho, Southern Baptists established the first church in the Northern Provinces of Nigeria. God was at work through Baptists in the Argentine mission as well. It was
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Photo of the crowd at an undetermined 1918 Georgia Tech home football game. Almost everyone in the crowd is wearing face masks due to the pandemic. Photograph provided by Georgia Tech alumnus Andy McNeil, taken by student Thomas Carter.
reported that contributions doubled from the previous year, and baptisms increased as well. Meanwhile in South Brazil, medical missionaries had their hands full trying to care for the sick. Many families were all sick and in bed at the same time. Missionaries themselves were reported as “either sick, becoming sick, or just becoming better and recovering from the effects of the dread malady.” Between the introduction of the 1918 flu, increased cost of living and relatives who were serving in World War I, missionaries in South Brazil felt deeply anxious over the troubles plaguing the world. Yet, these challenges led them to trust that God had set them apart for his mission to reach the lost no matter what. Their burden for the physically hurting world only increased their burden for their spiritual lostness and desire to bring the hope of the gospel to them. In Japan, missionaries at the Southwestern Academy saw 70 boys come to Christ and commit themselves to the ministry of preaching. In his 1919 annual report to the
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Southern Baptists, missionary J.S. Cheavens described the North Mexico Mission as experiencing “a spirit of revival” in the midst of the pandemic. While missionaries were serving the sick overseas, those sitting in the pews back home were carrying the mission forward through giving. This occurred most notably through record giving in the first year of the $75 Million Campaign, a five-year pledge campaign, in 1919. This surplus in giving is believed to be credited to the flu’s influence in Baptists’ lives at the time. Charles Jones, a Baptist historical researcher and freelance writer, wrote, “For people living in fear, giving provided a tangible response, a way to share the Gospel in a world that seemed to be literally dying around them.” The significance of the $75 Million Campaign cannot be understated as it moved Southern Baptists away from giving through a societal approach and, six years later in 1925, led to the creation of the Cooperative Program. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is now a recipient of the
gifts given each year through the Cooperative Program, allowing students to continue training for Great Commission work. Looking to the past reveals that the Lord has not stopped using his people to further his mission in the midst of crises. This year, Southeastern surpassed 5,000 students, a milestone in the midst of a global pandemic. As this next school year continues, Southeastern is training its 5,292 students to keep putting Christ and his mission first in their lives. Giving sacrificially for the glory of God is not new, but in looking to the past it’s abundantly clear that sacrifice is necessary for the mission to endure.
References: Annual of the Southern Baptist Convention 1919 “FIRST-PERSON: How a pandemic 100 years ago ushered in a new era of Baptist giving,” Charles Jones, Baptist Press
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the mISsion endurEs how the great cOMmiSsIon advAnces in quarAntiNe
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Lauren Pratt
Emily Flowers
Rebecca Hankins
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These days, it feels as if everything has spun out of control, that the only thing we know about tomorrow is that it will not look like today. The only constant is change. Except for this—God is still on the throne, and his mission still endures. At Southeastern, we recognize that the Great Commission does not stop, even in the midst of a pandemic and social discord. Likewise, the training and equipping of men and women to take the gospel to the ends of the earth cannot cease either. Our faculty, staff and students are a Great Commission people. We trust that, one day, every tongue, tribe and nation will gather around the throne before the Lamb of God. So, we move forward, believing in this promise and being faithful to do the task to which we all have been called. The way in which we accomplish this task may be continually adjusting, however, the goal remains the same. God is in control, and the gospel must be proclaimed. With confidence in his promises and obedience to his Word, Southeastern moves forward. Introduction by Art Rainer Southeastern Vice President of Institutional Advancement
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e did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? – Romans 8:32 “If that’s the lengths to which he would go to reconcile us to himself, then how can we not trust him with all of the other things in life?” This is how George Robinson, the Bailey Smith chair of evangelism and associate professor of missions and evangelism at Southeastern, finds hope in the midst of the chaos that COVID-19 has brought. No one could have ever guessed what these past six months would bring. Sheltering in place, wearing masks and social distancing have become the new normal. It’s easy to feel like these changes, which have radically altered lives, are frustrating and hopeless. But God is sovereign, leading his children closer to himself and opening up doors to share the gospel through a number of avenues. Whether through Zoom meetings, phone calls or socially distanced conversations, Southeastern students and faculty are continuing to take the gospel to the lost by all means possible. While methods may have changed, Southeastern’s mission has not. “This past spring semester, even with the pandemic forcing sudden and massive shifts in lifestyle and focus, we saw our students reporting more professions of faith in a single semester than I have seen during my entire time at Southeastern,” said John Ewart, associate vice president for Global Theological Initiatives and ministry centers and professor of missions and pastoral leadership. “They reached out in very creative and intentional ways through social media, phone and limited face-toface. I believe the hunger for the gospel is stronger than ever right now. The world may not call it that yet but there is a great sense of need during these difficult days, and we have the answer.”
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Dr. George Robinson believes that a global pandemic doesn’t hinder gospel advancement. Instead, it forces believers to be creative in how they share the gospel.
God knew this was coming, and he’s put you in this environment for a reason, so be faithful in it.
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M.Div. student Nick Priestly is watching how the gospel is transforming lives during the pandemic. Priestly can look back at a journal in 2014 where he prayed for his college neighbor to come to know the Lord. Six years later, Priestly saw that prayer answered through a phone call. Now they are studying the Bible and praying together weekly on Zoom. Priestly believes that following Jesus should result in sharing the gospel in a way that leads to disciple-making disciples. Only then will a generational faith continue through the lives of believers. “That’s the whole point of why we’re here: to glorify God in everything we do, to know God more and to make him known,” said Priestly. Robinson noted that COVID-19 doesn’t necessarily make evangelism harder, but rather it reveals the evidence of an evangelistic lifestyle within students. As relationships are cultivated faithfully over time, they are able to endure in the midst of a pandemic. One student who saw this play out was Daniel Martin, administrative pastor at Family Church’s Sherbrooke campus in South Florida. He has seen the Lord work in tremendous ways through relationships
that were established before the pandemic hit the United States. As he got to know these men more, one of them stood out to Martin in particular. Through a conversation that began about baptism, Martin explained that the purpose behind baptism was to be a picture of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Through reading Scripture and writing down his questions about the Christian faith, the gospel came alive for Martin’s friend, who surrendered his life to Christ. Caring for Students on Mission Another way Southeastern has sought to continue the mission is through the Student Life office, which has been hard at work during the spring and summer to connect with students. Student Life staff and House System leaders called multiple students a day to encourage and pray for those in the college and seminary. Jake Hatfield, director of college life, has seen this serve as a tremendous blessing to so many students at such a difficult time. Hatfield led his team of student leaders and staff to call approximately 300 college students over the past few months. The goal was for each student to connect with a staff
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member once every other week so that they were cared for and prayed over. When COVID-19 struck, Hatfield knew that caring for students was vital to their spiritual equipping to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. “On our end, we really tried to help our students see, ‘God knew this was coming, and he’s put you in this environment for a reason, so be faithful in it,’” said Hatfield. “‘Be aware of the fact that there are people [in your hometowns] now who don’t know Jesus.’” This fall, Southeastern students are continuing to cultivate gospel community while following the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services guidelines. For college students in the House System, this means that all activities are remaining outdoors, with students wearing masks and social distancing. Throughout the year, college students participate in competitions, discipleship groups, Calibrate worship services and weekly evangelistic outreach. College and seminary students will still have the opportunity to participate in Going Fridays, a weekly opportunity to share the gospel with people in the community. However, due to COVID-19, this means wearing masks
while prayer walking and engaging with those already out and comfortable to talk. While spending time with one another may have to look a little different this fall, developing Christlike community at Southeastern is still possible. “God’s mission is still here. How then can we be faithful to walk this out in a way that honors Christ?” said Hatfield. His answer is simple. By Southeastern administration and staff demonstrating what it looks like to love neighbor through “being distant but caring” and “masked but friendly.” Leading Others in the Mission If students are coming to Southeastern to serve and lead in churches, Robinson believes they ought to know how to train others in evangelism and discipleship as well. Training students to train others in sharing the gospel is something he began including in his classes after his sabbatical in 2018. Adapting the way he taught evangelism proved helpful when the pandemic hit in the spring. “We’re equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission,” said Robinson.
While methods for engaging new students looked a little different this year, Student Life staff didn’t miss a beat in making Southeastern students feel at home during New Student Orientation, Aug. 17-18.
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“Therefore, my goal in a master’s level evangelism class is not just for that person to become more effective in sharing their faith, it’s for that person to become effective at training others too.” One Southeastern student who is seeking to train others in evangelism is Drew*, who formerly served as a Journeyman in South Asia. After serving overseas, Drew returned to the States with a desire to be further trained in cross cultural ministry. He’s using his time in seminary to be spiritually developed while equipping others for the mission of God. “I think [evangelism] is vital because it’s our identity; it’s who we are. I think that’s a huge reason why the church exists, why we’re still here,” said Drew. “Why has Jesus not come back yet? It’s because he’s patient, wanting everyone to come to repentance.” Jordan* is another student at Southeastern who is actively training others to more effectively share their faith. Jordan has learned over the years that community and accountability are vital to a vibrant evangelistic lifestyle. That’s why over the summer, a few believers in the community are spending three hours a week in prayer, worship and evangelism. This commitment is part of a larger opportunity for Southeastern students to enter into a one-year residency program with No Place Left, which Robinson coordinates at Southeastern. Both Drew and Jordan, who are in this community group together, have watched as believers are strengthened to continue in this mission despite all of the obstacles that the pandemic has brought. They have seen more people open to prayer and hearing the gospel in the past few months than they have in the year before. They’ve seen four people come to Christ, and two women get baptized just in the first couple of summer months. God is 36
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*Names changed for security reasons
doing incredible things through the lives of his people, and Drew and Jordan are grateful to be a small part of a larger mission that God has planned. Likewise, CJ and Jaimie White have been involved in training others to share their faith for the past year and have seen how learning to share their faith in community has helped them grow in their walks with Christ. Formerly in the military, CJ began studying at Southeastern in 2012 at an extension center in Tampa Bay. He picked his degree back up again in October 2018, but this time it was on campus. CJ and Jaimie both admit that while they come from opposite family backgrounds—one churched and one unchurched— neither of them really learned how to effectively evangelize and disciple others on a regular basis until coming to Southeastern.
The Whites connected with Jordan through the residency program and from there they began to learn and grow. Jordan invited the Whites to do their first Discovery Bible Study (DBS) with a non-believer he had met doing door-to-door evangelism. Now during the pandemic, Jaimie has started her own virtual DBS with women in her family in Wisconsin. Likewise, CJ has been able to start Bible studies with men in his family and even help his father, who is a pastor, begin learning and implementing evangelism tools into the life of his father’s church. The Whites have also had opportunities to train members at Wake Forest Community Church, where they are members. They’re learning the importance of intentionality, community and authenticity as they’ve watched their church provide for the needs of one of their non-believing friends this summer.
We are surprised, God is not. Our work may change, his does not.
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“I don’t want to do this alone. I want to be a part of a team of people that are trying to be obedient to the Lord and who are laboring in effective ways that are obedient to Scripture,” said CJ. In addition to community, Jaimie noted how vital training has been for her understanding and practice of evangelism. Not having a clear method of sharing the gospel stopped her from sharing the gospel many times. It’s an issue she believes keeps many other well-meaning believers from sharing their faith as well. This is why Southeastern incorporated the Who’s Your One initiative this spring. The Who’s Your One initiative has been championed by Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear as a way to challenge all Southern Baptists to intentionally build a relationship and share the gospel with one person throughout the year. This fall, Southeastern gave students even more opportunities to be trained in evangelism, the first one being August 29 at Southeastern. Local churches such as Bay Leaf, North Wake and many others hosted other trainings throughout the semester as well. Moving Forward on Mission It’s stories like these that are driving home the Great Commission heartbeat that Southeastern seeks to instill in its students. “The global pandemic did not catch God by surprise, and it cannot thwart his mission,” said Scott Hildreth, George Liele Director of the Center for Great Commission Studies. “As Christians, our goal must be to join him in his work and his mission. This often requires us to lay aside our plans and adapt. We are surprised, he is not. Our work may change, his does not.” Methods may have to change, but the command to go and make disciples of all nations hasn’t. Until Christ returns, the mission endures.
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The Goodness of Creation and Human Responsibility Faith + Culture Forum, February 18-20, 2021 The L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture
*We hope to host this conference in person but will follow all state and national guidelines to prioritize the health and safety of participants and speakers.
Speakers: Alister McGrath Katharine Hayhoe Norman Wirzba Jonathan Wilson Rusty Pritchard and Mark Liederbach
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.� - Genesis 1:31
The goal of this conference is to show the integral link between creation and redemption, to explore how evangelicals can recover important biblical themes concerning the goodness of creation, to examine the place and responsibility of humans in creation, and to present practical actions we should take now. Learn more and register at intersectproject.org/creation
This event was made possible through the support of a grant from John Templeton Foundation and in conjunction with the Henry Center for Theological Understanding. The opinions expressed in this event are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of either organization.
HAVE YOU HEARD?
THE CENTERS AT SOUTHEASTERN HAVE 3 NEW PODCASTS! CHECK OUT THESE GREAT RESOURCES FOR THE MISSION MINDED.
The Sent Life is the podcast of the Center for Great Commission Studies, discussing the various ways in which we as a missionary people are called to serve a missionary God from our hometown to the ends of the earth.
The Pastor Matters Podcast of the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership fosters conversations that will both equip and encourage you to lead healthy churches that make disciples for the glory of God.
WAYS TO LISTEN
Christ and Culture is the podcast of the Center for Faith and Culture, exploring how the Christian faith intersects all avenues of today's culture through conversations with leading thinkers.
Southeastern
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ctives Paintings by Emily Flowers
Portraits by Paige Luyster
In these uncertain times, you may be asking many questions. Maybe you’re wondering how to understand God’s purposes in a global pandemic. Maybe you’re wondering how to find assurance in Christ when everything feels uncertain. Maybe you’re wondering how the Church can be unified in a time where racial tensions are high and opinions often feel deeply polarized. Whatever your questions may be, you’re not alone in asking them. Southeastern faculty and staff took some time to address these questions and more in this next section. We hope through each article you’ll see how God’s mission endures even in the midst of our questions.
Our circumstances may feel unstable, but our God certainly isn’t.
Written by Dr. Chuck Lawless, Professor of Evangelism and Missions, Dean of Doctoral Studies, Vice President for Spiritual Formation and Ministry Centers
suspect the direction of this brief article might surprise you. The topic is prayer in a season of crisis, particularly in these most unusual days of COVID-19. Clearly, we have been in crisis mode for several months now, and prayer is not optional. In just a few days last spring, churches around the world had to make quick decisions as borders closed, countries locked down, people sheltered in place and congregations stopped gathering. Almost within hours, we had to move online all our worship services, small groups and outreach efforts. Never had we faced anything like this crisis—and we needed God’s wisdom. To our knees we went. Now months later, we are just as much in need of God’s direction. How do we turn congregations outward when all our efforts are focused internally on the processes of regathering? What additional steps must we take to protect congregations as we sing and worship together again? How do we best re-open preschool, children’s and student ministries? If giving has decreased during this crisis, how do we determine what costs to cut? The ques-
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tions abound, and prayer must precede our seeking answers. At the same time, though, I am not convinced that the phrase “prayer in a season of crisis” captures the best way to think about this topic. In fact, I fear many churches have unintentionally taught, “When a crisis is upon us, we then start really praying.” This approach to prayer perhaps wrongly assumes we are ready to pray when crisis hits and seldom leads to transformation in our prayer lives. Rather than this approach, I contend that prayer in crisis should be our natural response simply because ongoing prayer already marked our spiritual DNA before the crisis. To state it another way, a season of crisis may not be the best time to learn to pray. Consider Jesus’ prayer life. He prayed as he began his ministry (Luke 3:21-22). He intentionally set aside time to be with the Father (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:15-16). He took three of his disciples to the mountain to pray, and it was in a time of prayer that he was transfigured before them (Luke 9:28-29). When his followers reported on a victorious ministry tour, he rejoiced in prayer (Luke 10:21). Jesus simply prioritized his conversations with the Father. We should not be surprised then that prayer was his recourse in the dual crises of the Garden of Gethsemane and death on a cross (Luke 22:39-46, 23:32-34, 44-46). Nor should it surprise us he prayed for Simon Peter even as he warned the fisherman of a crisis of testing the disciples were about to face (Luke 22:31-32). Jesus lived in prayer and died with prayer on his lips, regardless of what he faced. The early church then followed the pattern of their Lord, as the book of Acts shows (e.g., Acts 2:42, 4:23-31). So, am I suggesting we should not increase or re-focus our praying during crisis? Not at all. Indeed, the desperation of our praying is likely directly proportional to the depth of
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the crisis. What I am suggesting is that unless prayer is already in our DNA, any praying that begins in the crisis is not likely to last once the crisis is past. Emergency praying is seldom driven by a deep desire simply to be with the Father. That is one reason Dr. Akin challenged Southeastern Seminary a few years ago to be not only a Great Commission institution, but also a praying institution. We who seek to reach our neighbors and the nations must confess both our love for God and our dependence on him through our praying. We want our graduates to be the best equipped servants they can be, but we want them leading from their knees. In this most unusual fall semester of 2020, we are thus prioritizing prayer in chapel, praying for the nations in classes, interceding for each other as faculty and challenging our students—both in-person and online—to join us in this task. Around the world are Southeastern students and graduates praying during an ongoing global pandemic. How, then, do we pray in a crisis? Seek God not because of crisis, but because of love. Prioritize your time with him. Express to him your fears, concerns and worries. Praise him for his steadfast faithfulness and his sovereign control. Thank him for meeting your daily needs. Confess your sin to him. Ask him continually to teach you to pray. The stresses of a crisis will lose their force when we turn to God, and in this case, the power of a pandemic will prove itself no match for the power of prayer.
The stresses of a crisis will lose their force when we turn to God, and in this case, the power of a pandemic will prove itself no match for the power of prayer.
If you have prayer concerns you want to share with the Southeastern family, complete the prayer request form at sebts.edu/prayer. We would be honored to pray for you.
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Moving Forward Through Sacrifice Written by Krystal Wilson, Director of Southeastern Events
ver the past few months and honestly, over the last several years, I and others in my community have observed a growing rift in the body of Christ. Written from my perspective as a black female in America, my goal is to discover the way forward to unity. If the world will know us by our love for one another, our pursuit of unity with each other is one way we can accurately display who Christ is. My husband and I adapted a mentality from the biblical story of Abraham and Lot: “Family is family, even when they don’t act like it.” Lot didn’t act like his kinsmen, but it didn’t change who he was. This mindset has helped us continue to pursue oneness with others despite the difficulties we’ve faced in a predominantly white context. But our aim is not to call minorities to “tough it out,” nor is it to give the white majority a pass on doing the work of racial equality. Unity requires sacrifices from everyone.
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The Hindrances to Unity: Pride and Apathy The two most prevalent threats to unity are pride and apathy. The story of Jonah shows us how pride can affect our ability to follow the Lord rightly. Jonah had such disdain for the people of Nineveh that he did not want them to experience the grace of God. He fled, he ignored, he did all he could except obey the Lord. So many of us find pride in the wrong things, and it prevents us from seeing that what we stand to lose is of no comparison to what we have to gain: Christlikeness and unity with people. Our apathy and unwillingness to consider the concerns of each other prevents us from living together as Christ intended. The wicked servant from Matthew 18 serves as a cautionary tale. He was unwilling to extend mercy to another, despite having received the same mercy his debtor needed. Our apathy is an offense to God who bends an ear to hear all that burdens us. He concerns himself with our burdens, so much so that he calls us to lay them on him. As the people of God, may we not be marked by a self-absorbant apathy that binds our hearts and a pride that makes us unwilling to act.
Family, may we look more like Jesus. Unity requires action, sacrifice and most of all, love.
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The Cost of Unity: Laying Down and Taking Up For the believer, we cannot be blind to the reality that unity comes at a price. Christ stepped into the chasm between man and God, into the midst of the brokenness and took its root, our sin, on himself. He laid down his life for our sins and when he rose, he took up all power and authority. Though we cry hallelujah for the cross, it is abundantly clear from Genesis to Revelation that Christ sacrificed, he was brutalized and gave his own life. His life, death and resurrection brought unity between God and his people, but unity costs. We should expect a cost as we work to close the rift between one another. It will require us to lay down something to take up something better. Pursuing unity could mean exclusion by your friends, misrepresentation by society or missing certain opportunities. If this is true for you, be not weary in doing good, beloved; your sacrifice doesn’t escape the gaze of your Father.
He used all that he had for the good of others, and he didn’t neglect those from whom dignity had been stripped, nor did he simply acknowledge their situation. He spoke with the Samaritan, healed the leper and restored the blind. He was brother to the tax collector, showed compassion to the widows, ate with the social outcasts and challenged the leaders of his day to care more about people. Family, may we look more like Jesus. Unity requires action, sacrifice and most of all, love.
The Point of Unity: What Should It Accomplish? If people will know Jesus by our love for one another, it should be a sincere endeavor for the church to demonstrate love and unity to a watching world. How we respond to issues of injustice and tragedy matters. How we carry the burdens of others matters. The story of Scripture shows us that our Lord restores. In doing so, he often restores dignity to those from whom it has been stripped by society or circumstance. In the same way, our labor for unity should be restorative. It should give love, honor and respect to those who have been denied or stripped of it. It should look like mourning for black and brown bodies left dead in the street, fighting for vulnerable children in cages, creating opportunities for those previously excluded – it should look like our Lord Jesus.
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COVID-19 and the Severity of God’s Redemptive Love this Side of Eden Written by Dr. Ross Inman, Associate Professor of Philosophy
he global tide of pain, suffering and death in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic forces us to carefully reflect on the role of disease in God’s economy this side of Eden. It’s difficult to overstate the importance of context when it comes to the deep human impulse to understand and to make moral sense of the world. To illustrate this point, consider the following example given by philosopher Eleonore Stump1. Imagine a group of Martians whose sole knowledge of human life on earth stems from video footage of hospital medical procedures. These Martians observe doctors amputating limbs, cutting out human organs and administering drugs that cause grave pain and suffering. They witness patient after patient groaning in severe pain, along with the accompanying grief, anxiety and tears of their loved ones. The Martians will no doubt be filled with moral indignation at the medical doctors who bring about or allow such horrendous pain and suffering to continue.
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1 Eleonore Stump, Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering (Oxford University Press, 2010), pp. 17-18. 46
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Any hint that the doctors are actually caring for their patients will be met with scorn and moral outrage. Of course, the Martians respond this way out of a failure to attend to the wider context concerning the human condition. They are unaware that the patients arrive at the hospital with pre-existing conditions that require serious, life-saving medical attention, or that without the relevant medical procedures the patients will likely die. Nor do they know that the vast majority of the patients recover from these procedures and go on to live full, healthy lives outside of the hospital. Likewise, if we fail to grasp the overarching theological context of the drama of human sin and redemption, we too will find ourselves responding with moral confusion, bitterness and scorn at a God who continues to allow creation to be vandalized by disease, sickness and death. Romans 8:18-25 offers a profound window into an overarching theological context by which we can interpret the tide of suffering brought on by the likes of COVID-19: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” The text naturally points backwards to God’s curse of the natural order due to human sin (Gen. 3:1419), and forward to the final removal of the creational curse in Revelation 22 (22:3).
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As a result of the sin of the first human pair, the entire created order is not the way it’s supposed to be. All subsequent human beings (save Christ) inherit a will that is radically diseased and turned inward away from God, their greatest possible good. The tragic consequences of original sin include our propensity to hide from God and to cover ourselves from the gaze of others (Gen. 3:7-8). These relational obstacles to loving fellowship with God and others are indeed severe and (eternally) lifethreatening; they require serious, life-saving attention without which we will perish in a state of everlasting separation from God. Romans 8:18-25 forcefully challenges our expectations as to how a loving God would relate to us in our morally ruined condition. Given the urgency of our life-threatening condition, God’s redemptive posture towards humans is often quite severe (Rom. 11:22), in the same way that a doctor’s life-saving actions toward a dying patient are often severe. In his manifold wisdom, God chooses not to insulate us from the most severe aspects of life such as dementia, cancer or a global pandemic. Contrary to our expectations, God responds to our self-ruin by multiplying pain and hardship (Gen. 3:14-19). How might the subjection of creation to futility and the multiplication of pain and hardship serve God’s redemptive purposes for wayward creatures? For all we know, allowing those apart from Christ to experience the fragility and severity of human disease in this way may be the most powerful means at God’s disposal to shake them out of their deep-seated self-reliance and to cultivate a greater openness to receive the lasting treatment for their life-threatening condition. One reason God allows Christians to experience painful severity is that it serves a redemptive, sanctifying role, that “we may share his holiness” (Heb. 12:3-11).
All of God’s wayward creatures should expect God’s redemptive love to be severe, to actively oppose all relational obstacles that hinder deeper loving union with God and others. Romans 8:18-25 reminds us that God is not interested in fabricating a cosmic playpen for our comfort, replete with foam padding to protect us from the jagged edges of life this side of Eden. The wider theological lens of Romans 8:18-25 gives us the full context and helps us properly interpret the severity of human disease and the loving character of God in allowing it to continue.
All of God’s wayward creatures should expect God’s redemptive love to be severe, to actively oppose all relational obstacles that hinder deeper loving union with God and others.
For further reading: Brian Han Gregg, “What Does the Bible Say About Suffering?” Eleonore Stump, “Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering” Paul Moser, “The Severity of God”
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Written by Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, Research Professor of English and Christianity and Culture
or as long as I can remember, my life has been shaped by my love of Jesus and my love of books. But it took an unbelieving graduate school professor to help me bring those two loves together. I grew up in a Christian home and became a Christian at a young age. I attended church, Sunday School and youth group regularly. I was catechized by Flannelgraphs, Bible drills and popsicle stick crafts. I loved the stories told in the Bible. Indeed, I loved all good stories. I loved words, imagination and seeing the world through the eyes of others in the pages of countless books. Truth be told, the people, places and problems I read about in other books seemed more real and more relevant to my world than those I read in the Bible. I loved to analyze, think, create and daydream. But little I learned in church seemed compatible with those endeavors. While no one said so exactly, I came to think that I had to choose between the love of God and love of the mind. Certainly, no one told me otherwise. I chose the life of the mind. Until that unbelieving professor came along.
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One day, during a graduate seminar, this professor made an offhand, insulting comment about Christians. As far as I knew, I was the only Christian in the program at the public university where I was a Ph.D. student, and I knew I must not remain silent. I quickly chided the professor for his lack of “tolerance,� and the discussion, mercifully, moved on. After class, when all the other students had left, the professor asked me to stay. He apologized to me, genuinely and humbly. After that, he took extra time during classes and afterward to make connections between the literature we were studying and its context in literary, Christian and church history. He pointed me to other great works in the literary canon that were rooted in and advanced Christian belief. He showed me and encouraged me to lay claim to the intellectual tradition of my faith, one I never knew existed. And finally, I began to see: The God who is the Word is the one who gave us the gift of all words, all stories and all imaginative ideas. This connection was a turning point in my life—as a Christian, as a scholar and as a teacher.
Nothing delights me more than to lead my students into their own greater love of literature and God.
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When I finished my Ph.D. and took a position teaching English at a Christian university, I entered that vocation with a zeal for teaching not only my discipline, but also the meaning that discipline holds within a Christian understanding of the world, as well as the meaning it can hold in the life the individual believer. I teach my students that to study or create literary works is a way of understanding and knowing God and his creation, of manifesting his image in us and of taking dominion of his wonderful gift of language. To take delight in works of truth, goodness and beauty is to imitate God himself. For years, I’ve told the students I teach that I’m a little jealous of the education they receive in a Christian university. They are years ahead of where I was at their stage of studying literature as a Christian. When a discipline is taught from a Christian worldview, students learn not only all the content, concepts and contexts that their counterparts at secular schools learn, but they also learn the significance and application of these things within a holistic understanding of all of life. A puzzle offers a helpful analogy. Examining the interesting and colorful pieces of a puzzle is like studying the components of a discipline. Putting all the puzzle pieces together is similar to understanding a discipline according to a Christian worldview. But assembling the puzzle properly isn’t the last step. A puzzle also needs to be placed right-side-up. This proper ordering of the puzzle can be likened to the way a robust Christian education disciples students not only in what and how to think, but, more importantly, in how to live.
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A few years after I completed my Ph.D., I reconnected with that professor. I then learned that he had become a Christian. In some way, perhaps what that professor taught me about literature taught him something about God. I have loved literature all my life. But when I saw how that love could and should be integrated into my love of God and his Word, I came to love it even more. And nothing delights me more than to lead my students into their own greater love of literature and God.
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Written by Dr. Steve McKinion, Professor of Theology and Patristic Studies
nstability leads to anxiety. Anxiety leads to questioning God’s kindness and mercy. And crisis is the greatest source of instability in the life of the Christian. During times of relative calm and normalcy Christians tend to accept the goodness of God without question. When we have a stable job, we have stable friendships, stable families and stable churches, we are relaxed and confident. But when a crisis strikes, and stability crumbles, anxiety rushes in like a lion to devour us. My own crisis came when my then ten-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer in 2011. Two weeks later he suffered a near-fatal stroke. After nearly four years of chemotherapy, and a year off treatment, the cancer returned in 2016. He was out of options. An experimental treatment saved his life, and he graduated from high school this year. But that crisis removed every bit of stability in my life. When the COVID pandemic began in March, I had many of the same anxieties as when my son was battling cancer. Uncertainty about the future, loss of control, fear of the
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unknown. The only constant was instability. The Bible remained a regular reminder of the gospel’s application to life during crisis. Psalm 103 is particularly helpful when we want to find stability in God. The previous psalm had established the context for this one as “the day of trouble” (Ps. 102:2). How do we maintain our faith and trust in God during times of trouble? Remember Psalm 103:2 implores us, in our time of trouble, to “forget not his benefits.” While it may be tempting to focus our attention on our current circumstances, such focus only leads to greater anxiety. Even as Christians we tend to have short term memory loss when confronted with frustrations or even the slightest inconveniences. Scripture reminds us of the remarkable benefits of God’s work on our behalf in Jesus Christ and the blessings of his application of that work to us individually, to turn our attention back to God who loves us, has redeemed us and dwells within us by his Spirit. When we forget the benefits of our salvation we become slaves to our circumstances. Remembering the amazing blessings of God enables us to see the relative insignificance of our current challenges. Paul tells us that our current experiences, as difficult as they may be, are not inversely proportionate to the riches that belong to us in Jesus. (Rom. 8:18) God will replace our suffering with blessing that is far greater than anything we have lost in times of trouble. Reflect The Psalmist proceeds to encourage us to reflect on God himself. The text reminds us, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.” (v. 8) This reflection is genuine worship.
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We do not worship an anonymous god who does not give us himself or a distant god who is so far removed from our circumstances as to make prayer useless. When we consider the greatness of our God, the God who became incarnate in Jesus Christ, who draws us near to himself through his indwelling Spirit, who promises never to leave us, then we can find our confidence in him and his grace. He has not left us! We can live confidently in God’s presence. Renew As we continue to remember the benefits of our salvation and to reflect on the person and work of Jesus Christ as God incarnate, the text tells us that God will renew our strength (v. 5). Losing apparent control of our circumstances, living with anxiety, experiencing significant suffering all weaken us. We become weary and greatly burdened, emotionally, physically and spiritually. The periods of weakness can lead to downward spirals of distrust of God, inability to love others and ultimately deep sin. But our God renews our strength personally. He is our strength. By turning our attention and affection to this gracious, loving and merciful God who is present with us in his Spirit, we find renewal. God‘s past work in our lives was to redeem us. His future work is to give us an inheritance, and his present work is to sustain and strengthen us. In contrast to the uncertainty of life during a worldwide COVID pandemic, God is a constant source of comfort and strength. When crisis tempts us to despair, we must remember. Remembering God’s work, reflecting on God’s person, and experiencing his work to renew us, enables us to cast “all your cares upon him, for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Remembering the amazing blessings of God enables us to see the relative insignificance of our current challenges.
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Spreading Love and Good News during COVID-19
Harper McKay* is a missionary and writer working in Southeast Asia with the IMB.
h, so this food is only for the Christians, right?� My husband had just handed off the first of many boxes of food to a tired and scared Muslim man who was overseeing security for people who were stranded due to the COVID-19 lockdown. As he heard that the food came from a church, he asked the question, worrying about the other people in need. We realized in that moment how God had positioned us to serve during the worst of COVID-19. During our time at Southeastern and early on as missionaries in Southeast Asia, we felt God impressing upon us the importance of being part of a local body of believers wherever we serve. Although we focus on an unreached Muslim people group, unity with the body of Christ has become a major component of our ministry and our lives here as we see more and more that God wants to use his
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*Name changed for security reasons
body to accomplish his work among the unreached. With laws in place to prevent people from converting or even sharing the gospel with Muslims, the church often faces difficulty in having the wisdom and boldness to reach out to them. Enter COVID-19 Within days of our country going into lockdown, people all around us were desperate. Day laborers had no work. Factories shut down. Shop owners had to close their doors. Some had enough to last for a while, but many communities were immediately vulnerable, including Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, refugees, immigrant workers and persons with disabilities. We looked around us and asked God how he would have us be the light of Christ in this new and scary time. As we brainstormed with our local body, we all felt like God had positioned us to give to those in need both inside and outside the church.
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Funds poured in quickly from Baptist Global Response (the human needs ministry of the International Mission Board) as well as local churches and local Christian business owners. In the first week of lockdown we saw the body of Christ use their resources and giftings to make sure that anyone who asked for food received what they needed. We were blown away by the rapid response of our brothers and sisters here and felt privileged to be a small part of it. Through combined efforts, hundreds of families received regular food package deliveries, several churches did widespread distributions, and one brother even cooked a hot meal for an entire apartment complex every night for the duration of lockdown. While following social distancing guidelines, many believers took time to have gospel conversations with people who were lonely and scared. Our teammates were able to model for others how to talk about COVID-19 and transition into the story of how Jesus took care of our biggest need. After a few times of listening, our teammates watched local brothers and sisters take the lead in sharing the gospel as they gave out food. The selflessness and indiscriminatory love that the body of Christ showed during the worst of COVID19 spoke volumes to others. The dividing walls of religion and culture that are often so prevalent in our country
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The selflessness and indiscriminatory love that the body of Christ showed during the worst of COVID-19 spoke volumes to others.
came crumbling down when the body took a step out in faith and gave to anyone who asked of them, regardless of religion. That’s why when my husband was asked if the food he carried was only for Christians, we knew that our mission was to represent our church to our Muslim friends and show them a different kind of love. As my husband explained that our church wanted to bless all types of people with food and God’s love, he saw several faces light up and some of the stress roll off their shoulders. They excitedly helped him bring in the rest of the boxes, and he took time to sit with them, listen to their stories and ask how they were feeling. One lady teared up as my husband handed her our last pack of masks and last box of gloves, and we realized that many people don’t often give without an agenda. Perhaps for the first time, these Muslim friends saw the love of Christ in action. Despite the negatives of COVID-19, we saw many new relationships formed between Christians and non-Christians. Many people heard Bible stories that gave them hope, many people survived the worst of the lockdown with enough food each day and many more people now know that the Christians come to them with love in their words and deeds. God opened the door through an unlikely situation, and the body of Christ was ready and willing to walk through it, even if it felt uncomfortable at first.
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NEW AND UPCOMING
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40 Questions About The Great Commission
THEOLOGICA L REV IEW
Daniel L. Akin, Benjamin L. Merkle, George G. Robinson Kregel Academic, 2020 Jesus’ Great Commission is one of the key pillars of the church’s evangelistic work and has been the guiding principle for missionaries throughout church history. In “40 Questions about the Great Commission,” scholars Daniel Akin, Benjamin Merkle and George Robinson unpack the meaning, history, theology and practical applications of Jesus’ command to go and make disciples. Ideal for personal or group study, this volume will reignite your passion for evangelism.
Academic Excellence for Thoughtful Ministry Leaders
Available now from
This free resource is perfect for pastor-theologians and Christian academics. The most recent journal is full of topnotch Evangelical scholarship on Scripture and theology, as well as book reviews of the most significant current titles.
Christ-Centered Exposition Exalting Jesus in The Sermon on the Mount Daniel L. Akin Holman Reference, 2019
southeasternreview.com
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Answering God’s Call: Finding, Following, and Fulfilling God’s Will for Your Life (Hobbs College Library) R. Scott Pace and Heath A. Thomas B&H Academic, 2020
Discontinuity to Continuity: A Survey of Dispensational and Covenantal Theologies Read or download your copy at
or
Benjamin L. Merkle Lexham Press, 2020
The Priesthood of All Believers: Theological Intent and Subsequent Practice Stephen Eccher in Celebrating the Legacy of the Reformation, 2019
FACULT Y WORK S The Future Inheritance of Land in the Pauline Epistles
Building a Marriage to Last Five Essential Habits for Couples
Miguel Echevarria
Brad Hambrick
Pickwick Publications, 2019
New Growth Press, 2020
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Daily Life in Old Testament Israel Chip Hardy In The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary, 2020
Spiritual Warfare in the Storyline of Scripture Chuck Lawless and William F. Cook III
Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues Joshua Chatraw and Karen Swallow Prior
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Acts Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament L. Scott Kellum
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For God So Loved the World A Blueprint for Kingdom Diversity
Find More Money Increase Your Income to Tackle Debt, Save Wisely, and Live Generously
Walter R. Strickland II and Dayton Hartman
Art Rainer
B&H Academic, 2020
B&H Books, 2020
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At the
Office
with Ronjour Locke
onjour Locke has seen pastoral ministry from many different angles. He and his wife, Annie, have ministered to those living in the bustling city of Baltimore. They’ve served communities in Fort Worth. Now they find themselves serving in the quaint and quiet town of Wake Forest at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. While Locke has ministered in a number of communities, he will quickly tell you that true leadership means to first become a servant, just as Christ modeled for his followers. It’s in this kind of leadership, devoid of status, that believers find true life and joy, because at its core we find Christ himself. As an instructor of preaching and urban ministry, and as director for the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership, Locke is equipping future pastors to serve incarnationally to the overlooked and underserved. In a brief conversation, Locke took some time to discuss meaningful items around his office, his favorite pastimes and advice to future and current pastors.
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What items do you keep around your office? Most of the things in my office are stories of my life—where we’ve gone, experiences that we’ve had. There are pictures of the kids—Joshua, Noah, Mikaiya and Naomi. There’s a picture of Annie and I’s first dance. I tell her to this day that is my absolute favorite picture of her. When I was pastoring, a lady in our church made that six-string guitar neck on the wall. Another thing about me is I like to play guitar. I’ve played since high school. There are also little things that the kids have given like the plaque that says, “Greatest Dad Ever” and the card that says, “You are the bacon of dads.” I have a mug collection from all of the seminaries I’ve been to, some things to remind me of our church in Baltimore and things from travels to Israel like an oil lamp and a crown of thorns.
What do you and your family like to do when you have some free time? We love hanging out. Annie will make a whole lot of popcorn and we’ll
watch some movies. The kids also love doing plays and concerts. They’ll take paper, cut it up and make tickets for us. We’ll sit there and we’ll watch them. The girls will do some type of dance or ballet. Or, they’ll write a new song and play it for us. It’s never a dull moment in the Locke house.
What was unique about pastoring in Baltimore versus other areas where you’ve served? One of the things that I had to learn was if we’re going to do ministry in Baltimore, we’re going to have to do ministry for the whole person. If we’re going to do ministry in Baltimore, we’re going to have to think not just about the whole person but about the whole context. A lot of people are in survival mode, and when you’re in survival mode, you don’t really think about loving your neighbor as yourself because you’re trying to survive. You’re not thinking about taking the gospel to the nations. You’re trying to get through tomorrow. If I want to get to that point where we’re making disciples and
Fall 2020
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1. Instead of a typical nameplate, Locke displays his most important title // 2. Locke recommends pastors read “Delighting in the Trinity” // 3. Annie and Ronjour in the early days of their relationship // 4. A card given to Locke from his children // 5. This art piece represents one of Locke’s favorite pastimes, playing guitar // 6. Locke’s many books on preaching and pastoral ministry // 7. Locke, an avid coffee drinker, keeps a collection of mugs in his office
sending them off to the nations, we’ve got to make sure that we establish the building blocks of structure in order for that to happen. That meant we had to care about the whole person. Discipleship looks different in that context. Church looks different in that context.
What advice would you give to current and future pastors? I think we have the temptation of turning the local church into a platform. It has so permeated our thinking and our culture that it’s maddening. The pastor is looking at this not as a formative position but as performative. Lose the performative
Fall 2020
and embrace the formative. Pastoring is a high calling. Enjoy anonymity and make his name great.
What has been one of the most formative lessons you’ve learned in ministry up to this point? Obscurity, humility and being a nobody are much closer to Christ’s vision of ministry than what’s typically marketed. That has been the biggest lesson that I’ve learned in ministry. When we lay down our lives—when we lose ourselves—we’ll find that the Lord is so relentlessly faithful. This is why we go to hard places. This is why we go to hard people. This is why we go toward the
*This article was edited for length and clarity.
drama and the danger instead of away from it—because the Lord is there.
What are some resources you would recommend to students wanting to go into pastoral ministry? “The Cross Before Me: Reimagining the Way to the Good Life” by Brian Gregor and Rankin Wilborne, “Delighting in the Trinity” by Michael Reeves, “Rejoicing in Jesus” by Michael Reeves
For more resources from our Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership, visit pastorscenter.org.
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Alumni Spotlight Uniting Theology & Ministry During COVID-19 “How she sits alone, the city once crowded with people! She who was great among the nations has become like a widow.” – Lamentations 1:1 Story by Lauren Pratt
ately, pastor and recent Ph.D. graduate Stephen Stallard is reminded of New York City when he reads this verse. Stallard, who graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) this spring, has ministered with his family in Crown Heights, Brooklyn for seven years. Thinking missionally amid complexity has helped him minister in a virusravaged city, where more than 20,000 have died from the COVID-19. Stallard finds himself pastoring during unique days at Mosaic Baptist Church in a community filled with diversity and a history of racial tension. In 2013, he and his wife Sonya moved with their children to the city with an eye toward the nations. As they have served their community through the good and bad, they’re experiencing that the community is becoming part of them. “It’s not simply that we are riding in on a horse trying to save the nations,” said Stallard, who received his Ph.D. in applied theology with a concentration in North American
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missiology. “The nations have left their indelible imprint upon our souls.” Success in urban church planting didn’t look like what he imagined. Instead, Stallard believes faithfulness in serving and sending is what
makes a thriving church in New York City. One of his greatest encouragements at Mosaic is seeing the multicultural team God has assembled and sent out to lead more churches in Chinatown, Queens and south Brooklyn. This redefined concept of success informed his dissertation for his Ph.D. at SEBTS, “The Development of Multicultural Teams in the Book of Acts: A Model with Application to Urban North America.” “Stephen is one of the most authentic and sharp ministry leaders you could meet,” said Mike Dodson, Stallard’s major professor and assistant professor of church planting and evangelism. Dodson, who also serves as Southeastern’s associate director of North American missions of the Center for Great Commission Studies and multiplication pipeline specialist for the North American Mission Board, added, “[Stephen] serves in a complex ministry environment, and he did a great job writing effectively on a complex dissertation topic that will assist other leaders in urban ministry contexts. It has been a joy working with him over the last several years in the Ph.D. process.” Stallard is thankful for how the Ph.D. program at SEBTS has shaped his ministry in New York City. “The Ph.D. program, at a foundational level, really helped me to bring a missiological skill set to a very complex community.” Not only has his time in the Ph.D. program informed his ministry, but it has also helped him train multicultural leaders within his church to think missiologically as they lead more churches in the city.
Fall 2020
“I think [these leaders] will be far better equipped to reach their communities with the hope of the gospel and to unmask the idols that saturate every community.” During COVID-19, Mosaic members are seeking to saturate the city with the gospel through Boxes of Hope to serve the physically and financially vulnerable in the community. These boxes include high-quality groceries and various resources such as Scripture, apologetics books and more.
The Ph.D. program, at a foundational level, really helped me to bring a missiological skill set to a very complex community. The Lord is opening doors for Mosaic to serve other faith communities in their neighborhood as word spreads about Boxes of Hope. Recently, the church was able to deliver boxes to a nearby mosque with food, a letter and the Gospel of John. As more people receive a Box of Hope, a phone call and a word of prayer, the Lord is drawing people into this faith community at Mosaic. Some have told Stallard that they plan to visit Mosaic when the church reopens its doors. Stallard believes celebrating a risen King through serving others brings the utmost joy in these uncertain days. It’s what keeps him and his congregation going as they serve their community as the hands and feet of Jesus. “It’s a really weird, confusing time, but it’s an exciting time to be alive, serving the Lord and bearing witness to the fact that Jesus is [risen].”
Fall 2020
Unite your academic gifts with missional service in the church and the world. PH.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
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Southeastern Society Featured Members
Tim & Carol Dale Dear Alumni and Friends,
Tim Dale • SEBTS trustee since 2017, current chairman • Southeastern Society member since 2001 • 2016 Graduate of SEBTS’ Raleigh Executive Training Institute
Carol Dale • SEBTS alumna 1998, Master of Divinity with Languages • Southeastern Society member since 2001 • Southeastern Women’s Fellowship Member & Leadership Team
2020 has been extremely challenging. This year, during the spring semester, our school adjusted to a totally online learning environment, we cut our tuition rate and made other difficult financial decisions to ensure Southeastern’s immediate and long-term health. Our faculty and staff continue to rise to the occasion and display the love of Christ to our students and to each other. We are determined that we will let nothing stop us from enabling our students to learn, grow and GO! For all the changes and challenges that we have faced God continues to bring students to be equipped for a Great Commission calling, and he continues to remind us of his mission to redeem a people from every tribe, nation and tongue.
As Chairman of the Board of Trustees and long-time supporter of Southeastern, I am grateful for the continued wise and compassionate leadership of President Danny Akin and the entire cabinet. The stewardship of the resources God has entrusted to Southeastern allows us to address the financial impact of the pandemic and any other challenges we might face on solid footing. We are continually reminded amid these challenging days that Christ is Lord and nothing will thwart his mission. As we continue to press forward in our mission, we need your financial support. An investment in Southeastern is an investment with an eternal return. Will you stand with us in the high calling of helping to train and send this next generation of pastors, missionaries and church leaders? It is my privilege to support Southeastern and ask you to support our school in the days ahead. In Christ’s love, Tim Dale, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Who We Are The Southeastern Society is a group of generous men and women from all walks of life, who share a desire to assist Southeastern Seminary as she seeks to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.
Why We Give Due to the faithful giving of SES members, Southeastern is able to keep tuition affordable. As a result, graduates have more financial freedom as they heed God’s call to serve him wherever he leads.
How To Join Join by giving $1,000 or more annually to fund the work of training gospel-ready champions for Christ. For more information or to become a member, contact Drew Davis at ddavis@sebts.edu.
A Letter from the Director recently read 1 Kings 18 with my kids. You might recall this passage of Scripture is where Elijah calls down fire from heaven, and the people repent and declare that “Yahweh, he is God.” Israel’s declaration was a refreshing reminder of God’s goodness, mercy and sovereignty amid human suffering. 2020 is now infamous for a global pandemic, multiple police brutality cases, confrontation of racial injustice and a contentious political climate. This year is marked by tremendous human suffering, perhaps more than this generation has witnessed. To say that this year is unprecedented is an understatement of the challenges that currently face the church and her leaders.
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Although the difficulties of 2020 abound, the mission of God could not be more precise. The reality of human sinfulness is apparent; the great need for hope in the resurrected Savior is pervasive. Today the church stands at a crossroads, confronted with challenges, but confident in the gospel and its redemptive power to overcome sin and correct the sin-marred world in which we live. Southeastern graduates live and minister in the hope of this gospel. We recognize that trials will come, but God’s mission and his redemptive purposes do not waver. Therefore, we stand united in both the mission and hope of the resurrected Christ to redeem the broken individuals and the world in which we live.
I have the privilege of discussing the challenges of life and ministry with many of our graduates. There is a common refrain among so many of these brothers and sisters—confidence in God’s sovereignty, mission and gospel. We stand together, like Israel declaring that “Yahweh, he is God.” As we stand together in this mission, I want to call on all of you to pray for and financially support Southeastern as we face the challenges that lie ahead.
Jonathan Six Director of Financial and Alumni Development
Fall 2020
Dr. Akin invites you to
MEET
Southeastern
MEET SOUTHEASTERN is a gathering for prospective donors to learn more about Southeastern. By coming to campus, they will learn more about how the Lord is working through our students to reach the nations with
the gospel and what it looks like to partner together to accomplish this goal. This event includes an overview of the history of the school, a campus tour, a faculty panel and dinner with President Danny Akin.
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I want to personally invite you to join us for Meet Southeastern. Come and see for yourself how God is using Southeastern to accomplish the Great Commission. I hope to meet you there. - Danny Akin
For future dates and more information Email Becca at bwarren@sebts.edu
Marketing and Communications Office P.O. Box 1889 Wake Forest, NC 27588-1889 (ISSN 2327-154X) (Occupant) or Resident
Dual Enrollment Academy
THE COLLEGE AT SOUTHEASTERN
The Dual Enrollment Academy is for juniors and seniors in high school who are seeking to earn affordable college credit through The College at Southeastern. Dual enrollment students can attain up to 30 hours of transferrable credit and mitigate the cost of earning a college degree. Accredited courses taught by committed Christian scholars Reduced tuition costs Christian classroom environments
dualenrollment@sebts.edu collegeatsoutheastern.com/dualenrollment