@bruceashford
Bruce Ashford is the Provost at Southeastern. He is also an Associate Professor of Theology and Culture as well as a Fellow for the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture.
I
’ll never forget the first time I met Danny Akin. When
in achieving that vision. Through his preaching, teach-
I was introduced to him, he was standing in the foyer
ing and personal influence, he has helped move South-
of a hotel one year during a meeting of the Evangelical
eastern Seminary and the churches of the Southern
Theological Society. At that time, he was Dean of the
Baptist Convention toward a Great Commission Resur-
Faculty at Southern Seminary and I was a newly-hired
gence. Over the course of a decade, I have seen him
faculty member at Southeastern. It had been rumored
press forward with this deeply biblical vision even
that he was a leading candidate to be the next president
when he met resistance or otherwise encountered dif-
of Southeastern, so I was pleasantly surprised at how
ficulty.
friendly and accessible he was. I found myself grateful
Third, Dr. Akin is genuinely friendly. He easily en-
that he took the time to talk with me and even share a
gages in conversation with a broad variety of people—
few laughs.
regardless of age, race or socio-economic class—and
The positive impression, which I took away from my
those types of conversations reveal how down-to-earth
first encounter with Dr. Akin, has only increased with
he is. Some of my best memories of him involve ordi-
time, as I have now known him as my president for a
nary things, such as shooting hoops together, talking
full decade. Of the many positive aspects of his life and
about college football or having conversations about
leadership, I now wish to mention five. First, he has led
family life and ministry.
our seminary by instilling in us a grand and powerful
Fourth, his greatness as a leader involves a paradox-
vision: Southeastern Seminary is a Great Commission
ical blend of professional resolve and personal humil-
Seminary. Every professor, every staff member and ev-
ity. During cabinet meetings, he gives cabinet members
ery student knows that Southeastern Seminary exists
the freedom to debate a point or to give honest feedback
to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission.
of any type and even to do so repeatedly. He consis-
Second, he has demonstrated an unwavering resolve
38
sebts.edu
tently comes across as being more concerned with solv-