The Great Commission Magazine of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Spring 2018

SPRING 2018

It’s more than a college.

It’s a calling.

The College at Southeastern equips students to give their lives for the cause of Christ in the Church, among the nations and in every aspect of society.

Come visit us in Wake Forest or learn more at collegeatsoutheastern.com.

Wake Forest, NC /collegeSE

@DannyAkin

A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT One of my great joys as president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary comes whenever I see one of our students or graduates holding a sign that says “I Am Going to…” and names their location of service. To see them identify a country, a city or a local community to commit their life of ministry to is a reminder that God calls us to unique spots across the globe.

The final marching orders of King Jesus told us to “go and make disciples of all nations,” and this often means that we wind up somewhere different than where we began or where we thought we might serve. But whether we are called to return to our hometowns and make disciples or travel thousands of miles away with the good news of the gospel, the places we go matter. Nowhere do I see this more clearly than in the life of one of my heroes, the great Southern Baptist missionary Lottie Moon.

Charlotte Digges Moon felt her call to China “as clear as a bell” in February 1873 after hearing a sermon on missions at First Baptist Church in Cartersville, Georgia. On July 7, 1873, the Foreign Mission Board appointed Lottie, asking her to join her sister in Tengchow. She left her home to put down roots in a new place on the other side of the world.

Lottie’s life was often one of extended loneliness. Many times in her life she was the only Southern Baptist missionary in northern China. Her

lone companion was her Lord. But she stayed with the work God had for her.

She relocated to P’ingtu in December 1885. Aided by a Chinese couple from Tengchow, she rented a four-room, dirt-f loor house for $24 a year, planning to stay until summer. She ate and lived as the Chinese did. No one she knew spoke English. She quickly adapted to the local dialect. She began v isiting surrounding v illages and within a few months had made 122 trips to 33 different places. She gratefully trusted our Lord in trying and difficult circumstances.

In village after village she traveled to speak from early morning to late evening, from the kang, on the street, in the yard of dirty homes, while traveling in shentzes or riding donkeys, in the heat and dust of summer or wintry rain and snow. She was constantly in contact with the people, continually at risk of exposure to smallpox and other diseases. Yet she suppressed her craving for cultured life and conversation and her American tastes – all for the cause of Christ. “As I wander from village to vil-

lage,” she said, “I feel it is no idle fancy that the Master walks beside me, and I hear his voice saying gently, ‘I am with you always, even unto the end.’”

Her words were published in the January 1888 Foreign Mission Journal: The needs of these people press upon my soul, and I cannot be silent. It is grievous to think of these human souls going down to death without even one opportunity of hearing the name of Jesus. People talk vaguely about the heathen, picturing them as scarcely human, or at best, as ignorant barbarians.

If they could live among them as I do, they would find in the men much to respect and admire; in the women and girls they would see many sweet and loving traits of character. They would feel, pressing upon their heart and conscience, the duty of giving the gospel to them. It does seem strange that when men and women can be found willing to risk life—or, at least, health and strength—in order that these peo-

ple may hear the gospel, that Christians withhold the means to send them. Once more I urge upon the consciences of my Christian brethren and sisters the claims of these people among whom I dwell.

Here I am working alone in a city of maybe 11 thousand inhabitants, with numberless villages clustered around or stretching away in the illuminate distance: how many can I reach? It fills one with sorrow to see these people so earnest in their worship of false gods, seeking to work out their salvation by supposed works of merit, with no one to tell them of a better way. Then, to remember the wealth hoarded in Christian coffers! The money lavished on fine dresses and costly living! Is it not time for Christian men and women to return to the simplicity of earlier times? Should we not press it home upon our consciences that the sole object of our conversion was not the salvation of our own souls, but that we might become co-workers with our Lord and Master in the conversion of the world?

This is why many of our students go to the nations, to the hard and dangerous places. This is why others go to the great cities and still others to the rural and out-of-the-way places. People everywhere must hear that Christ died for the world and that He died for them.

The love of God rescues all who put their faith in Jesus. That is why we go.

That is why we preach. That is why we serve. Our places in the Great Commission are the places we love because Jesus loved them first.

Where are you going?

Daniel L. Akin, President

Around Southeastern Snow Left: Binkley Chapel after the snowstorm in January.

Below: Deans Jamie Dew and Keith Whitfield enjoyed the snow on campus.

Maria Estes and Ryan Thomas

Around Southeastern Drew & Ellie Holcomb Drew and Ellie Holcomb performed an outstanding concert at Southeastern on February 13.

Maria Estes

Around Southeastern Women’s Emphasis Week Left: Women learned how to build a more robust community at Southeastern through the Build Your Tribe dinner.

Below: Chef Virginia Spencer, who runs Southeastern’s Magnolia Kitchen, shared a few simple cooking tips.

Maria Estes

The Great Commission Magazine of

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Spring 2018 Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, NC Daniel Akin President Bruce Ashford Provost Ryan Hutchinson Executive Vice President for Operations Art Rainer Vice President for Institutional Advancement Financial and Alumni Development Jonathan Six, Director Drew Davis - Associate Director Chris Allen - Denom. Relations & Ministry Teams Coordinator Michelle Ard - Administrative Assistant Mandy Bramlett - Administrative Assistant Natan Carvalho - Data Management Coordinator Cristie Dowda - Grant Writer Jonathan Goforth - Development Officer Barbara Harvey - Administrative Assistant George Harvey - General Counsel & Director of Planned Giving Billy Vernon - Administrative Assistant Marketing and Communications Amy Whitfield, Director Maria Estes - Photographer, Graphic Designer Emily Lyons-Wood - Graphic Designer Sam Morris - E-Marketing Specialist Jordan Parris - Administrative Assistant Lauren Pratt - News and Information Specialist Ryan Thomas - Lead Graphic Designer Nathaniel Williams - Intersect Project Marketing Specialist To inform us of address changes or if you would like to receive the magazine, please contact us at 919-761-2203 or e-mail 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.

The 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 www.sebts.edu

Visit us We would love for you to visit campus for a PREVIEWDAY or campus tour!

To arrange a visit, simply contact our Admissions office at 1-800-284-6317 or visit iamgoing.org.

Contents Spring 2018 What’s Happening at Southeastern

Read and share online! sebts.edu/magazine

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8 Love for the Lord Propels Love for the Lost, GO Conference Emphasizes 9 Jeff Struecker Appointed to Southeastern Faculty 10 Southeastern Welcomes Two New Preaching Faculty 10 The Gospel is for All People, Akin Charges Graduates 11 Academic Camaraderie Highlighted at Annual Southeastern Theological Fellowship 11 9Marks at Southeastern: An Emphasis on Church Leadership 12 Board of Trustees and Southeastern Society Hold Fall 2017 Meetings 12 Southeastern Launches Partnership with Crosslands 14 Reaching the Nations in North America 15 Southeastern Reaches Record Giving 15 God’s Word a Foundation for Enduring Opposition, Ashford Tells Students 16 African American Missions Movement Highlighted at Black History Celebration Lunch 18 New and Upcoming Faculty Works

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Featured Stories 20 Go Into All the World: Our Places in the Great Commission 22 Finding a Sense of Place in a Life of Transience | Harper McKay 24 Every Place Matters | Andrew Hopper 26 When God Calls You Back Home | Jacob Green 29 Where He Walked | Anna Schaeffer 32 Southeastern Equips Family to Serve Better Together | Lauren Pratt 34 Q&A with Ken Keathley: The Transformational Learning Experience of the Oxford Study Tour

STORIES 38 “I am Ready for This. I am Equipped,” said SEBTS Counseling Alumna 40 Southeastern Student Mobilizes Las Vegas Church Plant to Intentional Prayer 42 SEBTS Student Derrick Rudolph Aids in Disaster Relief in Puerto Rico 43 Q&A with Wake Forest Church Planter Trea Brinson

44 Leaving a Legacy of Faith | Drew Davis, Associate Director of Financial and Alumni Development 48 A Letter from the Director | Jonathan Six, Director of Financial and Alumni Development

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WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SOUTHEASTERN \

LOVE FOR THE LORD PROPELS LOVE FOR THE LOST, GO CONFERENCE EMPHASIZES Lauren Pratt

Ryan Thomas

WHILE MANY pathways exist in pursuing God’s call to reach all nations with the gospel, a foundational love for God, his Word and his church are what lead us into a deeper love for a lost world.

These were the topics that were addressed to 708 students and young adults at the fourth annual GO Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) Feb. 16-17.

The main speakers for this year’s conference included D.A. Horton, lead pastor of Reach Fellowship in Long Beach, California; Danny Akin, president of SEBTS; Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; and Tony Merida, pastor of teaching and vision at Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Horton began Friday night’s session with a sermon on how to grow in love for the Lord, drawing from Luke 7:3650. Realizing the weight of sin brings a greater understanding of God’s grace, which in turn, creates a deeper love for God, Horton explained.

“Experiencing the forgiveness of our sins should lead us to more meaningful expressions of love for our Lord,” said Horton.

Horton illustrated how a deeper love for God can propel believers into a

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deeper love for the lost by sharing about the significant grief that he experienced over the loss of an unsaved relative. He challenged attendees to love God “not just here but everywhere that we go” and to share Christ with others as an expression of love for him.

Preaching from 2 Timothy 3:10-17, Akin spoke Saturday morning on why believers should love God’s Word. He also reminded believers that God’s divinely inspired Scripture leads them closer to Christ and their preparation for ministry.

“We show what we believe about the Bible by the way we love the Bible,” said Akin.

He explained that when believers grow in their love and knowledge of God’s Word, they are better prepared to face persecution and false teaching.

“If we are indeed serious about our walk with Christ…we are going to face opposition; we are going to be persecuted,” said Akin.

Moore preached from 1 Corinthians 4:14-6:11 on loving the church, explaining that we do this because God’s family, his presence and his reminder of grace through Jesus are present there.

People find ways to identify themselves as better than others in Scripture

and today, Moore indicated. However, the church represents a message that nullifies this type of pride.

“The gospel comes in and tears all that down,” said Moore.

Merida closed the conference with his sermon on loving the lost, noting the importance of how we speak, what we speak and why we speak the gospel. The awe of Jesus, not obligation, is what motivates believers to share the gospel, he explained.

“Guilt won’t ultimately motivate us for the long haul, but grace will,” he said.

A sacrificial witness should be displayed to the lost, Merida said, referencing the story of the jailer who came to Christ through Paul and Silas in Acts 16.

“When you bear the witness of Jesus sacrificially, it has a persuasion of its own,” said Merida. “It’s altogether powerful.”

Along with the main teaching, breakout sessions were held Saturday afternoon on a variety of topics including how to talk to LGBTQ friends about Christ and how to engage immigrant neighbors and classmates with the gospel.

Josh Via, pastor of Journey Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, led worship for this year’s conference.

Watch The GO Conference 2018 sessions at thegoconference.com

/ WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SOUTHEASTERN

JEFF STRUECKER APPOINTED TO SOUTHEASTERN FACULTY Lauren Pratt

Maria Estes

STRUECKER, who received his Ph.D. from Southeastern in 2015, is the lead pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia and will remain in the pastorate while teaching at Southeastern.

Struecker will primarily be teaching graduate and doctoral intensives.

He co-taught his first Ph.D. seminar for Southeastern this January.

“I am thrilled to welcome Jeff Struecker to this faculty,” said Southeastern President Danny Akin. “A decorated Army Ranger who was recently inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame, Dr. Struecker knows by training and experience the importance of wise and strategic leadership.”

Struecker said he is looking forward to teaching students how to become more effective leaders.

“I believe Jesus’ church deserves the best leaders in the world, not just marginal leaders, so I hope I can make an investment,” said Struecker.

Struecker served in the military for more than 22 years including, 10 years as private and platoon sergeant in the 75th Ranger Regiment.

During his time of service in Somalia, Struecker surrendered his life to the Lord and decided to become a

chaplain in the Airborne and Ranger units, which he served for the last 10 years of his military service.

I am thrilled to welcome Jeff Struecker to this faculty...Dr. Struecker knows by training and experience the importance of wise and strategic leadership.

President Danny Akin

Most recently, Struecker was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in June 2017. The Ranger Hall of Fame honors those deceased or out of service for at least three years who have served in a Ranger unit during combat and have graduated from a U.S. Army Ranger course.

“Students sitting under his teaching will greatly benefit from the insights and wisdom of this godly man and

national hero,” said Akin. “What a blessing from God it is to add Jeff to our team at Southeastern.”

Struecker desires to show students what it means to lead in a “God honoring, biblically appropriate way.”

“All leadership boils down to dealing with people and you have to really understand yourself and people if you want to lead effectively,” said Struecker.

Struecker has received many awards and commendations during his time of service, including the following: David L. Grange Best Ranger Competition in 1996; U.S. Army ROTC, Noncommissioned Officer of the year in 1998; Ranger Tab; Combat Infantryman’s Badge; Pathfinder Badge; Master Parachutists Wings; Military Freefall Master Parachutist Wings. His military experience includes operations such as Black Hawk Down in Somalia, Operation Desert Storm and more than a dozen tours throughout Afghanistan and Iraq.

Struecker has written five books.

He and his wife, Dawn, have five children: Aaron, Jacob, Joseph, Abigail and Lydia.

SPRING 2018 // SEBTS.EDU

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WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SOUTHEASTERN \

Southeastern Welcomes Two New Preaching Faculty

The Gospel is for All People, Akin Charges Graduates

Locke, who received his Master of SOUTHEASTERN Baptist Theological Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Seminary (SEBTS) has added Scott Pace and Ronjour Locke to its full- Theological Seminary, has been named instructor of preaching and time preaching faculty. urban ministry for SEBTS. He began “The addition of Ronjour Locke and his position Jan. 1, 2018.

Scott Pace only adds strength to an “We are thrilled that Ronjour Locke already outstanding preaching department,” said Danny Akin, presi- is joining us,” said Keith Whitfield, dean of graduate studies at SEBTS. dent of SEBTS. “Both men are faithful expositors and churchmen. Their pas- “He is passionate about training stusion for Christ, the Great Commission, dents to be able to teach the Bible in any and every context that God sends the Word of God and the lost make them. Ronjour comes to us with minthem a perfect fit for Southeastern.” istry experience from an urban conPace, who received his Master of text, which will be a great asset for Divinity and Ph.D. from SEBTS, has the training and equipping of our been named associate professor of students.” preaching and pastoral ministry and Locke was formerly the pastor of associate director for the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership. First Baptist Church (FBC) in BrookHe will begin his position June 1, 2018. lyn, a neighborhood in Baltimore, Pace has taught at a number of in- Maryland. He and his wife, Annie, stitutions, including Oklahoma Bap- began serving at FBC in January tist University (OBU) in Shawnee, 2012. Locke has experience in educational and pastoral ministry and is Oklahoma, where he currently serves currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Midas the associate professor of applied western Baptist Theological Semiministry and the Hughes Chair of nary. They have four children: JoshChristian Ministry. Pace has served ua, Noah, Mikaiya and Naomi. in pastoral ministry since 2000 and “Scott Pace and Ronjour Locke will academic administration since 2005.

OBU President David Whitlock ex- extend Southeastern’s reach when it comes to equipping leaders who pressed his deep appreciation for Pace’s contribution to OBU and excite- shepherd churches to fulfill the Great Commission,” said Jim Shaddix, proment for his new position at SEBTS. “A winsome witness for Christ, fessor of preaching and director of the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Scott has made a huge difference at OBU and leaves us stronger and bet- Leadership at SEBTS. “These brothter for his service here,” said Whit- ers bring a wealth of combined experience in pastoral ministry, exposilock. “I will personally miss him but tor y preaching and classroom am excited for his new opportunities for ministry at our sister institution, instruction that will help us train a wider range of leaders for greater Southeastern Baptist Theological kingdom impact.”

Seminary.”

THE GOOD NE WS of the gospel, encapsulated in John 3:16, is meant for all people and to be shared across all nations.

Akin addressed why this verse is a captivating truth for graduates, family and friends at the Dec. 8, 2017 graduation ceremony for Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and The College at Southeastern.

Dividing the passage into multiple sections, Akin highlighted the great and unparalleled love of God that is displayed in John 3:16.

“When God gave his Son, God gave his best,” said Akin. “And God gave his best to die.”

Akin also addressed the scope of God’s love for the world manifested in the gospel message.

“Here’s where we see the massive scope of his love: it is the world…God rejoices in the beauty and diversity of the people groups he has placed in this world,” he said.

Graduates from Southeastern will be leaving and going to places all around the world so that people can hear the gospel, many of who have never heard.

They will go knowing there are people all about us who Christ died for and yet who have never even one time heard the gospel,” Akin noted.

Akin presented a clear presentation of the gospel message to those in attendance noting that there are only two types of people: those who are saved and those who are lost.

In drawing from a quote by Billy Graham, Akin said, “God proved his love on the cross when Christ hung and bled and died, it was God saying to the world, and God saying to you, ‘I love you.’ Now, what will you do in response?”

A total of 198 college, graduate and advanced degree students graduated this fall, along with four international students who received their Master of Theological Studies at partnering seminaries overseas.

This year’s graduation also included 28 Doctor of Ministry graduates, the highest number to date at Southeastern.

Scott Pace, photo courtesy of OBU

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Ronjour Locke

/ WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SOUTHEASTERN

Academic Camaraderie Highlighted at Annual Southeastern Theological Fellowship DURING the 69th annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) in Providence, Rhode Island, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) recognized four evangelical scholars for their contributions to Christian scholarship at the annual Southeastern Theological Fellowship dinner.

SEBTS Provost Bruce Ashford welcomed guests from liberal arts colleges, research universities, seminaries, publishing houses and more to the event, calling them as Christian scholars to be among the people who must speak and act responsibly in an increasingly secular age.

“Theological scholars are missionaries of a sort,” he said.

“In our mission to make disciples, the Lord will always be with us,” Ashford later said. “A truly evangelical scholar is one who engenders confidence in God, the gospel and the Christian mission.”

The honorees, representing four different colleges and seminaries, received awards for their excellence in research, writing and displaying the characteristics of a Great Commission scholar in both the classroom and Christian scholarship. The following scholars received awards: - M. Daniel Carroll Rodas, Blanchard professor of Old Testament at Wheaton Graduate School, Wheaton, Illinois - Heath Thomas, dean of the Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry and professor of Old Testament at Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, Oklahoma - Eric Johnson, Lawrence and Char-

9Marks at Southeastern: An Emphasis on Church Leadership

SOUTHEASTERN Baptist Theological Seminary hosted the ninth year of the 9Marks at Southeastern conference on Sept. 29-30.

747 pastors, ministry leaders and students attended and more than 900 othersviewed the conference via Facebook live stream.

The conference centered on the topic of church leadership and attendees heard from speakers Mark Dever, Jeramie Rinne, Danny Akin, Thabiti Anyabwile, Burk Parsons and H.B. Charles Jr. Speakers also participated in panel discussions moderated by Jonathan Leeman, editor of 9Marks.

Dever, senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., spoke on the process of pastoral transition within a church. Some of Dever’s main points included considering the next pastor with prayerfulness, the importance of relying on the leadership of church elders and being open to pastors with varying educational

backgrounds.

“There is a self-givingness in good authority that the Christian epitomizes in the pastor of their local church,” said Dever.

Rinne, senior pastor of Evangelical Community Church in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, articulated the importance of humility in church leadership and the dangers of pride that come from success.

Drawing from the rise and fall of King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26, Rinne noted that success ultimately comes from the Lord, which should enable pastors to be humble in ministry.

“That means that for us as pastors one of the most important character qualities for leadership is that we be humble men, humble men who are dependent upon God,” said Rinne.

Akin, president of Southeastern, spoke Friday afternoon on the marks of trustworthy leadership from Psalm 101.

“A cynical, skeptical world is watching us and watching us very carefully,” said Akin.

“Let them see men of integrity. Let them see wise and trustworthy leaders. Let them see men who faithfully follow in the footsteps of the master.”

Watch 9Marks at Southeastern 2017 sessions at sebts.edu/9Marks

lotte Hoover professor of pastoral care at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky - Scott Swain, president and James Woodrow Hassell professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida After accepting his award, Swain addressed attendees about the importance of cultivating a Godward mind.

“Wisdom begins and ends in wonder,” Swain said. “Wisdom never exhausts the wonder of God’s being and ways.”

The Southeastern Theological Fellowship seeks to build camaraderie and foster fellowship between scholars of multiple denominations.

“In recognition of the value of Christian scholarship,” said Ashford. “We offer the Southeastern Theological Fellowship because we want to facilitate friendships across the evangelical scholarly community.”

Anyabwile, pastor at Anacostia River Church in Washington, D.C., spoke Friday night on Colossians 4 and how “spreading the gospel is a multi-ethnic team sport.” He outlined in his message what he called the “five D’s of gospel ministry,” which included dedication, disappointments, devotion, diversity and direction.

“You will know a healthy partnership when you see one. It will be focused on the task of spreading the gospel with all the warmth of true friendship,” said Anyabwile.

Parsons, co-pastor at St. Andrews Chapel in Sanford, Florida, began the morning session with his message on 1 Peter 5 and how a pastor leads by example.

“If you’re not being a shepherd, you’re not being faithful to what God has called you to be,” said Parsons.

In giving the example of Jesus, Parsons said, “Jesus didn’t just come and die for us, but he came and lived for us.”

Charles, pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, closed the Saturday morning session speaking on Ephesians 4:11-16 and how a church grows and matures in the faith.

“You cannot have a high view of Christ and a low view of the church at the same time,” said Charles.

Southeastern will host next year’s 9Marks conference Sept. 28-29, 2018 and will focus on missions.

SPRING 2018 // SEBTS.EDU

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WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SOUTHEASTERN \

Board of Trustees and Southeastern Society Hold Fall 2017 Meetings ON OCT. 15-17, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary hosted its fall Board of Trustees (BOT) and Southeastern Society (SES) meetings.

Both BOT and SES members were updated on institutional developments including a comprehensive fundraising campaign. BOT members approved the following decisions: – The comprehensive f undraising campaign – Sabbatical Reports and requests for the following faculty members: David Beck, Mark Liederbach, Allan Moseley, Steven Wade, Benjamin Merkle, George Robinson and Chip Hardy – New and revised curriculum for The College at Southeastern – New Investment Policy Statement and the asset allocation proposed by CapTrust – Updated Campus Master Plan, which includes the changes involved in the comprehensive campaign – Response to the Southern Baptist Convention motion on trustee contact information Three new BOT members were welcomed this fall, including Howard Li, Ryan Martin and Sam Wheat. Li was assigned to the Academic Committee, Martin to the Student Services Committee and Wheat to the Institutional Advancement Committee.

SES members heard from two time Southeastern graduate, Dr. Thomas West, discipleship pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, Nor th Carolina. Preaching from Ephesians 2, West spoke to members about the importance of God’s people remembering where they have come from and how God is planning to use them in the future.

“We will never marvel at who God is until we realize how messed up we are,” said West.

Southeastern President Danny Akin shared his 10-year vision with BOT and SES members, noting his four marks of a Great Commission Seminary: it is consumed with a global focus, certain in its doctrinal convic12 \ SEBTS.EDU \\ SPRING 2018

t ion, c om m it te d to e x pa n sive ministerial preparation and characterized by spiritual vibrancy. Akin shared that the school has seen eight consecutive years of growth and he is setting a goal to see 5,000 students enrolled by 2027.

During chapel on Tuesday morning, Dr. Timothy George, the dean of Beeson Divinity School, delivered a lecture as part of the Page Lecture Series, an annual series featuring prominent theologians. George spoke on the Reformation in remembrance of the 500th anniversary being commemorated this month and noted the turning points in Martin Luther’s life that led him to that climactic moment.

“I think it’s better not to think of one…event when it a l l happened suddenly but rather to think of this as a process in Luther’s own mind as he learned and studied and grew deeper in the Word of G od,” said George.

He also spoke on what he called the “hermeneutical shift” that Luther had while writing his commentary on Romans. During this process, George noted that Luther began to read the Bible with a Christocentric focus.

“Jesus Christ becomes the fulcrum around which everything in the Bible revolves,” said George.

Breakout sessions were also held for SES members which included, A Great Commission Campus: Building for the Future led by Executive Vice President Ryan Hutchinson, Kingdom Scholarship: Preserving a Faithf ul Facult y led by Dr. Keith Whitfield, & Gospel Patrons: Investing in Students Who Change the World led by Jonathan Six. Jonathan Six, director of financial and alumni development, spoke on the importance of having faithful donors that contribute to the ministry of helping students prepare to ser ve around the world. He gave examples of people like Luther Rice who supported Adoniram Judson and Lady Huntington who funded George Whitefield’s ministr y. “We believe that a great movement of God can star t here and spread around the world because of gospel patrons like yourself,” said Six.

Southeastern Launches Partnership with Crosslands SOUTHEASTERN Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) is partnering with Crosslands, a theological training program under Acts 29 Europe, to train potential church planters and leaders.

The students will earn a Master of Arts in Christian ministry from SEBTS. The partnership resulted from SEBTS’s EQUIP initiative and launched Feb. 13.

“We’re excited about Crosslands’ vision to provide theological education across Europe and the 10/40 window to those that, for various reasons, are unable to train in more traditional ways,” said SEBTS President Danny Akin.

Crosslands exists to train ministry leaders on multiple levels throughout Europe and the 10/40 window. Various levels include entry courses for new believers, foundation courses for lay leaders in the church and seminary courses for current and potential church planters and leaders.

Crosslands provides training that fits the context in which its students are currently working, living and ministering. Currently, 56 students are enrolled in the seminary-level course, 500 students are enrolled in foundation-level courses and the entry-level courses for new Christians are being launched later this year.

Crosslands emerged as a collaborative program between the church planting training of Acts 29 Europe, which contains church plants in 51 countries, and the theological training of Oak Hill Theological College, an institution that provides residential and accredited theological training to Anglican and Independent churches and ministries throughout the United Kingdom.

Crosslands currently has hubs in the English Midlands, Dublin, Paris and Venice and is registered as a charity within the United Kingdom.

“For us, this is a great way we can seek to make God’s kingdom vision of people from every tribe, tongue and nation worshiping Christ together a reality,” said Akin.

Southeastern received $8.3 million last year because of Southern Baptist churches like yours committed to the spread of the Gospel to all nations, tribes and tongues.

Love In Action www.sbc.net/cp

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WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SOUTHEASTERN \ J.D. Payne

Reaching the Nations in North America ON OCT. 27-28, the Reaching the Nations in North America Summit brought together 515 men and women in person and via live stream who are seeking to learn and grow in how to reach refugees and immigrants in North America.

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary hosted the conference, which began last year in Nashville, Tennessee.

Reaching the Nations was sponsored

by Southeastern, the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and the Peoples Next Door Initiative. Speakers included Danny Akin, Chris Clayman, J.D. Greear, J.D. Payne and Bryant Wright.

J.D. Payne, pastor for church multiplication at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama Payne pointed out that often people are willing to go overseas to share their faith but not walk across the street to talk to their neighbor who is from an unreached part of the world. As the first speaker of the conference, he addressed the challenges of reaching neighbors with the gospel.

Challenges included defining what a church should be, pastoral missiology and not letting the goal of numbers become ultimate over ministry.

Payne encouraged attendees to create biblical, simple and reproducible ministry models that “ordinary, everyday believers” can follow.

“By God’s grace, when you begin to teach through a simple approach of biblical church planting, when you begin to catch the vision of lostness of unengaged and unreached people groups in North America, the Holy Spirit begins to work on people,” said Payne.

Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Akin’s challenge Friday night was to see immigration through a Great Commission vantage point, drawing upon Romans 15.

He challenged listeners not to get caught up in political agendas, but in gospel advancement.

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Referencing James 3:9, Akin encouraged listeners to boast in Christ by speaking well of immigrants and refugees, who are made in his likeness.

According to Lifeway research, 60 percent of immigrants do not know a Christian and there is little assistance coming from Protestant churches.

“Where there are people who have no access to the gospel…that deserves our attention, that deserves our energy, that deserves our priority,” said Akin.

J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Drawing upon Luke 10 and the story of the Good Samaritan, Greear focused his message Saturday morning on what, why and how people ought to love their neighbors.

Anytime someone is in need is the moment Christians are to step in and assist, Greear noted, including taking on one another’s burdens as referenced in Galatians 6:2.

Christ was the ultimate example of one who took on our burdens to fulfill our greatest need of salvation, Greear pointed out, so Christians ought to follow in this self-sacrificial example.

“Those who have experienced the gospel develop an uncontrollable impulse to be generous and an insane ability to forgive,” said Greear.

Bryant Wright, pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia Desperation was the key word that Wright used to describe the refugee crisis.

In looking at Matthew 2:13, Wright highlighted how Jesus himself was a refugee when he and his family fled from Bethlehem to Egypt from King Herod, who was trying to kill Jesus.

“How you treat the immigrant, how you treat the refugee is how you treat [Jesus],” said Wright.

Wright posed an important question to the audience about whether or not they are willing to let the Bible guide how they think and act in regard to their treatment of refugees.

Chris Clayman, associate director of Global Gates Network Clayman challenged listeners to think practically about steps to move beyond hospitality among immigrants and refugees to having gospel conversations within those relationships.

“If you have a genuine relationship that is loving, then you’re going to share your life with them,” said Clayman. “If your life is what it should be, that means that you’ve shared Christ with them.”

Clayman not only encouraged attendees to love and share the gospel intentionally but to also move beyond the ministry program they are in if its hindering effectiveness.

This consistent thread of practically loving internationals from all circumstances with gospel intentionality was a constant focus throughout the conference.

Along with main teaching sessions, breakout seminars and peer groups were held throughout the weekend.

/ WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SOUTHEASTERN

Southeastern Reaches Record Giving WITH RECORD-BREAKING fundraising in December, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary has an increased ability to help its students pursue their ministry calling at an affordable cost.

Southeastern exceeded its $500,000 annual fund goal for the month of December, raising a total of $524,839.31 from 347 donors. The money raised goes toward the Southeastern Fund, which helps with operational costs, keeping tuition low for students.

“There are times when words fail to express my gratitude to our God for these amazing people who give so sacri-

God’s Word a Foundation for Enduring Opposition, Ashford Tells Students SOUTHEASTERN Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) celebrated the start of a new semester at its spring convocation on Jan. 23.

SEBTS Provost Bruce Ashford delivered the address, reminding students that the only way to endure opposition to the gospel is through the foundation of God’s Word. Drawing from 2 Timothy 3:10-16, of which verse 16 is Southeastern’s theme verse, Ashford looked at three observations the Apostle Paul made in regard to enduring opposition.

ficially that the nations might hear of our king and his gospel,” said Danny Akin, president of Southeastern.

The December to Remember initiative launched Nov. 28 with a National Day of Giving Phone-a-Thon. Staff and student volunteers collectively called 1,208 people, raising $42,290. This amount included the gifts matched by a small group of donors for each dollar raised up to $250,000.

The Southeastern Fund plays a vital role in the life of every student enrolled at the school as each dollar given helps to provide funding for school operations and alleviates tuition costs. In 2015, gifts to the Southeastern Fund reduced tuition costs by $675 for each full-time student and in 2016, $650 per student.

Between Spring 2017 and Spring 2018, the school has seen a five percent increase in its enrollment, specifically with increases in its Master of Divinity, Master of Arts and undergraduate programs, making these gifts to the school’s annual fund even more important.

“Because they give, others are going,” said Akin. “I can only rejoice in the smile of heaven that rests on our wonderful school.”

Southeastern considers each gift invaluable to its mission to see students equipped to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. Gifts to the annual fund are accepted year-round.

Ashford told students that they will find themselves in a variety of ministry contexts that will bring varying forms of opposition to the gospel.

“We should embrace the moment [of opposition] instead of resenting it,” said Ashford.

He also pointed out that opposition to the gospel can come from within the church from those who are not truly followers of Christ. It is those moments, Ashford said, that are shocking but are to be expected.

“There are going to be people who seem to be inside of the circle of faith and they will try to come against you and defeat you,” he said.

Ashford reminded students that the words they read in Scripture are the

words of God himself. Being saturated in Scripture, he said, is vital to enduring pushback in the Christian faith.

“If you want to be sustained, nourish yourself with Christian Scripture,” he said. “Soak yourself in it so that the narrative of the Bible is the master narrative that governs your life.”

Ashford closed out his convocation address showing students how Jesus intersects with each of the points he provided during the message.

“Our God, in his goodness, took our name, Evil One or Imposter, on his shoulders on the cross and in exchange, gave us his name, Righteous One.” “It is Christ,” said Ashford, “who sustains believers through the power of Scripture even in the face of opposition.”

Give to the Southeastern Fund at sebts.edu/give

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WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SOUTHEASTERN \

African American Missions Movement Highlighted at Black History Celebration Lunch THE KINGDOM DIVERSITY Initiative and the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary hosted its fourth annual Black History Celebration Lunch, focusing on the history of the African American missions movement.

“If we only hear about a particular narrative of the American Christian story, our assumption is that God is only working amongst those people,” said Walter Strickland, associate vice president for Kingdom Diversity.

Carl Ellis Jr. addressed this topic as the keynote speaker for the event on Feb. 2, remembering it as a topic that was underrepresented in his church history courses as a student. Ellis works at the Reformed Theological Seminary as the assistant to the chancellor, the senior fellow of the African American Leadership Initiative and the provost’s professor of theology and culture.

If we only hear about a particular narrative of the American Christian story, our assumption is that God is only working amongst those people.

As Ellis pointed out, African American believers in the north desired to know what their purpose was, which grew out of a theology of empowerment made up of identity, dignity and significance.

“They began to look in the Scriptures and see if anyone else was in that situation,” said Ellis.

Looking at the life of biblical champions like Joseph and Esther, Ellis noted that “our forefathers said that us being here must have divine and global significance. And they concluded that we are here so that we might carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to the rest of the African di-

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aspora and beyond.”

This realization from the Scriptures, Ellis said, was the beginning of the African American missions movement.

It was a spark that ignited many African American missionaries to spread the gospel in Africa and the Caribbean, including people like Samuel Hopkins, who championed the importance of alleviating human suffering by taking others’ suffering on oneself. Also noted by Ellis was George Liele, the first American missionary who went to Jamaica after being freed from slavery.

With the increased political tension and economic greed that grew from African colonization, African American missionaries began being forced out of their work on the field because they became an economic conflict of interest to white colonialists.

However, with the emergence of the black evangelical movement, missions among African Americans was resurrected in the 1930’s. Black candidates were being refused by missions agencies, however, and this led to the creation of black sending agencies.

The Afro American Missionary Crusade, for example, was established in 1947 and the Carver International Missions agency was established in 1955.

This history of the African American missions movement is one that people need and want to hear, noted Ellis.

“There [are] people all over the world who want to hear our story.”

Matthew 24:14 speaks about the end

coming after all nations have come to hear about Jesus Christ. Ellis noted that God redeems all things and “it might just be that African Americans might be the key to that happening.”

The Kingdom Diversity Initiative started in the fall of 2013 and promotes diversity through hosting campus events and discussions centered on topics regarding underrepresented populations and how the gospel intersects with these issues in culture. For more information, visit sebts.edu/kd.

The Center for Faith and Culture seeks to engage culture through the lens of a Christian worldview by hosting events on campus and the Intersect Project, a Southeastern website funded by the Kern Family Foundation. For more information, visit sebts.edu/cfc.

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Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Daniel Daniel Akin (Author), David Platt (Editor) and Tony Merida (Editor)

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From the Study to the Pulpit An 8-Step Method for Preaching and Teaching the Old Testament Allan Mosely Weaver Book Co., 2018

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Joining God in knowing him and making him known should be the mission of every believer, and he leads people to specific places to fulfill that mission. Maybe that looks like going overseas to work with an unreached people group. Maybe it means moving back home to pastor a church. Maybe it means moving to a new city to plant a church. Ultimately, the place our hearts long for is heaven — to be with God forever. This is the beauty of walking with Christ: We have purpose in the present and the future. As Jesus said in John 14:3, “If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.” As you go to your places, find your hope in the God who is eternal and a home that never fades away.

*Photo by Lance Asper on Unsplash

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FINDING A

SENSE OF PL ACE I N A

LIFE OF T R A N S I E N C E

Harper McKay * is a missionary and writer working in Southeast Asia with the IMB. She earned a Certificate in Women’s Studies with International Missions from Southeastern in December 2016. *Name changed for security reasons

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ON DAY ONE of being missionaries in Southeast Asia, my husband began petitioning for us to buy a motorbike.

In our city of two million, almost everyone navigates the streets on two wheels, zipping in and out of traffic.

My husband regularly presented me with all the ways our lives would be enriched by a bike.

At first, I did not agree. While I like bikes, I was hesitant to invest in something only to leave in a few months when our language program ended.

The life of a missionary sometimes involves planting yourself in one place for a long time. However, many times the missionary life can be a life of transience, at least for some seasons.

My husband and I have been in such a season for several years. We haven’t spent more than two years in one place since we served as singles in Southeast Asia, got married and studied at Southeastern for a wonderful but short time.

A little over two years later, we find ourselves on our first stop in Southeast Asia, nearing the end of our language program. We will soon move to another country to spend a few years learning language and culture and seeking where to serve longer-term.

From time to time, God may ask some of us to uproot ourselves and serve him in various locations. In a life with so much transition, how can a theology of place inform the way we

**Photo by Liam Pozz on Unsplash

/ FEATURED STORIES

serve the Lord?

Searching for answers to this question has given me a sense of belonging that I didn’t think was possible in this season of our lives.

A Purpose For Every Place God always has a purpose for us in the places where he sends us, even if it’s only for a short time. The people we meet and the spaces we occupy are just as important to our ministries as any strategy.

Take Priscilla and Aquilla for example. In a relatively short time they went to Rome, Corinth, Cenchreae, and Ephesus, making the most of their time in the places God had sent them. In Corinth, they lived and worked with Paul as tentmakers, contributing to the economy of their new place. Later in Ephesus, they were positioned to take Apollos under their wings and explain to him “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26).

When God uprooted Priscilla and Aquilla, they didn’t avoid engaging with the places they were sent because it was temporary. Instead, they became part of the place and invested deeply in its people even if for a short time.

The more we experience transition, the more I see the importance of having a solid theology of place. The past eight months in our language program have been transformational in the way I view my role in the place where I am.

From the beginning, my husband and I prayed for the Lord to give us the vulnerability to put down roots even though we’d have to pull them up soon.

We have seen God work mightily in our neighborhood and our local church.

Early on, we studied the ways of our

neighborhood and learned to do things as our neighbors do. We have celebrated with them, grieved with them, visited them in the hospital, exercised with them and frequented their usual places. Our house has been used to entertain kids and celebrate Christmas with our Muslim neighbors.

A transient lifestyle is not a detached lifestyle. It requires vulnerability and the willingness to bear the pain of being part of a place and leaving when God calls you to go.

We also became part of a church in the local language. Not only has this skyrocketed our language progress, but it has given us insight into what life is like for followers of Christ in this Muslim-majority nation. We have worshiped alongside them, prayed with them, served with them and learned from them. Jumping in with both feet has given us a oneness with these believers that usually takes a long time to cultivate.

It has been hard work, and I admit that many times I wanted to just hide inside my house. But we have seen God work in great ways. Several neighbors have heard the gospel, a group of persecuted believers are taking steps to meet together again, a Muslim lady is reading the Bible for the first time and

our local fellowship is exploring ways to partner with us in the next country we will serve.

We never thought things like this could happen in such a short time, but God had a purpose for us in this place, at this time. All we had to do was follow him.

A Word of Caution In no way am I saying that a life of transience is better than a life planted in one place. However, in some seasons of life, God may call us to some places for a short time. In these seasons, it is possible to make an impact in the place God has you for however long you are there.

A transient lifestyle is not easy. It is painful to say so many goodbyes and start over again. It hurts to make deep relationships only to leave them behind.

Just because it hurts to be uprooted regularly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put down roots wherever God places you. A transient lifestyle is not a detached lifestyle. It requires vulnerability and the willingness to bear the pain of being part of a place and leaving when God calls you to go.

Eventually, I gave in, and we bought the motorbike. As soon as we did, another layer of this place opened as neighbors invited us to places more easily accessed by bike. We adapted to this place and its people, and they have become our place, our friends.

As we follow God to our next place, we hope that we are leaving behind more than a used bike. We hope that the light of Christ that shined through us will continue to draw people to him long after we leave.

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Andrew Hopper is the lead pastor at Mercy Hill Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, which was established in 2012. He earned his Master of Divinity in Christian Apologetics in 2008 from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Anna, have three children and are hoping to adopt in the next few years.

THE KINGDOM of God isn’t God’s people living under God’s rule. Not fully. The kingdom of God is the people of God living under his reign and rule in the place that he has prepared for them.

That is what we had in the garden, and that is what we will have in the new heavens and the new earth. But until that day, we struggle with displacement. The book of 1 Peter points this out: We are exiles in this world. How are we to make sense of a world that is not our home? In his book “Every Square Inch,” Bruce Ashford makes a convincing argument for Christians not to disregard the world and culture.

Instead, we should work to renew and restore it. Any restoration of our cul-

*Photo by Alexandr Bormotin on Unsplash

/ FEATURED STORIES

clusively oriented toward mega urban centers, and we weren’t sure if we could thrive in a city. We were both from the South and were raised with a bit of rural flair. No, I didn’t grow up milking cows, but my grandparents sure had some. We didn’t live miles and miles from town, but our house did sit off a dirt road. Anna’s upbringing was much the same, coming from a smaller town in South Carolina. We were worried because if Raleigh felt overwhelming at times, how were we ever going to do ministry in a place like New York City?

The second reason we couldn’t land on where to plant was because we had an erroneous view of the will of God. At the time, I was convinced that we needed to hear from God exactly where to plant Mercy Hill. But if you would have Our place of ministry matters, asked me to define what I meant by “hear from God,” the answer would but only because every place have been nebulous and non-commitin God’s world matters to him. tal. So, there we were in 2010 with the desire to plant a church, a great church affirming that desire and equipping us, and yet we were paralyzed for fear of In 2010, my wife, Anna, and I were making the wrong choice regarding the struggling with the decision of where place. How could that be right?

In short, it wasn’t! 2010 was a pivto plant a church. We were part of a great church in Raleigh, North Caroli- otal year for me because I began to bena, but the church had asked us to con- lieve something then that I hold deeply sider planting, and we were moving now: God wants to use us right where through that process. The problem was we are. To be clear, I believe God can we couldn’t quite land on a place to clearly speak to his people as he did in plant for two reasons. First, at that Acts through angels or an audible voice. time, church planting was almost ex- God can do anything he wants to, but ture and world is Christ’s work. But it is Christ’s work through his people.

The choice, then, for Christians isn’t whether or not to bring renewal and restoration with their lives. Rather, our choices revolve around how, in what culture and where. With more than a few years in ministry, I’ve learned that while such choices should be joyous and fun, they are often a snag even to mature believers. In fact, I haven’t learned that simply by watching others but from experiencing the crushing weight of choosing where to do ministry myself.

today his primary means of speaking to his people is through the Bible. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 tells us that God’s will for us isn’t a place, rather it is our sanctification. Through God conforming us in greater degree to his image, we will bring a greater degree of renewal and healing wherever we are.

That truth led me to seek greater sanctification and wisdom. The decision of where to do ministry is not a moral one.

In non-moral matters, making the best decision honors God; that happens through wisdom.

In 2010, our prayers changed. Instead of asking God to show us where, we started asking God to make us effective wherever we went. With great freedom and joy we tried to match our wiring with where we saw a need. We landed in Greensboro, North Carolina in the summer of 2012 with a team of 30 people and an incredible dream. We love where we live, and God has given us grace in the work! It is a huge blessing, but if God had us in another place that would be OK—they are all his places anyway. The people of God came from a place and are heading to one.

Until we reach heaven, let us value the opportunities to bring renewal and restoration to other places along the way.

Our place of ministry matters, but only because every place in God’s world matters to him.

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MY LIFELONG JOURNEY to this place of ministry – both in the broad vocational sense and in the specific geographical sense – is a true picture of grace and redemption from brokenness to usefulness. It is a story like so many of God’s unexpected calls to the unworthy, his unexpected plan for the rebel and his unmerited blessing for the surrendered heart.

God’s Grace Through my years as a child and as a young man, I can assure you no one thought for a moment that I was destined to become a pastor. I was the “wild child” that teachers prayed would be in another class. During my fifth grade year, my parents divorced, and I moved with my mom to the town of Warner Robins, Georgia. The divorce and the move at that age left me feeling like my life was ending. Little did I know that, even then, God was working in the chaos to bring me to him.

When I look back, I see God’s grace in the midst of my circumstances to bring about his purpose. It was in Warner Robins that I began to first really have the opportunity to hear the gospel, and it was there that God’s grace found me and saved me during my teenage years. God was using my difficulties for his glory and my good, bringing me to a place where his work could be done in me. In a place where I once thought my life was over, my life was truly just beginning.

Jacob Green is the lead pastor at Shirley Hills Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia. He earned his Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry from Southeastern in May 2015.

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WHEN GOD CALLS YO U BAC K HOME

/ FEATURED STORIES

The Call In high school, I began to sense God’s voice and calling on me to preach his Word and shepherd his sheep. After graduation, I left to attend Southeastern Seminary. I remember the weight I felt leaving Warner Robins – a place I had grown to love – to attend SEBTS, but God used Southeastern in my life in ways I could never imagine. Again, God was leading and guiding my heart to places where his ongoing work in my life could be accomplished. While attending Southeastern, I began attending and working at a church in Durham, North Carolina, where I eventually served as the lead pastor. It was there I met my wife, and it was there my two children were born and dedicated to the Lord. Answering the call to leave my home and go gave me three of my greatest blessings. Answering the call to go is not without its sacrifices, but God is always gracious in pouring out his blessings on our obedience. Some of the greatest blessings in life are just on the other side of our obedience to him.

The Next Step When I took that first pastorate, I was determined that I would be there forever (especially since my wife was raised in that church). I was going to put my hand to the plow, be faithful in preaching the word, loving the people and shepherding this church. Yet in the middle of that work, while I still felt there was much God wanted to do, he was working behind the scenes to move me yet again. This time, however, it was a familiar place, as I received the call to pastor a church back in my home town of Warner Robins. I

*Photo by Ryan Mercier on Unsplash

never thought I would end up back in Warner Robins, yet here I am. Here, in the very place where God took a broken child and made him whole in Christ, the very place that God’s grace found me and very literally began to put my life together again, is the city where I now get to share that story and preach the gospel. It’s a place I love, not just for what it meant to me as a child but even more for what it means for me as an adult – that God loves Warner Robins also and has worked in my life to bring me here for his glory and the sake of the gospel. It’s a constant reminder that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

The True “Place” I am sure there are a lot of pastors and missionaries who, like me, never thought they would be where they are.

What I found through this process is that the more I walk with God and love his Word and seek His glory, the more my “place” is rooted in Heaven.

The more heaven became my true home, the more I was willing to ask God to send me wherever he desired.

Some might say that my perspective is a little easy to have since I ended up in a place that I called home. The call to go is a call to bloom where we are planted, to faithfully bear fruit wherever we are. Following Jesus will not be without its difficulties regardless of our location. We must stay faithful to the task to which we are called and God will be faithful to supply the grace, the purpose and the blessing for our work.

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IMPACT THE NATIONS.

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WHERE

HE

WALKED

Anna Schaeffer will graduate from Southeastern in May with an Master of Arts in Ministry to Women. As a blogger and storyteller, she loves writing about the faithfulness of God in everyday life and is passionate about encouraging others to embrace their God-designed purpose.

*Photo by Liam Pozz on Unsplash

AROUND ME, a hushed reverence settles over the group like the early morning mist. I tuck my hair behind my ear so that I can hear Dr. Akin more clearly as he reads us a familiar story found in the Gospels. It’s the one where Jesus and his disciples are riding in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. While Jesus sleeps in the stern of the boat, a storm comes out of nowhere. The boat rocks, the waves crash and panic bolts through the disciples. Water fills the boat, and the disciples wake Jesus.

We’re familiar with what happens next: Jesus rebukes the wind and the waves, and the sea instantly calms as he declares, “Peace! Be still!”

As Dr. Akin speaks, my eyes wander,

and I wonder about those events in a new way. Because, although I’ve known the story my whole life, this time I hear it while I sit in a boat on that same Sea of Galilee. The same water Jesus calmed and the same water He walked on.

Later, in Nazareth, the words of John 1:45-46 run through my mind: “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’

Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’”

In that very town, years ago, an angel appeared to a young girl and told

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her she would be the mother of the Messiah. The Savior of the world came out of Nazareth. Walked the streets I now walk.

It’s raining as we journey just outside the city of Bethlehem. I pull the hood of my jacket over my head and look out over fields. Like many places in Israel, it just looks like land. Old land.

But in those fields, a few thousand years ago, a poor, widowed Moabite woman picked up leftover grain to take back to her grieving mother-inlaw. There she met her kinsman redeemer, Boaz. Together they became the parents of Obed, the grandfather of King David.

Then, generations later in those very same fields, poor, tired shepherds were watching over their sheep one night. Suddenly, the sky exploded into

The Bible came alive like never before as I stood where the maker himself stepped into the world.

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light and legions of angels announced the birth of Ruth and Boaz’s descendent: Jesus, the ultimate, once-andfor-all Redeemer.

I sit on the Mount of Beatitudes, listening to the same words the disciples heard during the Sermon on the Mount, knowing they’re for this generation of disciples, too.

I feel the cold stone beneath my feet as I ascend the same Temple steps my King himself ascended.

My fingers sift through the cool sands on the shores of Galilee, where Jesus fed 5,000 people hungry for more than bread – starving for truth.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, we spend some time in prayer and quiet worship. I’m moved to tears when I think how Jesus was in such agony that he sweat drops of blood onto that same garden ground. He knew he was about to bear the wrath of the God of the universe for sinners – for us.

And then I step over a trench where a large stone once rolled and into a cave carved out of rock. It’s empty. I knew it would be, but something about standing in there, feeling the weight of glory and God’s promise kept, is overwhelming. I turn to leave the tomb and see a sign someone has posted on the wall: “He is not here, He is risen!”

I’ve been in seminary for the past three years of my life. I’ve spent hours reading and studying Scripture. But to see where it all happened? The Bible came alive like never before as I stood where the maker himself stepped into the world.

With each stop, I felt God’s whisper in my soul: I love you.

And with each reminder of God’s relentless love for me, he also reminded me of this: My life is actually not about me. It’s all about Jesus, who he is, what he has done and what he will do. His story takes center stage, and by his grace, I get to participate and share the good news with a world in desperate need of hope.

Yes, there’s something deeply sacred about walking where Jesus walked.

But as a believer, you, right now, are standing on holy ground. You’re a part of the story God set in motion before time began. The same God who spoke the universe into existence, parted seas and raised the dead dwells inside of you.

You don’t have to be in the Holy Land to hear from God – you just need to be in the presence of the holy one.

Jesus lived the perfect life our sin keeps us from living. He died the death we all deserve. He left an empty grave behind. And one day, he’s coming back.

The gospel is the best news, friends.

It’s something we can never stop talking about, writing about or living out.

As I wrote in my journal at the end of the trip: “I pray it will continue to sink in and hit me over and over, continue to bring me to tears, continue to motivate me to share the Good News about a Living Savior who came to a dying world. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

And now I’ve been there. I’ve been to the Land of the Holy One. I’ve walked where Jesus walked. I’ll never be the same.”

“The upside-downness of the biblical vision of a good life is the scandalous truth that you find your life by losing it.”

James K. A. Smith Professor of Philosophy at Calvin College Editor-in-Chief of Comment Magazine

THE WISDOM FORUM Videos from this year’s conference available now on intersectproject.org

FA I T H DE S E RV E S T O BE RE U N I T E D W I T H MO NDAY T O S AT U RDAY. Discover how to live, work and play for God’s glory with two free ebooks from Bruce and Lauren Ashford at intersectproject.org/ebooks.

FEATURED STORIES \

Southeastern Equips Family to Serve Better Together Lauren Pratt

Maria Estes

AS LESLEY Hildreth and Rachel Hildreth Breniser walked across the stage of Binkley Chapel on Dec. 8 to receive their degrees from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and The College at Southeastern, it represented not only personal accomplishments, but also the school’s influence on the Hildreth family.

“Southeastern is a key vehicle that has enabled us to serve the Lord better and serve the Lord together,” said Scott Hildreth, director of the Center for Great Commission Studies at Southeastern, husband to Lesley and father to Rachel.

A Call to GO It was 10 years ago that the Hildreth family moved to Wake Forest, North Carolina from Central Asia.

Scott still remembers the time when he wrestled with the call God had given him and his family to leave the mission field.

Both he and Lesley, along with their two children had served with the International Mission Board in Central Asia for two years and had spent another six years as missionaries in Berlin, Germany.

“I remember standing on a hill in

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[Central Asia] just really praying and asking God, ‘Why would you want us to leave? Look at all these lost people around us,’” he said. “And it was as if the Lord spoke and said, ‘Yeah, but you’re only one person here. Just think if you could have hundreds of people sent out [and] trained for this.’”

The Lord was preparing the way for them to come to Southeastern initially to pursue theological education. Scott knew long before he was in Wake Forest that he wanted to pursue a Ph.D. so that he could use his gift to teach.

Academically Equipped Ten years later, they look back at the time they have spent at Southeastern with great appreciation.

They have built not only a solid theological education but deep friendships as well.

“The education I’ve gotten here has definitely been valuable to equip me further to help women in the local church be discipled and mentored,” said Lesley.

Having prior overseas ministry experience, Lesley saw the value of what a theological education could have provided for her as a missionary. After Scott received his Ph.D., she began her

Master of Arts in Christian studies.

For Lesley, she has seen how the combination of seminary courses and prioritizing time in God’s Word strengthens the ability to better equip others in their spiritual walks.

“It helps you teach others who will not ever step in a seminary classroom how to look at Scripture…It’s exciting to watch other people fall in love with the Lord through reading and studying the Word of God when they’ve never had the opportunity before,” said Lesley.

Lesley models this in her role at The Summit Church as the women’s discipleship director where she oversees women’s ministry at nine of the eleven church campuses, totaling approximately 6,000 women.

She is thankful for the 10 years spent encouraging and equipping Southeastern women on campus through teaching a missions preparation course as part of Southeastern’s Biblical Women’s Institute. Both she and Scott have also had the opportunity to train and encourage Southeastern’s international church planting students overseas each January when they come together for their course modules. Eight of the last 10

/ FEATURED STORIES

years, Lesley was able to go and teach the wives for the first week.

She is still maintaining those relationships she built on-and-off-campus with Southeastern women.

“I think that’s probably been my personal greatest blessing of being on this campus and around this campus for the last 10 years,” she said.

Scott and Lesley look back and see how God has given them the opportunity to mobilize many students to take the gospel all over the world.

“I have the chance to sit in here and quite literally be part of…a movement through Southeastern [where] we… have sent hundreds of people around the world,” said Scott.

ple care about me like that so it really made me reinvestigate my faith and choose it for myself instead of something I just did for my parents,” she said.

I have the chance to sit in here and quite literally be part of…a movement through Southeastern [where] we… have sent hundreds of people around the world.

Spiritually Transformed For Rachel, she experienced a spirThis experience radically changed itual turnaround during her time in her outlook on faith and even theotheological education. Between logical education. After spending one growing up on the mission field and semester at UNC-Charlotte in the fall attending the college where her par- of 2014, Rachel was back on Southents worked, Rachel’s spiritual life eastern’s campus for good in the was not something she owned for spring of 2015. This time, she had a herself – that is, not until the sum- reason. mer leading into her sophomore year.

“When I came back, I really had a “I went on the Crossover Baltimore different motivation instead of just trip and the Lord worked through that being there to be there,” said Rachel. trip and changed my life,” said Rachel. “I think the work level of the college is Prior to Crossover Baltimore, a harder than just a public university mission trip preceding the Southern so you really have to have a motivaBaptist Convention annual meeting tion to be here in order to survive.” in 2014, she had been getting ready Personally, she has seen her comto transfer to UNC Charlotte and was munity grow through getting plugged ready to “run from [her] faith” as she into a small group and working on recalls. campus.

In Baltimore, however, she experiAcademically, Rachel was pursuing enced the love of believers unlike she a Bachelor of Arts degree in English had before, and it came during a dif- from The College at Southeastern. ficult event in her life.

Along with managing school and “I had just not had Christian peo- work, Rachel’s time in college came

with a new marriage and, right before graduating, a new baby.

But through all of this, she remembers professors who cared for her.

One such time was shortly after she got married. Managing school and a marriage was hard and she reached out to her advisor, Dr. Adrianne Miles, for help due to falling behind in class.

“She was really was encouraging…

She sent Scripture [that was] encouraging and helpful,” said Rachel.

Scott echoes the same sentiment as he has seen firsthand how the Southeastern community has been an encouragement to his kids.

“When [our kids have] struggled, people on this campus have prayed for them. When they’ve succeeded, people on this campus have applauded them. When they get married, people on this campus go to their wedding,” said Scott. “We talk about, ‘Hey this is like a family’ and in many ways it is because we raised our kids here and we’ve been here for 10 years.”

There have been challenges and sacrifices in each of the academic journeys for Scott, Lesley and Rachel.

Whether it was sacrificing social time to finish an assignment, pushing forward in school instead of quitting or moving the whole family to a new town to follow God’s call to further theological training, Scott, Lesley and Rachel are seeing the fruits of their labor.

More importantly, they see how God’s faithfulness in calling their family to leave the mission field is surpassing all that they could have hoped for.

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Q&A with Ken Keathley: The Transformational Learning Experience of the Oxford Study Tour TRANSFORMATIONAL learning can come from being outside of the classroom, which is especially true when it comes to stepping into the historical city of Oxford and other cities throughout the United Kingdom. This summer, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary will embark on its annual trip to Oxford, where students will stay at Regents Park College, a permanent, private hall of the University of Oxford. Ken Keathley, director of the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture, leads the trip each year along with other seminary professors and took some time to share how this trip plays a significant role in the lives of the students.

WHAT IS THE OXFORD STUDY TOUR? Primarily, we visit significant Baptist churches throughout England.

The opportunity to see these things firsthand is an experience that really cannot be replicated in the classroom.

WHAT IS THE COST AND LENGTH OF THE TRIP? For this trip, it’s typically 16-18 days and we charge $4,200, which is every thing including meals, plane tickets and lodging.

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WHO CAN GO ON THE OXFORD STUDY TOUR? Students can take up to six hours and we often have people go who are not students. We have a lot of donors or alumni attend, people who just simply enjoy history and are friends of the seminary. We typically do this in conjunction with Southwestern Seminary and this year we’ll go with Midwestern Seminary. We generally have anywhere from 50-70 go, and by having that many, we’re able to keep the cost down.

HOW MANY YEARS HAS SOUTHEASTERN BEEN GOING TO OXFORD? We have been doing this trip for five years.

IT’S NOT TECHNICALLY A MISSION TRIP, BUT CAN PEOPLE STILL RAISE SUPPORT TO GO? Typically, we do give students the opportunity to raise support for this kind of trip because people understand the value that a study tour has for a seminary experience. Students have been pretty successful in raising support for this trip.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE FOR A STUDENT TO GO ON THIS TRIP? To understand our Christian heritage in general and our Baptist heritage in particular and the significant role the British Isles played in that. If you think about it, from C.S. Lewis to Paul Bunyan to William Carey, these are all either evangelicals or Baptistswho’ve impacted our lives.

Some things that you learn, you cannot learn simply through a classroom experience or reading a book.

IF THERE IS A STUDENT WHO IS ON THE FENCE ABOUT GOING, WHAT WOULD YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT BE FOR THEM TO GO? Well I’d say five years from now, will you be glad you went or glad you stayed? How else and where else are you going to be able to go on a trip like this? You get to go to all these cool places with a group of students who are going to be just as motivated and interested as you are. If you have the opportunity, you almost have to justify not going.

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

1 LONDON DAYS 1-3

HIGHLIGHTS St. Paul’s Cathedral Spurgeon’s London Westminster Abbey Churchill War Rooms British Museum

2 OXFORD DAYS 5-7 & 10-11

HIGHLIGHTS The Inklings Oxford Lectures Regent’s Park College Angus Library: Baptist Treasures

3 EDINBURGH DAYS 12-14

ST. ANDREWS

HIGHLIGHTS

3

EDINBURGH

MOULTON KETTERING OLNEY

CAMBRIDGE

OXFORD 2

1 LONDON

COLCHESTER

Arthur’s Seat Castle of Edinburgh Writer’s Museum National Gallery

ARE YOU CALLED TO PASTORAL MINISTRY? ARE YOU READY TO BE EQUIPPED?

Named in honor of Johnny Hunt, SEBTS graduate and senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, GA

Earn your

BA & MDiv degrees in

ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS

5

INTENSE LOCAL CHURCH

YEARS

EDUCATION + MENTORSHIP collegeatsoutheastern.com/huntscholars huntscholars@sebts.edu 919-761-2198

STORIES

STORIES “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

From our local community to the outermost parts of the world, Southeastern students and alumni are reaching people with the gospel by fulfilling the Great Commission. Using the model of Acts 1:8, we want to highlight these stories of how our Southeastern family is serving in North Carolina, North America and around the world. Acts 1:8 Stories create a collective and consistent way to tell the story of Southeastern, one person at a time. From local pastors to missionaries among the unreached, God is doing a great work through students and alumni.

Where are they now and where are they going?

We can’t wait for you to find out!

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STORIES

“I am Ready for This.

I am Equipped,” said SEBTS Counseling Alumna

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about a year. Moving to Tampa was SOMETIMES PERSONAL experience the fulfillment of a desire for Horfuels professional drive.

It was Michelle Horton’s per- ton. It’s the city where she came to sonal battle with an eating disor- know the Lord and a city for which her heart is deeply burdened. der that allowed her to experience “Down here in the Tampa area the healing of biblical counseling. there are tons of churches, but not Horton recalls that her time in counseling allowed her to see her solid churches,” said Horton. battle for what it truly was: a deep- “There’s only a handful of solid rooted misplacement of identity churches and in the same way, there are a lot of people down here that she was seeking outside of getting counseling that is not at all Christ. Rather than see herself as a honoring to the Lord.” victim of her struggle, she was Heart Song Counseling not only challenged to look deeper and address sin. Horton has been a be- offers individual counseling, but also seeks to keep pastors inliever now for 13 years and has formed on their members throughbeen free from her eating disorder out the counseling process and for 12 of those years. equip churches in their counseling Her time in counseling was the practices. beginning of an unexpected path Horton has been encouraged to that eventually led her to Southeastern Baptist Theological Semi- see that counseling has not only nary where she learned how to be- transformed her clients’ lives, but even the lives of the pastors income a counselor herself. volved. She said that she is seeing “If you had asked me if this is pastors get “back to a place where what I’d be doing, I would have never guessed it,” said Horton, “but they realize that the Word of God it absolutely makes sense when I has a lot to say to their members.” look at my life and the way that [God had] worked and led me.”

There’s nothing that can quite Horton works as a counselor at prepare a person for real world Heart Song Counseling, first in Washington, D.C., and now in Tam- counseling, said Horton, who repa, Florida, where she has been for called that at one time 60 percent

STORIES

of her clients were women who had been sexually abused or assaulted.

“When I moved to D.C., I got thrown into counseling situations that no seminary in the world can prepare you for,” she said.

Regardless of the difficulty, Horton remembers having an unwavering confidence.

“From day one, no matter what I encountered, I remember thinking, ‘I am ready for this. I am equipped,’” she said.

She credits this to her time at Southeastern and knows that even though she couldn’t predict the kinds of clients she would receive, she had the foundation that she needed to enter into the profession.

It was not only biblical training she received, but also the training to know and understand secular counseling literature in order to engage clients who had received secular counseling in the past.

“I’m able as a counselor to read the books that aren’t written by Christians, and I’m able to pull out of that the practical stuff that actually makes a lot of sense and throw away the stuff that goes against God’s Word, “ said Horton.

Biblical counseling has presented a surprising amount of non-

*Photo by V B T on Unsplash

Christians across Horton’s path, who she said, are simply trying out a biblical counselor as a last resort.

“And so here I am, sitting with a non-Christian, ready to engage in the gospel with them,” said Horton, noting that even her ability to relationally evangelize came through her time at Southeastern.

“Oh man, you guys went to Southeastern? We would kill for some of your counseling students. They are the best.”

Horton recounted these words from her current boss in a conversation he had with some of her pastors in a church plant in D.C. – the reason she had moved to the city in the first place. Upon hearing of that conversation, Horton realized the excellent reputation that Southeastern’s biblical counseling program has to those outside of the school.

And for Horton, she believes she was trained well to go out and counsel others.

Her encouragement to current students being trained in biblical counseling is to be content for a time to be more of a learner and less of a doer. Horton was frustrated at times throughout her time in

seminary because her desire was to help others, but she knew that taking the proper time to read and study what she needed to know would pay dividends in the future.

An element of humility should always remain in the counseling room, advised Horton, because it teaches the counselor to depend on the Lord and see what he can do.

“Rather than letting that fear debilitate us, [let] it encourage us that now we’re going to see God do something amazing in the counseling room,” she said, “and that is the coolest part. So we can study and we should, but at the end of the day, get prepared for God to do amazing things that you never guessed he would do.”

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STORIES

Southeastern Student Mobilizes Las Vegas Church Plant to Intentional Prayer

HEIDEN RATNER and his wife, Neena, had just finished their dinner at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada the night of October 1. An hour later, Ratner began receiving texts informing him of what became the largest mass shooting in U.S. history.

It was on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort that 64-yearold Stephen Paddock fired gunshots into the Route 91 Harvest concert venue, killing 58 and injuring nearly 500.

In the aftermath of such a horrifying event, Ratner, pastor of WALK Church in Las Vegas, is seeking to spur on his congregation to intentional prayer for the city.

“Prayer is where the action is so I feel like God is going to accomplish more in five minutes than in 50 years of our own human activity,” said Ratner.

Ratner grew up in Las Vegas and became a Christian while in college. It was also in college that Ratner met his wife, Neena, at a Bible study he was hosting. He played college basketball at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania,

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played one season of professional basketball in Israel and coached one season of basketball in Kentucky. It was after this that Ratner sensed the Lord leading him and Neena to move back to their hometown of Las Vegas to start WALK Church.

WALK Church was planted in the fall of 2015 out of Hope Church in Las Vegas, led by pastor Vance Pitman, and the North American Mission Board.

While pastoring, Ratner has also been taking classes online at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and plans to graduate in December with a Master of Arts in church planting.

The Wednesday following the shooting, many gathered inside WALK Church’s ministry office for a monthly prayer gathering.

Fifty-eight chairs were set up that night and labeled with names of victims from the shooting.

Through tears and in a state of solemnity, people shared specific prayer needs for their friends and family who were directly affected by the shooting. Various members

STORIES

of the congregation led in times of prayer, including one police officer who prayed for first responders and a drug and alcohol addictions counselor who prayed specifically for the counselors in the city helping people work through trauma.

Ratner described the following week’s sermon as “difficult” but “timely,” also noting that with an attendance of about 215 people, WALK Church’s October 8th service was one of the largest all year. He sensed the Lord leading WALK Church to be an intentionally praying church. With that in mind, he presented this idea to the leadership team and they came up with an acronym based on the word P.R.A.Y.: Pray for people, redemption, awakening and yourself all in relation to the city of Las Vegas.

“A lot of times people think of Las Vegas and instantly they say that’s the city of sin and we always try to redeem that. We say it’s the city of him because God is at work in a real way, and I think our world is seeing that now.”

At the end of the service, Ratner asked for people to stand who had been directly affected by the

*Photo by Jack Sharp on Unsplash

shooting. Approximately 15 people stood and Ratner ended the service in a time of prayer as members of the congregation laid hands on them.

Ratner focused on passages such as 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Psalm 46, encouraging church members to find refuge in God and to seek the Lord in humility for the healing of the city.

“We desire to see people on their knees praying in our city, we desire to see people drawing close to Jesus in our city, we desire for people to grow closer to Christ in our city,” said Ratner, “yet it’s taken the worst mass shooting in modern American history to move people to pray.”

Ratner saw the city of Las Vegas unite in an amazing way in the weeks after the shooting. In fact, so many have rallied to help meet one another’s needs that he was turned down multiple times after seeking to find ways for WALK Church to help the community.

However, after speaking with a nurse at the church it became clear that along with prayer, the church could serve tangibly as well. In October, WALK Church

collected gift cards for the Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center and the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada staff that have been working tirelessly to help victims.

“The response was great,” said Ratner. “A lot of people are excited to just give and be a part of that, and so that’s how we’re doing our part.”

Ratner desires for the Southeastern community to pray that WALK Church would be characterized by Matthew 5:14, which says, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” He also encouraged Southeastern to be in prayer for the families of those who were killed or injured from the shooting.

In a city where 92 percent of the population does not attend church, Ratner is hoping for a spiritual awakening in Las Vegas.

“This may be an opportunity where we can see those numbers change,” said Ratner.

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STORIES Photo by Derrick Rudolph

SEBTS Student Derrick Rudolph Aids in Disaster Relief in Puerto Rico BOXES SHUFFLED QUICKLY from one table to the next as faculty and staff at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) packed food items for Hurricane Maria victims in Puerto Rico. At the last table stood Derrick Rudolph, a student at SEBTS and staff member at its Center for Great Commission Studies (CGCS).

For Rudolph, taping these boxes is only the beginning of the work he plans to be a part of in Puerto Rico. This month, he leaves for six months to work with the North American Mission Board’s disaster relief.

Rudolph took some time to share about his role in Puerto Rico and how the Lord has led him to this point.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING WHILE IN PUERTO RICO? In Puerto Rico, I’ll be mainly focused on disaster relief efforts while assisting with the coordination of teams coming for shortterm mission work.

HOW DID THIS OPPORTUNITY COME ABOUT? My supervisor affirmed the genuineness of the call that he had seen in me and mentioned the possibility of being able to serve for an extended time in Puerto Rico helping with hurricane relief.

DO YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS LONG TERM? Absolutely I could see myself

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doing this long term. My heart for Spanish-speaking people developed after college. It has been my desire since becoming a Christian to go and work with Latinos, particularly youth vulnerable to gangs.

I felt as if perhaps God was leading me to discover who he was. I received a tract in the mail that I normally would have thrown away, but it asked the question of how one gets to heaven and revealed that while most people think that you must be a good person, bibliWHAT WAS THE PROCESS LIKE IN cally that is incorrect. The next DECIDING TO GO? week the Gideon’s were on camFor a week I prayed, asking that pus, and I stopped and talked God would reveal reasons that I to this gentleman for close to 30 should not go, and I brought the minutes, telling him of all that opportunity before my growth had been occurring in my life. He group and closest brothers. After affirmed that God was prodding a week, I’d received nothing but my heart. On January 9, 2011, I affirmation. I also had logistical woke up very early with the unconcerns addressed like infra- shakable feeling that I needed to structure and the ability to con- go to church. That fall, I decided tinue taking classes while there.

I wanted to know Christ and follow Him. I began working with HOW DID YOU COME TO KNOW youth at that church, which led THE LORD AND END UP PURSUING me to doing some mission work THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION? with Latinos in Arlington, Texas.

I did not grow up in a Christian I felt very strongly that the next household, and did not consider “breadcrumb” of obedience for me God in my life until I was already would be to go to seminary to bein college at the University of Ala- come better equipped for the next bama. Before this time, I’d been “breadcrumbs” to come. to church around five times in my life. While living a very sinful, selfish life in college, I was very confused when I began to feel conviction seemingly out of nowhere.

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity

STORIES

Q&A with Wake Forest Church Planter Trea Brinson TREA BRINSON is the lead pastor of Restoration Church in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Brinson earned his Bachelor of Arts in biblical studies and his M.Div. at Southeastern. He took some time to share how his time at SEBTS has impacted his ministry and the highs and lows of church planting.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SOUTHEASTERN SEMINARY? I chose to visit Southeastern because a friend of mine, Jim Purdue, was a recent graduate and spoke highly of the school. I visited Wake Forest on September 8, 2004 (my birthday). I stayed in the Manor House. As I attempted to fall asleep, my phone rang with a close friend of mine on the other end. He was calling to inform me that as some of my buddies were swimming, one of my friends had drowned. This is how my visit to Wake Forest and Southeastern started.

The next day as I walked around campus and attended the numerous activities, without anyone knowing the current circumstances, my heart was comforted and ministered to in a real way. From the ambassadors to the president, each hand I would shake was an instrument in the redeemer’s hands. That night, after a day of checking out the school, I took a walk and prayed. I knew SEBTS was where the Lord wanted me.

HOW DOES WHAT YOU STUDIED IMPACT WHAT YOU DO TODAY? Honestly, my studies take a back seat to the professors who taught me.

I learned twice as much from the lives of my professors than I did from the classroom. This is saying a lot because I learned a lot in the classroom. My studies certainly rooted my life deeper in the Word of God and allowed me to

learn to read it and study it for myself. In addition, it taught me how to organize my thoughts, interpret God’s Word and to live his Word with fervor.

My time spent with several professors was much more valuable. They weren’t here to collect a paycheck and teach class. They were here to demonstrate, in a very tangible way, the gospel of Jesus to me.

Today, as a teacher of the Word, I see my position as much more than a preacher/teacher. I see my role as a shepherd to sheep. I want to love the sheep God has entrusted to me in the same tangible way, to both teach them and practically love them. My time at Southeastern shifted my focus off of me and my desires and focused me on Christ and his desires. My time at Southeastern allowed me to better understand the grace of God and how that applies to me daily. I knew the gospel, but I had never considered its implications. I read the Word to discover what’s in it for me, but I learned here how to read the Word to know more about my God, and slowly my life was transformed by my understanding of him. This impacts my relationships with people each and every day.

DESCRIBE YOUR MINISTRY. HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE LORD AT WORK? We are a church plant in the Wake Forest area. We started with six people in a living room. In three years, the Lord has grown us to approximately 200. The Lord has been so kind to us. When I finally said ‘yes’ to church planting, Wake Forest was not on my radar. However, through a series of events, the Lord made it clear that the Raleigh area is where he wanted us for the next season of our lives. Once we moved back, we were committed to the downtown area. However, through

much prayer, the Lord moved us to Wake Forest. It has been challenging for sure, but it has also been richly rewarding. We are starting vibrant ministry in the local schools and have been referred to as “the church for the city” by one of our local principals. We have also experienced some significant events in the life of our church: • We have been able to baptize more than 60 people in the past three years.

• We started Restoration with a group of college graduates from Valdosta State University (VSU). I was a campus minister at VSU prior to being called to plant a church. About 14 of our students from VSU moved to Wake Forest to help us plant.

• We’ve seen entire families saved and baptized since being here. It was so neat to see one husband walk his family down to the front at church and surrender to Christ. The whole family made this decision and was later baptized.

• We have lost (tragic deaths) a few members of our church. This was a very tough season in the life of a church that had 100 people and was less than two years old. It was a very tough season for my family and our church. We saw many come to Christ through this.

HOW CAN THE SOUTHEASTERN COMMUNITY BE PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR MINISTRY? • Pray we would “not grow weary in doing good, knowing that in due time we will reap a harvest” (Galatians 6:9).

• Pray that we would develop leaders for the glory of God. • Pray that we would be kingdomminded and see God’s glory penetrate the darkest parts of the world.

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L E AV I N G

A LEGACY OF Faith Throughout Scripture, God provides us example after example of men and women who leave behind a legacy of faithfulness to the next generation. In 2 Timothy 1:5, Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, exemplified the gospel and entrusted their faith to Timothy.

In 2011, Southeastern established the Timothy Society as a planned giving ministry. On Thursday, January 25, 2018, members of the Timothy Society met for their biennial banquet to celebrate the lives of some of Southeastern’s gospel patrons. Over the past few years, some of the longtime friends of Southeastern met their Lord and Savior face to face, but before they did, they left their mark on our school through a planned gift. Because of their generosity, generation after generation of students will be trained and sent out to proclaim the good news until Christ’s return.

Art Rainer, vice president for institutional advancement, opened the gathering with a word of prayer before introducing Southeastern graduate, Lane Wood, and vocalist, Christin Kubasko, to lead the society members in a rendition of For the Cause. This song served as a reminder of why the Timothy Society exists and call to action for the ongoing work to be done for the kingdom.

The room was filled with praise as all mem-

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bers sang out “Let it be my life’s refrain: To live is Christ, to die is gain; Deny myself, take up my cross and follow the Son.” The society welcomed nine individuals and couples as new members. Jonathan Six, director of financial and alumni development, gave each new member in attendance a Timothy Society lapel pin. Two of the new members, David Flynn DeForest and McComas “Mac” Burgess, were inducted posthumously.

Bruce Ashford, provost and dean of faculty, provided a personal testimony of the impact Southeastern has had on his academic and spiritual formation. He emphasized the importance of theological education and the significant role donors play in supporting the kingdom work and ministerial callings of Southeastern students just like him.

George Harvey, director of planned giving, shared the stories of the five Timothy Society members that passed away since the last meeting in 2015. Their stories were unique but all shared the common thread of a desire for students to be equipped to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. These five men have left a legacy of faith that will touch the lives of Southeastern students for years to come.

McComas “Mac” Burgess McComas “Mac” Burgess was a resident of Franklin County and he passed away on June 5, 2014. His estate was settled in 2016, when his home was finally sold.

Burgess started classes at Southeastern in his late 40s and received his first of three degrees in May 2001, the associate of divinity degree. Then he earned his bachelor of arts degree in 2003 and completed his master’s in counseling in 2005. Burgess did not have any immediate family, and he left most of his estate to Southeastern to establish a student aid fund for students pursuing the associate of divinity degree. Burgess’ legacy at Southeastern will provide scholarships for ten a.div. students each year.

Robert W. Kester Robert Kester passed away March 14, 2015, two days after the last Timothy Society dinner. Kester grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina where his father, Rev. Dr. John Marcus Kester, was the senior pastor of First Baptist Church. Kester was a veteran in the United States Army who served in Europe during World War II and as an officer in the Korean War. He graduated from Davidson College in 1950, and attended Southeastern in the early 1960s. Kester then went on to become a successful businessman in the furniture industry, eventually becoming president of Loewenstein Furniture in Florida. He was an active lay leader, a friend of pastors, and an active member of First Lauderdale and Scott’s Hill Baptist churches. He supported many ministries and put a number of seminary students through school. Today, Kester continues to help put seminary students through school with a generous distribution from a trust that established a student aid fund at Southeastern.

David DeForest David DeForest passed away on March 30, 2017. He was survived by his father and sisters. He was a lifelong radio personality and radio announcer for the Voice of America. DeForest’s love for young people was carried out by teaching a junior Sunday school class at Cherrydale Baptist Church in Arlington, Virginia for over 20 years. He also served as a substitute teacher in the Fairfax and Arlington school systems. In keeping with his love for educating young people, DeForest left a generous bequest to Southeastern. As many as ten Southeastern students will receive a scholarship each year from his student aid fund.

Curt Ball Curt Ball passed away on May 5, 2017, at the age of 91. He was a lifelong resident of Texas. He is survived by his wife Marty, and the two were married for 69 years. Ball served in World War II and received a Purple Heart in the Battle of Okinawa. He went on to graduate from Texas A&M and worked as an engineer for Humble Oil/Exxon/Mobile. Curt was an active member of Memorial Baptist Church in Baytown, Texas. There he served as a deacon and a Sunday school teacher. The Balls were charter members of the Southeastern Board of Visitors, now the Southeastern Society, and they rarely missed a meeting. The Balls established charitable annuities to provide students with fifteen scholarships a year.

John Panicello John passed away on October 11, 2017, at the age of 86. He was survived by a brother in Raleigh and nephews and nieces. He was a great friend of our students and the director of student housing, Doug Nalley. Panicello was a high school football coach and teacher in Pennsylvania, and moved to Raleigh when he retired to be close to his brother before settling in Wake Forest.

He moved into an apartment complex on Stadium Drive that joined our seminary student housing. Panicello’s love for young people got him involved with our students; he would even buy groceries and distribute them to students in the housing complexes on Saturday mornings. His love and generosity for our students continues with a scholarship fund established by a bequest in his will and by contributions from some of his former high school football players and friends.

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L E AV E

A LEGACY OF Faith Become a part of the Timothy Society by including Southeastern in your estate planning.

For more information or to join, please call (919) 761-2202, visit sebts.edu/give or email give@sebts.edu.

Thank you to the 325 individuals, couples, churches and organizations that sacrificially gave during our D E C E M B E R T O R E M E M B E R initiative. This was the largest single month of giving to the Southeastern Fund in the school’s history. Because of your generosity we raised $525,000 that will be used to offset the cost of tuition for every student.

To learn more about or give to the Southeastern Fund, please visit sebts.edu/give or email give@sebts.edu.

@JonathanSix

“IN THE BEGINNING God created the heavens and earth (Gen 1:1).” I wonder how often we read this text and breeze on past not realizing its importance. In fact, I am not sure that there is a more important verse in the entire Bible. This verse speaks to the incredible greatness of God, that he indeed has creative power and authority to make all things out of nothing. He gives meaning and significance to the things which he has created. The intricate detail of creation is spoken into existence by the very word of God. By his hands God forms humanity and then breathes life into Adam. This work demonstrates God’s creative and providential purposes for all of humanity and their purposes within the creation.

The reality of God’s creative work shapes the whole of the Christian life. It provides for us a clear picture of the expanse of God’s domain and his redemptive work amongst that which he created. It shapes our thoughts on ministry, informs vocation and impacts our decisions about where to serve. God’s creation is vast.

It encompasses culture, vocation, music, politics, law, economics, language and worship; all of which play a key role in God’s creative and redemptive work.

You can find Southeastern graduates in a variety of places, serving in

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A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

diverse ministry settings. Our alumni work to advance the kingdom in all 50 states and over 50 nations worldwide. Many of them serve in vocational ministry and still others bring the light of the gospel to bear in an array of vocations. Their desks are their pulpits and their lives are their sermons.

Our graduates are making kingdom impact in the darkest arenas of life. I think of Chad, who for years served North Carolinians as a senator in the state legislature. I am reminded of Michael, who has worked tirelessly for the pro-life cause in Alabama. I think of Paige, who is seeking to reach her city for Christ through works of art. I think of Robby, who is serving the church through wealth management, to help God’s people fund God’s mission through generous giving. All of these individuals are advancing God’s kingdom. God is at work wherever his people are proclaiming the gospel. In closing, I am reminded of the great Abraham Kuyper quote, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” My prayer is that wherever our graduates find themselves, they will be affirmed in their calling and seeking to proclaim the good news of salvation.

Jonathan Six,

Director of Financial and Alumni Development

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