The Witness-Spring 2016

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spring 2016 MID-AMERICA BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

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he coming of 2016 marks the beginning of a very important moment. Our mission is clear, and the time to act is now. I pray that you will join us as we move to take America for Christ. Please join forces with us in the following actions. I am praying that thousands will team with us in winning America to Christ. This movement will become reality through a three-fold emphasis:

Man the Force We must, first of all, man the force. We need people to accept the call to ministry so that we can flood our nation with Bible preaching and teaching.

Equip the Force We must, second of all, equip the force. At Mid-America we are even now preparing the resources needed for our evangelism efforts.

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Train the Force We must, finally, train the force. Keep close to Mid-America as we provide the training to help our evangelistic force have the “know how� to do the job.

As Dr. Gray Allison has said, Mid-America is about the Bible, missions, and evangelism. Let us stay true to our calling until the race is won.

1. Pray for a revival of personal evangelism among our pastors and church leaders.

2. Pray that thousands will answer the call to serve the Lord in the Gospel ministry.

3. Pray for the thousands of Muslims coming to our shores. Pray that a great turning to Christ will occur among their Muslim peoples in America.

4. Pray that the Lord will raise up an army of prayer warriors to undergird our efforts.

God is love. Jesus is wonderful.

Michael Spradlin President, MABTS

Like Aaron and Hur to Moses, Mid-America alumnus Dennis Landrum leads his Association by serving, becoming an extension of his pastors’ ministries

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-Tended Missions Network (XMN) is the Southern Baptist Association of churches in DeSoto and Tate counties of Mississippi. Since January 2014, Mid-America alum Dennis Landrum has served as the Association Missions Director (AMD). XMN is well stocked with Mid-America men. Within its 68 churches, 43 staff either have a degree or are working on a degree from MABTS.

THE PASTOR AND WIFE of any given church are constantly under attack from the Enemy. So my top priority as AMD has been to connect and to encourage pastors. There is not a lonelier place to be than to be in the role of pastor and not have a friend. I know, because I’ve been there. So I don’t want any of my guys to ever feel like they are alone in the fight.

I call them, I text them, I take them to lunch, pray for them, and I do whatever I can to try to encourage them.

One of my first tasks to perform here at XMN was a demographics study to determine what my Jerusalem is. What I discovered has helped me to direct pastors and church planters in areas that are in need of the Gospel. One of the areas of need is the apartment complexes.

In our two counties, over 67,000 addresses belong to those living in apartments, and very few of our churches are ministering there.

Another interesting fact I discovered from the demographics study

By Dennis Landrum Class of 2013—BACS

is that there are 213,786 people in the two counties, and 15,000 people go to one of our Southern Baptist churches. We had only 763 baptisms take place in our churches in 2015. In all evangelical works there are 73,986 people attending churches on Sunday. Therefore, there are 139,818 unchurched people in DeSoto and Tate counties. We have a lot of work to do!

WE HELP OUR CHURCHES put on Vacation Bible Schools. Wyatte Baptist Church’s Chad Roberson and XMN put together a VBS in Country Haven Trailer Park where our Hispanic church is located.

We had a total of 98 kids every night plus 22 women who came to bring their kids. Chad started a Bible study with the women every night.

I love my job! I love to be involved in church revitalization. In February, we will start our first revitalization project where we will start from scratch with an established congregation and bring in people for music and a new preacher. I also love pairing up preachers and churches or matching up youth and music ministers with churches.

There’s a sense of accomplishment when I get to facilitate the union of a minister with a church and then see God use the person in that setting.

I love what the Lord has allowed me to do, to love on hurting churches and to love on hurting preachers. There are so many avenues to be used by God in this position, and I cherish all of them.

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oday, while I was at the bank, I talked to a new teller and asked her where she went to church. She didn’t have a church that she was attending. Then I asked her if she had been born again.

She knew that she had not and told me so. When I told her that she could be born again if she repented of her sins and surrendered her life to Jesus, she replied with concern, “Really?” She didn’t know she could be saved and have assurance of her eternal destiny. She was open and hungry. I gave her a good Gospel tract and told her I would pray for her. She was grateful for the concern and the Word.

People are open to Jesus and the Gospel more now than they have been in a long time. This may seem a little optimistic to many, however, so I want to explain why people are so open now. I actually think our country may be more open to the Gospel now than at any time since the early 1970s during the Jesus Movement.

Several factors figure into my thinking.

Please remember that Jesus Himself told us to study the times as we study the skies to note the weather changes (Matthew 16:2– 3). What is happening today that might affect Americans and spiritual openness?

FIRST, we are under assault from terrorists. Terrorism is not just in Turkey or in France or in San Bernardino. It seems to be everywhere. Americans are very afraid of what might happen to us and to our families. Terrorism is probably at its height now more than at any time since 9/11.

People are open to Jesus and the Gospel more now than they have been in a long time.

This may seem a little optimistic to many, however, so I want to explain why.

SECOND, nuclear war threatens us more than at any time in recent years, and new United States/Russia tension is a reality. I have done missions work in Russia, and the Russian people do not hate us. Nuclear war is a frightening thought to them, too. This kind of fear makes us think about eternity. I expect that the Russians are also more open to spiritual matters now as well.

THIRD, racial strife is occurring on the streets of our great country. I lived through the 1960s, and fear was definitely a part of my teenage years. This is a legitimate concern in the cities and towns of our nation that may allow hearts to experience an openness to the Gospel. Our “Jesus kind of love” will be received along with our “Jesus message.”

FOURTH, the economy is not stable, and Wall Street is reacting to the Chinese economy’s difficulties. Nobody knows

By Dr. Steve Wilkes

Research Professor of Missions

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where this might go. I don’t want an economic depression or another Great Recession. I know, however, that economic difficulty may be our Lord’s tool to carve out a place for Him as Lord in the hearts of many.

These factors and more have made people afraid, tentative, and aware of the possibility of death. When this is true, people are much more open to our Savior and Lord Jesus. We must look around us and see people again. People all around us are fearful and looking for help. They probably won’t ask for it, but we know that Jesus is the help they need. What else do we know of that will fill the longings of the human heart? Nicodemus in John 3:4 didn’t know the question, but he knew he needed an answer to his empty heart.

I am observing the times. I am watching people’s faces. I am stepping out on faith

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in evangelism. I want to obey the Lord when He said for us to go into all the world.

I ALSO SHARED JESUS with a grocery clerk today. She was in college, and she was interested. She received a Gospel tract with an open attitude. This seems to be the typical response of non-believers when the Word is shared with them in our current day and time. Our lost family members are open, too. They are also afraid. Now is the time for us to love, care, and win them to Jesus. I am after my neighbors and my community for the Lord. I want them in Heaven with me.

I have found myself staring into fire and imagining what hell must be like (Luke 16:19–31). It isn’t a pleasant thought, and I know you agree with me. Let’s seize the moment for our Lord. We will be forever glad that we did.

He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. —John 1:7

Introducing Witness One:Seven. Mid-America is inviting the pastor of every Southern Baptist Church to join us in committing to “Witness One:Seven.” It’s a commitment to witness to at least one person every seven days during 2016. Of course, others are welcome to join us, too, including YOU! But if the pastor of each of the 46,000 SBC churches made the commitment…more than two million people would hear the Gospel during 2016. It all begins with you. Please contact us at witness@mabts.edu to let us know you’re making the “Witness One:Seven” commitment.

WitnessOneSeven.org

Mid-America alumni are making an impact in our denomination at the local, state, and national levels

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he seminary is committed to the mission of training pastors, church staff leaders, and missionaries to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. We are a school that strongly believes in God’s inerrant Word, personal evangelism, and missions as a way of life and ministry. The seminary’s calling is evident in the lives of over 3,000 alumni ministering in North America and on other continents. They are serving in different ministry capacities, and the Lord has placed several in denominational leadership at the local association, state, and national levels.

PERSONALLY, ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS in serving the seminary is seeing the Lord raise up alumni as His leaders for convention ministry.

Our alumni inspire many with their passion to plant churches and see churches revitalized for the sake of His Kingdom.

The zeal for God’s Word and for the lost to personally know Christ is their DNA. It is what defines our alumni. The ones in denominational leadership lead and edify in an inspiring manner through their conviction of making true Biblical disciples.

I was encouraged by this type of leadership while attending the 2016 Arkansas Evangelism Conference.

Alumnus Dr. Sonny Tucker who serves as the Executive Director of the Arkansas

Baptist State Convention, leads with conviction regarding church revitalization and evangelism, in order that this generation and future generations surrender to Christ as their Lord. Their website (absc.org) states, “It is imperative that we do everything with purpose.”

WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT OUR ALUMNI in denominational leadership reflect Psalm 78:72: “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” We are honored that the following alumni serve admirably as executive directors of their state convention: Dr. Jim Richards with the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention; Dr. Jack Kwok with the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio; and Dr. John David Smith with the Baptist Missionary Association of America.

Pray that the Lord will continue to raise up our students to impart wisdom in the area of future denominational leadership.

For more information regarding financially supporting the seminary in training the called, please contact Duffy Guyton, Chief Development Officer, at dguyton@ mabts.edu or (901) 7513030.

By Duffy Guyton Chief Development Officer MABTS

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Ladies’ Prayer Fellowship Luncheon SonRise Breakfast MABTS Golf Classic Saviour: The Story of God’s Passion for His People

PCOMING EVENTS

2 Ladies’ Prayer Fellowship Luncheon 4, 11, 18 SonRise Breakfast 20 Spring Graduation

MAY

4 6, 13, 20, 27

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APRIL

7 Ladies’ Prayer Fellowship Luncheon 2, 23, 30 SonRise Breakfast 4–21 Spring Break 29 Spring Preview Day

MARCH

P.O. Box 2350 • Cordova, TN 38088-2350