Volume 70, Number 9
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Campus Newspaper of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary • Fort Worth, Texas A LOOK INSIDE »
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Gala features awardwinning compositions and world-class musicians pg 8 »
Southwestern receives rare Inquisition-era Torah scroll By Alex Sibley | SWBTS
On Aug. 2, 1492, nearly 200,000 Jews were exiled from Spain in the midst of the Spanish Inquisition. This was just one day before Christopher Columbus departed on his famed voyage of discovery. In fact, Columbus’ diary begins, “In the same month in which their Majesties issued the edict that all Jews should be driven out of the kingdom and its territories, in the same month they gave me the order to
undertake with sufficient men my expedition of discovery of the Indies.” Only 10 near-complete scrolls from pre-Inquisition Spain are known to exist today. One of them, the Sephardi Torah, is now in the possession of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The generous gift of Slumberland Inc. owner Ken Larson and his wife, Barbara, the Sephardi Torah is roughly 80 feet long
and contains all the books of the law, from Genesis to Deuteronomy. The Torah was secured from the world’s second largest collection of Torah scrolls, which is in Jerusalem, with the aid of Scott Carroll, executive director of the newly formed National Biblical Museum in Texas. The Larsons, who have purchased Torah scrolls for other seminaries as well, presented the Sephardi Torah to Southwestern President Paige Patterson during chapel on March 25. “Our goal is not to give pieces of art that are put away, but our goal is that these beautiful Torahs will be used, will be studied, and will change lives throughout seminaries all over the United States,” said Barbara Larson. “It’s a big dream and a big goal, but we see God working through these Torahs for generations to come.” Scott Carroll also spoke during chapel, emphasizing the rarity of the Torah scroll and the uniqueness of its story. He noted that the 10 surviving Inquisition-era scrolls “were tucked underneath the arms of Jews who were expelled from Iberia, Spain and Portugal and they were forced to go to North Africa right around the time that Christopher Columbus was making his maiden voyage across the Torah Scroll pg 2 »
Apologetics conference investigates cold case of Christianity By Alex Sibley | SWBTS Author of Cold-Case Christianity J. Warner Wallace served as the keynote speaker at Southwestern’s second annual “Stand Firm” Apologetics Conference, March 20-21. A cold-case homicide detective and adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University in La Mirada, Calif., Wallace was an atheist until his mid-30s. At age 35, Wallace began to look at the Gospels forensically and soon became convinced of their reliability. Speaking during the conference’s three plenary sessions, Wallace shared some of his investigative methods and conclusions pertaining to the reliability of Christianity. Speaking on the topic of the resurrection, Wallace noted that while anything is possible, not everything is reasonable. He explained that detectives decide what is reasonable through abductive reasoning—that is, determining which explanation is best supported by the evidence. Wallace listed four pieces of evidence concerning Jesus’ resurrection that even secular historians affirm: he was crucified and buried; his tomb was discovered
PREACHING WORKSHOP REVEALS CULTURAL RELEVANCE OF JUDE By Alex Sibley | SWBTS “It’s just the old book of Jude. What use does it have today?” As noted by Jerry Vines, pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., this epitomizes the opinion of many Christians on the New Testament’s penultimate book. Speaking at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s annual Expository Preaching Workshop, March 2-3, Vines argued, however, that Jude is especially relevant in the postmodern age. Noting that the key theme of the book is contending for the faith in the midst of apostasy, Vines said Christians must not welcome and embrace heresy in the name of “tolerance” or accept wrong doctrine in order to be “culturally relevant.” “In studying the book of Jude,” Vines said, “I’ve really come to believe that there’s probably no book more relevant to deal with the issues of our current culture than the book of Jude. And really, what you’ve got here is a survival manual for believers in the days of apostasy.” Preaching Workshop pg 3 »
STORIES OF SALVATION AND RENEWAL REFLECT GOD’S WORK THROUGH REVIVE THIS NATION By Katie Coleman | SWBTS
empty and his body never found; the disciples believed they saw the risen Christ; and the disciples’ lives were transformed by what they saw. Based on this evidence, Wallace listed seven possible explanations,
including that they were wrong, delusional, or lying. He then proceeded to debunk six of these explanations as possible but ultimately unreasonable. Stand Firm pg 2 »
Southwestern sent 100 students and professors during spring break to preach the Gospel in revival meetings in churches across the United States and to evangelize the communities. From March 8-12, a collective 500 sermons were preached. This yielded 72 professions of faith, 32 baptisms and 274 other commitments to Christ. Adam Mallette, director of student services, preached at Dixie Hills Baptist Church in Bolivar, Tenn. Sharing his testimony in chapel on March 17, Mallette described God’s faithfulness to work through revivals in ways he could not have imagined. During the revival, Mallette had the Revive This Nation pg 3 »
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Stand Firm » Continued from page 1 For example, regarding the theory that the resurrection was a conspiracy concocted by the disciples, Wallace explained that conspiracy theories require five things: the smallest number of possible conspirators, a short time span, good communication, familial relationships, and little or no pressure. Given that there were numerous disciples who maintained their beliefs for the rest of their lives as they spread out across the known world; that the majority of them were not related and would therefore be willing to fold on one another if pressured; and the fact that they were all persecuted, some even to death, Wallace argued that the conspiracy theory cannot be reasonably maintained. The final possible explanation based on the evidence is that the disciples were telling the truth; that Jesus had risen from the dead. Wallace argued that this explanation does the best job of explaining the minimal facts corroborated by history. “But the problem is, this explanation has a huge liability,” Wallace said. “As an atheist who was looking at the Christian worldview for the first time, it was a deal-killer for me: in order for this explanation to fly, you have to believe that a resurrection can occur. You have to believe that a resurrection is reasonable.” Here, Wallace noted the importance of presuppositions. He said, “If I’m open only to natural explanations (like the first six explanations), every one of these six has a serious problem. But as a naturalist, I was more Travis Dickinson
than willing to do whatever it took to get over those problems [in order to maintain that Jesus could not have risen from the dead].” Wallace said he eventually realized, however, that the seventh explanation (that Jesus did rise from the dead) is the easier path, and the only obstacle in that path (the idea that supernaturalism is impossible) is one that he put there. He noted, therefore, that while he cannot do anything to answer the problems of the six alternate explanations, he is able to remove his disbelief in the supernatural in order to accept that the resurrection is, in fact, the most reasonable inference based on the evidence. “If I can pull down [that roadblock of disbelief], the path is clear and it’s easy,” Wallace said. “So it turns out the thing that was keeping me from the most reasonable inference was me.” In addition to these plenary sessions, the conference also included three breakout tracts pertaining to God’s existence,
Keith Loftin
Torah Scroll » Continued from page 1 Atlantic from the same ports. Imagine this [the Sephardi Torah] being protected and cared for by someone as he is being exiled from his land. That’s the story that you have here.” Carroll said the scroll itself, which sat on stage during the chapel service, is a legacy of faith and of the perseverance of the word. “To come from somewhere in Spain, bathed in tears, and to find its way to your community here is an awesome and inspiring story. The other thing that it’s a testimony to is God’s love and care in protection of the people of the book—the people who love this book and are committed to it in the most horrific times.” Although the Sephardi Torah has suffered from general wear and tear, considering the age and the historical circumstances, the scroll itself is in remarkable condition. In expressing gratitude to Carroll and the Larsons on behalf of Southwestern, Patterson said the Torah will be studied and viewed by students, faculty and campus visitors, allowing modern believers to experience what Bible study would have been like in the days before the Spanish Inquisition.
Ken and Barbara Larson
faith and science, and cultural engagement. Speakers included William Abraham, Albert Cook Outler Professor of Wesley Studies at Southern Methodist University; Barry Creamer, president of Criswell College; Dave Sterrett, author of such works as I Am Second and Why Trust Jesus?; and Allen Hainline, who leads a Reasonable Faith chapter at UT Dallas. Southwestern faculty also spoke at the conference, including Travis Dickinson, Paul Gould, Keith Loftin, Mike Keas and Evan Lenow. Travis Dickinson, assistant professor of
philosophy and Christian apologetics, said his prayer for conference attendees, as well as for himself, was that their learning would be an act of worship in loving God with their minds. “We very much believe that Christianity is true and defensible,” Dickinson said. “I hope that you [were] blessed this weekend with hearing many different avenues of hashing that out.” Southwestern’s third annual Stand Firm conference is scheduled for March 18-19, 2016. The keynote speaker will be J.P. Moreland, distinguished professor of philosophy at Biola University. This annual conference, coupled with Southwestern’s new 45-hour Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics degree, continues Southwestern’s aim to strengthen believers’ ability to engage the world with the Gospel.
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Revive This Nation » Continued from page 1 opportunity to preach at the church’s Wednesday night service for children and teenagers, many from poor homes and minority groups. Mallette said he had the opportunity to preach a clear presentation of the Gospel. “I know that God touched their hearts in a special way,” he said. The church had moved away from giving invitations, but the pastor asked that they start doing them again during the revival meetings. That week, four people responded to these invitations by giving their lives to Christ, and dozens more made other commitments to Christ. Mallette also described how God used the week to change the hearts of people in an unanticipated way. He brought his 5-year-old son with him on the trip for the simple purpose of sharing the experience of the week with him. What ultimately happened, though, was more than he expected. Mallette said men came to him at the end of each service, broken and crying. They said that because of Mallette’s example of having his son with him to hear him preach, they wanted to be better husbands and fathers. “I didn’t know that God was going to work in that way,” Mallette said. “It was just something that He did, and it was totally separate and apart from what I had intended in those moments.” Reed Chapman, a Master of Divinity student, preached at New Life Southern Baptist Church in Cowen, W.Va. “I
knew we were going to dying churches that needed to be revived,” Chapman said during his chapel testimony, March 18. “I assumed that because they were dying, it meant that they had something wrong with them; that something they were doing was messed up.” Chapman said he was surprised by what he found when he arrived that week. He said the church loves Jesus and loves its community, working to reach and serve a dying and aging community where young adults are forced to leave to find jobs. “Fortunately, God still cares about us. I got to be a part of something special.” Chapman told of one man who gave his life to Christ while they were doing personal evangelism that week. The man had been on the church’s prayer bulletin for more than 20 years, and his wife had prayed for him for 30 years. Todd Tucker, also a Master of Divinity student, preached at New Bethel Baptist Church in Eddyville, Ky., where three local churches worked together to host a revival. Sharing his testimony in chapel, March 19, Tucker said, “It was great to see how the people from different congregations would come together and worship even though it might not have been their own church. It was a great picture of unity.” On Tucker’s last day in Kentucky, he went with a group to a Job Corps where young people can get a GED and learn a
Students and faculty gather in the Rotunda the Friday before Spring Break to pray for God’s blessing over the revival meetings about to take place.
trade to use in the workforce. Because it is a government-run program, they were not allowed to share anything more than words of encouragement. However, they were given a room to use if anyone had additional questions for them. One young man who came into the room told them he was a Christian and had been baptized but only described himself as a “50/50 Christian.” “So I asked him if I could share with him how he could make it to 100,” Tucker said. “I shared the Gospel with him and then also focused on the urgency of the matter — that he needs to make the decision now because he is not guaranteed
to live another day.” Before leaving the room, the young man told Tucker he would think about it. After Tucker left, the student returned to the room, where he told the pastor, “I need you to pray for me. I do not know where I am going when I die.” The pastor was then able to pray with him and lead him to Christ. “It was neat to be able to plant the seed of the Gospel into his life and see how God used someone else to bring him to Christ,” Tucker said. “Never underestimate the significance of sowing the seeds of the Gospel into people’s lives.”
Preaching Workshop » Continued from page 1 Vines spoke during the workshop’s opening session as well as in the chapel service the following day. His chapel sermon was titled, “How to survive and thrive in the apostasy.” Preaching primarily from Jude 17-25, Vines provided three biblically derived imperatives: (1) do not let apostasy surprise you, for the Bible said it was coming; (2) do not let apostasy stop you but rather continue loving the Lord and loving the lost; and (3) do not let apostasy stifle you. Vines concluded, “The ultimate solution to apostasy is God. Stay close to God; keep preaching God.” Vines was joined at the workshop by Southwestern’s preaching faculty. David Allen, dean of the School of Theology, spoke during the second session on the meaning of “the faith” for which Christians are commanded to contend in verse 3. He explained that this has two components: a doctrinal side and a practical, ethical side—that is, one’s doctrine affects one’s lifestyle. For this reason, Jude commands readers to contend earnestly. “Doctrinal error must always be taken seriously in the church,” Allen said. “Doctrinal error must always be refuted in the church. But be sure that you distinguish between that which is false teaching and heresy versus that which is disagreement over secondary doctrinal issues about which Christians can legitimately debate.” Allen listed 10 doctrinal “non-negotiables,” including the inerrancy of Scripture and the substitutionary atonement, for which Christians must contend. He clarified, however, that secondary issues such as eschatology and predestination may be
discussed and debated, though in a loving, nonargumentative way. During the third session, Southwestern President Paige Patterson spoke on Jude 6, which alludes to fallen angels. Patterson derived three assertions from the verse: (1) the angels did not keep their high calling; (2) they lost their home; and (3) they are chained in “Tartarus” (which Patterson said is essentially a holding tank) until the day of judgment, when they shall be completely judged. “Not everything that we wish was clear is clear to us in this passage,” Patterson said. “However, enough is clear for us to determine that angels were a specially created order of messenger beings made in the image of God, and a portion of them forfeited that and are chained in Tartarus, awaiting the day of judgment. “Are all of them there? Apparently not, but we know that most were confined. Apparently, for reasons best known only
to our God, not all were confined, and we today must deal with the world of the demonic.” Matthew McKellar, associate professor of preaching, spoke next on the Jude 20-21, wherein Jude admonishes believers to keep themselves in God’s love as they wait for the return of Christ. Likewise, McKellar called on believers to let future assurance shape present activity. “How is the reality of eternity shaping your life today?” McKellar asked. “How important is that problem you’re thinking about? How important is that issue in light of the endless span of eternity? “One of the early powerful marks of the church was that it longed for the appearing of Jesus. Well, that appearing is 2,000 years closer. We need to long for his appearing. If you have the presence and the promises of God, what else do you need?” Associate Professor of Preaching Vern Charette used his session of the workshop
to examine Jude’s use of illustrations. These included word pictures, similes and metaphors, and Old Testament narratives. Charette then called on those attending the workshop to apply Jude’s preaching method to their own homiletical approaches. “Preachers who continuously put illustrative efforts on the backburner of sermon preparation have actually misunderstood the fundamental purpose of illustrations,” Charette said. “Illustrations are not optional window-dressing; they are a necessary means of communicating the meaning of the text.” Steven Smith, vice president for student services and communications, concluded the workshop by providing instruction on how to preach difficult texts in Jude, such as the quotations from the book of Enoch (verses 14-15) and The Assumption of Moses (verse 9). Smith encouraged preachers to preach confidently and humbly, providing one interpretation of a given passage and then moving on. Above all, however, Smith stressed the importance of not missing the point of the text. “When we get into these difficult passages (such as Jude 5-7), the point is very simply, ‘God judges apostasy,’” Smith explained. “And you can talk about all the different exegetical options, but if you miss that, you’ve missed [the truth of God’s word]. So don’t get distracted and don’t get your people distracted and therefore miss the point. Sometimes we get so excited about cracking some exegetical nut that when we finally crack it, we forget to feed people the meat that’s inside it.”
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Carroll, Scarborough award recipients honored for contributions to Southwestern By Alex Sibley | SWBTS Southwestern Seminary honored Ken and Sue Fellers and J.C. and Kay Humphrey as recipients of the B.H. Carroll and L.R. Scarborough awards, respectively, at a special luncheon, March 4. Southwestern President Paige Patterson bestowed these awards to the couples for their prayerful and financial contributions to the seminary, making possible the training of a new generation of ministers of the Gospel. A successful farmer, rancher and businessman, Ken Fellers lives with his wife, Sue, in Burlington, Okla. Active members of the First Baptist Church of Cherokee, Okla., the Fellers first connected to Southwestern through a meeting with Jack Terry, vice president emeritus for Institutional Advancement at the seminary, during one of his teaching visits to the church. Terry informed the couple about what was going on at the seminary. In response, they decided to visit the campus and learn about the activities of students and faculty. They liked what they saw. The Fellers decided to invest in Southwestern, establishing a scholarship endowment and making contributions to the Jack D. Terry School of Church and Family Ministries. These contributions included funding the renovation of Price Hall, the building in which this school is located. When informed that they would be honored with the B.H. Carroll Award, Ken and
Ken and Sue Fellers B.H. Carroll Award recipients
J.C. and Kay Humphrey L.R. Scarborough Award recipients
Sue were both shocked and humbled. “We feel like we’ve been led to do what we’ve done, and we feel like it’s His calling,” Fellers says of receiving the award. “We’re just glad to be able to do a little.” This year’s recipient of the L.R. Scarborough award, J.C. Humphrey has had an eclectic career. Throughout his decades in the professional world, he worked in a research lab, became involved in computers, worked for such companies as Texas Instruments and Lockheed, and
also served for a brief time in Texas state government. In tandem with this professional work, Humphrey never gave up his service to the Lord, serving as a deacon and Sunday school teacher in local Baptist churches. In addition, he has taught a special Bible study in homes and businesses for more than 35 years. Residents of Kingwood, Texas, a community in northeast Houston, J.C. and his wife, Kay, were invited several years ago to attend a Southwestern Advisory Council
meeting at the Havard extension in Houston. There, they met Jack Terry and First Lady Dorothy Patterson. Enthused about the seminary’s work, the Humphreys decided to invest in Southwestern. “We love the Lord and we love what the seminary is doing, namely training men and women for full-time ministry,” Humphrey says. “I’m a little old now to be going on mission trips and doing things, but through the seminary, the world can be touched, and so we love supporting that.” The Humphreys have contributed to several projects at Southwestern, including the construction of the Horner Homemaking House and MacGorman Chapel, as well as the seminary’s effort to become an “All-Steinway” school. In addition, the couple serves on Southwestern’s Board of Visitors and provides email communication to friends of Southwestern in Houston and the surrounding area, keeping them informed about events at the Houston and Fort Worth campuses. “We enjoy the seminary and enjoy what it means, what it stands for, and what it’s doing,” Humphrey says. “We are big believers in the Great Commission, and so it’s just been a great joy. We’ve done this not for any reward; we’ve done it just because we enjoy doing it.”
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Visiting Brazilians learn about preaching, Baptist heritage By Alex Sibley | SWBTS
The week of March 2, more than a dozen pastors, professors and seminary students from Brazil visited the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition to attending the seminary’s annual Expository Preaching Workshop, March 2-3, the group, sponsored by Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley, S.C., also received instruction from Southwestern faculty on matters of evangelism and Baptist heritage. Regarding the latter, Madison Grace, assistant professor of Baptist history and theology,
presented a paper to the group on Baptist beginnings in Brazil. Grace focused on the five founders of the first Baptist mission in Brazil: American missionaries William “Buck” and Anne Bagby and Z.C. and Kate Taylor, and Brazilian national Alfonso Teixeira de Albuquerque. The Bagbys and Taylors were recruited to go to Brazil by A.T. Hawthorne, who was burdened for the people of Brazil but was too old to go there himself. Highlighting the connection between the Brazilian mission and
Texas, Grace noted that both Hawthorne and Buck Bagby were Texans, and both were acquainted with B.H. Carroll, Southwestern Seminary’s founder and first president. In fact, when Carroll started the theology department at Waco University, which was the precursor to Carroll’s founding Southwestern, Bagby was his first student. Because of this, Bagby once joked, “Dr. Carroll and I founded the seminary. He was the faculty and I was the student body.” The Bagbys arrived in Brazil in 1881; the Taylors followed in 1882. The group initially planned to work with English-speaking Brazilians—that is, the numerous ex-confederates who, in the wake of the American Civil War, had immigrated to Brazil. This led to the formation of multiple English-speaking churches, which needed pastors. Nevertheless, the Bagbys and Taylors felt a burden for the native people of Brazil. Working with Teixeira, a native-Brazilian Christian, the group learned Portuguese and founded a church in Salvador, Bahia, that would specifically appeal to Brazilian nationals. During his presentation, Grace highlighted some of the group’s initial strategies for reaching Brazilians. One of the key strategies was the use of Gospel tracts, some of which they wrote themselves, including “How to Pray” and “The New Birth.” Additionally, Teixeira wrote a pamphlet titled “Three reasons why I left
the church of Rome,” which proved beneficial in the midst of the largely Roman Catholic culture. Another key strategy was the group’s emphasis on personal evangelism in addition to their weekly church services. Grace recounted that, in spite of persecution, the ministry proved fruitful. Nevertheless, as early as 1883, Bagby acknowledged in a letter to Hawthorne that they could “do better work and more work in separate fields.” So, in 1884, the Bagbys left for Rio and founded a church there. Teixeira, likewise, left Bahia and founded a church in his native city, Maceio, Alagoas. The Taylors, meanwhile, continued to lead the church in Bahia. Grace concluded that by the time the Baptist Convention of Brazil was founded in the early 20th century, Baptist work was already occurring in major cities of Brazil as a result of these five Baptist believers. Director of Global Theological Innovation Brent Ray says that, for many of the visiting Brazilians, Grace’s presentation was the first time they heard the story of Baptist beginnings in Brazil. He notes that to do so “where it all began”—that is, Texas—made it a remarkable experience. The “icing on the cake,” Ray says, was the Brazilians’ opportunity to see and touch Bagby’s personal Bible—which is owned by Southwestern—from which Bagby preached the Gospel to the first Brazilian converts in the 1880s.
Grindstone panel discusses church planting By Alex Sibley | SWBTS During an urban church planting practicum in Boston several years ago, Steve Lee, professor of Baptist church planting at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, interviewed 15 church planters about their ministry experience. All 15 said that planting a church was the most difficult thing they had ever done but also the most rewarding thing they had ever done. Regarding the former point, the planters pleaded with students, “Do not come to this city unless God thrusts you out.” Speaking during a Grindstone panel discussion, March 23, focusing on the topic of church planting, Lee concluded with this exhortation to future church planters in the audience: “A planter needs to have a firm call of God. That’s going to anchor your soul in the darkest nights.” Part of Southwestern’s annual North American Church Planting Week, the Grindstone panel included Lee and North American Mission Board (NAMB) representatives Ron Shepard and David Elliff. The panel fielded questions from members of the audience, the majority of whom expressed interest in becoming church planters. Questions ranged from how to prepare for life as a church planter to overcoming financial difficulties to how to do evangelism on the streets of Seattle. Regarding what it takes to be a good church planter, Shepard, city missionary for Seattle, Wash., said an effective church planter is one who develops an eye, a heart and a mind for personal evangelism. “If
you go back to the great texts in the Bible, we’re called to take the initiative regardless of how shy we are. You can’t hide as a church planter; you have to be an obedient disciple, [which means evangelizing on the streets].” Elliff, a recent graduate of Southwestern (Master of Divinity, 2014) who is now a church planter in Seattle, said that to be a good personal evangelist, along with following the lead of the Holy Spirit and investing in the lives of those in field, authenticity is the key. “We have to share the Gospel broadly,” Elliff said, “and we have to share the Gospel boldly, but we also have to show these people that we are here, and we want to be part of the community and earn their respect through serving them and loving them while being authentic about our faith.” He added that those to whom church planters minister are going to be authentic about their beliefs—or lack thereof—and so church planters should do the same. Building on this idea of serving the community, Lee stressed the importance of investing in people’s lives in practical ways. Lee related the example of Ekklesia, a church planted on Vancouver Island, Canada, by Southwestern alumnus Matthew Bond, which holds soccer clinics every summer, attracting people from all over the city. Bond and his team then use this opportunity to share the Gospel. One of the questions from the audience concerned how church planters can
survive financially. Shepard said there are two basic realities: first, partnerships with other churches are crucial to church plants’ survival, and second, church planters themselves must live modestly. “I live in a high rise in downtown Seattle, and I still eat a $1.25 can of chicken and rice soup for dinner three times a week with a little hot sauce and kale in it,” Shepard said. “So that’s become my family’s normal way of living and doing life.” On preparing to become a church planter, Lee said he repeatedly tells his students to be faithful, available and
teachable. He also encourages them to take as many courses as possible and learn as much as they can from experienced church planters. Beyond that, however, Lee stressed the importance of serving others and proclaiming the Gospel. Spiritual disciplines, he said, must be cultivated now. “If you’re not going to pray now, you’re not going to pray later,” Lee said. “If you don’t share Christ now, you won’t do it later. Do it now.”
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North American missionaries encourage Southwesterners to plant churches By Katie Coleman | SWBTS
During Southwestern’s annual North American Church Planting week, March 23-25, students had the opportunity to connect and network with church planting missionaries and leaders from cities all over North America. The North American Mission Board (NAMB) missionaries and mobilizers represented such cities as Taos, N.M.; Los Angeles, Calif.; and Philadelphia, Pa. Two free luncheons during the week gave students the opportunity to hear testimonies from NAMB missionaries of how the Lord has worked in the cities in which they serve. The students were also encouraged to consider joining these missionaries in the field.
Jason Kim, NAMB’s Korean church mobilizer, described the challenge he experienced during his early years of church planting. He expected a rapidly growing church that saw immediate results. But as he struggled to start his first church plant, he quickly realized the reality was far from what he had envisioned. “Church planting is not romantic, exotic work,” Kim said. “It is a sacrifice, but a rewarding sacrifice. It is not always exciting, and I found myself saying, ‘Lord, what am I going to do? I need you.’” Kim said that after prayerfully waiting, God provided, and he began to see his church grow.
Encouraging others to join him in planting churches, he said, “If you want to experience God in this way, you need to join us. Give some sacrifices, and God will reward you in this experience.” Dan Morgan, a church planter in Canada, encouraged faculty and students to consider serving in Canada and help bring a nation to Christ through evangelism and church planting. He went on to describe a country where only four percent of its population attends church. “My challenge for you is pretty simple,” Morgan told prospective church planters. “I believe that God always goes before us to do our work. I believe that in this room are a few people who have an undiscovered call to cross the border and come help us win a nation to Christ.” Paul Atkinson, director of church starting for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, hopes to mobilize people to plant churches throughout Texas. He told Southwesterners that, while Texas may have financial and other practical resources, what they need more than anything is people who are willing to plant churches. “If you don’t go with us, go with one of these other cities. Go somewhere,” Atkinson said. “We need churches that will reach the lost and let the people of Texas know how much Jesus loves them.
I need evangelists who will get in there and not just be evangelists for the 10,000 or the 5,000, but for the one. I need you to go into communities and share with those people how much Jesus loves them and how he has a purpose for their lives.” Atkinson went on to say that church planting does not always require people to go very far, explaining that it could happen even within a few miles of Southwestern. He concluded that if one has a core desire to reach people for Jesus, they should go somewhere. “It may not be with us, but please go to New York, to Pennsylvania, to Canada; go somewhere. The field is wide unto the harvest.” In addition to these luncheons, North American Church Planting Week provided numerous other opportunities for students to learn from and connect with church planters. A Grindstone panel discussion, March 23, and a dinner Q&A session, March 25, allowed students to hear from NAMB representatives as well as Southwestern Professor of Baptist Church Planting Steve Lee. Also, throughout the week, NAMB missionaries set up booths throughout the student center, where students could learn more about church planting opportunities.
Grindstone answers question, “Is Patterson an Arminian?” By Alex Sibley | SWBTS At a Grindstone Q&A discussion on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, March 26, Roger Olson, Foy Valentine professor of Christian theology and ethics at Truett Theological Seminary in Waco, Texas, attempted to convince Southwestern President Paige Patterson—as well as attending students and faculty—that Patterson is an Arminian. Author of Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities, Olson has devoted more than two decades to clearing up misconceptions about Arminianism, and in the process of doing so, he has asserted that many evangelical Christians, whether they realize it or not, are Arminians. The discussion began with Olson justifying his position that Patterson is an Arminian. He explained that he defines Arminianism, along every other theological category, by what he calls “prototypes”—that is, founders of movements rather than the most recent people identifying themselves with the movements. In the case of Arminianism, Olson appealed to Jacob Arminius himself. After meticulously researching Arminius’ writings, Olson defined an Arminian as “a protestant Christian who believes that God graciously grants us the opportunity and the ability, in spite of our radical fallenness, to freely accept his offer of salvation or turn it down.” “So I don’t believe that Arminianism is first of all belief in free will,” Olson said. “It’s belief in freed will by prevenient grace—by the grace of God that frees the will from the bondage to sin and enables the hearer of the Gospel to either accept or reject the offer of God’s grace.”
Olson said that underlying this concept is the character of God, which he identified as the main issue between Calvinists and Arminians. He explained, “I believe that God is good in a way that we can understand and don’t have to put an asterisk next to ‘good’ when we say, ‘God is good.’ “We’re not just saying God is God, and whatever he does is good; we’re saying we know through Jesus Christ what goodness is, and that’s who and what God is. God’s character is good.” With this in mind, Olson argued that the concept of reprobation, whereby God elects certain people for hell—a concept generally upheld by Calvinists—is contrary to God’s character. Although Patterson has stated many times that he is neither Arminian nor Calvinist, Olson asserted that when Arminianism is defined by Arminius and his earliest followers—rather than those who would later add to or distort the original teaching—Patterson should have no problem identifying himself as an Arminian. Patterson questioned why he cannot simply identify himself as a Baptist, electing not to identify with either position. Although Olson acknowledged that such labels are indeed unimportant, he noted that when Christians discuss such matters as soteriology, election and atonement, they tend to fall into one camp or the other, whether they realize it or admit it. “So of course you can choose not to adopt these labels,” Olson said. “I would argue [however] that there are certain issues where it’s either/or. Either Christ died for everyone, or Christ died only for
the elect. I don’t see how you can believe both or neither. So I would say that, whether you know it or not, if you’re an evangelical Baptist and really think about soteriological issues, you lean one way or the other.” Over the course of the nearly 90-minute discussion, which involved a time for Q&A with the audience, Patterson, in spite of Olson’s argument, maintained that he is not an Arminian. One particular point with which Patterson took issue is Arminius’ lack of conviction regarding the perseverance of the saints, or eternal security. Arminius, as well as his earliest followers, never expressed certainty regarding eternal security.
When Olson related this information, Patterson said with a laugh, “Thank you, Dr. Olson, for rescuing me from the Arminian charge, because I do emphatically believe in the perseverance of the saints—or at least the perseverance of the Savior. Arminius had not made up his mind; I have made up my mind.” At the end of the evening, Patterson noted to the audience that the preceding discussion is proof that people of opposing viewpoints can “carry on a decent discussion” and may even learn something. Among people of faith, he said, “there is no excuse for not having conversations like this.”
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AROUND CAMPUS »
HOURS OF OPER ATION A. WEBB ROBERTS LIBRARY
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Call ext. 8880 to schedule appointment. Weekdays: First appointment at 8:30 a.m. Last appointment at 4:30 p.m. Closed during lunch. Closed on weekends.
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God has called you to local church ministry, and Southwestern’s Office of ChurchMinister Relations exists to connect you with the churches where God may lead you.
April 7
On the Church-Minister Relations website, you can post your resume or apply for ministry positions at Southern Baptist churches through the SBC Church Connection. Through the Non-SBC Job Board, you can also look for non-church employment that will provide for you and your family while attending seminary.
ONLINE EXTRA» Scan this QR Code with your smartphone or visit swbts.edu/cmr.
*All campus services are closed during chapel, Tues., Wed. and Thurs.
Jim Richards Executive Director Southern Baptist of Texas Convention April 8
Paige Patterson President Southwestern Seminary April 9
Brad Jurkovich Pastor First Baptist Church Bossier City, Louisiana April 14
Paige Patterson President Southwestern Seminary
ANNOUNCEMENTS APR 6
APR 6
Land Center Women’s Dinner 6:30-9 p.m. | SBR. Guest speaker Helen Mitchell, director and co-founder of Saddleback@Work, will speak on the topic of integrating faith and work. Free to all Southwestern women. Free childcare available to the first 75 women to RSVP to Michelle Bullens at mbullens@swbts.edu or ext. 3600.
APR 17
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NCAA Basketball Championship Watch Party 7:30-10:30 p.m. | MC. Concessions available for purchase.
APR 10
JULY 6-23
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Parents’ Night Out 6:30-9 p.m. | NCC. To register, contact Cheryl Bell at cbell@swbts.edu or visit the Naylor Children’s Center. The cost is $7 per child with a $20 maximum for families with three or more children.
One Magnificent Obsession 6 p.m. | WMC. Evenings of praise and prayer for the nations. April 17: Finland; April 24: India.
Crawfish Boil 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Pecan Manor Lawn. A family fun event with crawfish, hot dogs and bounce houses.
Radical Reformation Tour Learn about the early 16th century Anabaptists by seeing where they worshipped, suffered and died. Study their lives and their influence from Southwestern professors. Contact Daniel Weaver at ext. 5800 or email swbts.edu/radicalreformationtour.
SPRING
Madagascar Mission Trip Up to six credit hours available. Only nine spots available. For more information, contact wmc@swbts.edu or ext. 7500.
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Japan Mission Trip Up to six credit hours available. For more information, contact Ariel Lee at alee@swbts.edu.
Croatia Mission Trip For more information, contact Trey Dimsdale at gdimsdale@swbts.edu or ext. 6600.
Thailand Mission Trip Up to six credit hours available. For more information, contact wmc@ swbts.edu or ext. 7500. SPRING
Oxford Study Tour
Australia Mission Trip Earn course credit by street witnessing in the city of Brisbane with the City Tabernacle Baptist Church. For more information, contact mbarry@swbts. edu or ext. 2140.
Writing Center The Writing Center offers a place for students to receive help with their writing and overall communication abilities. Students can make an appointment with a WC mentor for help with any part of the writing process, from brainstorming and researching to organization and argumentation. Students can make an appointment at swbts. mywconline.com or visit the Writing Center section on Blackboard for more information. The Writing Center now also offers expanded online appointment hours for off-campus students. For additional information, email writingcenter@swbts.edu or drop by the Writing Center on the second floor of the Roberts library.
Interested in missions? Visit the World Missions Center. Office hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons, 1-4 p.m. Neal and Jana Seaborn, associate personnel consultants, Region 4 IMB, serve three times a week at the WMC and help students for the IMB process. Contact Neal at nseaborn@imb.org or call 817888-6549. Contact Jana at jseaborn@ imb.org or call 817-999-8219.
SPRING
March 15
Herb Reavis, Jr. Senior Pastor North Jacksonville Baptist Church Jacksonville, Florida April 16
Jimmy Draper President Emeritus Lifeway Christian Resources
Mother’s Day Out 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Tuesdays & Thursdays | NCC. Now enrolling children 2 months – 5 years for spring semester. One- and two-day programs also available, as well as drop-ins on a firstcome, first-serve basis. New extended hours: 1-4 p.m. Information on prices and days at swbts.edu/childrenscenter. Contact: Cheryl Bell at ext. 2970 or cbell@swbts.edu.
Riley Center Student Discount Students, their parents, grandparents and siblings can use the student discount for 20 percent off of guest rooms at the Riley Center. For guest room reservations, contact ext. 8800.
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NCC. Family Time Mondays, 5:005:45 p.m.; Saturdays, 10:00-10:45 a.m. Birth-7 Years with parent. Sing, dance, play and make music with the whole family while building listening skills, self-control, turn-taking, cooperation and more! Cuddle and Bounce Mondays, 6:00-6:45 p.m. Birth-1 Year with parent. Play, dance, sing and bond with baby while helping baby develop and grow! Classes begin Aug. 25. For more information, visit swbts.edu/ musicacademy, email musicacademy@ swbts.edu or call ext. 3241.
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Thursday, April 2, 2015
Gala features award-winning compositions and world-class musicians By Katie Coleman | SWBTS Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary celebrated its 12th annual Gala, March 24, which featured the Southwestern Singers, Chamber Chorale, Master Chorale and Chapel Choir as they performed alongside the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Fort Worth Children’s Choir. In his welcome to guests, Dean of the School of Church Music Leo Day said the evening would provide them a taste of different styles of music including classical, 20th century music, a piano concerto and Gospel music. For the first year, the Gala featured a winner of the inaugural Hymn Arrangement Competition. Initiated in fall 2014, the competition was open to undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students, providing them the opportunity to compose and arrange their own musical pieces. The winning piece would then be played at the Gala. “The larger goal of this competition is to encourage students to become artistic students in composing and arranging,” Day said. This year’s inaugural winner was Master of Music student Russell Powell, whose piece is entitled “Fantasia on Lobe den Herren.”
The concert also featured Rachel Park, a doctoral student in piano and winner of the James McKinney Outstanding Performer Award. The award was created in honor of James McKinney, dean of the School of Church Music from 1950 to 1994. Beginning in 1999, it has been awarded to students whom faculty members have found to be outstanding performers in applied areas of music including voice, piano, instrumental and conducting. In another recognition of musical excellence, Desmond Ikegwuonu, a doctor of musical arts in composition student, was recognized as the recipient of the J.D. Riddle Memorial Award for the arrangement of an original piece. Praising the originality of Ikegwuonu’s work, Day welcomed him to the stage to conduct his piece, entitled “Chukwudube,” which means, “God’s leading.” Southwestern’s chapel choir, led by Leo Day, performed “View the City” and “Hallelujah, What a Savior.” Speaking of the choir’s hard work, Day said, “They take my breath away. The Spirit of God is with them.” Other performances included solos from Day and performances from Southwestern’s Jazz Combo.
CONFERENCE ADAPTS AMIDST SNOWSTORM By Katie Coleman | SWBTS
Snow and ice were not enough to stop 117 photographers from doing what they have been called to do: tell stories. The 24th annual Southwestern Photojournalism Conference, Feb. 27 - March 1, was a time for photographers from across the country to gather and learn about the art of visual storytelling from leaders in their field. Conference presenters represented some of the finest in their industry. The weekend’s featured speakers were Anacleto Rapping, who has photographed some of the world’s biggest events, from the Olympic Games to four presidential campaigns, and Dave Black, a Colorado-based freelance photographer featured in such publications as Sports Illustrated, Time and Newsweek. In addition to the main sessions, 16 workshops were offered, covering a wide range of practical topics to help young photographers improve their art. Presenters included, among others, Bob Carey, chair of the department of communication studies at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C.; Louis DeLuca, a veteran photojournalist at the Dallas Morning News; and Matt Jones, a documentary photographer from Richmond, Va. Also among the presenters were Southwestern’s Matt Miller, director of photography, and Adam Covington, director of videography.
All of these images were captured by students at the workshop.
The student practicum portion of the conference was structured to send groups throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area to shoot a variety of photo assignments. But as the conference leaders and participants were en route to their assignments, the rapid accumulation of snow and ice forced everyone to return to campus. The sudden change of plans provided an opportunity for the campus of Southwestern to be the location for the photographers’ assignments. Jim Veneman, one of the founding members of the conference and lecturer at California Baptist University in Riverside, Calif., says, “We’ve learned that regardless of weather and the unpredictable nature of life and work, Southwestern provides a moment of rest, togetherness, renewal and growth— professionally and spiritually.” Every year the conference draws both beginning and experienced photographers. Attendees had an opportunity to present their own work in a “two-minute show” in front of the conference. The speakers and presenters of the conference reviewed students’ portfolios after the main sessions and provided constructive feedback and guidance in visual storytelling. Adam Tarleton, staff photographer at Southwestern says, “The kind of advice you
are going to give an advanced student is going to be different than with someone who is just used to shooting with an iPhone.” In addition to the main conference, a student practicum was available to 30 college-level students. The practicum began Thursday evening, and students were taken to downtown Fort Worth where they were given an environmental portrait assignment. Each group was partnered with a professional photographer who provided advice and direction for the assignment. The conference concluded Sunday morning with a presentation of the Gospel from members of Southwestern’s staff, Matt Miller and Adam Covington. Veneman says, “The Christian perspective was clearly defined as our foundation. Although we saw and heard about vital professional techniques and perspectives, we were reminded of how truly helpless we are apart from Christ. We heard messages of pertinent, current information infused with positive words of encouragement all woven together by an unmistakable faith.” Next year’s Southwestern Photojournalism Conference has been scheduled for February 26-28, 2016. For more detailed information about the conference, visit swpjc.org.