Southeastern Magazine Fall 2023

SOUTHEASTERN

ANNUAL REPORT 2022-2023

The Great Commission is the motivation and framework for everything we do at Southeastern. Central to that is the task of equipping students to go make disciples, which is why we train students in every class to be disciple makers in whatever discipline, vocation, or context God sends them.

L E A R N M O R E AT S E B T S . E D U

As You Make Disciples,

Jesus Is with You T

he Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 has always been dear to me and to our Southeastern family. The reality that King Jesus invites us to join in his mission and to bring him glory among the nations will never cease to astonish me. After all, who are we that our King would choose us as his ambassadors?

Well, we are nothing apart from him, and that is exactly why the promise of Matt. 28:20 is so sweet: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (ESV).

We are nothing apart from him; that is why he commissions us with his presence. If we would see the Great Commission fulfilled, he must go with us.

Verse 20 is even sweeter when read in light of Jesus’s words in verse 18: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

The one who promises to be with us is the resurrected King Jesus, who has all authority in heaven and on earth. There is no heart too hard or enemy too strong that Jesus cannot overcome it. There is no Christian

too weak that he cannot empower. That truth should be a profound encouragement to every one of us.

After all, this Great Commission is for every believer, commanding us to be evangelists and disciple makers and calling us to consider the hard places where Christ has not been named. This task requires so much more than what we can do in our own strength. Indeed, the reality is that Great Commission ministry is not easy.

So why would you give your life to a mission that requires you to live uncomfortably, to proclaim a message that some will think is foolish, and to disciple others where the going is not easy? Because of the one who is with you. The same Jesus who has saved you and me and given us abundant life in him has promised to be with us on this mission — every step of the way.

We who labor in Great Commission ministry do not labor alone and we do not toil in our own strength. The resurrected Jesus who holds all authority is with us. He will never fail us.

That is why it is my joy to be a part of what Southeastern is doing to equip and send students to serve the churches and reach the nations — because I know we are not sending them to fulfill the Great Commission on their own. Thank you for joining us in this great task of equipping students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission. Because of your prayers, support, discipleship, and willingness to send, thousands of students are being trained to make disciples of King Jesus in rural towns and urban centers and hard-to-reach places around the world.

Daniel L. Akin President

About This Issue

18

his annual report celebrates

T the ways in which your

giving is helping us advance the kingdom around the world.

In this issue, we’ll celebrate the completion of our For the Mission campaign and give you insights into what's next. For the Mission is a 4-year campaign to raise $20.5 million for the students, for the faculty, for the campus, and for the cause. You can learn more about this on page 18.

Continue reading for stories of how God is using you to impact the lives of our students who are getting equipped to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission. As you read these stories and updates, we hope you will be reminded to pray for our school to keep God’s mission first in all that we do and to praise him for the ways he continues to use our students for his glory among the nations.

4 Years, 4 Strategic Initiatives, For the Glory of God

20

FOR THE MISSION Through the Years

22

FOR THE STUDENTS

Planting Seeds That Bear Fruit How One Scholarship Changed a Student's Journey

24

FOR THE FACULTY

Extending a Legacy Through an Endowed Chair

Table of Contents 4 Year of the Mission Trip 115 Students participated in mission trips through the Center for Great Commission Studies in the 2022-2023 school year

26

6 Headlines

FOR THE CAMPUS

A Kingdom Heritage

10 Annual Highlights

The Lasting Impact of the Campus

12 Student Spotlight Get to know The College at Southeastern Student Josiah McDill

14 GO Make Disciples: Strengthening the Church in Suffering

32 Endowment Report 36 Featured Alumnus Get to know Mike Kuckel

38 At the Office with Steve McKinion Professor of Theology and Patristic Studies, John Leadley Dagg Chair of Systematic Theology

28

FOR THE CAUSE

Bringing the Gospel Home

Retiring Faculty

S O U T H E AST E R N B A P T IST T H E O LO G I CA L SE MINA RY WA K E F O R EST, NC

DA N I E L A KI N PRESIDENT

S C OT T PAC E PROVOST

RYA N H U TC H I NS ON EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR OPERATIONS

J O N AT H A N S I X

44 David Beck Professor of New Testament and Greek, Associate Dean of Biblical Studies (Retired)

VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

M A R KE T I N G & COMMU NICAT IONS R EBECCA PATE - Director HANNAH MAGAN - Associate Director of Marketing BAILEE BULLOCK - Social Media Manager CHAD BURCHETT - News & Copy Writer CLARISSA HARTMAN - Graphic Designer PATRICK SHANNON - Photographer & Content Creator FRANCESCA SMYLY - Graphic Designer RYAN THOMAS - Senior Graphic Designer CORBIN WEAVER - Marketing Assistant

F I N A N C I A L & A LU MNI DE V E LOP ME NT

45 John Hammett Senior Professor of Systematic Theology (Retired), Former John L. Dagg Chair of Systematic Theology

DR EW 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 SHELOR - Church Relations Assistant JONATHAN VAUGHAN - Church Relations Officer

46 Al James Professor of Missions, Associate Dean of Ministry Studies, Director of the Equip Network (Retired)

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.

47 Sam Williams Professor of Counseling (Retired), Former Fulp Chair of Biblical Counseling

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

IN THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR, the Center for Great Commission Studies led a renewed effort to send more students on mission trips through Southeastern.

Over 115 students participated throughout the year, serving local churches and missionaries and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ among the nations.

Read on to hear more about how they learned and ministered on these trips!

NEW ORLEANS: Our team went to New Orleans

the week before the SBC annual meeting to partner with other SBC seminaries, NAMB, and local churches. They worked together to cover the city of New Orleans with the gospel through street evangelism.

CLARKSTON is known as the most diverse

square mile in North America, as it is the highest concentration of refugees placed anywhere in the United States. Students partnered with Send Relief and NAMB to engage in refugee ministry. Our students went into refugees’ homes, helped with after-school programs, and did community outreach to share the gospel.

JAPAN is likely one of the hardest to

reach places on earth. Students partnered with local IMB field personnel and engaged in gospel proclamation among the unreached Japanese people. They engaged with locals and university students by practicing English with them for the purpose of sharing the gospel.

UTAH: Students shared the gospel and supported church

plants in this area. They spent time having gospel conversations with university students, learned about missionary work in this heavily Mormon area, and worked alongside those who are planting their lives in this North American mission field.

YEAR OF THE

HOUSTON is the most diverse city in the States, serving for decades as one of America’s premier destinations for immigration. Students focused on cross-cultural missions within various people groups and received training in engaging the foreign-born population from closed countries and highly persecuted areas with the gospel.

They evangelized in local parks and apartment complexes full of different people groups.

SOUTH KOREA: Our team helped the IMB Korea team

by doing evangelism as well as training for national leaders.

Students led evangelism trainings with partner churches and helped partner churches with a youth English camp.

RE AD MOR E AB OUT T H I S TR IP O N P. 2 8

SOUTHEAST ASIA:

This trip involved outreach in partnership with a national church as well as interaction and engagement with people from three major world religions (Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism). Students also spent time with several families to hear their vision for missions and learned what it is like to live as “sent ones” in a different country.

ALASKA: Our students

worked alongside church plants in Anchorage to see the need for church planting in a frontier region. They aided these gospel workers in the work they were already doing.

Mission Trip

Headlines

Spring 2023 Graduation • Southeastern celebrated 309 Great Commission graduates last spring, representing 30 states and 18 countries.

• Preaching from Luke 22:43, President Akin charged graduates to remember Christ’s call to salvation and his command to share the glorious message of the gospel.

• Benjamin Merkle was this year’s recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award.

• Attendees also recognized the exemplary service of four longtime Southeastern professors: David Beck, John Hammett, Al James, and Sam Williams (see pages 44-47).

Akin Celebrates Great Commission Stories in Presidential Report At the 2023 SBC annual meeting, President Akin celebrated what God is doing at Southeastern.

Highlights from his report include:

• Fifty-nine students and families were commissioned in spring 2023 to the mission field.

• After two consecutive years of raising more than $5 million in charitable giving, Southeastern raised in excess of $7 million for the first time in its history.

• Last year, over 115 students participated in 9 mission trips through the Center for Great Commission Studies.

4

3

1 Celebrating the Third Prison Program Graduation • Fourteen incarcerated graduates were commissioned in June to serve in field ministry throughout the North Carolina prison system.

• Joining 35 already deployed field ministers, these graduates represent the third graduating class commissioned from the North Carolina Field Minister Program to now serve 11 different facilities across North Carolina.

6

Headlines

1. EdD graduates stand waiting for the faculty processional at graduation 2. Graduates from the NCFMP embrace as they pray together at their graduation in June 3. A graduate poses in front of Binkley Chapel surrounded by family and friends

2

4. President Akin addresses messengers at the SBC annual meeting

Fall 2023

5

6

5. Senior Pastor of Friendship Chapel Baptist Church Enoch E. Holloway Sr. and his wife Marion lead attendees in prayer at the National Day of Prayer gathering on campus in May 6. AMS conference attendees chat during a break in the Ledford Student Center

Renewing Churches and Associations • Southeastern hosted its fifth annual Associational Mission Strategist Conference in August.

• This year’s conference focused on the priority of church renewal not only for addressing church decline in North America but also for developing partnerships to reach communities with the gospel.

• Southeastern’s annual AMS Conference offers AMS leaders opportunities for strategic ministry training and networking with fellow AMS leaders.

7. Tate Cockrell addresses attendees at the fifth annual AMS conference

8 Fall 2023

7

8. Students get to know one another at New Student Orientation this fall

Headlines

7

Fall 2023 Convocation • President Akin charged attendees to trust God and carry the gospel to the nations, sharing the story of Yvette Aarons, the first Deaf missionary with the International Mission Board.

• Akin’s message reminded attendees to trust the Lord fully, know the Lord intimately, and fear the Lord completely — just as Aarons had done throughout her life.

• Urging students to consider the Deaf as they surrender their lives to the Great Commission, Akin invited attendees to pray how they might take a step of obedience and join 14 IMB personnel in reaching the Deaf community with the gospel.

• Following Akin’s address, Aarons joined Akin on stage to offer a word of encouragement, being welcomed by a standing ovation to honor her longevity in ministry and faithfulness to Jesus Christ.

1

Scan here with your phone to watch Akin’s convocation message

1. Deaf missionary Yvette Aarons encourages students at fall convocation 2. Students pose for a photo with Go signs outside of Binkley Chapel after fall convocation 3. Students enjoy hanging out at the fall welcome back event 4. A family poses for a photo with Go signs before fall convocation

2

5. Professor Ronjour Locke greets a student at the fall welcome back event

3 8

Headlines

4

5 Fall 2023

Chuck Lawless named director for the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership • Lawless brings over a decade of pastoral experience to the role and is excited for the opportunity to further equip pastors to serve Jesus and finish well.

• Lawless, who has taught at Southeastern since 2012, will continue his other teaching and administrative roles while serving as director of the Center.

6

7 6. Chuck Lawless, Senior Professor of Evangelism and Missions, Dean of Doctoral Studies, Vice President for Spiritual Formation and Ministry Centers, Richard & Gina Headrick Chair of World Missions, and Director of the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership, in his office 7. Students meet Dr. Lawless’ Australian shepherd, Max, at the fall welcome back event 8. Trustees convened for their fall session on October 9-10 9. New Dean of the College, Seth Bible, chats with students at the Pavilion

8 Trustees and Southeastern Society Celebrate the Mission at Fall Annual Meetings • Seth Bible, assistant professor of ethics and the history of ideas, was appointed as the vice president of undergraduate studies and the dean of The College. With a passion for discipling college students, Bible brings 23 years of Southeastern ministry experience to the role.

• Southeastern Society and trustees celebrated the completion of the four-year For the Mission campaign, having raised over $25.3 million — 123.4% of the original goal.

• Trustees approved a new undergraduate education minor as well as a Master of Arts in education and a Doctor of Education with a specialization in organizational leadership.

9 Fall 2023

• Trustees also approved a new endowment for the Caskey Center for Biblical Text and Translation and two new student aid funds: the Varghese Family Student Aid Fund and the Sara Price Finley Student Aid Fund.

Headlines

9

ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS

AVERAGE PREVIEW DAY GUESTS SINCE FALL '22

SUMMER AND FALL '23 INCOMING CLASS

83 670 115+

STUDENTS WHO WENT ON SHORT-TERM TRIPS THROUGH THE CGCS

STUDENTS AND FAMILIES COMMISSIONED IN SPRING '23 TO LONG-TERM MISSIONS

HIGHEST ANNUAL GIVING RECORDED IN SOUTHEASTERN'S HISTORY

NEW ENDOWMENTS ESTABLISHED SINCE STARTING THE FOR THE MISSION CAMPAIGN

DISTINCT DONORS WHO GAVE TO THE FOR THE MISSION CAMPAIGN As of 9/30/23

41 $7.1 million

24 2,700+

CU R R E NT 5 -Y E A R AV E R AG E

CHARITABLE G IVING HA S INCRE A SE D

44

%

OV E R TH E PR E V I OUS 5 -Y E A R AV E R AG E

WH E R E WE AR E

CLARKSTON

INDIANAPOLIS

CENTRAL ASIA

PARIS

GOING

TOGO

SOUTHEAST ASIA

TH I S YE AR

NEW YORK CITY

NORTH AFRICA

PHILADELPHIA

SOUTH ASIA

AND MORE...

GET TO KNOW

JOSIAH McDILL Originally from Boone, NC, Josiah McDill came to Southeastern to pursue God’s calling on his life to pastoral ministry. As a student in the Timothy Scholars program — Southeastern’s 5-year BA to MDiv track — Josiah is being equipped to serve the Church and make disciples both in the classroom and through his on-campus community. Learn more about Josiah’s Southeastern experience in the following Q&A: did you decide to study at Q Why The College at Southeastern?

to grow in my own walk with Christ.

They were always willing to meet with me, look to Scripture with me, Because I believed God was A calling me to serve in vocaand push me towards the Church.

In addition, when I was a house tional ministry. I knew I wanted and leader, the Student Life staff always needed to be properly prepared for made themselves available to me to this, and I knew from others who went discuss hard things and work with me to Southeastern that I would be able through questions of life and faith. to be trained well here. I also came to My professors here at The College Southeastern to continue to seek out have intentionally discipled me. what avenue of vocational ministry God wants me to serve in. Through my They have not taught me passively but have done all they can to truly time at Southeastern, God has given make sure I understand how to me direction towards and a passion apply what I learn in class to my for pastoral ministry in the local ministry. My profeschurch. I now take each class seeking sors have truly cared to be trained and equipped for pastoabout my walk with ral ministry in a way that will help me Christ and have sought serve the Church for the glory of God. to teach their classes to How have you been discipled equip me to fulfill the Q by students, staff, and faculty? Great Commission.

house are you in, and Q What how have you been involved in the House System?

am in the Judson House (also A Iknown as the best house), and have been involved in worship events, house tournaments, and other fun times of fellowship. I have also served for two years as a house leader in the Judson House. As a Fellow, I maintained order and cleanliness in the guys’ dorms and was a built-in friend and mentor for those who needed me within the house. As a Chancellor, I helped disciple, lead, and administrate the leadership team for the Judson House, setting vision for the house and ensuring students were served and discipled well during their time at Southeastern.

my time here at SouthA During eastern, I have been discipled by students through Discipleship Groups (D-Groups) that Student Life organizes within the student body.

Through these D-Groups, I grew in my ability to discuss theological questions with brothers in Christ and in my knowledge of the foundational truths of the Christian faith.

I have also been discipled by staff here at Southeastern in so many ways.

One way was being given the opportunity to lead a D-Group for freshmen.

I learned a lot about leadership and discipling others through this experience. Throughout my time as a house leader, Student Life was always there for me when I needed something, whether to serve other students or

12

Features

Fall 2023

have you been able to Q How disciple other students as a

are you currently Q How serving in your

a Fellow in the house A Being allowed me to walk alongside

on a hospitality team, A Iinserve childcare, and more recently

guys as they sought to follow Christ with all they had. There were lots of one-on-one and group conversations throughout the school year where we held each other accountable, where I got to point guys toward the gospel during hard times, and where I got to help guys seek truth in Scripture.

As Chancellor, I was able to disciple the four people on my team. It was such a special opportunity to meet with them as a team and one-onone — to ultimately challenge them to love God with all their hearts and love others as they love themselves. I got to share with them all the things God taught me during my time of leading the Judson House.

in the college ministry at Imago Dei Church. Because my heart for evangelism has grown during my Southeastern trips and classes, I am also seeking out how to best serve in local outreach and evangelism at Imago Dei.

house leader?

has your training and Q How experience in The College equipped you to make disciples off campus?

time here at The College A My has taught me how to defend my faith and theology well, how to love others well as I seek to push them towards truth, and how to be confident in sharing the gospel with those who do not know Christ. At Southeastern, I have learned to read and interpret Scripture more faithfully, which enables me to teach others the truth of the Bible and how to interpret it. I have now been able to do these things with siblings, lost coworkers, and college and high school students outside of Southeastern.

Fall 2023

local church?

is God directing you to Q How fulfill the Great Commission with your life?

believe God is directing me to A Ifulfill the Great Commission by going into my neighborhood, doorto-door, to build relationships and share Christ. I believe God is directing me to fulfill the Great Commission by giving financially towards overseas missions. I believe God is calling me to fulfill the Great Commission at my workplace as many are far from Christ. I believe I am called to fulfill the Great Commission as a pastor who will shepherd a flock, helping them be faithful worshipers of God and helping them go out and lead others to worship our Savior.

13

Strengthening the Church in Suffering

A

s Southeastern equips students to be sent on mission to hard-to-reach regions of the world, thousands of Southeastern students are already there serving in difficult places. Through Southeastern’s Persian Leadership Development Initiative (PLDI) and its partnership with Mojdeh Ministries, students like Hope* and her husband Ethan* are being equipped to fulfill the Great Commission in closed countries.

As a part of Southeastern’s global community, Hope and Ethan are making disciples amid suffering and are now using their training to serve where churches are scarce and few have access to theological training.

New Life Raised in a nominally Muslim family in the Middle East, Hope did not know any Christians in her community.

However, when Hope was a young adult, a devout Muslim neighbor came to faith in Jesus Christ and shared the gospel with two of her sisters. Captivated by the truth of the gospel, Hope’s sisters became disciples of Jesus and began secretly attending a house church.

When Hope eventually found out, she confronted them, fearful of the danger it could bring to the family. Bold in 14

Features

*Names changed for security reasons

her faith, Hope’s younger sister gave her a Bible, and Hope began reading the Gospel of Matthew. Fascinated by what she read, Hope brought the Bible with her everywhere she went — on buses and in public spaces — not knowing it was illegal to own a Bible in her country.

In his kindness, God protected her during that season. As Hope continued reading the Bible on her own, she became increasingly convinced that Jesus was who he claimed to be. Yet, out of fear, she kept her faith a secret.

A few weeks later, the same Christian neighbor who evangelized her sisters shared the gospel with her, and she revealed that she believed in Jesus. He invited her to join their house church, where she later prayed in repentance and confessed her faith in Christ for the first time.

Before coming to faith, Hope had been planning to marry Ethan, a devout Muslim. Once she became a Christian, she knew Ethan would disapprove of her faith, but she was still eager to find ways to share the gospel with him.

During a particularly challenging season at work, Ethan had vowed to perform 40 weeks of prayer at a holy site and mosque in their region. Each week, he would visit the complex and perform his rituals, praying to Muhammad for answers. However, Ethan never received an answer, and Hope recognized the opportunity to plant a

Photos by Patrick Shannon (SEBTS) and Annie Spratt (Unsplash)

Fall 2023

gospel seed in Ethan’s heart.

“I told him, ‘You have tried praying to Muhammad, but you still have no answer,’” recounted Hope. “‘You believe in Jesus according to the Quran, so why don’t you pray in Jesus’s name?’”

Ethan agreed and asked Hope what to do. She told him they should go to church. So, she brought Ethan to her house church, and when worship started, she waited for him to say they had to leave, but Ethan stayed quietly until the service was over.

When they left, Ethan was still resolved to go back to the Islamic holy site to complete his vow. However, that next week, Ethan asked Hope to return to her church even while he finished his prayers at the mosque.

After attending the house church together for several weeks, Hope looked over during worship and noticed Ethan crying. When they walked out, Ethan told her, “This is what I was looking for but in the wrong place before.”

Praising God for answering her prayers, Hope shared the gospel with Ethan and brought him to her neighbor who had led her to Christ. Ethan confessed Jesus and became a follower of Christ.

Ministry in Unlikely Places Now united in Christ, Hope and Ethan got married in a traditional wedding before moving to the North, where their house church sent them on a Christian couples retreat in a neighboring country. There they were married in a Christian ceremony and received deep biblical teaching for the first time in their Christian journeys. Hope and Ethan returned to their home in the North, eager to see how God would use their life together.

One day when Ethan was buying flowers at a local shop, the shop owner noticed Ethan’s necklace — a golden cross — and asked him if he was a Christian. Ethan said, yes, and the shop owner revealed that he was also a Christian. The shop owner shared that his house church desperately

Fall 2023

needed Bibles, and he asked if Ethan would be willing to smuggle some Bibles to a region further north.

“That was an ‘aha’ moment for us, and God just really changed our hearts and helped us realize why he had directed us to move to the North,” recalled Hope. “We had been sent to serve the Church in the North.”

That realization sparked their life-altering commitment to smuggle Christian resources. During the week, Hope and Ethan gathered materials and stored them in a secret compartment in the floor of the flower shop. On the weekends, Hope and Ethan made the three-and-a-half-hour drive to the North to smuggle Bibles and Christian materials. The Lord blessed their efforts and enabled them to make more ministry connections in the North, expanding their smuggling network throughout the region and into a neighboring country.

Features

15

On every trip, Hope and Ethan had to stop at check points where their car was subject to mandatory searches by officers who did not need a permit to search for contraband. However, in God’s providence, each time they would pass through the check points, something would happen with the car in front of them or behind them, and they would pass through without being searched.

“God always provided for us,” recalled Hope. “Officers would confiscate goods from the cars around us and randomly let us pass. Once, an officer was too busy retying his shoes that he let us pass unchecked. On every drive, it was clear to us that God had gone before us.”

Hope and Ethan’s home became a hub for Christian retreats in the North as people would gather there weekly and monthly for classes and spiritual retreats. As they grew in their faith and surrendered to God’s purpose for their lives, he continued to give them opportunities to disciple people in their home. When they led others to faith, Hope and Ethan would baptize the new believers in a small pool on their property.

Hope and Ethan became increasingly bold in their testimony and often left Christian symbols out in their house even when Ethan’s devout Muslim family would visit, hoping to spark conversations with them about the gospel.

When their two children were born, Ethan and Hope realized maintaining these networks across national borders was too difficult to man-

16

Features

Photos by Patrick Shannon (SEBTS) and Linus Mimietz (Unsplash)

age with a growing family, so they decided to move back to the capital so that Hope’s family could help take care of the children while they continued to minister.

After four years in the North, Hope and Ethan smuggled over 3,000 Christian books and Bibles along government-monitored roads to Christians with little access to biblical resources.

Prison, Asylum, and Divine Provision During those days, Hope and Ethan’s house church often rotated between houses to avoid government surveillance.

On one Sunday, they decided to host church at Ethan’s mother’s house.

As they were preparing for people to arrive, Hope and Ethan heard their kids running toward them from the garden, and they looked up the hill behind their kids to see secret police descending on the garden and house. Grabbing Ethan, the police pinned him to the ground. At the same time, more secret police came around from the front of the house, escorting other church members who had just arrived. The police took Ethan and three other leaders inside for interrogation, even as their children cried for the officers not to hurt them.

Meanwhile, the police were also deploying search teams to confiscate evidence of their Christianity, and they arrested Ethan, placing him in isolation in prison.

Hope heard nothing from Ethan for the next couple of weeks. When she finally received a call from the prison, Ethan just wept with her on the phone. Psychologically tortured night and day, Ethan had resisted their efforts to coerce information out of him. After confining Ethan to a month in isolation, the officials allowed his family to post bail for his release until his trial. Forced to surrender their house deed as bail, they secured his release. When Ethan rejoined his family, his appearance was so altered that their younger son no longer recognized him.

During that time, the police often interrogated and threatened Hope as well, making it difficult for her to care for her children. Surveilled by secret police, Hope and Ethan had to find ways to warn missionaries and other believers in their network to stay away, further deepening their isolation.

As they waited, they continued trusting God to care for them and guide their family. As Ethan’s court date approached, they learned who his judge would be, and they knew execution was a likely outcome. So, they prayed for God to open a door to serve in another country, and in his timing, he provided an opportunity to flee to a neighboring country through their missionary connections there.

Without time to pack, Hope and Ethan and their kids fled the country, leaving their family and belongings behind.

When they reached the airport, the police were waiting for them. However, in God’s providence, the officials

Fall 2023

agreed to let their family leave, revoking their rights to ever return.

Rejoicing in God’s sovereignty, they began their new life in a different country. However, even after Hope and Ethan fled their home country, their government continued to track them and threaten the family that they left behind.

So, they stayed for a month in a neighboring country before seeking asylum further west toward Europe.

Training and Ongoing Discipleship Even before Hope and Ethan were forced to flee their country, Christians in their network had told them about the training available through Mojdeh. Hope had started courses in their home country and planned to continue — that is, until Ethan’s arrest and her interrogation. When the police confiscated their Christian resources, the government denied her access to training, and she supposed she would no longer be able to continue her education.

However, when Hope and Ethan fled the country, Kambiz Saghaey, director of PLDI at Southeastern, heard about their story and invited her to join the pilot cohort of Southeastern’s new bachelor’s program completely in Farsi.

Amazed at God’s provision, Hope jumped at the chance to be further equipped to serve.

“Kambiz told me that they were inviting around 30 students to join the first cohort, and I knew I needed to be one of them,” recalled Hope.

Fall 2023

As they settled in their new country, Hope began her bachelor’s program, and Ethan enrolled in Mojdeh’s certificate courses. Already refined by years of suffering, Hope and Ethan were eager to add biblical depth and theological understanding to their faith.

“Before we fled our country, we were disciples of Christ, but our understanding of the Bible was very basic,” noted Hope. “We didn’t have access to much teaching, and even in our house churches, we lacked training. Now, however, through Mojdeh and Southeastern we have been equipped to learn deeply about theology — about God and his word — and are now able to teach what we have learned.”

“As we’ve studied online and participated in seminars in Europe, we’ve been trained not to fall for false teaching, which is so common in our regions,” commented Hope.

Even as new students, Hope and Ethan became active again in ministry — resolved to remain faithful to God’s calling on their lives. They started a house church in their home and began outreach and discipleship in their new community. Even as refugees, Hope and Ethan have been intentional to maintain connections with people in their home country, discipling people through social media and ongoing ministry connections.

First PLDI graduating class

Ministry in their new country has not been easy, however. In the past eight years, the government there has interrogated and even beaten Ethan on three occasions for their ministry in the region as house church leaders.

Nevertheless, even as Hope and Ethan suffer for making disciples, they remain confident in God’s strength and thankful for his grace.

“We thank God that he saved us and that even through much trial he gives us strength,” noted Hope. “At points, we have thought our life was done and our story was finished, but we are still here serving him and learning more about him. It is unimaginable how God has blessed us.”

Would you join us in praying for Hope and Ethan’s ongoing ministry and for them to be continually strengthened in Christ as they make disciples?

Features

17

4 Years, 4 Strategic Initiatives, For the Glory of God The For the Mission campaign began in 2018 with one goal: to enable Southeastern to be more effective in her dedication to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission. With the strategically allocated resources funded through the campaign, Southeastern can continue to fulfill her mission by preparing the next generation of pastors, counselors, missionaries, and community leaders to serve in towns and cities in North Carolina, across the nation, and around the world. This semester, we celebrate God's faithfulness and provision as the For the Mission campaign is now complete!

Thank you to the over 2,700 donors who gave to this campaign!

FOR THE STUDENTS $1,500,000 GOAL

FOR THE C AMPUS

281%

105%

FOR THE FACULTY $3,000,000 GOAL

$8,500,000 GOAL

FOR THE C AUSE

141%

105%

$7,500,000 GOAL

TOTAL RAISED

TOTAL RAISED

AMOUNT

PERCENT

$25,305,520

123.4% Amounts as of 9/30/23

FOR THE STUDENTS

FOR THE C AMPUS

STUDENT AID ENDOWMENTS

LEDFORD CENTER DINING HALL EXPANSION

• Provides financial support for students who meet the requirements • Enables students to graduate with reduced student loan debt

• Improves the overall student experience by expanding on-campus meal options • Provides dedicated banquet and event space

FOR THE FACULT Y

• Allows us to house an additional 100 on-campus students each year • Increases the undergraduate student housing capacity by 65%

BOSTWICK HALL RENOVATION

ACADEMIC ENDOWMENTS

• Recruits and retains world-class scholars to train the next generation of pastors and missionaries • Benefits countless students for generations to come while keeping Southeastern accessible to qualified students • Provides support for academic centers in their mission to equip people to engage in missions, in culture, and in pastoral leadership

FOR THE C AUSE SOUTHEASTERN FUND

• Offsets tuition for every student • Provides technological upgrades • Provides needed facility improvements and more

Through the Years

What's Started?

• Started 33 new student aid funds • Established the Caskey Center for Biblical Text and Translation • Established an endowment for the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith & Culture

• Established an endowment for the Persian Leadership Development Initiative in honor of George & Joan Braswell • Continued funding for the Sam James International Church Planting Endowment

• Established the Bruce Little Chair of Christian Philosophy • Established the John H. Sailhamer Endowment for Old Testament

2019 $7.9mil

2020 $10.8mil

What's Next?

2021 $12.9mil

• Bostwick Hall renovation • Dining Hall addition to the Ledford Student Center • Future student aid funds

2022 $16.5mil

2023 $25.3mil

As of 9/30/23

Planting Seeds That Bear Fruit

How One Scholarship Changed a Student’s Journey

The For the Students initiative ensures the students God calls to prepare at Southeastern are trained and sent out at an affordable cost with little to no student debt.

Through the support of Great Commission donors, this initiative keeps tuition costs low and funds numerous scholarship opportunities like the Mercy Scholarship, which provides tuition funding for qualified Master of Divinity students.

Because of your generous support, Mercy Scholarship recipients like Charles Haley have been able to receive seminary training and are now faithfully serving churches around the world.

eceiving the Mercy Scholarship was a

R profound and timely blessing for me and

my family. Because of that blessing, I am now pastoring a local church, having been well equipped to serve during my time at Southeastern.

When I sensed God directing me to pursue my MDiv at Southeastern, I quit a full-time teaching job so I could be a full-time student. At that time, I was single and was working multiple jobs to make ends meet. During my first year of school, I met Lindsey and her daughter, Scout, and Lindsey and I got married in 2019 — the same year I was called to pastor Hickory Rock Baptist Church in Louisburg, NC. In the fall of 2020, as Lindsey and I were expecting our second daughter, I learned that

22

For the Mission

Story by Charles Haley

I would no longer receive some of my external school funding. I felt overwhelmed with worry and fear.

During that time, I was also trying to help my church navigate through the ins and outs of COVID-19, online worship, and what felt like a million other things. In order to continue my MDiv, I realized I would have to take on an extra financial burden, and I was beginning to worry that it was a selfish thing to do to my growing family.

It was during this season of questions and unknowns that I received an email from Southeastern notifying me that I had qualified for the Mercy Scholarship. I submitted an application, and I had no expectations about receiving it. I had only just heard about the Mercy Scholarship and didn’t know if it would cover enough of my tuition

Photos courtesy of Charles Haley and Hickory Rock Baptist Church

Fall 2023

FOR THE STUDENTS

Institutional Student Aid Amount of Institutional Student Aid awarded since the For The Mission campaign launched in 2018: $8,626,777 Number of students who have received Institutional Student Aid since 2018: 2,204

to remain in school. It truly was a situation in which I was forced to wait on God and see what he would do.

If I was going to finish school, I had to trust that he would provide the means for that to happen. To my amazement and as an answer to my prayers, I learned that I had received the Mercy Scholarship and that it would cover the entirety of my tuition for the academic year. I was overwhelmed by God’s kindness.

For my family, this was nothing short of God’s blessing and confirmation for me to finish my degree.

Without the Mercy Scholarship, I do not know if I would have been able to finish my MDiv. The generosity and graciousness of donors allowed me to continue my theological education and training and, in turn,

Fall 2023

Mercy Scholarship Number of students who have been awarded the Mercy Scholarship: 267

helped me to become a better pastor to my congregation. Through the training I received at Southeastern, I am better equipped to preach God’s word faithfully, to counsel my church family with compassion, to love my wife and lead our children, and to share the gospel with those who are far from Christ.

Because of the Mercy Scholarship, I am now pastoring and discipling a local church to love God, love one another, and love the lost. My ministry at Hickory Rock is a testimony to the charity and grace of the dear brother or sister who gave to make the Mercy Scholarship possible, and it is my prayer to bear fruit at Hickory Rock — fruit that this generous donor has helped to begin.

For the Mission

23

Extending a Legacy Through an Endowed Chair Supporting the men and women God calls to teach at Southeastern, the For the Faculty initiative provides inflation-adjusted support for faculty positions, academic centers, and vital academic initiatives. Academic endowments funded through this initiative generate future income in perpetuity, helping to ensure the ongoing doctrinal integrity and academic rigor of the institution. In the following story, Jim Shaddix, senior professor of preaching and W. A. Criswell Chair of expository preaching, shares how these academic endowments enable him to equip students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.

24

For the Mission

’ll never forget the day in 1982 when three college buddies and I visited the historic First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. We were on a spring break trip to visit a seminary we were considering after graduation.

While in the area we wanted to see the place where the great pastor-expositor, Dr. W. A. Criswell, preached every week.

When we arrived at the church, we made the naïve college student decision to go to the pastor’s office and ask to see him. Of course, he wasn’t in.

As we exited the building into a side alley, however, we were surprised to see the great preacher approaching. We eagerly introduced ourselves, and then were shocked when he invited us up to his office! During our visit, I asked Dr. Criswell what counsel he would give to young men like us who had been called to preach. The distinguished pastor stood up, leaned across his desk, pointed his finger at me, and firmly said, “Young man, keep your mornings for God!” At the time I had no idea how the great preacher’s charge would shape my ministry. Through most of my 40+ years of pastoral preaching, his words have dictated my morning routine and helped me be spiritually and sermonically prepared to expound the Bible.

Today, I’m privileged to hold the endowed chair at Southeastern Seminary that bears his name, the W. A. Criswell Chair of expository preaching. In my role, I have the joy and responsibility of extending Dr. Criswell’s legacy through Southeastern’s institutional values:

I

Fall 2023

F O R T H E F A C U LT Y

Spiritual vibrancy — Dr. Criswell’s challenge to me in 1982 compels me to likewise challenge multitudes of young preaching students who go from our school to shepherd God’s people through the exposition of his word, a task that requires them to protect time to pray for the Spirit’s help diligently and prepare to expound his word faithfully.

Doctrinal conviction — I was at the 1985 Pastors’ Conference in Dallas when Dr. Criswell preached his famous sermon, “Whether We Live or Die,” a pivotal message in the conservative resurgence and arguably the most significant of his ministry. As a professor who affirms Southeastern’s four doctrinal confessions, I get to be a part of holding high that same standard of doctrinal fidelity.

Ministry preparation — Dr. Criswell founded The Criswell College in 1970 to equip generations of expository preachers who would hold fast to the inerrancy and authority of the Bible and expound it faithfully. At Southeastern, I get to partner with local churches in training students who embrace and practice those same values.

As founder and chancellor of the Criswell College, W. A. Criswell dedicated his later years to preparing young preachers to preach the word of God. He emphasized that a sermon should take God’s truth and “make it flame, make it live!” Criswell believed that “the word we preach from our pulpits ought to be like the word of God itself ­— like a fire and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces (Jeremiah 23:29).”

As a pastor, he served at First Baptist Church Chickasha, OK, and First Baptist Church Muskogee, OK, prior to being called to First Baptist Church Dallas in October of 1944. For 50 years he was senior pastor of First Baptist Church, for many years the largest church in the Southern Baptist Convention. Preaching more than 5,000 sermons from its pulpit, Criswell became the historic church’s first Pastor Emeritus in 1995.

Global focus — In addition to his global preaching ministry, Dr. Criswell led his church to operate 31 missions in the city of Dallas and send a host of missionaries abroad. At Southeastern, I get to help equip pastors who will shepherd churches with that same Great Commission focus.

I’m forever thankful for Dr. Criswell’s legacy of doctrinal integrity, expositional preaching, and gospel advancement. But I’m equally grateful for the generous donors who make possible endowed chairs like the one I hold in his honor. Behind the scenes, they provide the resources for faculty members like me to help equip future generations to hold fast to the faith, minister God’s word faithfully, and unreservedly take the gospel to the nations.

Fall 2023

For the Mission

25

APPROX. TRANSFORMER LOCATION

CL

A Kingdom Heritage APPROX. PAVILION SERVICE PANEL LOCATION

N. WINGATE ST.

The Lasting Impact of the Campus

Stewarding Southeastern’s historic CL campus means leveraging its location and property to maximize Great Commission impact. Integral to that task, the For the Campus initiative enables Southeastern to maintain and build facilities that house classes and events, facilitate community, and encourage discipleship. In the following story, Ryan Hutchinson, executive vice president for operations at Southeastern, describes how the campus uniquely contributes to Southeastern’s Great Commission vision.

S. WINGATE ST.

CL

Binkley Chapel

ecently, I ran into a graduate on campus who was visiting with their kids. Both parents wanted to show their children the special place called Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. They wanted the kids to see where they had met, where some of the children had lived when they WEST were younger, AVENUE and other significant memories from their time in Wake Forest. For this family as well as many others, Southeastern’s campus holds a significant place in their hearts because of how they were shaped during their time as students.

Winston Churchill, in his speech to the House of Lords on October 28, 1943, said, “We shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us.” Since 1834, buildings on this campus not only have been built and renovated but also have shaped the faculty, staff, and students. Southeastern has continued that tradition, holding its first classes in 1951 on this campus and in these buildings.

R

26

45" OAK

For the Mission

The investment made by North Carolina Baptists in this campus nearly 190 years ago continues to yield returns, and the investment of Southern Baptists to this campus over the past 72 years has enabled Southeastern’s enduring Great Commission impact. Investing in the campus is an investment in students for years, decades, and perhaps centuries to come. How do our buildings and our campus shape the students at Southeastern?

Let me take you on a brief tour of the campus to illustrate how our students are shaped by it. First, we have Binkley Chapel. This landmark not only anchors our campus but also visually dominates the entire Town of Wake Forest.

Binkley Chapel is where students are equipped through conferences, chapels, and other special events. Here, they passionately sing God’s praises alongside their classmates and professors.

Here, they listen to the word of

Adams Hall

Broyhill Hall

GENE 1.

2.

Jacumin-Simpson Missions Center

Fall 2023

CL

CL

Stealey Hall

Denny Library

Appleby Hall

FOR THE CAMPUS

Stephens-Mackie Hall

God faithfully preached. Here, they study on the steps, get engaged or married, or even experience God confirming their calling to serve the Church or go to the nations.

If you head west from Binkley Chapel, you’ll pass Adams Hall, Broyhill Hall, the Jacumin-Simpson Missions Center, and Stephens-Mackie Hall — places where you may have been shaped in class, mentored by professors, or encouraged in your relationship with Jesus. Further west, you’ll pass Stealey Hall, Appleby Hall, and Denny Library, where you may have spent hours presenting research, studying for an exam, or meeting with staff. Beyond the Library, you’ll pass the residential buildings, the new Ty Williams Memorial Pavilion, and the Ledford Student Center. Here you may have experienced deep Christian community for the first time, met the love of your life, or debated profound theological topics over a cup of coffee or during a pickup game.

If you continue west from Ledford to Carson Hall, you’ll find the classrooms where you were challenged by professors, learned to defend your positions, deepened your love for God and his word, and internalized the memorable sayings from your professors that have stayed with you throughout your ministry.

Even for the distance learning student, these places hold significant importance as students interact with the campus both virtually and in-person during visits for hybrid classes, conferences, and research. A campus is not merely a utilitarian space but a landmark of one’s mission and heritage and a formative place that exerts influence on all who encounter it.

This written tour of the campus likely evoked images in your mind of how it has impacted you. Saints of God have made an investment in this special place for nearly 190 years, and that investment continues to impact generations of students, faculty, staff, and guests as they experience the Great Commission heritage of our campus and as they witness the word of God faithfully lived and preached in this place.

The architecture, landscaping, and character of our campus testify to God’s provision, invite us into community and habits of learning, and remind us of our ongoing mandate and mission to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission.

We pray that your ongoing support for the maintenance and growth of this remarkable campus will bear kingdom fruit for years, decades, and potentially centuries to come.

ERAL NOTES REFER TO CIVIL DRAWINGS FOR ASSOCIATED INFORMATION. ARCHITECT TO BE ON SITE DURING PAD STACKING AND AXIS LOCATION.

Ty Williams Memorial Pavilion

Fall 2023

Ledford Student Center

Carson Hall

For the Mission

27

V H WY

Bringing the Gospel Home

Jiwon assists her uncle and home church pastor in teaching Korean cultural expressions of honor.

When you give to the Southeastern Fund, you allow your money to be used where it’s most needed.

Whatever the amount, your support helps us to equip students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission. One way this happens is enabling students like Jiwon to go on mission trips through the CGCS during their time at Southeastern.

n July’s scorching heat and high humidity, I went with a team from Southeastern Seminary to my home country of Korea. When my friends heard the news that I was going back to Korea for a mission trip, they all responded with curiosity: “Korea is no longer a mission field, so why are you coming to do missions here?” I had expected that response because many Christians in Korea don’t recognize Korea as a mission field. However, many professing Christians still hold syncretistic beliefs deeply influenced by Confucianism, and most of the younger generation of Koreans do not have any religious affiliation. These realities mean there are still many lost sheep in Korea. That’s why I was eager to return to Korea as a missionary.

During my first year at Southeastern, the greatest lesson I learned comes from Matthew 28:19 where Jesus gives his disciples the Great Commission to “go and make disciples.” I’ve learned that it is about obeying his command and proclaiming his message regardless of where I am. I wanted to obey his command, so when I heard about the mission trip to Korea, I signed up to go.

On this mission trip, I played the role of a “bridge” between the Korean locals and the mission team. As a Korean, I

I

28

For the Mission

Story by Jiwon Mun

served as a channel of communication, helping my team understand and navigate Korean Christianity, culture, and language barriers. While the purpose of missions is undoubtedly to proclaim the gospel, I believe it is crucial to have a clear understanding of the target culture and your own cultural background. Having experienced both Korean and American cultures, it was a joy to serve the team as a cultural “ambassador” (on brand with our mission team coleader and rapper, the Ambassador, also known as Professor Duce Branch).

As is often the case on mission trips, we faced several bumps in the road. In Korean culture, people do not typically engage in small talk with strangers, and some locals are prejudiced against talking to strangers due to aggressive evangelism from Jehovah’s Witnesses and even sometimes Christians. As expected, we regularly encountered that reality; nevertheless, this opportunity led me to seek boldness from the Lord through daily morning devotions and a time of sharing with my team members. Through encouraging each other, praying together, and enjoying time together, we became united as a team with deeper confidence in the Lord. It was a blessing to feel united around a common purpose: glorifying God. This was my favorite part of this mission trip — being one in God’s word together.

During the second week of the mission trip, we moved to Jeju Island and helped lead a Christian youth camp. There, I had the opportunity to talk with teenagers and listen to their struggles. I could see their stress from living in a society focused on academics, their wounds that originated from their families, and their attempts to fill the lack of love received from parents with friendships and people’s attention. I could empathize with their pain because I had gone through similar experiences

Photos by Jiwon Mun and Cameron Hayner

Fall 2023

FOR THE CAUSE

during my own teenage years. When I thought about what I could do for them in such a short time of three days, I was reminded of God’s heart — the God who listens attentively to my words and understands me. By actively listening and sharing life with these teenagers, I got to see them open their hearts toward me, and I had opportunities to share how God had worked through my life. I knew the only solution to their ultimate need was to realize that God is the only one who can give them unconditional love. This allowed me to pray for them with a compassionate heart, longing for them to experience God’s unconditional love.

This mission trip gave me an opportunity to rediscover the concept of “missions” — not only to focus on sharing the gospel but also to concentrate on knowing the person whom I share it

with. The trip taught me to seek wisdom from God to enable me to engage with others, listen to their stories, and genuinely become interested in them. I realized that, despite being a native Korean, I still have much to learn about the state of Christianity in Korea.

I also learned the importance of missionaries understanding the culture they plan to evangelize. I thank God for allowing me to be in an environment where I can experience firsthand what it means to be united as a mission team through God’s word and to pour out his compassionate heart on others.

BECAUSE YOU GIVE, WE Has God blessed you with resources to support Southeastern’s Great Commission efforts and invest in the lives of our students, staff, and faculty? To learn about how you can support Southeastern, visit sebts.edu/give.

Scan here with your phone to visit sebts.edu/give.

Fall 2023

For the Mission

29

BECAUSE YOU GIVE, WE

FOR THE MISSION WAYS TO GIVE

SCAN HERE OR GO TO SEBTS.EDU/GIVE.

Cash or Check Please make checks payable to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and send them 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 70 1/2 or older and the annual maximum donation is $100,000.

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.

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.

Thank You for Giving For the Mission he word “thanksgiving” is used over 30 times throughout the Bible.

T Psalms uses thanksgiving on what seems like every few pages. Most

often, the context is God’s people giving thanks to the Lord for his faithfulness to his people. Being thankful is a disposition that acknowledges God’s sovereign provision. Thankfulness is often tied to praise. That is, being thankful praises the Lord for his goodness. One of the things I love about Southeastern is that we give thanks each year for what the Lord has done the prior year.

God’s faithfulness is abundant, especially over the past year. By God’s grace, donors gave at a record pace, and the For the Mission campaign is complete.

These gifts are incredible investments in kingdom ministry. In addition to record giving, our admissions team brought in one of our largest incoming classes. These accomplishments don’t cause us to boast of our greatness but to acknowledge God’s faithfulness to Southeastern.

So many of you prayed, sent students, or financially supported Southeastern over the past year. Know that we are incredibly thankful to the Lord for your support. The Lord uses your gifts and the students sent our way to multiply his ministry across the U.S. and around the world.

I am incredibly grateful for your faithfulness to the Lord to pray for Southeastern, send students to us for training, and support our mission financially.

Because of your support, we can accomplish the Lord’s calling upon our school.

With thankfulness,

Jonathan Six, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Endowment Report Over the past three years, donors have directly contributed nearly $7 million to strategic endowments. These endowments ensure long-term financial security for the seminary and provide the means to equip students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission until Christ’s return.

Fund Overview

EQUITY

Asset Allocation

30% Fund Overview

$13,180,000

The Endowment Fund is a long-term investment for Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary requiring annual spending and real growth.

The Fund consists of global equity, fixed income, special opportunities, and real assets.

EQ UITY

F I X E D I N C OME & CAS H

$13,180,000 EQ UITY

$6,600,000

$13,180,000

R E A L AS S E TS $14,950,000

15%

FIXED IN CO ME & CASH $6,600,000 FIXED IN CO ME & CASH

34% $6,600,000

REAL ASSETS $14,950,000 REAL ASSETS

Purpose & Expectation

D I V E R S I F Y I N G ST R AT E G I E S EQUITY - 30%

$9,230,000

The long-term goal of the Endowment Fund is to exceed the sum of 5% annual spending, inflation (Consumer Price Index), and fees.

Risk Control We expect the overall volatility to be less than the benchmark, and this is achieved by diversifying among many different asset managers and asset types. One of our core principles is downside protection, so care is taken to hire managers appropriately and to diversify widely.

32

F I X E D I N C O M E & CAS H - 1 5 % R E A L AS S E TS - 3 4 % D I V E R S I F Y I N G ST R AT E GY - 2 1 %

TOTAL

$4 3,960,000 B E N C H MA R K 70% Stocks (MSCI ACWI), 30% Bonds (Bloomberg US Aggregate)

I N C E P T I O N DAT E June 01, 2018

30% 30%

15% 15%

34% 34%

$14,950,000

DIVERSIFYING STRATE G I E S 21% $9,230,000 DIVERSIFYING STRATE G I E S

21% 21%

$9,230,000

TOTAL 100.00% 6 0,000 TOTAL $43,9

$43,9 6 0,000 BEN CHMARK

100.00% 100.00%

70% (MSCI ACWI), 30% Bonds BENStocks CHMARK (Bloomberg US Aggregate) 70% Stocks (MSCI ACWI), 30% Bonds (Bloomberg US Aggregate)

INCEPTIO N DATE

Endowment Fund / Oak City Since Inception: June 01, 2018 June 01, 2018

INCEPTIO N DATE

Investments are screened to avoid companies involved June 01, 2018 with alcohol, tobacco, gambling, pornography, and abortion-related goods and services.

Fall 2023

Investment Strategy

Embrace Stewardship

•

Asset allocation is critical

•

Employ portfolio to reflect worldview

•

Downside protection is important

•

Engage in investments honoring to God

•

Biblical worldview is non-negotiable

•

Believe that our resources belong to God

Performance Returns PO RT F O L IO N E T O F F E E S 15%

RE TURN RATE (%)

12% 9%

11.93 8.62

6.29

B E NCHM A RK

11.6

8.35

6.74

6% 3% 0% -3% -6% -9% -12%

Since Inception (Ann)

Trailing 3 Years (Ann)

Trailing Year

Total Endowment Balance (Last 10 Years) $45,000,000 $40,000,000 $35,000,000 $30,000,000 $25,000,000

The total endowment balance has increased by 71.5% since 8/1/2013.

This increase includes donations, unrealized gains, and realized gains over the ten-year period.

$20,000,000 $15,000,000 $10,000,000 $500,000 $0

Fall 2023

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

33

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

34

Fall 2023

! i n m u l A , Hey

UT

HE AST

E RN

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.

SO

STAY CO NNECT ED & MA K E A N I M PAC T!

A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N

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 alumni@sebts.edu

didn’t grow up in a Christian home, and Southeastern Seminary was my first real opportunity for biblical worldview formation. I had studied business in my undergrad degree at a state school, and I felt prepared for the business world, but — as I came to realize — only from a secular perspective. The resources and the challenge that was laid down by my professors and others at Southeastern made it natural for me to go and engage business as ministry and see the opportunity the marketplace holds to be a witness for Christ. It has made all the difference in the world!

When I graduated with my Master of Divinity from Southeastern in 2003, I served for years in the finan-

I

FEATURED ALUMNUS

MIKE KUCKEL 36

Photos courtesy of Mike Kuckel and Greenville Community Church

cial services industry and specialized in biblically responsible investing, applying biblical principles I learned at Southeastern to the area of investing. That experience led me to start Sovereign Financial in 2017. At Sovereign Financial, we do “stewardship planning,” which is financial planning from a biblical perspective. So, we plan differently, invest differently, and seek to help people be good stewards of everything the Lord has entrusted to them.

Fall 2023

We saw that there was so much of the industry driven by fear and greed, and that presented the opportunity to bring a wholly different perspective to the industry. Unexpectedly, that has led us to have some incredible opportunities to share the gospel through our work, and almost half of our clients are not professing Christians. These clients have engaged with us for financial planning and found that the way we do things is the way they want to live.

Today I am also serving at Greenville Community Church in Greenville, SC, as a pastor focused on preaching and teaching, discipleship, and missions strategy. In 2014, our family went to downtown Greenville to replant a church that had been overrun by gangs and the homeless population. With seven faithful people from the church we started anew. Today the church is thriving and we are focused on reaching the city and the nations as we seek to plant new churches and send our people out. It has been a hard yet sweet season of ministry as we focused on expository preaching, one-on-one discipleship, and preparing our people to go share the gospel.

My training at Southeastern has been vital to our ministry efforts and helped shape my desire to see people put their faith in Jesus and then go and take great risks in following him.

As God has granted me opportunity to learn and to serve him, he has also blessed and grown our family in so many ways. Southeastern has been one of those blessings. My wife and I both benefitted greatly from our time at Southeastern. We came to school with one child and left with three. Now we have 10! Southeastern prepared both my wife and I to think about raising our children in the ways of the Lord. It has been an amazing journey as we now have four adult children and can see some of the fruit of our labors as they are pursuing Christ. Our greatest desire

Fall 2023

is to see our children walking in the truth, and we are thankful to see what God is doing in their lives.

It was at Southeastern that we made a commitment to daily family worship together and living our faith transparently in front of our children. We have been especially thankful to be able to homeschool all of the kids and help them develop their faith and a biblical worldview as they engage their subjects and the wonder of God’s creation. Our children have also been involved with us in ministry every step of the way, and it has been an incredible blessing as they have ministered along with us to see the church reborn.

Particularly, in the early days of the church replant, they were the team I counted on for our audio tech, worship team, children’s ministry, and more. They were also my co-laborers as we met our neighbors and shared the gospel, and as we ministered to our homeless population. Those are times that I will always cherish as I watched them grow in their faith and serve alongside my wife and me.

Of course, I don’t lead my business, ministry, or family alone. God has given me great partners. My business partner, my co-pastor, and my wife and children have been incredible blessings in this journey. It is my delight to also partner with the institution that had such a profound impact on my life. Southeastern means more to me than I can truly express, and it is a joy and a privilege to support the school as they prepare men and women to take the gospel to the nations.

I am thankful every day for my time and education at Southeastern.

The school prepared me to lead my business, my church, and my family with biblical wisdom and, more so, with a passion and longing to see God glorified in every area of my life.

My Southeastern training has been a treasure for me that has yielded a fantastic return in all areas of my life.

37

AT THE

OFFICE with Steve McKinion

As a pastor and professor, Steve McKinion is passionate about making disciples in the church and in the classroom. Drawn to the deep spirituality and Christ-centered confession of the church fathers, McKinion helps students drink deeply from the well of church history as they continue the Church’s mission to make disciples. In the following Q&A, McKinion, professor of theology and patristic studies and John Leadley Dagg Chair of systematic theology, shares about his life, ministry, and early church research.

38

Fall 2023

Q

How do you like to spend time with your family?

We’re a sports family, so we like to watch sports and play sports. I’m an Ole Miss fan (Hotty Toddy).

When our kids were little, we would watch them play or coach their teams. We’re also a big movie family.

One of my recent favorites is “Top Gun: Maverick."

Ginger and I also really enjoy going to rock concerts. We love 80s rock music. Some of our favorite concerts from the last several years have been the Eagles, Chicago, Foreigner, Journey, and Styx.

A

Q

What hobbies do you enjoy outside the office?

Woodworking is my main escape. My dad was really into woodworking, so I had some background in it. Once our kids moved out of the house, I had more time to pick it up as a hobby again. I’ve enjoyed making furniture and little trinkets or gifts for people.

I also have an old truck that I like working on as well, which means I get to do some mechanic work from time to time. It was my grandfather’s truck, then passed down to my dad, then passed down to me. I enjoy doing things with my hands since my job is all about what I’m doing with my mind.

A

Q

How did you meet your wife, Ginger?

We briefly met when she came with a friend to the church where I was serving. We just shook hands and said hello. It wasn’t until six weeks later that a mutual friend of ours basically set us up on a blind date. Our friend encouraged me to call Ginger and ask her out, so that’s exactly what I did.

We went out for the first time in April of 1994, and we were engaged by July of that year. In January of 1995, we got married in Mobile, Alabama. Then in August of that year, we moved to Scotland for three years during my doctoral studies. We’re now just a short way from our 30-year wedding anniversary.

A

Q

What first drew you to study theology, and at what point in that journey did you decide to focus your research on patristics?

I knew I wanted to be better equipped to minister to the Church. I was serving as a youth minister at the time, and I knew I didn’t want to do that long term.

I wanted to be best prepared for ministry, and I felt like

A

Fall 2023

39

theology was the better track at that time because it would offer me extensive textual and theological training.

I thought I was going to focus on Reformation studies, so I was reading about the Marburg Colloquy — this dispute between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli where Zwingli accuses Luther of being an Apollinarian and Luther accuses Zwingli of being a Nestorian. I had very little knowledge of what those heresies were, so I started reading about them in the writings of the church fathers. When I started reading the fathers, I was hooked. I was drawn to the fathers because they were all about the Bible. As someone committed to the inspiration, authority, and sufficiency of God’s word, I was excited to find that they were committed to the same things.

Q

Which early church father has influenced you the most? In what ways?

Most of my work has been A on Cyril of Alexandria, a fifth century theologian. I first encountered his writings against Nestorius, and then realized Cyril had written a commentary on virtually every book of the Bible. In reading Cyril, I was drawn into the biblical text for spiritual formation and transformation of everyday life. His sermons and commentaries were written for the Church because Cyril was truly a pastor to people. As a pastor, I want 40

to do the same thing that he did, teaching people the Bible and helping them become disciples of Jesus.

The church father that I’m most drawn to, however, is Irenaeus, a second century theologian, who wrote “Against the Heresies” and “Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching.”

I’ve been particularly impacted by Irenaeus’s way of reading the Bible.

He was consumed with the biblical text, and while combatting the Gnostic heretics, he laid out a robustly Christian way of reading the Bible — in particular, the Old Testament. His Christian reading of the Old Testament helped me recognize the decidedly Christian way the New Testament writers read the Old Testament.

Irenaeus helped bring the whole Bible to life for me. He emphasized the Bible as the locus of God’s revelation to us and, at the

same time, emphasized Christ as this recapitulated humanity — the Son of Man who is bringing redemption to all of humanity.

Q

What advice would you give students who want to start reading the early church for themselves?

What works would you recommend first?

Start with the early church writers themselves and then explore secondary resources. The fathers are accessible and are often available in good translations. They are proclaiming the same gospel that you and I believe and preach every week.

A

Fall 2023

I would recommend three primary texts to begin with: Irenaeus’s “Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching,” then Athanasius’s “On the Incarnation,” and then Cyril’s “On the Unity of Christ.” These books weren’t written to be read as a series, but they really do tie well together. Irenaeus gives us this Christian way of reading the Bible that shows us the Old Testament is about Jesus. Athanasius helps us understand that Jesus is the location where God is present and humanity is present in fullness for the purpose of salvation. Lastly, Cyril explains for us both why it is important that Jesus is fully God and fully man and how this perfect union of God and man is the basis of our salvation in him.

My number one recommendation for a secondary text would be Robert Wilken’s book, “The Spirit of Early Christian Thought: Seeking the Face of God.” It’s an excellent companion to the church fathers.

Q

ics, and not your typical systematic theology. It will be structured around the holistic story of Scripture — the way I teach my theology courses.

Q

What has God been teaching you in his word lately?

I think the one word that God brings to mind is patience. I’m generally not the most patient person, but the Bible has a lot to teach me about patience — in terms of both patience with God and patience with other people. First and Second Peter have been reminding me to be patient with God because he knows what he’s doing. His timing is not our timing. I am learning to be patient and trust him.

I am constantly reminded that when you’re impatient with others, it is hard to help shepherd them toward

A

transformation in Christ. I am the preaching pastor at Woodland Baptist Church. I started as the interim pastor in 2021 and have been permanent in that role since November of 2022.

So, it has been so important for me to learn patience in relationships — patience with fellow Christians but also with non-Christians who are hearing the gospel but have yet to accept it.

It is a joy to grow in ministry and serve the Church even while training others to do the same. It’s really difficult to train pastors and missionaries without having either some extensive ministry experience or some ongoing ministry investment.

What research or writing projects are you currently working on?

I have two books on Christology that I’m working on. One is a popular-level work and then one that is a more academic work that I hope to complete by the end of the year.

I am also working on a one-volume systematic theology. I’ve been teaching systematic theology for 25 years now, and it has taken me 25 years to finally write it. It will be a dogmat-

A

Fall 2023

41

WH O WE A R E 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.

G LE N N & PAT TI STE E N

Southeastern Society Members since 2018 GLENN - MA in Christian Studies (2020), current DMin student PATTI - MA in Biblical Counseling (2006), DMin Counseling (2019)

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 –

WH Y WE G I V E 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.

H OW TO JO I N 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

Retirements

David Beck Professor of New Testament and Greek, Associate Dean of Biblical Studies (Retired) At Southeastern from 1995-2023

fter 28 years on Southeastern’s faculty, David Beck retired from teaching and administration on July 31, 2023.

Beck joined the faculty at Southeastern in 1995 as assistant professor of New Testament and Greek. When he accepted the position, Beck was confident that Southeastern would be an institution that championed the authority of the Bible and the priority of missions.

Over the next 28 years, Beck contributed to Southeastern’s biblical and missional culture, challenging generations of students to love God’s word and God’s mission and to serve the Church with integrity. For Beck, that has been his goal in teaching for nearly three decades.

Embodying what he taught, Beck distinguished himself as a scholar, mentor, and minister of the gospel. As a local church pastor during much of his time at Southeastern, Beck modeled faithfulness in ministry to his students not only in the classroom but also at each church he served. In God’s kindness, Beck’s ministry continues to fuel ministry and mission through the lives of his students who are now serving the Church around the world.

As he retires, Beck will continue using his gifts by doing some occasional teaching on biblical leadership. He also plans to enjoy time with his wife Jeannie and their grandchildren while pursuing his hobby of gardening.

A

Above: An article by Dr. Beck in Volume II, Issue 2 of Sepharim, a former newsletter of the Library at Southeastern

44

Right: An article in News & Information announcing Dr. Beck’s appointment to the Southeastern faculty in March 1995

I enjoyed having Dr. Beck for classes on the Gospel of John and the book of Acts with a church planting emphasis. His love for the Lord, the Scriptures, and those unnamed disciples as faithful witnesses was inspiring. May the Lord bless Dr. Beck and his family in this next life season.

Dave Brown Former student of Dr. Beck

John Hammett Senior Professor of Systematic Theology (Retired), Former John L. Dagg Chair of Systematic Theology At Southeastern from 1995-2023

fter 28 years of faithful teaching at Southeastern Seminary, John Hammett retired from full-time teaching and administration on July 31, 2023, as senior professor of systematic theology and John Leadley Dagg Chair of systematic theology. In his retirement, Hammett will teach occasional courses as an adjunct professor and continue mentoring doctoral students at Southeastern.

While stateside from a five-year term as missionaries to Brazil, the Hammetts were sorrowed to learn that ongoing health issues would prevent their return to the field. In God’s providence, Hammett received an offer to teach at Southeastern where he began as an adjunct professor in 1995. For Hammett, teaching at Southeastern became an extension of his missionary task — teaching and mobilizing others to go to the nations.

Over the next 28 years, Hammett would have a lasting Great Commission impact on generations of students, pastors, missionaries, and other theologians.

Known to students for his humble presence in the classroom, Hammett modeled charity to other perspectives, a commitment to biblical and theological reasoning, and a heart for the Church and its mission. Through his faithful example and longevity as a professor and theologian, Hammett also helped to enrich the charitable and missional culture of Southeastern’s theology department.

A

Above: An article by Dr. Hammett in Southeastern’s former campus newspaper, Newsline Volume III, Issue 14, April 2003.

Dr. Hammett has been an incredible blessing to me first as a professor & mentor and now as a fellow elder at Faith Baptist Church! He is a humble servant of the Lord who leads with excellence and conviction.

Dr. Steven Wade Professor of Pastoral Theology

45

Retirements

Al James

Professor of Missions, Associate Dean of Ministry Studies, Director of the Equip Network (Retired) At Southeastern from 2002-2023 fter 21 years of dedicated service as professor of

missions, associate dean of ministry studies, and A director of the Equip Network at Southeastern

My colleague, my boss, my mentor, and my friend! Dr. James is one of the most selfless and pastoral men I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.

Dr. George Robinson Professor of Global Disciple Making Bailey Smith Chair of Evangelism

Seminary, Al James retired from teaching and administration on July 31, 2023.

Near the end of his family’s second term as IMB missionaries in the Philippines, James received an invitation from Southeastern to join the faculty, and within a few months James had accepted the offer with a desire to continue raising up future church leaders and missionaries to serve the nations well. James joined the faculty at Southeastern as a professor of missions in 2002.

Over the next 21 years at Southeastern, James served in a variety of roles — even while pastoring in local churches.

In 2007, James became associate dean of ministry studies, and 10 years later, he also became director of the Equip Network, which has grown to 265 partnering churches under his leadership.

James has described his many roles at Southeastern as opportunities to serve and enable colleagues, students, and churches to fulfill the Great Commission. James also regards his teaching ministry at Southeastern as a consummate joy because of the Great Commission community and mission of the institution.

As he retires, James looks forward to spending more time with his family, taking the opportunity to travel and enjoy making new memories. James also plans to continue his local church ministry, assisting churches during transitions as an interim pastor. Earlier this year, James accepted a new interim pastorate to lead and support a local church through a period of transition.

Below: Dr. James signs the Abstract of Principles upon his election to the faculty

46

Sam Williams Professor of Counseling (Retired), Former Fulp Chair of Biblical Counseling At Southeastern from 2000-2023

fter 23 years of faithful teaching at Southeastern Seminary, Sam Williams retired from full-time teaching on July 31, 2023, as professor of counseling and Fulp Chair of biblical counseling. Williams, who helped to shape and enrich Southeastern’s worldclass counseling program, plans to continue counseling and teaching occasional counseling courses in his retirement.

Desiring to use his passion for teaching and counseling to further the Church’s mission, Williams joined the faculty at Southeastern in 2000.

While teaching at Southeastern, Williams also served the Church and the community in a variety of other roles as a longtime elder at North Wake Church, a consultant and counselor at The Summit Church (2010-2011), and as the clinical director at Converting Hearts Ministries (2012-present), a treatment program for men with life-dominating addictions.

This love for teaching and counseling has been evident and influential for his colleagues and for his students — many of whom have become missional biblical counselors around the world.

Williams’s legacy of training Christian counselors and helping people flourish as God intended continues to shape Southeastern’s counseling program and its alumni who are now serving in Christian ministry around the world.

A

I am so thankful for Dr. Williams and the classes I took with him in my time at Southeastern. It has been foundational for me not only in counseling but also in discipleship.

Derek Arnold Former student of Dr. Williams

47

Cultivate Discern. Grow. Lead.

WO M E N ’S L E A D E R S H I P C ON F E R E N C E

M A RC H 8 -9, 2 0 2 4

Julia HI G G I NS

Elizabeth WO O D S O N

Jacki KING

W E I N V I T E YO U AN D T H E WO M E N I N YO U R C H U R C H TO J O I N U S !

SCAN HERE OR VISIT SEBTS.EDU/CULTIVATE TO REGISTER

HOSTED BY

TH A N K YO U TO T HI S Y E A R' S M A J O R S PO NS O R S !

P L AT I N U M S P O N SO R

G O L D S P ONSO RS

D E S IG N D E VE LOP M E N T RE M OD E L H E A LT H ROBL IN G M E D I CA L S OVE RE IG N FIN AN C I A L TIN G IN TE R N E T

To learn more, play, or become a sponsor next year, please visit sebts.edu/classic or email Drew Davis at ddavis@sebts.edu

Marketing and Communications P.O. Box 1889 Wake Forest, NC 27588-1889 (ISSN 2327-154X) (Occupant) or Resident

NG CLAYS SH O O T SP OR TI

April 5, 2024

Rose Hill Sporting Clays Range Nashville, NC For more information regarding sponsorship opportunities, please contact Caden Farr, Annual Giving Officer.

cfarr@sebts.edu 919.761.2217