Southeastern Magazine Spring 2024

OF GREAT COMMISSION SERVICE

PRESIDENT DANNY & MRS. CHARLOTTE AKIN

ABOUT THIS ISSUE

At Southeastern Seminary, we believe that the Church’s mission is the Great Commission and that we serve churches best by equipping students as faithful disciple makers. For more than a decade, this driving passion has distinguished Southeastern as a Great Commission seminary that champions the final marching orders of the Lord Jesus Christ. This heartbeat of the institution, for which Southeastern has become known, is in large part owing to the vision of President Danny and Mrs. Charlotte Akin, who have modeled a singular focus on fulfilling the Great Commission and calling others to join in that task. In this issue, we highlight stories and personal testimonies of Dr. and Mrs. Akin’s lasting impact, celebrating their 20 years of Great Commission service at Southeastern.

The question is not, why should I go, but why should I stay?

PRESIDENT DANNY AKIN

Jesus Above All

TThe longer I live the more deeply I’m convinced all that matters in life is that you please Jesus. That is it. You can have a long and prosperous career, a fruitful ministry, and a large and loving family, but what matters most of all is that you live to please King Jesus every moment of every day.

In God’s kindness Charlotte and I have been immeasurably blessed with four sons who not only know Jesus but also love him and serve him in ministry. Along with our sons, we’ve been blessed with four wonderful daughters-in-law and 15 grandchildren whom we dearly love. We’ve also been blessed to serve the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention in several roles — longest and most precious of all being here at Southeastern as president for the past 20 years.

I am humbled every day by how lavishly kind the Lord has been to me. Our lives are overflowing with his kindness and my heart is full. Yet, as dear to me as all these blessings have been, the love of Jesus is dearer to me than anything in the world. As David rightly says in Psalm 63:3, his steadfast love truly is better than life!

You may be trying to please others or earn the love of people around you, but remember the truth of the gospel: You cannot earn Jesus’s love. He gives it freely, and he demonstrated that love for you by dying in your place while you were still a sinner so that you might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

In Jesus, you are now freed, redeemed, and sent to be his ambassador — to live as God’s beloved child, empowered by the Spirit to please him in all that you do. That is why 1 Corinthians 10:31 is one of my life verses: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” This is your new identity and your new task: As God’s child, do what he says, love what he loves, and live to please him.

You may be caught up in trying to please others and the world may tell you to please yourself, but those paths lead to anxiety, frustration, and even destruction. After 47 years of walking with Jesus in Christian ministry, I can honestly say there is no greater joy than living to please him.

As you serve in local churches, deploy to difficult places, and seek to make disciples wherever God calls you, live for Jesus. We do not fulfill the Great Commission to build our platforms and ministries, to please our churches or families, or to feel good about ourselves. We fulfill the Great Commission because he is worthy — worthy of worship from every nation, tribe, people, and language. Worthy of whatever we may suffer or endure for his name. Worthy of our lives and all we have to give.

So, live to please Jesus above all, and watch him work. Your conscience will be clear, your heart will be full, your life will be full of meaning, and — most of all — Jesus will be glorified.

Danny Akin, President

LEARNING

SERVE THE CHURCH TANNER TURLEY

Reflections by those who’ve worked closely with Dr. & Mrs. Akin over the past 20 years, celebrating their friendship, leadership, and lasting Great Commission impact

FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION

NATHAN & TESSA BAKER

A PASSION FOR GLOBAL THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

JOHN EWART P.34

A GIVING HEART: A REFLECTION ON CHARLOTTE AKIN

KIMBERLY HUTCHINSON P.36

10 WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD

Q&A WITH DANNY AKIN P.38

THE MISSIONARY MOBILIZING LEGACY OF SOUTHEASTERN SEMINARY

ZANE PRATT P.40

DISCIPLINES FOR A GREAT COMMISSION LIFESTYLE

by Dr. Chuck Lawless

Wherever we are and whatever we are doing, our task is to proclaim the good news of Jesus to our neighbors and the nations. This is, as Danny Akin often reminds us at Southeastern, the final marching orders of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Great Commission mandate is to make disciples of all the peoples of the world, and that won’t happen without intentionality.

As each of us strives to honor Jesus and make disciples of the nations, here are a few practices and disciplines that I believe will help us foster Great Commission lifestyles.

READ THE SCRIPTURES WITH GREAT COMMISSION EYES

From God’s pursuit of sinful Adam and Eve in their hiding in the Garden (Gen 3) to the saints worshiping around God’s throne (Rev 7), the Bible is about God redeeming the lost. It is the story of him drawing to himself followers from every nation, tribe, people, and language. Five times, in fact, Jesus gave his followers some form of the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:45-47, John 20:21, and Acts 1:8) — and this kind of repetition ought to catch our attention and cause us to evaluate our commitments. With our eyes focused toward that end, we cannot miss this theme that runs throughout the Scriptures.

Here’s a suggestion: read the entire Bible in 1-2 years and highlight every passage you encounter that shows God’s heart for the nations. You might be surprised by how many times the word of God takes us in that direction. Each time you pause to consider a passage, thank God for his global love. Ask him to give you that same heart. Ask him to help you look for opportunities to do Great Commission work — then be obedient when he grants them.

JOHN 20:21

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

MARK 16:15

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

ACTS 1:8

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.

PRAY DAILY ABOUT YOUR GREAT COMMISSION EFFORTS

We are to pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17), which means that prayer ought to be in our DNA. The Gospel of Luke particularly shows the ongoing prayer life of Jesus, and Luke’s second volume, Acts, reminds us that the early Church prayed like their Lord did. The early believers accepted their call to do the Great Commission, and they did that work from their knees.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

• Pray every day for at least one unreached people group. Resources available at imb.org, peoplegroups.org, and joshuaproject.net will help you.

• Pray daily for missionaries and missions needs. Follow the links at imb.org/prayerpoints/, and you will find needs and names to pray for each day.

• Pray as you read or listen to the news each day. If you hear of war, for example, pray for those affected — particularly, that they would know salvation in Christ as they face immediate dangers. Ask God to give wisdom and strength to pastors and missionaries who might be serving in those areas.

• Get someone to pray Ephesians 6:18-20 and Colossians 4:2-4 for you, and pray these same words for yourself each day. These texts are Paul’s requests for others to pray that he would speak the gospel clearly and boldly and that God would give him an open door to proclaim the gospel. Pray, and then keep your eyes open for opportunities.

EPHESIANS 6:18-20

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

COLOSSIANS 4:2-4

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison — that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

SET GOALS FOR YOUR GREAT COMMISSION EFFORTS

1.

2.

Admittedly, I realize we should naturally do the work of the Great Commission simply because we are followers of Christ. However, I also recognize that it’s easy for us to get caught in the Christian bubble and neglect this commitment.

Setting goals may seem simplistic and perhaps even legalistic, but I assure you that taking this step has helped me lean into Great Commission obedience.

HERE ARE GOALS I HAVE SET FOR MYSELF:

To continually ask others to pray the Ephesians 6 and Colossians 4 passages for me. I generally introduce those texts to churches where I serve as interim pastor, and I invite personal prayer partners to join me in that prayer.

To be investing in at least one other believer. I want to make disciples not only at the corporate and small group levels through my church but also at the personal level through mentoring.

3. To be praying by name for at least five people I understand to be non-believers. While others are praying for me to be boldly and clearly evangelistic, I want my prayer and heart’s desire (Rom 10:1) to be that others are saved. If I can’t name those people, however, my unnamed burden is likely no burden at all.

4. To be in intentional relationships with at least three non-believers with the commitment to share the gospel with them. I am not arguing by this approach that a relationship is first necessary to share the gospel, but I am contending that others may be more inclined to hear us when they know we care about them.

5. To be in intentional relationship with at least one non-believer with whom I have already shared the gospel, but who has not chosen to follow Christ yet. That continual connection says, “I love you even if you choose not to listen to my message, and I want to be here for you with gospel hope when life hits you hard or faith questions arise.”

ROMANS 10:1

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.

Great Commission

6. To be praying daily for missionaries and an unreached people group. The ideas I listed in the previous section about prayer have helped me reach this goal.

7.

To be open to taking at least one mission trip (domestic or international) each year. I realize this is not an option for everyone — though everyone can commit to praying for and supporting at least one trip per year — but, just the openness to consider possibilities is Great Commission thinking.

living is both difficult and exhilarating. Our real enemies, the devil and his forces, seek to distract us from this task. At the same time, the joy of seeing others follow Christ is indescribable. It is my prayer that these disciplines will help you strive more pointedly to spread God’s glory among the nations.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES FOR GREAT COMMISSION LIVING

Sharing Jesus without Freaking Out

D. Scott Hildreth

Steven A. McKinion

40 Questions about the Great Commission

Daniel L. Akin

Benjamin L. Merkle

George G. Robinson

The Potential and Power of Prayer: How to Unleash the Praying Church

Chuck Lawless

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of GOD. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Headlines

Fall 2023 Graduation

• Last fall, Southeastern Seminary and The College at Southeastern celebrated 228 Great Commission graduates, who represent 29 states and 19 countries.

• President Danny Akin preached from Matthew 1:18-25, highlighting the profound reality of the incarnation and the fitting response it deserves.

• Akin charged graduates to stay grounded in the gospel and passionate about serving the Church and fulfilling the Great Commission, concluding his message with a gospel presentation. Akin invited attendees to consider God’s love toward them in Jesus Christ and to respond in faith and repentance, experiencing for themselves the hope, reconciliation, and redemption guaranteed by the gospel.

Southeastern Church Fellowship

• With a vision for Great Commission partnerships, in January Southeastern announced a new Southeastern Church Fellowship to promote cooperation among churches and between churches and the seminary.

• The Church Fellowship will provide a common space for collaboration, learning, and networking through quarterly meetings and trainings designed to resource leaders, invite dialogue, and fuel Great Commission initiatives.

• To learn more about the Church Fellowship and how your church can get involved, visit sebts.edu/churchleaders.

Missions Pipeline Workshop

• Last fall, representatives from Southeastern, the IMB, and more than 10 churches in the region gathered for an all-day missions pipeline workshop aimed at facilitating sending partnerships among local churches in the area.

• Participants gathered with a shared desire to see churches in the region partnering toward a common vision of training and sending their congregants to reach the nations.

• Hosted at Wake Cross Roads Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, the pipeline workshop featured presentations from local churches with well-established pipelines as well as times for collaboration and discussion among participating churches.

Training for West African Women

• Strengthening Baptist training efforts in West Africa, women from Southeastern Seminary led a Bible conference in Togo last fall to equip Baptist women leaders as faithful disciple makers.

• Many Baptist women in West Africa desire theological education and further access to resources for biblical interpretation as they resist the influence of the prosperity gospel. These realities highlight the need for ongoing partnerships to resource and train women in the global Church.

1. Dr. Julia Higgins, holding her book “Empowered and Equipped: Bible Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures,” smiles for a photo with conference attendees in Togo.

2. Women at the conference practicing biblical interpretation

Called to Go: Global Missions Week & The Go Conference

• Southeastern welcomed hundreds of attendees to our annual Go Conference in February, aimed at equipping and mobilizing college students to leverage their lives for the Great Commission.

• The following week during Global Missions week, students heard about upcoming mission trips; connected with missionaries and church planters; and learned about opportunities to serve with the IMB, NAMB, and other organizations.

• During Thursday’s chapel, Nik Ripken, who served with the IMB for 35 years, challenged students to devote their lives to making disciples among the unreached and least reached. Drawing from Jesus’s passion narrative, Ripken warned students not to approach God’s word as something merely to be studied or discussed — a record of how God worked in the past — but rather to join in God’s mission and obey God’s word in the present.

• The Center for Great Commission Studies opened its 2024 summer mission trips, which you can read more about on page 21.

Equipping Women to Be Missional Leaders

• In March, Southeastern hosted its second Cultivate: Women’s Leadership Conference, where over 400 women were encouraged and equipped to live as missional leaders in their contexts.

• Women heard from Bible teachers Jacki King, Julia Higgins, and Elizabeth Woodson and were challenged to discern the call to missional living, grow as a missional leaders, and lead other women to be on mission.

1. Cultivate panel, featuring (left to right) Elizabeth Woodson, Megan Brown, Evan Moncada, and Sherelle Ducksworth

2. Minwoo Jang, Director of the East Asian Leadership Initiative, addresses the audience at the Asian Strategic Partnership Summit.

3. Dr. George Yancey addresses the audience at the CFC’s Exploring Personhood conference.

Scan here or visit sebts.edu/headlines to read more of our latest news and stories.

More Recent News

• With a desire to equip and partner with the global Church, Southeastern hosted East Asian and Southeast Asian ministry and church leaders for a two-day event to discuss training and ministry partnerships and to learn how best to serve Asian churches and equip their students for Great Commission ministry.

• Committed to providing training for women in local churches, Southeastern launched a new selfpaced GO Certificate in Ministry to Women in November.

• The Center for Faith and Culture hosted the final conference in the Exploring Personhood series, addressing challenges to what it means to be human and to live faithfully.

• The College at Southeastern launched its new North Carolina Field Minister Program for women, which offers incarcerated women a BA in interdisciplinary studies to equip them for gospel ministry throughout the North Carolina prison system, where they will serve another four years ministering to fellow female inmates through a variety of programs.

NEW YORK CITY REACHING THE NATIONS IN

Throughout his presidency at Southeastern, Dr. Danny Akin has championed Jesus’s last words to the Church before he ascended: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20a ESV). One expression of this Great Commission passion has been Southeastern’s renewed focus on mission trips through its Center for Great Commission Studies. Dr. Akin’s goal is that all Southeastern students will go on a mission trip during their time as students. Twelve students had the opportunity to do just that this January on a mission trip to New York City.

In the middle of winter, a team from Southeastern landed at Newark International Airport on January 7, ready to serve the Lord and share his love with the people of New York. Throughout the week, they worked

alongside local churches and ministries to learn about ministry in an urban context, strengthen the work of the local believers and churches, and share the gospel. On the first day, students served on Staten Island with a 100-year-old church, supporting their local outreach by providing free coffee to the community, praying for people in a nearby park, and ministering to the local police precinct.

Days two and three took students to the opposite side of New York — the Bronx. The team worked alongside Fordham Community Church to serve their diverse neighborhood through ministry at the laundromat underneath the church facilities, prayer walked the surrounding streets, and taught the church’s English as a Second Language classes, all while seeking opportunities to share the gospel with those they met. In the Lord’s kindness, at least three people that the team met in the laundromat attended the church in the following weeks.

Story by Rebecca Pate Photos by Ryan Thomas

Reflecting on the trip, team member Emily Grace Lancaster, a Master of Arts in ministry to women and biblical counseling student, shared about her time teaching English: “As I reflect on my time spent in New York, I cannot help but think of the nations. Everywhere I walked on the streets, I heard at least five languages. Some of these languages I could decipher, and others were complete mysteries to me. In this new-to-me context around a multitude of cultures, the Lord was working in my heart in subtle but strong ways.

Before the trip I thought about dropping out when I heard we would be teaching ESL classes. I was not just doubting my abilities, I was doubting the ability of the Lord to work through me. As the ESL classes got started and the students participated with our lessons, I was reminded of the all-powerful God that I serve and how he shows his power in my weaknesses. On the second day of class, we used the story of the Tower of Babel to teach West African students English. One student began to read the story in their native language so that the class could comprehend the story, and they did not want to stop! Not only did we get to teach these students the meaning of the English words, but we also got to teach them in the context of the Bible.

The Lord has shown me a new way to reach and serve international people around me. Before this trip, the thought of working with and teaching international people was intimidating and inconceivable. Now, the Lord has placed a new burden on my heart for those who are new to our country and seeking to find where they belong in this broken and sinful world.”

By the end of the trip, the team had worked in all five boroughs of New York City, met people from dozens of countries, taught many of them in English classes, invited many people to church and English classes, and saw firsthand what it is like to do ministry in a diverse urban context. Sharing about his experience, Aaron Chan, a Master of Divinity

in Christian ministry student on the trip, learned the importance of building gospel relationships wherever the Lord places him: “God taught me that there is no end to the variety of ministries and methodologies that he will use to redeem a people to himself. I have been encouraged, convicted, and challenged in my understanding

of the Great Commission and how it is fulfilled in an intensely urban context. The principle I took back home with me is this: Do the best I can to leverage partnerships with persons of peace in my community for the sake of the gospel. Our Lord won people to himself through personal relationships. It only makes sense for me to do the same.”

WAYS TO PARTNER WITH US IN PRAYER

Pray for Our Faculty

To be grounded in God’s word, faithful to his mission, and tireless in their efforts to equip students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.

Pray for Our Students

To honor Christ with their studies and to proclaim him with love, clarity, and boldness throughout the year.

Pray for Our Alumni

To remain deeply committed to discipling the nations and their neighbors as they serve local churches and engage global lostness with the gospel.

Pray for the Lost

To hear and receive the gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit and the ministry of the Church, and pray that God would raise up more laborers to join him in the harvest.

PRAY FOR THE NATIONS

SCAN HERE TO SEE REAL-TIME STATISTICS ABOUT GLOBAL LOSTNESS AND ACCESS TO THE GOSPEL, OR VISIT MISSIONSCLOCK.SEBTS.EDU

2024 MISSION TRIPS

CENTRAL ASIA PARIS

Over spring break, the team will serve in the City of Lights, participating in diaspora missions among unreached West African Muslims in one of the most historic and diverse cities. The team will teach English, support the strategies of long-term field personnel, and help to develop relationships for ongoing evangelism.

PHILADELPHIA & BALTIMORE

During spring break, the team will get a front-row seat to church planting in two Send cities. They will partner with the Send Baltimore team for the first few days and then work alongside the Send Philadelphia team, connecting with church planters, learning about urban ministry, and helping young churches engage and serve their cities.

The Central Asia study tour trip is focused on cultural immersion and leadership training. The team will travel with refugees touring the seven churches of the book of Revelation. Team members will be paired up with a few other believers from a different culture and, essentially, do “life” with them for the week.

INDIANAPOLIS NORTH AFRICA SOUTH ASIA

South Asia is known to have more unreached people groups than any place on earth. Over the summer, our team will minister in the heart of lostness. The team will share the gospel and teach others to do the same in the mighty Himalayas among many unreached peoples so that they may follow Jesus.

Each year students from the SBC seminaries gather in the city hosting the Annual Meeting to partner with one another, NAMB, and local churches for the purpose of blanketing that city with the good news of Jesus. Throughout the week, the team will engage in personal evangelism while serving in Indianapolis.

The team will serve in a majority Muslim country that is strategically placed in the midst of the Islamic world. The team will have opportunities to share their story and exchange culture with nationals while walking where the first Apostles walked centuries before.

Southeastern's mission is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission. The following reflections highlight the ways Dr. and Mrs. Akin have embodied this mission and championed the task of making disciples. Written by those who’ve worked closely with them over the past 20 years, these stories celebrate Dr. and Mrs. Akin’s friendship, leadership, and lasting Great Commission impact.

LEARNING ON THE GO: LESSONS FROM 20 YEARS OF MINISTRY

CHAD BURCHETT

GLORIFY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

DEVIN MONCADA & SHANE SHADDIX

EQUIPPING STUDENTS JAMIE DEW

SERVE THE CHURCH

TURLEY

FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION NATHAN & TESSA BAKER

A PASSION FOR GLOBAL THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

JOHN EWART

A GIVING HEART: A REFLECTION ON CHARLOTTE AKIN KIMBERLY HUTCHINSON

10 WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD

Q&A WITH DANNY AKIN

THE MISSIONARY MOBILIZING LEGACY OF SOUTHEASTERN SEMINARY

ZANE PRATT

Learning on the GO

LESSONS FROM 20 YEARS OF MINISTRY

When you sit down with Dr. Akin, it doesn’t take long to sense that this is a man who has walked with Jesus and whose heart beats with the same passion as his Lord's. He exudes Great Commission passion, and his words reflect the truth of God's word that he has given his life to teach and obey.

As the longtime president of Southeastern Seminary, Dr. Akin has watched the Lord draw thousands of men and women to be trained as disciple makers and has learned many important lessons along the way about what it means to walk with Jesus and live to make him known. Dr. Akin recently sat down to share a few of these lessons and reflect on the past 20 years of ministry.

LET THE LORD EXALT YOU

When God led Dr. and Mrs. Akin to return to Southeastern in 2004, they had not been looking for a promotion. God had blessed them and their boys with a sweet community and place of ministry at Southern Seminary. They had close friendships and a beloved church family there. They were content with what the Lord had provided — just as they had been at each stage of their journey together.

“In his providence, God had blessed us to be happy and content everywhere he’d placed us over the years,” recounted Dr. Akin. “We were happy at the churches I served, at Criswell College, at Southeastern the first time, and we were happily serving at Southern when God placed this opportunity in front of us and directed our hearts to the great and very precious responsibility of leading Southeastern.”

As they spoke with the search committee, Dr. and Mrs. Akin prayed, talked with their boys, and sought counsel from close friends, trying to discern whether this opportunity was according to the Lord’s timing and the Lord’s plan or according to their own.

“We had learned long ago that we should let the Lord exalt us and let the Lord move us,” noted Dr. Akin. “So, when Charlotte, the boys, and I sensed that the Lord was directing Charlotte and I to return to Southeastern, we did so with heavy hearts but also with obedience and gladness to be in God’s will and to join in what he was already doing at Southeastern.”

Humbled to be led back to Southeastern as its president, Dr. Akin was unanimously elected on January 15, 2004, as the sixth president of the institution. For Dr. and Mrs. Akin, that day and the 20 years to follow became daily reminders of the Lord’s kindness and favor in their lives.

Story by Chad Burchett

Photos by Rebecca Pate

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GODLY AND GIFTED PEOPLE

Dr. Akin would be quick to tell you that Southeastern’s growth and global impact since then has not been owing to one man but to many gifted people who helped to shape the mission and culture of the institution. As he built his team and hired new staff and faculty, Dr. Akin often recalled the advice he once received from the late Adrian Rogers: “A leaders hire A people; B leaders hire C people,” recalled Dr. Akin. “I don’t assume that I am an A leader, but I’ve sought to be one. That’s why I always tried to hire the best people — not only in ability but also in character. Each time I hired for a position, I looked for folks who were light-hearted, others-focused, and mission-oriented; and

in God’s kindness, I have been blessed with an outstanding team who are really good at what they do and who do it in the right spirit.”

“Surround yourself with godly and gifted people and be comfortable and eager to hire people who are good at what you’re not good at,” added Dr. Akin. “That’s a mark of maturity as a leader, and it will make your organization happier and healthier.”

For Dr. Akin, acknowledging that he needed other people and was not good at everything freed him to celebrate his team and enabled them to flourish in their roles. Under this humble and collaborative model of leadership, Southeastern flourished, expanding its academic partnerships, donor base, and global impact and solidifying its identity as a Great Commission seminary.

I looked for folks who were light-hearted, others-focused, and mission-oriented; and in God’s kindness, I have been blessed with an outstanding team who are really good at what they do and who do it in the right spirit.

BE LASER-FOCUSED ON WHO GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO BE

A couple of years into his presidency, Dr. Akin led his team to simplify Southeastern’s mission statement and recenter the institution on its Great Commission task. The fruit of their efforts was the unifying and compelling mission for which Southeastern has become known.

“During one of our cabinet retreats, we spent a day and a half evaluating and refining our mission statement to capture who we’re supposed to be and what we’re supposed to do,” recounted Dr. Akin. “What we came up with was Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary exists to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.”

With a clear focus and renewed mission to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission, Southeastern quickly cemented its identity as the Great Commission seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Under Dr. Akin’s leadership, Southeastern restructured its curriculum, community events, church partnerships, and institutional mission trips to ensure every classroom would be a Great Commission classroom, every professor a Great

Commission professor, every student a Great Commission student, and every graduate a Great Commission graduate.

For Dr. Akin, Southeastern’s greatest strength is its singular focus on the Great Commission. That is why he often reminds students that “last words are meant to be lasting words,” that “the Great Commission is the final marching orders of the Lord Jesus Christ,” and that “the question is not, why should I go, but why should I stay?” It is Dr. Akin’s prayer to continue this drumbeat for the rest of his life because it is his passion and calling to see each new generation of students challenged to obey Jesus’s command to go and make disciples.

"I’ve learned that it is important to be laser-focused on who God has called you to be,” noted Dr. Akin. “As a Great Commission Seminary, we believe we do theological education best from a Great Commission perspective. Sometimes folks will ask me, ‘What’s new on the horizon at Southeastern?’ I often say, ‘nothing,’ because we believe our mission is what we should keep doing until Jesus returns. There are many good things to give our attention to, but for Southeastern and for me, if something doesn’t fit under the umbrella of serving the Church and fulfilling the Great Commission, then we won’t be doing it.”

ONLY FIGHT THE BATTLES THAT NEED TO BE FOUGHT

Over the years, staying focused on the Great Commission has enabled Dr. Akin to choose his battles and take criticism with grace because he’s learned to champion what matters most. As an SBC leader who was invested in the conservative resurgence and who taught and led in SBC seminaries during times of conflict and major transition, Dr. Akin has learned not to ride the waves of controversy but to stand firmly on the fundamental convictions of the faith.

“After more than 45 years in ministry, I’ve learned to only fight the battles that need to be fought,” shared Dr. Akin. “Being the type of leader or pastor or missionary who is always looking for a fight is not something you should be commended for.”

“Now, I firmly believe in the fundamentals of the faith, and I am an evangelical in the best sense of that word,” Dr. Akin added. “So, I will spill my blood to fight for those issues. But I don’t just join in a fight because other people think I should. Jesus is my commanding officer, and I fight when and where it pleases him.”

As those who’ve had the opportunity to serve with him can attest, Dr. Akin takes the gospel and the mission of the Church seriously but doesn’t take himself too seriously. This lifestyle of humility, lightheartedness, and conviction has enabled Dr. Akin to lead faithfully and to challenge Southern Baptists to reclaim the priority of the Great Commission. According to Akin, taking Jesus and his mission seriously ultimately leads to fewer problems and frees churches from being divided or preoccupied with unimportant issues.

“The Great Commission is the most important thing that we can be about in this life, and if that is what we’re focused on, so many of the other issues in life won’t matter as much,” reflected Dr. Akin. “When you and your church are focused on the Great Commission in your teaching, in your giving, in your sending, and in your going, then a lot of the problems that plague our churches won’t distract us or take hold of our hearts.”

ALL THAT MATTERS IN LIFE IS THAT YOU PLEASE JESUS

At the end of the day, the Great Commission matters to Dr. Akin because it matters to Jesus. Dr. Akin knows that it is impossible to please everyone, so his simple philosophy for life has been to please Jesus above all. That simple conviction has shaped his leadership and ministry and has oriented the way he thinks about his life, family, and legacy.

“The motto I have tried to live by is ‘all that matters in life is that you please Jesus,’” shared Dr. Akin. “Though I have lived this out imperfectly, I truly believe nothing matters more. That also means that what is important to him should be important to us: If going and making disciples was his final command before he ascended to the Father, then that mission should be our focus until he returns.”

Dr. Akin praises God for the faithful men and women around the world who have dedicated their lives to this mission, and he prays for many of them by name each day. Watching students over the past 20 years please Jesus by going and making disciples has been his greatest joy, and the stories of their faithfulness and surrender inspire him to stay committed to the task.

“It is my delight every year to gather our students for commissioning chapel and to pray over them and their families as they are being sent out to proclaim King Jesus across the country and around the world,” reflected Dr. Akin. “Their obedience to Jesus and their faithfulness to the task of making disciples inspires me and encourages me to finish my own race well.”

Dr. Akin has truly

learned what matters

most in life and has dedicated the past 20 years to calling men and women to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission. As he reflected on these 20 years and God’s faithfulness throughout his life, Dr. Akin concluded with a simple prayer of gratitude:

Father, thank you so much that in your kindness you have allowed Charlotte and me to serve Southeastern for 20 years. Lord, it has been far beyond anything we could have ever hoped or imagined. I thank you that you've allowed us to be a part of a school that really does have a passion for the Great Commission. We believe that is the most important thing we can be doing because it's the very last thing you told us to do before you went back to heaven.

Lord, you have promised us your presence until the end of the age as we fulfill the Great Commission. What a great promise, and what a great hope! So, Lord, help us to be busy with what you care about. Help us never to forget that it profits a man nothing if he gains the whole world but loses his soul.

Help us to remember that you are the great missionary. You left heaven and came here, so it's a small thing for us to leave our homes and go wherever it is you send us to tell others about the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who came; gave his life; was raised from the dead; is sitting on the throne; and longs for people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation to be gathered around his throne forever and ever. What a great vision! Thank you, Lord, for letting us be a part of it.

We pray this in Jesus's name.

the Lord Jesus Christ Gloriƒy

For Dr. and Mrs. Akin, all that matters in life is living to please Jesus. To those who work closely with them, the Akins personally model what it means to glorify Jesus in all of life.

In the following article, Devin Moncada and Shane Shaddix, who have served as Dr. Akin’s interns, share how Dr. and Mrs. Akin have modeled a lifestyle of serving Jesus and have invested personally in their lives.

As Dr. Akin’s interns, we’ve been able to hear Dr. Akin preach about Jesus and, more importantly, to see him treat others in the way Jesus taught. He is a man full of encouragement, generosity, and care. Dr. Akin has regularly voiced praise and thanks for our work on his projects even though he’s written many more sermons than we have. He has always treated us as more than employees and asked how our families are doing, considering us and them as more important than the work we do.

On one occasion, I (Devin) met with Dr. Akin to talk about a stressful decision I had to make. He not only gave me time out of his busy schedule but also asked caring questions to confirm I was headed

in the right direction. His primary concern was my family, my wellbeing, and my education. He treated me like a friend and a brother.

This consistent testimony shines through not only for Dr. Akin but also for Mrs. Akin as well. She has prayed for our families when we needed it and baked banana bread for us when someone was sick. Her love for others glows, especially in the ways she has made space for our children, always welcoming them, graciously letting them “help” while we worked at their house, and — our kids’ favorite — generously giving them snacks when they visited. Mrs. Akin holds a sweet love for Jesus that she displays publicly and privately through her active care for those around her.

The Akins have modeled a lifestyle of serving Jesus by being the same

people at all times. Albeit a silly example, Dr. Akin’s typical dress of a Georgia Bulldogs sweatshirt and cargo pants — unusual attire for a seminary president — illustrates how he does not elevate outward appearance over an inward, holy heart.

Dr. Akin does not pretend to be perfect; he will tell you that he’s growing in the likeness of Jesus, just like everyone else. It’s through his honest and consistent pursuit of King Jesus in all of life that we’ve seen him most glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. In an environment where the hypocrisy of so many Christian leaders is being brought to light, we’re thankful for a model, a boss, and a friend who has pointed us to Christ with such integrity and honesty. We need more like him.

DEVIN MONCADA SHANE SHADDIX

Students Equipping

JAMIE DEW

Dr. Akin is passionate about raising up leaders who will mobilize the next generation for Great Commission fulfillment. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Akin has mentored and encouraged hundreds of leaders to do just that, using their gifts to serve King Jesus and fulfill his mission. In the following reflection, Dr. Jamie Dew, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, shares how God used Dr. Akin to prepare him to equip students as the president of a Southern Baptist seminary.

Years ago, as a young man called by God to serve him, I anticipated living the life of an evangelist, missionary, or pastor. What I never anticipated was that God would redirect my life and focus it instead on the task of equipping students for ministry. There are many things that God used to redirect me, but none bigger than Southeastern Seminary and Danny Akin in particular. During my time in seminary and then in the PhD program at Southeastern, a deep passion and burden began to form in my heart for helping students think about their faith clearly and defend it effectively. The most natural way to do that was as a professor. But I knew the difficulty

of landing a professorship and that the odds were stacked against me. You can imagine, therefore, my gratitude and joy when Dr. Akin invited me to join the faculty at Southeastern to teach the History of Ideas and Christian Philosophy. I was thrilled!

Little did I know, however, that God was not done using Dr. Akin to pave a pathway for me, and that my life would take an even stranger turn. In September of 2012, at the beginning of just my second year on faculty, Dr. Akin asked me to be the Dean of The College at Southeastern. I was deeply surprised by this request, but interestingly, I knew immediately that it was an opportunity I had to take. Over the next few years, I sat on his cabinet, learning the ropes of higher education, and was given the opportunity to help cast vision and lead in strategic initiatives. As my responsibilities expanded over the years, I learned new aspects of institutional life and developed perspective that is critical for presidents to have in the work they do. But more importantly, I saw the deep impact that schools and their leaders can have in shaping and equipping the next generation of leaders for kingdom work. I was hooked!

Providentially, all this took place while serving under Dr. Akin’s leadership, preparing me for the responsibility that is now mine as the ninth president of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. In a real sense, the opportunities we pursue and the challenges we face are not new to me. Because of the opportunity given to me by Dr. Akin and Southeastern, I was equipped for the work that I now do. I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity Dr. Akin gave me and for his investment in my life. I simply wouldn’t be here today without him, and for that, I am thankful!

As a longtime pastor, preacher, Bible study teacher, and seminary president, Dr. Akin is committed to serving the local church. His heart for partnering with local churches and equipping students to serve the Church continues to inspire thousands of students to dedicate their lives to local church ministry. As someone deeply impacted by Dr. Akin’s heart for serving the Church, Tanner Turley, lead pastor of Redemption Hill Church in Boston, MA, shares how Dr. Akin encouraged and equipped him to plant a church in Boston.

In the spring of 2003, I visited Southern Seminary’s “Preview Weekend.” As a Kentucky kid called to ministry, I’ll never forget the day I sat in Broadus Chapel and listened to a 46-year-old preacher with a slight Georgian drawl say, “I want to speak to you on the subject: ‘A Call to Total Commitment.’” This man proceeded to dazzle my ears and drive the truth of Romans 12:1-2 deep into my heart. That man was Dr. Danny Akin. I had never heard anyone preach the Bible like that. Clear. Relevant. Passionate. Personal. Through the text. Engaging exposition. My life would never be the same.

Serve

the Church

Later that evening, I got to meet the man. To my utter amazement, the dean of the School of Theology could talk basketball with an intellectual prowess that almost matched how he talked Bible. Was this Martin Luther or John Wooden? Charles Spurgeon or Adolph Rupp? I walked away thinking, “I would love to learn from a man like this.” God, in his grace, fulfilled my desire.

Before Dr. Akin was named the sixth president of Southeastern Seminary in January of 2004, I had the opportunity to travel with him twice to preaching opportunities across Kentucky. As I drove, he talked to me in real terms about the Christian life and my aspirations for ministry. One indelible moment came in a simple conversation after one of those services. An elderly woman approached Dr. Akin with glowing encouragement over his sermon. I guess I expected a subtle acknowledgment of greatness or his demeanor to be puffed up with at least a hint of pride. Instead, he deflected the praise with complete sincerity: “That is kind of you to say. The glory belongs to Jesus.”

That simple story captures what I watched unfold over the next six years: a man with supreme gifts serving with unassuming humility. During my time studying under Dr. Akin and serving as his intern at Southeastern, I learned a lot about hermeneutics and homilet-

ics. I learned a lot about theology and leadership. I learned a lot about spiritual devotion and prioritizing family in ministry. I learned a lot about missions and carrying the gospel to hard places. In fact, I doubt I would have helped start a thriving, multiplying church in Boston’s hard soil apart from his affirmation, equipping, and encouragement.

Dr. Akin always teaches that ministry requires the full engagement of the head, hands, and heart. He taught me to communicate God’s truth among the intellectually elite. He showed me how to do skillful exposition and contextual missions among those with deep skepticism toward the Church. He modeled a heart of devotion to God and love for family that has impacted my ministry ever since I walked out of Binkley Chapel and jumped in a Penske Truck bound for the Northeast. As I look back, I am filled with gratitude for the immense privilege of enjoying a front row seat to a life and leadership reflective of Psalm 78:72, “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them” (NIV). That is the greatest gift Dr. Akin shares with his students. That, more than anything, prepared me to serve the Church.

TANNER TURLEY

Fulfill

Over the past 20 years, Dr. Akin’s passion for the Great Commission and his call to go have inspired hundreds of students to go as missionaries to the nations and to champion the unfinished work among the unreached and least reached. For Nathan and Tessa Baker, missionaries in Madagascar with the International Mission Board, Dr. Akin’s focus on fulfilling the Great Commission played a crucial role in their formation and preparation to serve the Malagasy peoples. In the following reflection, Nathan shares about Dr. Akin’s ongoing impact on their ministry.

“Who taught you this?” This question came from a Malagasy pastor as we ate fried bread and drank dark, sweet coffee in a rural village in southwest Madagascar. We were sitting in the shade of a broad almond tree, outside the concrete building where we would conduct that day’s training. Soon, several leaders from outlying villages would come in for theological education, drawing in the dirt, reciting stories from church history, and learning principles of hermeneutics.

“I see you are teaching all the things I learned in seminary too, but you are

the Great Commission

doing it here with unreached tribes. Who taught you to do that?” repeated the pastor, who was also a seasoned church planter. He was just starting to assemble his own curriculum for training other church planters and missionaries, and we were talking about how to integrate a more missiological focus into theological education in Madagascar.

I began explaining to him how classes at Southeastern were structured around the Great Commission: Each syllabus included how the class would impact our Great Commission objectives; for every paper or project, professors encouraged us to parse out Great Commission applications; and professors regularly returned from leading mission trips or teaching in global seminaries and enthusiastically reported back. I told him how we turned in evangelism logs for classes. I told him about the word “go” posted everywhere around campus and spoken in chapel. I told him about how the president of our seminary himself told people to follow the call of the Great Commission by serving the Church internationally.

The pastor smiled and replied, “Yes! That is what I want for us too! We will do the same thing for our trainings here!”

What I did not tell the pastor is how this Great Commission focus owes much to one man in particular: Dr. Danny Akin. As Dr. Akin preached in

our chapel, he urged people to obey the Great Commission. He used his teaching and writing as an opportunity to call for Great Commission activity. He established the Kingdom Diversity Scholarship, providing resources to help female, international, and minority students pursue the Great Commission.

Dr. Akin also taught us hermeneutics, a class I have often passed on in Madagascar. He collected our prayer cards as we left the seminary, prayed for us, and somehow even personally responded to our newsletters and prayer requests. Not only did he preach, administrate, and encourage students to obey the Great Commission, but also our president went on mission trips himself, just as he encouraged others to do.

Southeastern’s commitment to the Great Commission stood out to my Malagasy pastor, and through thousands of alumni, it has influenced countless churches — churches who have in turn sent missionaries around the world. Were it not for Dr. Akin, my wife and I would not have been as well equipped to teach, to strategize, and to leverage our lives on mission here in Madagascar, following a call Dr. Akin did everything he could to make sure we heard and obeyed.

NATHAN & TESSA BAKER

APassion Global TheologicalEducation

Under Dr. Akin’s leadership, Southeastern has not only cemented its identity as a Great Commission seminary but also expanded its impact on the global church through new academic partnerships and the work of Southeastern’s Global Theological Initiatives. In the following article, John Ewart, professor of missions and pastoral leadership and associate vice president for Global Theological Initiatives (GTI) and ministry centers, reflects on Dr. Akin’s support and instrumental role in the development of GTI.

JOHN EWART

I have had the privilege of serving with Dr. Akin since 2001 when I first worked at Southern Seminary. As I reported to him in my role at Southern, I observed firsthand his leadership, his passion for King Jesus, and his contagious love for expository preaching and authenticity.

I later joined Dr. Akin at Southeastern as a trustee and then, in 2006, as a staff and faculty member. Over the years, I have watched his heart become more missionally driven. Early on as president, he traveled to teach our international church planting students and lead overseas training events, and his heart for the nations exploded. Gripped by the lostness of the nations and by Jesus’s command to go and make disciples, Dr. Akin studied and wrote about missionaries from the past and taught about them in chapel. Soon, Southeastern had become known by his vision of “Every classroom, a Great Commission classroom.” Because of Dr. Akin’s missional vision and passion, Southeastern became the greatest missions preparing and sending seminary in the Southern Baptist Convention.

I remember meeting with Dr. Akin in 2009 about his Great Commission Resurgence sermon that issued a missional “call to arms” for our convention. His humility concerning his role was evident, but I knew that no one held a more heartfelt drive toward Great Commission fulfillment or was in a better position than he to preach and lead our denomination back to its missional roots.

The very creation of Southeastern’s GTI office would never have occurred without his vision. Other organizations cannot believe we do what we do to train international leaders in the way or at the scale we do it. Many do not have the same top-down investment and leadership backing that has enabled our program to flourish. Our team often tells people that GTI exists because of the vision and passion of our president. Without his drive, we would not be able to contextually train thousands of positioned church leaders in dozens of nations, in multiple heart languages, to equip and empower the global church army to march with the gospel.

Through his vision for GTI, churches in hard-to-reach countries are being strengthened as their leaders receive training. Because of Dr. Akin’s leadership and support, students’ lives are being transformed through the work of GTI. He is directly and indirectly impacting thousands of students like Naomi*, a Muslim background believer who led her husband to faith and was later forced to flee her home because of severe religious persecution. Through her GTI training completely in Farsi, Naomi is now sharing what she has learned with

her husband, leading in worship at their church, and teaching the gospel to local children — many of whom are also refugees in a new country.

Dr. Akin and I have traveled together to several of these nations to meet our students, train leaders, conduct graduation ceremonies, and even negotiate partnerships. We continue to plan additional trips and his joy at seeing these leaders equipped is well known and beloved among the nations. Everywhere we go, his passion for rightly handling the word of God and applying it in Great Commission practice are a powerful encouragement to the global church.

One day, Revelation 5 and 7 will be our reality and many from every tribe, tongue, and nation will praise our Lord together forever. Many will also be thankful for their brother, Danny Akin, because he helped train the ones who shared the gospel with them in some very difficult places. Because Dr. Akin faithfully lived to please Jesus and champion his mission, I believe he will hear King Jesus say, “Well done.”

KIMBERLY HUTCHINSON

Charlotte is a selfless woman who humbly serves offstage in the everyday rhythms of life. She is always considering the needs of others, whether it’s sharing prayer requests or offering help. As my neighbor, Charlotte often texts me to see if I need anything from the grocery store when she is heading out to shop. I never know when a loaf of bread or beautiful flowers might show up on my doorstep. These acts, though small, speak volumes of her considerate and caring nature, showing us and many others that we are on her mind.

AGiving Heart

In God’s kindness, my husband, Ryan, and I have had the privilege of serving closely with Dr. and Mrs. Akin over the last 20 years. In this time, Charlotte Akin has become a dear friend and a wonderful neighbor. As many in the Southeastern family can attest, Charlotte’s life is marked by thoughtfulness, generosity, and authenticity — all of which are deeply rooted in her love for the Lord, her family, and the Southeastern community.

Her kindness extends through every season of life as she celebrates joys and offers comfort during hardships with her presence; her heartfelt gifts; and her much-loved homemade biscuits, chocolate chess pie, or many other yummy recipes. She truly loves people well without expecting anything in return, making others feel seen and valued with her caring and down-to-earth friendship.

Charlotte’s genuineness is refreshing. Spending time with Charlotte means effortless conversations

and shared laughter. When the Southeastern Women’s Fellowship team meets each year, she quickly offers to host us and cook for us, which always includes an extra treat for us to take home. She has the rare ability to make anyone feel welcomed and valued, a true testament to her walk with Christ. In everything, Charlotte’s dedication to her faith, family, and the Southeastern community is what shines through. Having her as a friend these past 20 years has been a tremendous blessing!

Akin Family in 2023: Nate, Kelsey, Ashley, Jon, Danny, Charlotte, Kari, Paul, Tim, Anna

Akin Family in 2006

Dr. Akin loves missionary biographies. Throughout Dr. Akin’s life, God has used the stories of faithful missionaries to encourage his heart and to keep him singularly focused on Jesus’s final marching orders to go and make disciples. As his second book that highlights ten missionary stories, “10 Women Who Changed the World” tells the stories of ten remarkable women who sacrificed all to follow Jesus and take the gospel to the nations. In the following Q&A, Dr. Akin takes the time to answer a few questions

The book is about 10 wonderful women missionaries, many whose stories have been neglected or forgotten in missionary history. For example, Harriet Newell was headed to the mission field at 19 immediately after her marriage. She got pregnant, but she and her baby would die on a ship before they ever reached their planned destination. On her deathbed she begged her husband to tell her family back home, “I have never repented leaving all for Christ.” We need to hear words like that today.

What is the book about, and what motivated you to write it? Q Q Q A A

How did these 10 women uniquely change the world, and how did you decide on these 10 missionaries?

A

Some were married and assisted their husbands, some were widowed and remained on the field, and some were single their entire lives. However, they were all faithful in their contexts and saw the blessings of God on their work, though not in equal measure from a human perspective. I landed on these 10 from my own studies and recommendations from others. Betsy Stockton has especially been an inspiration. She was born a black slave in America, came to Christ, and would be one of the first single women to go to the nations as a missionary.

In the book, you pair each missionary with a biblical passage that they embodied. Why is it important to you that readers connect these missionary stories to the truths of Scripture?

First, preaching should always be an exposition of the Bible. These chapters grew out of my preaching. Before writing the book, I delivered many of these stories in chapel at Southeastern, so each missionary story is wed with a biblical passage they illustrated through their life. Second, attaching the lives of these ladies to a biblical text shows by application how the word of God came alive and was beautifully displayed in the lives of his daughters. Consider the life of Eleanor Chesnut and how her life reflects so beautifully John 13:34-35. A medical missionary in China, she served the people there with a Christlike love only to be brutally martyred. In the last year of her life, she cared for 5,479 patients at a women’s hospital in southern China.

You dedicate this book to “all the wonderful women whose love for Christ and the nations compelled them to go.”

How can churches be more intentional about creating a culture that celebrates, trains, and supports these God-called women as they are sent to the nations?

God is doing amazing things among the women in our churches, and he is using them mightily to make disciples around the world. In many parts of the world women can only be effectively reached by women. Further, women are often more effective than men in teaching children. (They are, sad to say, often more willing than many men are.) If this is the reality, then we should place this challenge before the girls and women in our churches and show them how essential they are to the work and fulfillment of the Great Commission. But again, we must face the reality that women are more willing to go than men. Women vastly outnumber men on the mission field. Through her letters and articles, Lottie Moon pled for more men to answer the call to go to the nations because they were not there!

Why do you think Southern Baptists have historically commissioned more women than men as missionaries, and how are you challenging generations of both women and men to answer the call to go?

The answer to that question is painfully simple: Women have been more willing to go. Therefore, the challenge in every generation is to call the men to follow the example of their sisters and go. Think about Yvette Aarons. She is the first Deaf missionary ever appointed by Southern Baptists. She had all sorts of obstacles in her path, but she never allowed them to stop her from getting to the unreached Deaf of the world.

Why is it so valuable to read missionary biographies?

They inspire and encourage us in our service to Christ wherever he calls us to go. They also help us avoid pity parties when we consider the hardships and sacrifices they made to get the gospel to those who have never heard. Darlene Deibler Rose served as a missionary in Southeast Asia during WWII. She and her husband would be imprisoned by the Japanese. Both would be brutally tortured, and he would die. Yet, following the end of the war, she remarried and returned to the field, serving our Lord for 40 more years.

How does this book equip readers to better serve the Church and fulfill the Great Comission?

These stories show us how our great God did the extraordinary through very ordinary people because they were willing to trust and obey King Jesus. God delights in using the nobodies who want to exalt somebody named Jesus!

How have these stories and writing this book shaped you spiritually?

They have increased my love for Christ and my passion to get the gospel to every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. They have also become spiritual heroes to me, inspiring me to serve my Savior well and to finish well because he is worthy.

The flowers on these pages are native to the regions where these women served on mission.

Missionary Mobilizing Legacy Southeastern Seminary The oƒ

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) celebrates a rich missionary sending heritage, yet each generation of Southern Baptists needs leaders whose hearts are devoted to the nations and who call them back again to the Church’s Great Commission mandate. Leading the way in training and mobilizing Southern Baptist missionaries, Southeastern Seminary has become known as the Great Commission seminary of the SBC thanks to the visionary leadership of Dr. Danny and Mrs. Charlotte Akin. As Zane Pratt, vice president for training at the International Mission Board (IMB), notes in the following article, the Akins’s heart for the nations has inspired generations of students and SBC churches to go to the hard places and stay focused on the unfinished task of fulfilling the Great Commission.

The SBC was established in 1845 to combine the resources of like-minded churches for the purpose of missions. Since that time, Southern Baptists have also established seminaries to train people for ministry, but the imperative of the Great Commission has never been lost. Southern Baptist seminaries have trained thousands of missionaries who have taken the gospel to the ends of the earth. Under the leadership of Dr. Danny Akin, Southeastern Seminary has played a leading role in global gospel advance.

When Dr. Akin came to Southeastern, he inherited a school that was already deeply engaged in global missions. Southeastern Seminary pioneered the 2+2 program in the late 1990s, in which students took two years of seminary classes on campus and then deployed as annual cohorts to different parts of the world through the IMB, where they finished their seminary studies while also serving as church planters.

Dr. Akin continued the 2+2 program but added to it in several ways. He created cohort-based, distance learning PhD programs that enabled missionaries to pursue terminal degrees while still serving overseas. He created variations on the 2+2 program and quickly adopted the IMB’s Macedonia Project, which allows IMB missionaries to work toward a master’s degree entirely online from overseas.

He also led his seminary to grant free tuition to IMB missionaries, and perhaps most importantly, Dr. Akin stressed the integration of global missions into every aspect of seminary education. His motto has been, “Every classroom a Great Commission classroom.” Every student

ZANE PRATT

Photos by Ryan Thomas and courtesy of IMB

who studies at Southeastern is challenged by Dr. Akin to consider seriously the call of the Great Commission. Under his leadership, Southeastern Seminary became permeated with a passion for missions.

The results have been dramatic.

Southeastern Seminary became the leading missionary sending school in the Southern Baptist world. No other seminary has sent as many students overseas through the IMB in the last 20 years. The impact of Southeastern is global. Many of the new generation of mission leaders in the IMB and in Southern Baptist churches come from Southeastern.

Dr. and Mrs. Akin have been as engaged personally in global missions as they have led Southeastern Seminary to be institutionally. Two of their four sons went overseas as Journeymen with the IMB. Dr. and Mrs. Akin have spent much time around the world in the last 20 years, encouraging missionaries and engaging in their work with them. They have promoted the cause of missions in the SBC relentlessly. The Akin family has led the way in keeping international missions at the forefront of Southern Baptist life. We are extremely grateful for the partnership between the IMB and both the Akins and Southeastern Seminary. Through this partnership, the gospel is advancing powerfully among the unengaged and unreached people groups of the world, and existing churches globally are being strengthened through discipleship and leadership training delivered by Southeastern Seminary graduates. Churches in the U.S. that are pastored by Southeastern alumni gain a missions perspective and partner in the missionary task more effectively because of how Southeastern integrates missions into every area of theological education. We look forward to the ongoing fruit of this partnership in the years to come!

No other seminary has sent as many students overseas through the IMB in the last 20 years.

AT THE OFFICE with Danny Akin

As a longtime preacher, professor, and seminary president, Danny Akin has distinguished himself as a visionary leader with a singular passion for fulfilling the Great Commission. In the following Q&A, Dr. Akin shares about his personal life — his family, his research, and his heart for missions, recounting some life and ministry lessons he has learned along the way.

How did you meet Mrs. Akin?

We first met on a blind date. One summer, Charlotte got a job at Fort McPherson in Atlanta where my aunt just so happened to work. My aunt quickly fell in love with Charlotte, so she called me one day and said, “I’m going to bring this really pretty brown-eyed brunette over this weekend, and I think you’d like to meet her.”

She brought Charlotte by the house, and I agreed with my aunt’s assessment. We went on our first date the next day. Charlotte still laughs at the fact that I took her to see the movie “Jaws” on our very first date (not exactly super romantic). We started dating when I was 18 and she was 16, and we got married three years later. We’ve now been married for 46 years this May 27.

How do you like to spend time with your family?

We’ve been blessed with a big family: four sons, four daughters-in-law, and 15 grandkids. We only get together as a whole family about twice a year — once on vacation and then once for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. We love to hang out, and since there are so many boys, we’ll go over to the gym in Ledford and spend hours playing basketball, capture the flag, or laser tag. All the grandkids love sports and are very competitive! We all just like hanging out with each other. Charlotte and I are very blessed.

Why did you decide to write your dissertation on Bernard of Clairvaux, and what is something the Church today can learn from him?

When I graduated from Southwestern seminary, I was convinced that you could achieve the

highest level of education and still believe the Bible. Only a few leaders in the Conservative Resurgence at the time had PhDs. Some of my fellow students from seminary had already begun their PhD studies at the University of Texas at Arlington, and they spoke well of its humanities program. So, I applied and was accepted.

I took a seminar on medieval history with Bede Lackner, a Cistercian monk, and I wrote a paper on Bernard of Clairvaux for his class. We got to talking, and Dr. Lackner became my major professor and Bernard of Clairvaux became the focus of my dissertation. In my dissertation, I studied Bernard’s soteriology and made the argument that Bernard was a twelfth century evangelical of sorts.

As a Cistercian, Bernard was a mystic, and he emphasized the devotional life of the Christian on the journey of intimacy with Christ. Bernard wrote a four-volume commentary on the Song of Solomon, and although it is a lot of allegory, he offers some great insights into the intimacy of his relationship with our Lord. I think we could learn a lot about that from Bernard and his generation of mystics who were grounded in Scripture and in its adoration for Christ.

Why is fulfilling the Great Commission central to who you are and to your impact on Southeastern?

God called me into the ministry on a mission trip when I was 20 years old. Our church in Atlanta sent a team to an Indian reservation in Sells, Arizona, to lead Vacation Bible School in Sells, backyard Bible clubs in villages outside of Sells, and a good old-fashioned revival. It was on Monday night of that revival when the Lord called me into the ministry. That experience planted the seed for the Great Commission becoming a driving passion in my life.

Then, a couple years into my time here as president, Charlotte and

I went on a trip with Richard and Gina Headrick (we have an endowed world missions chair in their name), who would visit our two-plus-two students on the field. We visited six countries (Tibet, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Nepal) in 14 days, and I saw the massive lostness of the world. I could see the hopelessness of people dominated by the darkness of Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions.

With a little research, I later learned that there are roughly the same percentage of unreached and unengaged people groups today as there were in the year 1900. With all our money, resources, and technology, half the world still does not have access to an adequate presentation of the gospel. I came to believe that since the Great Commission is the final marching orders of the Lord Jesus, it must have been important to him. If that is what is important to him, then that should be important to us.

For Southeastern, the mission statement grew out of a cabinet retreat about 15 years ago. After two days, we came up with this statement: “Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary exists to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.” That captures very well who we are and what we hope our graduates will be. It has become the heartbeat of Southeastern. My prayer is that Southeastern will be a Great Commission seminary until the Lord comes again. I cannot think of anything better for us to be doing as a theological institution.

What are two or three of your favorite missionary biographies, and why?

I wrote “10 Who Changed the World” in 2012, and I have a new book coming out this year entitled “10 Women Who Changed the World.” All 20 stories have tremendously blessed me. I’m deeply

Story by Chad Burchett

Photos by Rebecca Pate

encouraged by the stories of missionaries like Lilias Trotter, a single woman and talented artist who spent her life ministering among Muslims in Algeria; Betsy Stockton, a freed slave woman who dedicated her life to reach the Sandwich Islands (now known as Hawaii); and Ann and Sarah Boardman Judson, both who endured many trials while strengthening the work in Burma (now known as Myanmar) alongside Adoniram Judson.

It’s my hope that our students will have as good of a grasp of theology and missions as these women and others like them. I think specifically of Harriet Newell who was a prolific journaler. She died at 19 on a ship, as did her newborn daughter, on her way to the mission field. She loved referring to Jesus as her Immanuel and saw him as her heavenly bridegroom. As you read these stories and see how devoted they were to our Lord, it gives us encouragement to persevere. It also reminds us of what many of our other brothers and sisters have endured to obey the call of Christ to go.

What is some of the best ministry advice you’ve received over the years?

The best and simplest advice I ever received was this: Ultimately, all that matters in life is that you please the Lord. We cannot please everybody, so we shouldn’t try to. We should live to please the one who matters most. Now, I don’t mean that we shouldn’t listen to people around us and be open to input, criticism, and correction. However, when everything is said and done, you really should just seek to honor the Lord and please him. If you do, you’ll sleep better at night, you won’t have ulcers or high blood pressure, and ministry will be more joyful. The second thing is to make sure that you find time to rest and

1: A plaque from Southeastern’s historic Persian program graduation in 2023

2: Dr. Akin preparing his weekly Wednesday night lesson at his church

3: A picture of Dr. and Mrs. Akin on their wedding day

4: A commemorative Georgia football signed by Herschel Walker

5: A framed News and Observer article about Dr. Akin’s missional impact

6: A photo of Francis Schaeffer from the office of the late L. Russ Bush

7: A photo of Dr. Akin at a meeting with a group of Sudanese Baptists

find time for your spouse and for your children. For Charlotte and me, that now includes our grandchildren. Don’t feel guilty when you’re playing with your children or grandchildren because that may be the most important ministry you can do in that moment. I am heartbroken when I see pastors’s children who have walked away from the faith. In some cases, the pastor made the mistake of devoting more time to the ministry than he did to his family. I don’t think you have any greater ministry than to your family. So, start there, love them well, and the odds are, you’ll love your church better too.

What is something you’ve been learning lately in your time in God’s word?

The Lord’s servants come and go, but he remains forever. Never think that you’re indispensable. We are all dispensable. The Lord will be carrying on his work long after I go. God will not be wringing his hands, saying, “Oh my goodness. Danny Akin just died. What am I going to do now?”

A couple of months ago, I was asked to preach at Open Door Church, and I preached the first message in their series on the book of Joshua. How does the book begin? “Moses, my servant is dead.” To that point, Moses had been the most influential leader of Israel, and now he’s gone. So, what does God tell Joshua? Get up and take the land.

Recognize that you have a short time to pour out your life for the work of the Lord, and then it will come to an end. As James says, life is like a vapor, and we are here today and gone tomorrow. Hopefully, we will have made a contribution during our earthly life that will have an eternal impact and eternal reward. If that happens, we will have lived a life worth living for King Jesus.

We invite all friends, alumni, and ministry partners of Southeastern to give in honor of Dr. & Mrs. Akin’s twenty years of leading Southeastern as a Great Commission seminary.

These gifts, in denominations of $20 or an amount of each person’s choosing, go towards the Southeastern Fund, providing support for mission-critical needs or the newly established Charlotte Akin Student Aid Fund, which directly impacts the lives of students at Southeastern. No matter the size, generous gifts to these initiatives demonstrate the love and appreciation the Southeastern community has for the Akins as they have faithfully served our school and, most importantly, King Jesus over the past two decades.

SCAN

HERE OR GO TO SEBTS.EDU/20FOR20

WAYS TO GIVE TO SOUTHEASTERN’S MISSION

Cash or Check

Please make checks payable to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and send to the address below:

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Attn: Financial and Alumni Development P.O. Box 1889, Wake Forest, NC, 27588

Matching Gifts

Many companies offer their employees a gift-matching program. The percentages and amounts may vary, but you can inquire with your respective Human Resources Office to see if this is available to you. This is a great way to maximize your giving to Southeastern!

IRA

Give a tax-free gift to Southeastern directly from your IRA. IRA distributions to Southeastern qualify for the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). You must be age 72 or older and the annual maximum donation is $100,000.

Stock

When you donate appreciated securities, both the gift amount and charitable deduction are the fair market value of the stock and there is no capital gains tax. Please note, there can be exceptions — notably, that the security must have been held at least one year and there are potential limits due to AGI.

Donor Advised Funds

Donor-advised funds are tremendous giving vehicles that allow donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants from their fund over time.

These funds are established at a public charity, and there are numerous organizations (including faith-based organizations) that provide this service across the country for donors to choose from when opening a fund. Please consult with your financial advisor about donor-advised funds.

The generosity and graciousness of donors allowed me to continue my theological education and helped me to become a better pastor to my congregation.

CHARLES HALEY MDIV GRAD & MERCY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS, THOSE WHO SPOKE TO YOU THE WORD OF GOD

CONSIDER THE OUTCOME OF THEIR WAY OF LIFE, AND

IMITATE THEIR FAITH

HEBREWS 13:7

GLENN & PATTI STEEN

Southeastern Society Members since 2018

GLENN - MA in Christian Studies (2020), current DMin student

PATTI - MA in Biblical Counseling (2006), DMin Counseling (2019)

WHO WE ARE

The Southeastern Society is made up of generous men and women from all walks of life, who share a desire to assist Southeastern as we seek to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.

We know one thing — Southeastern has laid the foundations for us. It has given us the education, it has challenged us spiritually, and it continues to put things in front of us that allow us to expand God’s kingdom.

We will support Southeastern because there are hundreds and thousands of other people like us that need to come here that need to get what we got. They need to prepare themselves.

– GLENN & PATTI STEEN –

WHY WE GIVE

Due to the faithful giving of SES members, Southeastern is able to keep tuition affordable. As a result, graduates have more financial freedom as they heed God’s call to serve him wherever he leads.

HOW TO JOIN

Join by giving $1,000 or more annually to fund the work of training gospel-ready champions for Christ. For more information or to become a member, contact Drew Davis at ddavis@sebts.edu.

BECAUSE YOU GIVE, WE

NEWLY RELEASED

SOUTHEASTERN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW

Academic Excellence for Thoughtful Ministry Leaders

The Southeastern Theological Review is full of top-notch evangelical scholarship on Scripture and theology, as well as book reviews of significant current titles.

Read or download your copy at sebts.edu/str

40 Questions About the Text and Canon of the New Testament

L. Scott Kellum and Charles Quarles

June 2023

Victory over the Enemy: Defeating the World, the Flesh, and the Devil

Chuck Lawless

July 2023

Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians

Daniel Akin and James Merritt

July 2023

Humanity: Theology for the People of God

John Hammett and Katie McCoy

September 2023

FACULTY WORKS

Christian Philosophy as a Way of Life: An Invitation to Wonder

Ross D. Inman

October 2023

Islam and the Bible: Questioning Muslim Idiom Translations

Ayman S. Ibrahim and Ant B. Greenham

December 2023

Transformative Friendships: 7 Questions to Deepen Any Relationship

Brad Hambrick

March 2024

Faith and Science: A Primer for a Hypernatural World

Ken Keathley

April 2024

40 Questions About the Apostle Paul

Miguel Echevarría and Benjamin Laird

October 2023

Expositional Leadership: Shepherding God’s People from the Pulpit

R. Scott Pace and Jim Shaddix

January 2024

Christian Academic Writing: Twelve Practices and Principles for Becoming a Successful Writer

Benjamin Merkle and Adrianne Miles

March 2024

10 Women Who Changed the World: Inspiring Female Missionaries Who Fulfilled the Great Commission

Daniel Akin

April 2024

Exegetical Journeys in Biblical Greek: 90 Days of Guided Reading

Benjamin Merkle

November 2023

Going Deeper with Biblical Hebrew

Chip Hardy and Matthew McAffee

February 2024

Zwingli the Pastor: A Life in Conflict

Stephen Brett Eccher

March 2024

Engaging the New Testament: A Short Introduction for Students and Ministers

Miguel EchevarrÍa

April 2024

FEATURED ALUMNI WORKS

Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity Is the Source and Foundation of Morality

March 2023

Adam Johnson, PhD Philosophy of Religion

Growing with One Another: Social & Emotional Learning in Christian Perspective

January 2024

Tyler Groves, EdD, and Ken Coley

Lottie Moon: The Girl Who Reached the World

October 2023

Amy Whitfield, MA Christian Studies

Hope for God’s Creation: Stewardship in an Age of Futility

September 2023

Andrew J. Spencer, MDiv Christian Ministry, PhD Theological Studies & Christian Ethics

Hope for God’s Creation: Stewardship in an Age of Futility offers a theological vision for creation care, beginning with four key doctrinal concerns: the source of moral authority, the value of creation, the role of humans within creation, and the expectation of God’s restoration of creation. As concerns about the environment continue to dominate political discourse, Christians need to carefully think through what Scripture teaches about living in God’s created order. We should be prepared to give honest answers to honest questions and show that the truthfulness of Christianity is sufficient and relevant to respond to cultural concerns without distorting the shape of our theology. The book is an invitation to celebrate Christian orthodoxy while pursuing real improvements in the environment. My hope is that it will draw people into thoughtful patterns of life and equip believers for discussions inside and outside the walls of the church.

Go Tell Everyone:

9 Missionaries Who Shared the Good News

March 2024

Meredith Cook, MDiv Missiology

Go Tell Everyone: 9 Missionaries Who Shared the Good News is a missions primer that introduces kids to the Great Commission and some missionaries who obeyed it. I wrote Go Tell Everyone because the most important thing we can teach our kids is the gospel and the second-most-important is what we teach them to do with the gospel after they believe it. One of the best ways to encourage kids to share the gospel is by telling them stories of missionaries who have gone before us in obedience to the Great Commission. Missionary stories remind us that God works through all kinds of ordinary people to accomplish his purpose. My prayer is that this little book will show kids that they can participate in God’s mission, just like the missionaries they read about.

MATTHEW 28:19-20

THE GREAT COMMISSION

GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. AND BEHOLD, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE END OF THE AGE.

REVELATION 7:9

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

OVER THE LAST 17 YEARS, THE SOUTHEASTERN CLASSIC HAS RAISED

$ 1,300,000

THAT IS EQUAL TO PROVIDING FULL ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 163 STUDENTS FOR 1 YEAR

To learn more, play, or become a sponsor, please visit sebts.edu/classic or email Caden Farr at cfarr@sebts.edu

Your membership dues, $50 per year or $600 lifetime, help us equip students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission while keeping tuition affordable for students.

You’ll also receive these great benefits:

• Audit courses for free

• Retain access to the ATLA Religion Database

• Join an intramural sports team

• Receive 50% off transcripts

• Receive 40% off conference registration for SEBTS events

• Receive 10% off merchandise at the Locker

• Use the Ledford Center's Fitness Room

For more info or to join the Alumni Association, connect with us at sebts.edu/saa

919.761.2822

WORD BANK

MAGNOLIA HILL

CHARLOTTE GEORGIA TWENTY

GREAT COMMISSION

SOUTHEASTERN PRESIDENT

DIET COKE

PREACHING

GOOD FRIEND

KING JESUS

DANIEL BULLDOGS

AKIN

GO (MULTIPLE)

LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

Istill remember the day I first met Dr. Danny Akin over 20 years ago. He had been recently named the new president of Southeastern Seminary and was preaching at the Pastors' Conference hosted annually at the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, FL. Dr. Akin preached a sermon from Isaiah 52. I had never heard an Old Testament passage preached with such power and such a Christological focus. His preaching revealed a deeply theological tone, yet his delivery made him feel approachable and humble.

Later that evening, I met with Dr. Akin for a brief time. It was clear that I had met a strong yet humble and convictional man. He shared with me how Southeastern would be deeply committed to the inerrancy, sufficiency, and authority of the Bible, and if I became a student, I would be taught to preach expository sermons, my theology would be developed, and my convictions would grow. Perhaps the most appealing component of my growth would be harnessing my education with a Great Commission focus. I knew I wanted to serve the Lord vocationally but did not understand what that meant.

About 18 months later, my wife and I would begin transitioning to Southeastern. I was moving based on the vision of a newly minted president and his aspirations for the institution. When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised that my experience matched exactly what Dr. Akin envisioned for Southeastern.

I have now had the privilege of knowing and working under the leadership of Dr. Akin for almost 18 years. His vision from 20 years ago still resonates throughout this campus. Southeastern’s commitment to the Bible’s inerrancy, sufficiency, and authority remains as true as ever. Because of our commitment to the Bible, our students are taught how to teach verse by verse, chapter by chapter, and book by book through the word of God. Our faculty is committed like never before to train our students to think and engage biblically and theologically in an increasingly secular world.

Yet, our preparation does not stop there. The telos for preparation is mission, and under Dr. Akin’s leadership, the Great Commission fervor is higher than ever. When I reflect on the past 20 years, I praise God for what he has accomplished under the ministry of Dr. Akin, and I am thankful for the thousands of gospel warriors who have been equipped and sent into the mission of God.

Jonathan Six, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

WORD SEARCH ANSWERS

Leave a Legacy of Faith

The Southeastern Legacy Society exists for supporters of Southeastern Seminary to make an impact though legacy giving dedicated to equip students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.

Training gospel-ready servants requires the support of Christians who believe in this mission. When the time comes that you are home with Christ, your support can continue to make a Great Commission impact for those in need of the gospel. Become a part of the Southeastern Legacy Society by including Southeastern in your estate planning.

To join or for more information, visit sebts.edu/give or email ddavis@sebts.edu.

“Pam and I believe wholeheartedly in the mission of Southeastern. The Lord is using our graduates all over the world. Playing a role in that work through our giving is very exciting.”

Dr. Chuck & Mrs. Pam Lawless

EARLY BIRD RATE: $15/PERSON

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

ALUMNI & FRIENDS LUNCHEON 12:00 PM | Indianapolis, IN

General Admission - $18/person Register today at sebts.edu/alumnilunch24

SOUTHEASTERN BAPTIST

THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

WAKE FOREST, NC

DANIEL AKIN PRESIDENT

SCOTT PACE PROVOST

RYAN HUTCHINSON

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR OPERATIONS

JONATHAN SIX

VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

REBECCA PATE - Director

CHAD BURCHETT - Associate Director of Marketing, News & Copy Writer

ABIGAIL GINSTERBLUM - Photographer

CLARISSA HARTMAN - Graphic Designer

SOPHIE RHOADS - Social Media Manager

FRANCESCA SMYLY - Graphic Designer

RYAN THOMAS - Senior Graphic Designer

CORBIN WEAVER - Marketing Assistant

FINANCIAL & ALUMNI DEVELOPMENT

DREW DAVIS - Director

GEORGE HARVEY - General Counsel & Director of Planned Giving

CHRIS ALLEN - Assistant Director for Church & Convention Relations

MEREDITH COOK - Grant Coordinator

CADEN FARR - Annual Giving Officer

JESSICA GODDARD - Development Events Specialist

TANNER KEEN - Alumni Relations Specialist

COOPER KRUMREY - Gift Accountant

SOFIA MORALES - Administrative Assistant

DAVID ROGERS - Major Gifts Officer

JONATHAN VAUGHAN - Church Relations Officer

To inform us of address changes or if you would like to receive the magazine, please contact us at 919-761-2177 or email alumni@sebts.edu

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary seeks to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20).

Southeastern is an institution of higher learning and a Cooperative Program ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention. Support comes through the gifts of the Cooperative Program and the individual friends of the seminary who provide assistance through wills, estates, and trusts.

Great Commission Magazine of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (ISSN 2327-154X) is published by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, P.O. Box 1889, Wake Forest, NC 27588

www.sebts.edu | /sebts

Marketing and Communications

P.O. Box 1889

Wake Forest, NC 27588-1889 (ISSN 2327-154X) (Occupant) or Resident

MASTER OF DIVINITY MDiv EQUIPPING DISCIPLE MAKERS FOR EVERY CONTEXT, FOR ALL PEOPLE, FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.

Our flagship degree is designed to equip students to fulfill the Great Commission biblically, theologically, and practically.

Find out how you can get equipped at sebts.edu/mdiv