Southeastern Magazine Spring 2026

About this Issue

hen Danny Akin returned to Southeastern Seminary in 2004, the school was brimming with potential. What it needed was the guiding hand and visionary mind of a man eager to build on its recent growth and ground the institution in God’s word and mission — all while keeping his eyes fixed firmly on King Jesus.

Now, at the end of the longest tenure of a Southeastern president, Dr. Akin prepares to entrust the leadership of the Great Commission seminary to his successor. Over the past 22 years, he and Mrs. Akin have left an indelible mark on the Southeastern community and its mission to equip students to fulfill the final marching orders of our Lord.

This issue offers a grateful reflection on the legacy of Southeastern’s Great Commission president, his convictions, his influence, and his commitment to the mission. Moreover, it reminds us to fix our own eyes on the King and on his promises as we approach the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

n January 2004, our Lord called Charlotte and me to serve as president of Southeastern Seminary and Judson College. We were honored by the invitation and accepted it with hopefulness and excitement. Little did we know what blessings and joy awaited us. These past two decades have exceeded anything we could have ever imagined. As I reflect on all that God has done, a simple phrase comes to my mind again and again: Thank you, King Jesus!

Thank you, King Jesus, for allowing me to work with an incredible group of trustees for 22 years. These men and women loved us, supported us, and prayed for us. They provided invaluable counsel and even correction. I never doubted they had the work of the kingdom and the wellbeing of this school as their primary concern and goal. I have loved and appreciated every single trustee. My life has been enriched by their service and leadership.

Thank you, King Jesus, for giving Southeastern and Judson an amazing group of supporters. The Southeastern Society are some of the most wonderful people in the world. Their prayers enveloped us. Their generosity overwhelmed us. Their words of affirmation and support lifted our spirits and gladdened our hearts. So many have become dear and trusted friends whose friendship we will cherish for all eternity. What a gift from God they are.

Thank you, King Jesus, for the staff of our school. What a group of unbelievable servants. Time and time again, guests to our campus have commented how gracious and helpful our staff is. Those kind words have never surprised me because Charlotte and I have been on the receiving end of this service time and time again. Sometimes Southeastern’s staff have blessed us from a distance and many times up close and personal. But always they have blessed and served us. Lighthearted, others-focused, and missionoriented — these words encapsulate the heart of Southeastern’s staff.

Thank you, King Jesus, for the stellar faculty you have gathered at Southeastern and Judson. For 22 years, I have said I would not trade this faculty for any other. I have not changed my mind. Their scholarship is impeccable; their doctrinal convictions are without question; their love for Christ and his word is evident to all who know them. I love the way they love their students. I love the passion they have for the Great Commission. They have been my colleagues, my teachers, and my friends. I love them and deeply appreciate how they have loved me, Charlotte, and the rest of our family. Their investment in the education of three of our sons and a daughter-in-law will always be an extra-special kindness.

Thank you, King Jesus, for the students you have brought to our school and then sent out to North America and the nations. What a generation of Navy Seals, Green Berets, Army Rangers, and Marines for our King! The military metaphors are intentional. We are in a war for the souls of men and women. The stakes are impossible to quantify.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thess 5:18).

These students want their lives to count for eternity. They want to be prepared and equipped in head, heart, and hands for the battles they will fight and the war that has already been won at Calvary! I am grateful for a student body that knows what they believe, who they follow, and why they GO! I am encouraged by their passion and devotion to the Savior they love, worship, and adore. What Christ says, they believe. Where he sends, they will go. The Great Commission flows through their veins and is embedded in their DNA. What a bright future the Church of the Lord Jesus has.

As I step into my new role as president emeritus and school amabassador, Charlotte and I enter this new phase of service to our Lord with full and overflowing hearts. O how we have been blessed by the Southeastern family. O what a joy it has been to shepherd this Great Commission community, and what a joy it will be to watch as the Lord takes this institution to even greater heights in the days ahead. We will continue to pray for you, confident that the Lord will continue to bless Southeastern as it keeps his words — and his last words in particular — as its mission and clarion call to every generation of Southern Baptists. Know that we will continue to serve and support you in the years ahead. And above all, we will continue to love you from the depths of our hearts. Thank you for loving us. You are the best. All for the glory of King Jesus!

Danny Akin President

Over his 22 years as president, Dr. Akin’s leadership has consistently been characterized by three commitments: his dedication to sound theology, his love for God’s word, and his passion for the Great Commission.

The following feature section contains contributions written by Dr. Akin’s close friends, members of his faculty, and fellow ministry leaders. Their stories and reflections capture the heart and legacy of this Great Commission president — told through the words of those who know him best.

This section also includes personal testimonies from Dr. and Mrs. Akin’s family and friends who have witnessed their ministry up close for many years. These stories offer an intimate glimpse at the shared sacrifice and joy of a husband and wife who have walked this road of presidency together.

Finally, the features conclude with a view of the scope of Dr. Akin’s legacy, as demonstrated through his scholarly contributions, vision-setting leadership, and investment in his students.

Join us as we give thanks to God for the faithful ministry of Dr. Akin and the gift of his leadership to Southeastern Seminary and Judson College.

to god be the glory

A Testimony of Thankfulness for Danny Akin

R. Albert Mohler Jr.

commitments to live by The Theology of Danny Akin

David S. Dockery with a note from John Hammett

“biblical to the core”

The Preaching of Danny Akin

James Merritt with a note from Scott Pace

great commission passion

The Missional Heartbeat of Danny Akin

David Platt with a note from Scott Hildreth

a portrait of charlotte akin

Kim Humphrey with a note from Danny Akin

christ at the center

Reflections from the Akin Clan

p. 8 p. 13 p. 16 p. 19 p. 22 p. 25 p. 28 p. 30 p. 36

Nate, Jonathan, Paul, & Tim Akin

“still the best man i know”

The Friendship of Danny Akin

Mike Buster to serve the church & fulfill the great commission

The Leadership of Danny Akin

Ryan Hutchinson

thanks to the akins Notes from Alumni & Friends

God Glory to be the

r. albert mohler jr. president of the southern baptist theological seminary

a testimony of thankfulness for Danny Akin

hen I think of Danny Akin, I think of a joyful Christian. Following the tragic death of Admiral Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, William Wordsworth wrote a tribute to the admiral, defining the late hero as a “happy warrior.” The honorific has made its way into our popular culture, describing a leader who, while called to do hard things, maintains his joyful disposition towards life.

In other words, Danny Akin is a genuine happy warrior. To know him is to see his joy and to see it spread. I came to see that disposition as the key to Danny Akin’s leadership.

Danny Akin has been one of my most cherished colleagues for decades now. I first asked Danny to serve as the dean of the School of Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary now over 30 years ago. The historical context was a time of crisis for our school in the midst of the Conservative Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). I needed a solid leader of great ability, and I needed a colleague with whom I could work toward the great goal of building the institution. I needed a Southern Baptist leader who honored God, loved the church, faithfully served Christ, and would take this major role of responsibility within the SBC at a moment of tumult and opportunity. From 1996 to 2004, during our shared time at Southern Seminary, we had the great experience of working together, teaching together, learning together, raising our families together, and navigating rapids together.

Those who know him also know that most of the time, his face naturally communicates his deep joy and genuine love for people. He is a passionate people person, and he loves those with whom he works. That has been a constant in his years in ministry and leadership.

Over the years of knowing him, I have learned several truths about Danny Akin.

Danny Akin is a one-man catalyst for one specific passion — Great Commission passion.

First, he is an infectious teacher and a passionate professor. The man was made to teach. He just gets before a classroom and sets himself loose. Students flock to his classroom, even if they have a hard time keeping up with his lectures, which are always delivered at full throttle. He is a teacher first and foremost, and it shows. He is a true theologian, who combines academic excellence and biblical fidelity. Second, he is a skilled preacher. That is essential to effective leadership in the SBC and, to an even greater degree, essential as a model for students training for the pastorate to follow. Danny Akin is more at home in the pulpit than almost anywhere else, and congregations sense it. He loves the Bible, and he loves to preach the Bible. He preaches as he teaches, at full throttle and with full intensity.

I have seen Danny Akin work and lead in just about every situation imaginable, and some we could never have imagined. I knew I could count on him to tell the truth and do the right thing. I learned that his face simply cannot lie and that a smile always meant all was well (or would be well) and that clenched teeth always meant we faced trouble (as in, God help us all). If you have to fight a battle for truth, you will want Danny Akin at your side.

Third, Danny is a natural magnet for talent. He deserves much credit for helping Southern Seminary find and recruit an epic faculty. We aimed high and scored high, and those faculty members became friends as well as colleagues. Later, of course, Danny would take those same skills to Southeastern Seminary as its president and invest that same zeal into the faculty he has served there for the past 22 years.

Fourth, Danny Akin loves students, and they also know it. As Soren Kierkegaard understood, the truest teaching comes as an exchange of passion. Danny Akin is a conduit for the right kind of passion to be injected into students. He cannot relate without passion. If you do not want to share his passions, you had better stay far away.

Finally, Danny Akin is a one-man catalyst for one specific passion — Great Commission passion. I know that such passion has been on Danny’s heart for his entire Christian life, but about the time he went to Southeastern as president, I could see a passion within him about to explode. Predictably, Danny Akin has thrown his life into Southeastern, and it shows. Over the last two decades, Danny has demonstrated remarkable leadership on the global scene as a passionate promoter of the Great Commission that has translated into missionaries serving all over the world; churches planted across the landscape; and congregations that have grown more committed and involved in the tasks of missions, evangelism, and church planting.

With skill and intentionality, Danny has transfused that passion into the lives of others and extended it throughout the SBC and beyond. To know him is to know that passion, and the legacy of Danny Akin will show up on the Day of the Lord in men and women who have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, believed, and been saved.

This is Danny Akin’s greatest gift to theological education. He gets right to the Great Commission and doesn’t let

up. The call of Christ to the nations shapes his entire vision. It shapes the institution he leads. It shapes his understanding of life as a whole. It is his gift to the SBC and to this generation of students and pastors.

Much more can be said, and there is no way to end such a reflection without reminding us all that the surface has barely been scratched. But knowing Danny Akin as colleague and friend has been one of the great gifts of God to my life and to Mary and our entire family.

But that brings me to a final and absolutely essential point. Danny Akin would most likely be a total failure in life and a menace to society, except for one factor: Charlotte Akin. Danny and Charlotte are made for each other, and it shows. Charlotte has been Danny’s companion and wife and inspiration for their entire adult lives together. She is sweet and kind and indispensable. They have raised a remarkable family, starting with four sons — each of whom is deeply involved in Christian ministry and leadership — and then their sons’ wives and a boisterous harvest of grandchildren who adore both Danny and Charlotte. Together, they are a great gift from God and a picture of the kingdom’s promise. One of their sons, Paul, is now serving at Southern Seminary as senior vice president for academic administration and provost, in the very same role once filled by his father.

Mary and I are incredibly thankful for Danny and Charlotte Akin as friends, colleagues, and cherished companions on life’s way. Now, the time has come for Danny Akin’s retirement as president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His retirement represents a milestone in the history of both Southeastern and the SBC. His tenure at Southeastern sets him among the longest-serving SBC seminary presidents. We should pause to thank God that Danny and Charlotte come to the close of this chapter in their life together as examples of faithful marriage, honorable service, evangelical devotion, and denominational commitment. He has run this long and historic segment of his earthly race with remarkable faithfulness. Thankfully, we can hope

and pray for a long and happy next segment of his race, yet to come and yet to run. He can look back with gratefulness to God for what has happened in these years, even as the Southeastern family and the entire SBC unite in gratitude for the leadership and ministry of Danny Akin. Thousands of ministers and missionaries now serve around the world, all inspired and shaped by Danny Akin’s teaching, example, preaching, and leadership. He ends his tenure as president with the gratitude and respect of the institution he so proudly served and the people he so deeply loved.

He also ends this chapter of life with the deep respect and love of his colleague seminary presidents. We will miss him greatly, and our meetings will never be the same. We thank God for him and for the years of working together.

Finally, I want to express the love and affection that Mary and I and the whole Mohler family share with Danny and Charlotte and their wonderful family. Our daughter Katie, just a teenager at the time, burst into tears when she heard that Danny had been elected president at Southeastern. We exult in each other’s children and their sweet families. We share the pride and affection of Nathan and Jonathan and Paul and Timothy and the whole Akin clan.

I am so thankful for Danny Akin’s friendship and colleagueship and brotherly love demonstrated and confirmed over so many years. A massive wave of emotion crashes over me even as I write these words. God’s happy warrior is my cherished brother. I can survive his retirement as colleague only because I know he is not retiring as my brother and friend.

In that affirmation, I speak for a vast multitude. To God be the glory.

Co mmitment s to the theology of Danny Akin L iv e by

david s. do c kery

president

of southwestern

baptist

theologi c al seminary

the gift of friendship

I had the privilege of meeting Danny Akin more than 40 years ago. At that time, Danny and Charlotte Akin had four young sons; my wife, Lanese, and I had three sons similar in age. In addition to our shared faith, we shared a love for family and for SEC sports. Moreover, Danny and I shared a great interest in theology. Aspects of our educational preparation overlapped in our master’s work at Southwestern Seminary and later in our doctoral work. When I departed Criswell College to go to Southern Seminary in 1988, Danny took my place on the Criswell faculty, teaching many of the courses I had taught.

In 1996, after I had been named president at Union University, Danny assumed both my administrative and teaching responsibilities at Southern. Our lives have been connected in many ways over the past four decades. I am truly grateful for the gift of his friendship, and I am honored to offer a few reflections on the theological commitments of Danny Akin.

c hristology at the c enter

At the center of Danny Akin’s theology is an unapologetic confession that Jesus Christ is Lord. He worked out his thoroughgoing, orthodox, and evangelical Christology while studying the Christology of medieval theologian Bernard of Clairvaux (10901153), which was the focus of his doctoral dissertation. Akin convictionally confesses the full humanity and full deity of Jesus Christ, affirming the eternality of the second person of the Godhead, the incarnation of Jesus, his virgin birth, his sinless life, his substitutionary atonement, and his historical and bodily resurrection. Akin points to the exaltation of Christ as the inauguration of the forthcoming rule and reign that will be completed at the second coming of our Lord, which Akin describes as premillennial. His Christological commitments are consistent with the affirmations of the Nicene Creed (A.D. 325/381) and the Chalcedonian Definition (A.D. 451). In “Christology: The Study of Christ,” Akin offers clarity and further insight regarding these important matters.

the bible as the word of god written

His Christology is rightly informed by historical theology, but Akin’s commitments are first and foremost grounded in a belief that the Bible is the word of God written. Acknowledging the Bible to be fully inspired, inerrant, authoritative, and sufficient, Akin believes that if Scripture is truly God-breathed (2 Tim 3:16), it would be almost blasphemous to deny that the Bible is free from error in what it teaches and infallible in the guidance it gives. Moreover, Akin insists that the Bible is to be read literally, historically, christologically, ecclesiologically, and missiologically, commitments that are foundational to the “Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary,” for which he has served as co-editor.

theology, missions, and the c hur c h

From these foundational commitments, Akin’s theology moves quickly in a missiological direction, from which he developed his vision for Southeastern Seminary as a Great Commission seminary. Akin believes there is an essential relationship between missions and theology in Christ’s commission in Matthew 28:18-20. Believing that missions is inherently and of necessity theological, believers are to go to the nations with the charge to make disciples by teaching all that King Jesus has commanded. For Akin, theology informs missions, and missions is the natural outgrowth and response to our theology. Connecting the commands of teaching and baptizing, Akin also brings his doctrine of the church to bear on his fullorbed theology.

salvation by gra c e through faith

Akin’s views regarding the Bible and Christ lead us to understand he believes that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works and not of ourselves (Eph 2:8-9). While working from an Augustinian-Reformed framework, Akin does not affirm five-point Calvinism. He contends for the depravity of men and women and the unconditional election of those who place their faith in Christ. He believes Christ’s death was sufficient for all, thus rejecting limited atonement. Akin prefers the language of effectual calling rather than irresistible grace, while believing that those who are truly saved will persevere to the end. In “Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility,” published in “SBC Life, 2006,” as well as his commentary on “1, 2, 3 John” in the “New American Commentary" (2001), we are provided a window to see how he connects his Christological beliefs with his soteriology.

orthodox, evangeli c al, and e cc lesial

The life and work of Danny Akin have been a gift to Southern Baptists. We are grateful that his influence will continue through significant publications like “A Theology for the Church” and “A Handbook of Theology.” Not only has his biblically grounded, Christ-centered, missiologically focused, and ecclesial theology served Southeastern Seminary well, but also his work provides an orthodox and evangelical guide for the next generation of Southern Baptists to live and serve faithfully in a way that will strengthen the church and point others to Christ for the glory of God.

John Hammett

Senior Professor of Systematic Theology (Retired)

As a theologian and scholar, Dr. Akin’s presidency at Southeastern Seminary has been guided by two essential theological commitments: focus and freedom.

Throughout Dr. Akin’s presidency, Southeastern has been anchored theologically by an unqualified focus on the inerrancy of Scripture. In his teaching and preaching and in the faculty he has hired, that commitment has remained foundational. Students come to Southeastern with confidence that they will be taught what the Bible teaches.

Southeastern’s Great Commission emphasis, as championed by Dr. Akin, is rooted in the doctrine of salvation: that hearing the gospel and placing faith in Christ is the basis for a saving relationship with God. This is in contrast to universalist, pluralist, and inclusivist views of salvation.

Moreover, Dr. Akin has maintained Southeastern’s commitment to complementarianism, the view that the office of pastor is limited to men who meet the biblical qualifications. All faculty sign the Danvers Statement, and Dr. Akin himself has served on the board of the CBMW (Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood).

But alongside the focus on these key issues, his leadership has allowed a great deal of freedom. Our faculty is composed of Calvinists and those who lean to the Arminian side, those who are dispensational in their eschatology and those who are covenantal, those who see the earth as relatively young and those who affirm an old earth. Furthermore, Dr. Akin has advocated for women to serve as faculty (not pastors), and Southeastern was the first SBC seminary to have a woman serve as the chair of the Board of Trustees.

As a faculty member here, I have sought to emulate Dr. Akin with a clear focus on key biblical issues (given in the Abstract of Principles and the Danvers Statement) and freedom to teach and explore different positions within those boundaries, boundaries that we affirm with Dr. Akin.

Biblical Core to the

the preaching of Danny Akin

J ames merritt

senior pastor of cross pointe church in duluth, georgia

s I have been asked to write about Dr. Akin's impact in the area of preaching, I have to begin with his personal impact on my own life. You may not know the story. I met Dr. Akin 37 years ago, in fact, the very month I am writing this article. He was a professor at Criswell College. I had gone through the process of interviewing to serve as the next pastor at First Baptist Dallas, Texas, and had turned them down. Dr. Paige Patterson had invited me out to speak at Criswell shortly after that, and a young man came running up the aisle as I walked into the back of the worship center and said, “I want to meet the man that turned down the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.” It was Danny Akin. That began an almost four-decadelong friendship that has been one of the greatest treasures of my life.

Danny later flew out to visit his parents in Atlanta. We got together for a two-hour lunch, and it was life-changing for both of us. We instantly became each other's very best friend. His wife Charlotte is like my sister. His four sons are like my own sons. God even gave me the honor and privilege of leading his mother-inlaw to the Lord not long before she died.

He and I both were extremely close friends with Dr. Albert Mohler, and when I would go to Southern Seminary to preach while Danny was the dean there, we would always have great fellowship. Then when he became president of Southeastern Seminary, I began preaching there in chapel every year of his tenure. So, in almost any area of Dr. Akin’s life, whether it be his role as a theologian, as a father and husband, as a churchman, or as a leader in the SBC, I could wax eloquent on his impact. But today I address Dr. Akin’s impact as a preacher.

Akin has an almost fanatical devotion to remaining true to the text in whatever he preaches, believing that the text is paramount. He clearly understands that the only power of any preacher is always directly tied to how much his sermon is connected to the word of God. At Southeastern Seminary, Dr. Akin has built a preaching department that emphasizes this very thing.

When you hear Dr. Akin preach, you don't just hear a seminary president but rather someone who has gotten into the text and whom the text has gotten into. His messages are first of all, as I said, biblical and absolutely true — not only to the text he's preaching but to the entire spectrum of the Bible as it relates to that text. Concomitantly, his preaching is also expositional. He deals with the text line by line, word by word, precept by precept, verse by verse. He lets the text drive every part of his sermon and stays between the lines of what the passage itself says. Because of his heart, Dr. Akin’s preaching is also personal. His sermons are not just coming from an academician — they aren’t lectures that sound like sermons. They are given by someone who, though he may have the head of a seminary president, has the heart of a church pastor who wants to feed the sheep as a shepherd would want to: lovingly, kindly, and thoroughly.

Finally, his sermons are intentional. By that I mean every message always points to Jesus. Danny has a conviction that the entire Bible is about Jesus and every sermon should bring us to Jesus. Every sermon should exalt Jesus. Every sermon should call people to come to Jesus.

The one thing I would say above all is that Dr. Akin’s preaching is biblical to the core. Now that's a very general way of putting it, but let me be more specific. Dr.

So, as I write this tribute to my best friend, to my brother in Christ, to my gospel partner, Dr. Danny Akin, I just want to say that in every way he has fulfilled Paul's command to Timothy to “preach the word.” All these years he's done it in season and out of season, without fear, without favor, declaring the faith once for all delivered to the saints from the inerrant, inspired, infallible word of God. Well done, good and faithful servant.

Scott Pace

Provost

For a seminary whose mission is to equip students to serve the local church and fulfill the Great Commission, there’s not a more foundational aspect of academic and ministerial training than expository preaching. Dr. Akin’s uncompromising convictions regarding God’s word and his unwavering commitment to interpret and expound Scripture accurately and faithfully have helped establish Christ-centered exposition as a key component of Southeastern’s identity.

During his more than two decades as president, he has consistently taught hermeneutics and preaching courses on every academic level, from certificates to the PhD. His own preaching in churches and at conferences has modeled faithful, text-driven sermons for our students to emulate. He has authored multiple books dedicated to the subject, and he has written or contributed to numerous commentaries, articles, and podcasts to provide preaching resources for pastors everywhere. He has also assembled a preaching faculty that shares these same convictions and commitments to ensure our school continues to prioritize biblical exposition for years to come.

But Dr. Akin’s dedication to expository preaching isn’t simply a matter of personal preference; it’s a theological and missional necessity. While ministerial trends and educational philosophies will continue to change, God’s word will always remain the same (1 Pet 1:25). In addition to this eternal truth, the Scriptures are God’s designated means to save and sanctify (1 Pet 1:23, Jn 17:17), we have a divine mandate to “preach the word” (2 Tim 4:2), and the proclamation of the gospel is essential in order to reach the nations for Christ (Rom 10:14-17, Mk 16:15). So, our commitment to expository preaching, shaped by Dr. Akin’s leadership and legacy, will remain a distinguishing mark of Southeastern as we continue to equip students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission!

December 2007

December 2024

great Commission passion

the

missional

heartbeat of Danny Akin

david platt

lead pastor, m c lean bible c hur c h in vienna, va

Question: How do you shape an entire seminary around the Great Commission?

Answer: You follow the leadership of a seminary president whose life is shaped by the Great Commission.

This is the story of Southeastern Seminary under the leadership of Danny Akin over the last 22 years. I have had the pure honor, true privilege, and profound joy of knowing Dr. Akin for 17 of those years. In the beginning, he was simply a man I admired and respected from a distance. The first time he invited me to Southeastern’s campus, I was extremely nervous not only to preach in chapel but simply to sit across the table from him. Yet in the days to come, he would become a trusted brother, a close friend, a faithful encourager, and a constant example to me — and my admiration and respect for him would only deepen over time.

There are countless things I could say about Dr. Akin, but I want to highlight here his passion for the Great Commission. Many church leaders see the spread of God’s glory among all the nations as only a part of the church’s mission or a program in the church that warrants the attention and participation of a few Christians. But Dr. Akin rightly realizes (and not only realizes intellectually but believes wholeheartedly) that the spread of God’s glory among all the nations is the church’s mission, and it is the purpose for which every Christian has breath in this world.

This passion at the core of Dr. Akin’s heart drives his priorities in life and leadership. As the president of an institution training leaders for the church, he sees every classroom as inextricably connected to the Great Commission of Jesus for all of his people to go and make disciples of all of the nations. Pastors, theologians, ethicists, counselors, and administrators, along with every other leader in the church, have one collective mission together: make disciples who make disciples who make disciples until every tribe, language, people, and nation is reached by the church with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Toward that end, almost every year during his presidency at Southeastern — and usually multiple times throughout the year — you would find Dr. Akin somewhere else in the world spreading the gospel and equipping and encouraging missionaries and church leaders on the front lines of the unreached. Back in the United States, whether on the campus of Southeastern or traveling to churches across the country, you would find Dr. Akin trumpeting Christ’s commission for believers to serve as his witnesses to the ends of the earth.

And this passion hasn’t just been evident overseas or in churches

around the country or on the seminary campus he has led; this passion is evident in his home. I have had the privilege of knowing and sharing life alongside many Akins, including his sons, their families, and of course Dr. Akin’s truly remarkable wife, Charlotte. They all reflect their husband’s and dad’s and granddad’s zeal for mission. It is a powerful testimony to God’s grace in this brother’s life that in every sphere of influence God has entrusted to him, from his home to his seminary campus to churches around the country and missionaries around the world, everyone who knows him has observed one consistent theme: He loves following Jesus and making him known among the nations.

It is no understatement to say that heaven alone can measure and eternity alone will reveal the fruit of Dr. Akin’s leadership at Southeastern Seminary, evidenced in leaders trained, churches started and strengthened, and people reached with and transformed by the gospel over the last 22 years. I’m sincerely honored to say that my life and ministry is part of that fruit, and I join with countless others around the world to praise God for Danny Akin’s faithfulness to our King and his commission.

Scott Hildreth Associate Professor of Missiology

On the opening pages of my PhD dissertation, I wrote, “I cannot begin to express my appreciation to Danny Akin for his help in this process. We have worked on this dissertation on four continents and in the air between them!”

Those words still capture my deepest gratitude for my president, colleague, mentor, and friend.

First, I am thankful for his leadership, friendship, and encouragement throughout the years. I know he has prayed for me and for my family — my parents, children, and grandchildren. He has consistently offered the gift of genuine Christian friendship, walking alongside me not merely as a leader but as a brother in Christ. “Thank you” hardly seems sufficient.

Second, Dr. Akin’s life is a compelling model of obedience to the Great Commission — not just for me but for every student and staff member at Southeastern. The reason we worked on my dissertation across continents and airplanes is simple: His passion for missions has never been theoretical. Over the years, throughout Dr. Akin’s presidency, we have traveled the world together, encouraging missionaries and engaging in missionary work. We traveled by prop planes, boats, trains, and commercial flights. We stayed in comfortable hotels and uncomfortable camps. We have eaten some remarkable meals and a few we suspected might make us sick. All of it was undertaken in obedience to Jesus’s command to make disciples of all nations.

Serving as seminary president did not exempt him from the missionary call. Dr. Akin’s ministry shows us that the Great Commission belongs to every believer. If someone asks how Dr. Akin built a Great Commission seminary, the answer is simple: He lives a Great Commission life.

Finally, he leaves a legacy of men and women whose lives are better because they have walked with him. His unwavering commitment to the word of God, the mission of God, and the people of God is evident in all he does. Those of us privileged to serve alongside him are profoundly thankful to God for the opportunity.

Charlotte Akin

kim humphrey

administrative assistant to the president, friend of mrs. akin

rs. Akin is the wife of Danny Akin. She is the mother of four sons, mother-in-law of four daughters-in-love, and Lottie to 15 grandchildren! With all of this, she is also the wife of the president of Southeastern for these past 22 years, a role that she has held with love and support not only for her husband but also for the seminary family as a whole. She stands quietly by her husband but boldly embodies a sense of grace, love, hospitality, kindness, authenticity, generosity, laughter, prayer, and thankfulness for all the Lord has blessed her with.

Her consistent dependence on the Lord in each and every season — and her willingness to share that with others — makes her who she is today.

In my own life, I am personally blessed to call Mrs. Akin my friend. I have worked in Dr. Akin’s office for almost 20 years now, and with my role I have received the blessing of Mrs. Akin's friendship! She has taught me by example how to be a godly spouse, a mother, and a mother-inlaw. She has also taught me the blessing of having grandchildren! Our children are close to the same age, so she and I have walked together through weddings, the growth of our families, and the gift of grandchildren during these past years. Not everything has been rosy, and we have shared tears, prayers, and losses together as well. Her consistent dependence on the Lord in each and every season — and her willingness to share that with others — makes her who she is today: someone who cares deeply for others.

One of Mrs. Akin’s greatest gifts is her gift of hospitality.

Where coffee is involved, she has bought countless cups for staff, students, and guests she runs into, always with a smile on her face and joy in her heart. Whenever there is an event at Magnolia Hill or one that Southeastern is hosting, she is most comfortable serving in the kitchen, helping the workers and not elevating herself above those under her employ. She sees everyone on the same playing field and is just as happy serving as she is hosting. This example is simply an outpouring of who she is — someone whose actions are often unseen by guests but experienced firsthand by those serving alongside her.

To me, Mrs. Akin has left an invaluable impact on the Southeastern community through her love and selfless generosity. I’m not sure I have ever met someone who is more considerate in her giving of time, resources, laughter, and prayers. I have watched her shower this generosity — over and above a thank you or payment — on those who have worked for her during events at Magnolia Hill; she intentionally gets to know them and gives special gifts accordingly. I have seen her stop and pray with students, employees, and strangers alike. She is never too busy to enjoy a laugh with others, taking the time to see them and share a moment of joy together with a hug. She joyfully places others before herself, and these traits have shaped her legacy at Southeastern and beyond.

Danny

Akin President

Proverbs 31:28–29 says, “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”

These are fitting words to describe the woman whose name is Charlotte Tammy Akin, though she is fondly known by many as Lottie! When I came to Southeastern a little more than 22 years ago, I brought with me someone who would be a wonderful gift and blessing to the seminary and college family. Let me share just a few of those

They all love and admire her because she is so Christlike. She is an exemplary wife, mother, and friend — adored and appreciated by all who know her.

Charlotte was born into the difficult home of alcoholic parents. This would eventually result in their divorce, with Charlotte and her brother and sister being taken to the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home where she would spend a decade of her life. However, God was in all of this. He would use the challenging circumstances of her life to mold and shape a magnificent woman of God who would touch thousands of lives and bless all who would come into contact with her. I have had the joy of watching this up close and personal

She is an encourager par excellence. She loves to praise and build up others, encouraging them to be content with who they are in Jesus and to be comfortable in their own skin. She is dearly loved by the faculty and staff wives of this institution because she has such a sweet spirit and empathetic heart. She longs to see the women of the Southeastern community excel for the glory of King Jesus, and she is glad to help them achieve that in any way that she can.

Lottie is also greatly admired and appreciated by the entire seminary family. Friends of the school love the fact that she is so real, transparent, personable, and lighthearted. She cuts up with people, laughs contagiously, and puts others at ease. She never puts on airs. She is comfortable being the woman that God created her and saved her to be.

Charlotte is sweet, kind, and gracious, but she is also graced with strength and resolve. Her love for Jesus and others is evident to all. And when you look in the dictionary for the words “servant” or “generous,” you will find her picture! She loves to

Lottie is adored by her sons, four daughters-inlaw, and 15 grandchildren.

I have been abundantly blessed because she is my biggest cheerleader and the person who always has my back. She is my confidant, my counselor, my teammate, and my best friend. Any good that I have done at Southeastern has been a team effort. It is really impossible to think of Danny Akin without thinking of Charlotte Akin. The two always go together. We truly are one.

As our time as the president and first lady (I had to add this title because she hates being called that!) comes to an end, I have no doubt the Southeastern community has been incredibly blessed by the remarkable Charlotte Akin. She is a great gift to me, and I know she has been a great gift to many others too. Charlotte is a beautiful trophy of God’s grace.

Christ at the Center from the Reflections Akin Clan

Nate Jonathan Paul Tim

o the Southeastern community, they are Dr. and Mrs. Akin. To their close friends, they are Danny and Lottie. To Southern Baptists, they are the president and first lady of Southeastern Seminary. But to four brothers, now grown men in the thick of ministry with families of their own, they are simply mom and dad.

The Akin brothers’ shared admiration for their parents first took root when they were but little boys — Nate, Jonathan, Paul, and Tim, getting into scrapes, testing their parents’ limits, and growing up.

“I learned two key things from my parents,” shared Nate, as he reflected on his mom and dad’s leadership in the home. “Make Christ the center of the home, and make sure you genuinely enjoy being together.”

“There was never any question about who the most important person in our home was, and that was the Lord Jesus,” he said. “My dad would tell

us often, ‘I don’t care what you do for a job later in life, as long as you please Jesus,’ and all of us still remember that to this day.”

As for enjoying each other’s company, this required intentional parenting too.

“Our home wasn’t stuffy or legalistic,” Nate reported. “It was fun. We played and watched sports constantly, took trips together and watched movies, and our house became the kind of place friends wanted to be. Looking back, learning how to weave both of those things into the rhythm of daily life — genuine faith and real joy — is one of the biggest lessons I took from my parents.”

Growing up, the Akin boys were not unaware of the demands ministry put on their parents. They watched their mom and dad navigate each new hurdle side-by-side.

“For their now almost 48 years of marriage,” Tim reflected, “our mom has stood right next to our dad and served alongside him every step of the way.

We saw this in her faithfulness and determination to get all four sons to church every Sunday, even when most of the time our father was gone preaching at another church in another state.”

“Without our mom,” he said, “none of that ministry would have been possible. She truly is the unsung hero of our father’s ministry.”

Despite his busy schedule, Danny worked hard to stay invested and present in his boys’ lives — and his intentionality has continued to bear fruit even to this day.

Reflecting back on their season of sports, Jonathan recalled how his dad “would hound our coaches months in advance to get the season schedules so he could calendar our ball games off. He rarely, if ever, missed.”

“He didn’t even author his first book until we were well into middle school, perhaps high school.”

Jonathan said. “He succeeded professionally, but it was a priority to succeed as a husband and father first, which he did! This has had a profound impact on how I parent my children. I am still trying to be like my dad when I grow up.”

In the midst of ministry, in local churches and theological education, Danny and Charlotte

worked hard to prioritize what mattered most and to keep their eyes focused on Jesus.

“Rather than allowing ministry demands to divide them, they viewed their marriage as a great gift from a gracious God,” Paul reflected. “Through it all and in the power of the Holy Spirit, they have maintained an unwavering confidence in the sovereignty and goodness of God. They have always viewed ministry not as a path to ease and comfort but as a calling shaped by obedience and trust in the Lord.”

Moreover, this approach to ministry shaped the way their sons perceived the body of Christ.

“Even though they experienced hardships in ministry, especially with my dad being a pastor, they never let us become cynical or sour toward the church,” said Nate. “They didn’t unload difficult stories on us; they intentionally showed us that the church was not only important but also something to love.”

Danny and Charlotte evidenced this love for the church through the Christian community they fostered in their own home.

“Growing up,” Nate recalled, “it was normal for several families to come back to our house after Sunday night service. We’d eat Little Caesar’s pizza, the kids would play, and the adults would sit around and talk. That kind of ordinary Christian fellowship was deeply formative for me, and it shaped my own desire to be involved in church planting and to build the same kind of community in the life of the church.”

Since those evenings, years ago, the Akin boys have grown up, moved away, and begun their own families, but their parents’ examples of leadership have remained ever present in their lives.

“Despite a lifetime of influence in theological education, pastoral leadership, and global missions, my dad carries himself as a servant rather than a celebrity,” Paul expressed.

“His humility is especially visible in how he speaks about his family, his calling, and the church — always with gratitude rather than entitlement,” Paul said. “Ultimately, Danny Akin’s humility flows from a conviction that everything good in his life and ministry is a gift of grace,

entrusted to him for service rather than selfpromotion. He is a simple and humble man who loves Jesus, loves his family, and loves the Church of Jesus Christ.”

As for his mom, “Her resilience is not often seen, but it is steady and deeply rooted in hope. Through the demands of ministry life alongside my dad, raising four sons, constant transitions, and seasons of unseen sacrifice, she has consistently modeled a perseverance that is marked by grace. Those who know her well speak of her capacity to press forward in any situation and to find joy even in difficult seasons.”

In Jonathan’s words, describing those growingup years, “She was a constant godly influence in our lives who showed us clearly the mind of Christ.”

As the Akin brothers watch their parents, and their father in particular, approach the end of this season of leadership, certain things remain crystal clear.

“My dad has an ability to cast a vision and then see that vision come to fruition,” expressed Tim. “I do not think that this ability began when he became president of Southeastern, but it was refined over the last 22 years. I believe you can see it primarily through his ability to cast a vision for Southeastern’s identity as the Great

Commission seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention. Today, if you were to ask anyone who knows Southeastern, ‘What is the seminary about?’ they would immediately answer, ‘They are the Great Commission seminary.’”

This type of leadership, Jonathan observed, does not compromise on the truth.

“From my dad,” he said, “I have learned that integrity and conviction must precede any endeavors of leadership you may attempt. Without those two qualities you won’t be leading others into a helpful or healthy place. You can fake it for a season, but things will not end well. My dad is who he is, and he believes what he believes, and he won’t compromise those things for approval ratings. It makes him a man people joyfully follow.”

In retirement, Danny and Charlotte Akin will doubtlessly continue as joyful examples to the Southeastern community and to the growing Akin clan as they embrace a new season of life, one in which they have greater opportunities to be near to family and invest afresh in their sons, daughters-in-law, and 15 grandkids. The Akins' public life may look very different now, but to four watching boys, their parents’ hearts and mission remain unchanged as they seek to exalt King Jesus in every moment of their lives.

will never forget the day in December 1980 when God allowed me to cross paths with Danny Akin. When I met Danny, he spent much of the time grilling me about whether I was qualified to serve as a youth director at Northlake Baptist Church in Dallas, where he served as associate pastor. He asked me a series of questions that I had never been asked, nor knew the answers to, as a 22-year-old graduate fresh out of Ouachita Baptist University. I was not prepared to spell inerrancy, much less articulate my position on the topic. Danny had just graduated from Criswell College and was more than prepared for theological debates.

Fortunately, Danny did what Danny does. He showed mercy and grace with my ignorance and then began to teach me theology! We would spend the next three years doing ministry together and carpooling from Dallas to Southwestern. From that first encounter with Danny until this day, I have had a front row seat to the “Danny, Charlotte, and the boys show.” A few years later, Danny would be my best man when I married Joanie. Forty years later, he is still the best man I know.

Danny and Charlotte have raised four of the finest young men in

the friendship of Danny Akin

by Mike Buster

Jonathan, Nathan, Paul, and Tim. Each one of these men has been called to ministry and missions with hearts for serving God’s people. Each is uniquely gifted, and all have become some of our greatest leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention. In addition, they have given 15 grandchildren to the Akin team as of this writing.

Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, Danny loved to play baseball more than he loved God. But, at the age of 10, the Lord transformed him, and he surrendered his life to serving King Jesus. It was as though God said, “You think I did a lot with a couple of fish and few loaves of bread? Watch this!”

Danny is one of the humblest individuals I have ever known, and he has never forgotten whence he came. This is why, throughout his ministry, he has been able to ward off what he refers to as “the green monster of pride that sneaks into our lives with an attitude of entitlement that transforms a once humble servant into a Hulk-like prima donna who less and less resembles a simple carpenter from Galilee.” What an example to follow.

Danny was called to ministry in July 1977 and has steadfastly served in churches and seminaries. For the past 22 years, he has served faithfully as the president of Southeastern

Baptist Theological Seminary. What God has done through Danny at Southeastern Seminary is simply astonishing. He is the author of numerous books and countless articles — all while remaining faithful to his commitment to expository preaching and the Great Commission. He has the prowess of a great theologian, the sensitivity of a pastor, and the prophetic voice of a preacher. His passion for training the next generation of pastors and missionaries is unceasing.

You cannot outgive Danny and Charlotte. They are both givers in numerous ways. Charlotte is truly Danny’s helpmate in their family life and in her role as the first lady of Southeastern. She enjoys hosting many events at the beautiful Magnolia Hill for seminary wives, Southeastern trustees, and cabinet members. She has the heart of a sweet servant, seeking to minister to all those the Lord places in her path. To know Charlotte is to love Charlotte. They make an incredible team for the Lord.

Danny is well known for his passion for servant leadership. He is a humble leader who walks with God as a husband, father, and friend. Although revered as “Dr. Daniel L. Akin” in the wider world, he is still simply “Danny” to many of us. Through his Christian walk, Danny reminds us that there are no superstars, only lowly shepherd-servants of the great Shepherd, and that we are on this planet for a few short years to honor King Jesus and seek to fulfill the Great Commission.

Joanie and I join with thousands of others in congratulating Danny on 22 incredible years as president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. We love Danny and thank God for him, Charlotte, and the entire Akin team!

In this festschrift in honor of Danny Akin, more than 20 distinguished scholars and practitioners build on Akin’s scholarly and ecclesial contributions to the Great Commission and missions. Essays explore the implications of the Great Commission for a variety of fields, including ministry, academia, and leadership.

Scan below to purchase!

to serve the Church fulfill the

great Commission

the leadership of Danny Akin

ryan hut c hinson

exe c utive vi c e president for operations

n a corner booth at Applebee’s in 2004, I had my first extended conversation with Danny Akin, the new president of Southeastern Seminary. When I tell the story of working for and alongside Danny, I sound like a broken record, always starting with the conversation in Applebee’s. That memory is ingrained in my mind as the moment when, in that corner booth, Danny suggested that I stay on staff at Southeastern. I had considered taking another ministry opportunity elsewhere, but my heart remained in Wake Forest at Southeastern. The chance to stay fulfilled an unspoken dream. I knew I wanted to stay when Danny expressed a desire to build on what Southeastern was already about. The problem was we had lots of ways to articulate “what Southeastern was about.” None of them captured our institutional identity like what lay around the corner. In 2006, the President’s Cabinet gathered for a retreat in Greensboro, NC, where a major part of the discussion centered on clearly articulating the purpose of Southeastern’s existence. Southeastern had both a vision statement and a mission statement, but each spanned an entire page — expressed beautifully yet with a loquacity only Baptist preachers and academicians can deliver. At that meeting we arrived at a simple statement that encapsulated both mission and vision: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary seeks to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. Simple but profound. Profound in the clarity it brought and the movement it launched: one centered around training pastors, missionaries, and other ministry leaders towards a clear goal. I went back and looked at the minutes I took from that meeting, and the last line stated, “Our goal is for everyone in the institution to know the mission of SEBTS and to understand his/her role in helping SEBTS to fulfill her mission.” The words in the mission statement weren’t revolutionary, but they charted a clear and lasting course for the institution — out of which emerged the vision to make “Every Classroom a Great Commission Classroom.”

In 2014, another season of change approached as the now-famous “GO” logo entered our brand alongside the “I Am Going” campaign. In 2017, Dr. Akin articulated for the Southeastern family the marks of a Great Commission seminary. These further clarifications did not change the direction of Southeastern’s momentum. Instead, they strengthened the institution’s identity and propelled Southeastern further in its pursuit of the mission.

For those at Southeastern, the Great Commission emphasis does not serve as a marketing jingle or a vision without substance. It exists as a firm commitment made by our leadership, faculty, and staff. First and fore most, this passion to GO stems from the heart of our president.

Through Danny’s leadership, the mission of Southeastern now permeates the very mortar of our buildings. It shapes how we think about the campus, align our offices, build our curriculum, and hire our staff. Our three core institution al values for our faculty and staff are light-hearted, others-focused, and mission-oriented. The last of these, missionoriented, means that no matter how skilled a person is or how recognized they are for their accomplishments, if the Great Commission focus is not already a marker of their ministry, then they are not a fit for our team.

As Danny speaks about the Great Commission, he regularly says, “Last words are meant to be lasting words.” The Great Commission requires an expansive

effort. At Southeastern it means instilling in our students a fervor for evangelism so that they may be used by God in his plan to call people into his kingdom. It means drilling into the minds of our students the truth that what has been delivered to us in God’s perfect, infallible, inerrant, and all-sufficient word is what we are called to preach and proclaim, so that his disciples might walk in obedience.

You can drive by the campus of Southeastern and see the beauty of her grounds, the magnificence of her trees, and the stateliness of her Georgian architecture. These features are valuable and impressive, but what marks this campus even more is Southeastern’s vision for her students, that they would love God, our sovereign Creator, love the truth that is God’s word, love the church, which is Christ’s bride, and love the world enough to proclaim to it the hope that is only found in King Jesus. When these stately buildings fall and the majestic trees fade away, what will remain is the enduring beauty of the impact of a Great Commission seminary that sought to bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission.

Danny, it has been a joy to serve with you and under your leadership for 22 years! May this Great Commission legacy live on at Southeastern as long as the Lord tarries.

“President Danny Akin, our joyful warrior for Jesus, has set Southeastern on a trajectory of faithfulness and biblical fidelity during his 22 years in leadership. As he steps aside this year, we must ask what the future has in store for our school. This is our commitment to Danny Akin, and this is our commitment to the God we serve — Bible in hand now and moving forward. May the word of God remain central to Southeastern and all we do for the glory and mission of King Jesus.”

Dwayne Milioni Associate Professor of Preaching

Danny Akin's Great Commission legacy is woven throughout his expansive literary and scholarly contributions, which range from academic commentaries and theology texts to practical works that equip believers for parenting and missions. Here are many of his works:

Thank you for your many years of faithfulness to Southeastern, to the church, and to King Jesus! I will be forever grateful for your leadership during my time at Southeastern. My most cherished memory, however, will be when you allowed our family to join the cohort in Prague while we were serving as missionaries in the Czech Republic. Even though we weren’t a part of the cohort, you included our family because we were living nearby. And after the river cruise one evening, you carried our sleeping daughter through the streets of Prague after she had fallen asleep on your shoulder. You are a faithful leader and servant, and your legacy is greater than you realize. God bless you both as you head into the next chapter of ministry!

David McWhite

Akins thank you to the d

In the days since Dr. Akin announced his retirement, hundreds of students, alumni, staff, faculty, and other friends have expressed their heartfelt appreciation for Dr. and Mrs. Akin’s Great Commission leadership. What follows are a few of those thank yous, which highlight the Akins' enduring impact not only on the Southeastern family but also around the world.

SCAN HERE TO LEAVE YOUR OWN NOTE FOR DR. AND MRS. AKIN

Dr. Akin,

I only met you one time a couple of months ago, and when I did, you were leaving to get in your car and go home for the day. I was struck by how kind you were to stop and talk to me and ask me questions about how I was enjoying school. That meant the world to me. As a proud Southeastern doctoral student, I’m reaping the benefits of your ministry, and I so appreciate your work to make Southeastern the place that it is. I’m so thankful to receive an education that draws me to the Lord, points me to his commission, and strengthens my ministry. Thank you, and God bless you!!

Andrew Smith

To Dr. Akin,

I never thought that my seminary journey would start with your first year as president and my return to seminary online for a second masters would be your final year as president.

I am thankful for your steadfastness for the cause of Christ. I remember many times sitting in chapel and during Wednesday night Bible studies, listening to you being unapologetic about believers at large making clear gospel stands for Christ, with no compromise. At the same time and with compassion, you called future pastors, counselors, missionaries, lay people, and others to go and make disciples. May God not retire you but lead you into a new stage where you are “iron sharpening iron” for future leaders to take the mantle. Love you.

Matthew Stania

From Ashley’s and my first visit to Southeastern in the spring of 2005 you made Southeastern feel like home. You are a model of a steady hand and godly character for all, especially for those in leadership. We have learned so much from you both and count it among our greatest privileges to have served with and for you.

We love you both and wish you every blessing in Christ in the years ahead. Thank you for the opportunity to serve at Southeastern.

Grateful, Benjamin and Ashley Quinn

Dear Dr. Akin and Mrs. Charlotte,

Thank you for your years of faithful service to the Lord, to the Great Commission, and to Southeastern. You made Southeastern a welcoming place where I and so many others like me were able to learn and grow both academically and spiritually. I am so thankful I had the privilege of both being a student and serving as an employee under your leadership. I pray the Lord blesses you both immensely in this next phase of your lives!

Rebecca Pate

¡Queridos hermanos, Danny y Charlotte!

As an international student, I often miss my family. However, we were fortunate to have a new family, the Akins, who became a second family to us. Thank you for investing in us; your influence has deeply impacted my family. We will always be eternally grateful for your unwavering support and the kindness you have shown our family.

With a grateful heart: Moises & Betsy Gomez

Dr. and Mrs. Akin,

Well done. Thank you for modeling grace, humility, and integrity in your role. I’m so grateful to have been a student and recipient of this. As I’ve been practicing and interacting with fellow graduates, I’ve noticed there’s a difference in us. Now that doesn’t mean we are better than them, but your evangelistic heart was contagious. Your leadership and those that you chose to provide us instruction modeled for us this same humility. As a result, I believe this made us different, and it is demonstrated in our respective fields. Thank you for staying the course and for your leadership. I look forward to seeing what’s next for you both because the work is not finished. Praying God blesses you with rest but also reveals what’s next.

Many blessings, Karen Harmon

Dr. Akin,

Though we have never formally met, it has been one of the great honors of my life to sit under your presidency at Southeastern. I am deeply grateful for the faithful service and transformative reforms you have brought to our seminary. Your leadership has shaped Southeastern into a place that truly reflects a Great Commission heartbeat.

You have been a blessing to me personally through your video lectures, your “Exalting Jesus” commentaries, and the godly leaders you have intentionally appointed throughout the institution. Your commitment to Scripture, mission, and integrity has set a standard that will continue to guide Southeastern for generations to come.

We are profoundly thankful to have had you as our president, and I look forward to seeing you continue to bless this community in your role as president emeritus.

With gratitude, Aaron Miller I have been at Southeastern for 17 years. What a joy to serve here under the leadership of Dr. Danny Akin — a humble servant who leads so well in both humility and integrity.

Dr. Akin and his dear wife Charlotte will be greatly missed. What a legacy of faith and love they have given to Southeastern. One needs to look no further than the way they love the Lord Jesus, followed by how they love their four sons and their families — a true testimony of leaving a loving legacy for their 15 grandchildren to follow. They have also left a legacy of love and faith for the faculty and staff here at Southeastern.

For those of us who are alumni as well as staff, we have been doubly blessed. I personally think the imprint of the Akins' legacy will be bigger and greater as time moves forward. God is sovereign and the future work will be done. What a light and a path that has been prepared for us by the Akins.

Godspeed! My heart is more tender to all things due to Danny and Charlotte Akin. Forever grateful!

Chris Allen

Dr. and Mrs. Akin,

Thank you for your faithful leadership and for the way your obedience to Christ has shaped generations at Southeastern. Even as a hybrid/distance learner, I have felt the fruit of your vision and commitment to the Great Commission in my own formation.

Your investment has reached all the way to my local church, Salem Church in Staten Island, NY, where the gospel is being preached, disciples are being made, and leaders are being trained because of the theological depth and missional heartbeat you have championed. I am deeply grateful for how your leadership has strengthened both the academy and the local church.

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Thank you for putting your yes on the table and following God’s call with humility, endurance, and joy. Your legacy will continue to bear fruit for years to come.

With gratitude and prayers, Marc I. Galán

Dr. and Mrs. Akin were the perfect fit for Southeastern. They carried themselves with dignity and humility, a blend rarely found among leaders. As we all know, far too often, when someone is elevated in rank, sadly, what follows is smug condescension toward others. With our President, it was just the opposite. P.O.T.S. (President of the Seminary) conducted himself in a manner worthy of the Savior he loves and endeavors to honor. Working for him for many years and getting an “inside look” at how he conducted himself was a refreshing reminder that leadership can model Christ. Danny Akin is a Godfearing, Christ-honoring, and Scripture-believing leader whom I would follow anytime, anywhere!

Dennis Darville

Dr. Akin,

Thank you for believing in me and being a part of opening doors for me to study at Southeastern. It has been one of the most beneficial endeavors I have ever stepped into. I am grateful for your investment in me and so many other students.

Blessings, Eliza Huie

Dr. and Mrs. Akin, We are both so grateful to have been able to serve under and along with you over the last 33 years. You were here when we arrived in 1993 and made us feel welcome in a new land. Then that first year we shared a duplex when your boys turned your living room into a basketball court, and later our boys played in the street together. We are privileged to have served under your stable, visionary, and godly leadership for what have turned out to be the best years of our lives. And now that you are stepping down, we pray God’s richest blessings on the years ahead.

With warmest regards and deepest friendship, Dan and Anna Heimbach

Dr. and Mrs. Akin, Kevin and I remember the first time we met you at a lunch at Magnolia Hill while you were visiting campus. Your warmth, joy, and genuine love for people made an immediate and lasting impression.

Over the years, your impact on Southeastern Seminary and on our family has been profound. My dad and mom so enjoyed their time at Southeastern with you. Dad’s service on the board and later as a professor brought him deep joy and purpose as he invested in the next generation of pastors. Mom loved the women’s fellowship with Charlotte and the opportunity to participate in the women’s certificate program. Thank you for championing them and encouraging them to use their gifts for the kingdom.

Two of our children were also shaped by your leadership through their degrees at Southeastern, and now I am personally benefiting from it as part of the EdD program. Your unwavering focus on the Great Commission has borne fruit and will continue to do so for eternity.

As you step into this next season, we pray God’s richest blessings over you. May the Lord continue to grant you great boldness for the gospel as you walk forward in faith and obedience.

With love and deep gratitude, The Bentleys

Dr. and Mrs. Akin

Thank you for your faithfulness to each other, to the Lord, to his word, to the nations, and to this school. What a gift it has been to be a part of this community for a few years, which has been faithfully led by you.

Dr. Akin, in my first year at Southeastern, I had the joy of taking one of your Bible Exposition classes. It has been a few years now, but I am often reminded of truths spoken in your classroom. Thank you for being a part of training me to rightly approach, handle, and respond to the word of God.

Anna

Shaw

Dr. and Mrs. Akin,

It is difficult to put into words the depth of gratitude for what your lives have meant to so many of us. Your leadership has never been just about direction, but about devotion. You have modeled what it truly means to love Christ, serve his Church, and live for the Great Commission with unwavering faith.

Through seasons of growth, challenge, and global impact, you remained steady, faithful, and deeply committed to raising leaders who carry the gospel to the nations. Your influence has gone far beyond classrooms and campuses; it has reached hearts, shaped callings and ignited a passion for mission in countless lives.

Thank you for the sacrifices we did not see, the prayers we did not hear, and the burdens you carried with grace. Thank you for leading not only with wisdom but also with humility and love.

Your legacy is not only in what you built but also in who you raised. And that legacy will continue to speak across generations and nations.

May the Lord richly honor you, refresh you, and reward you abundantly. Your labor in the Lord has not been in vain.

With deep honor and gratitude.

Prof. Dr. Xavier Simango

Dear Dr. and Mrs. Akin, Thank you so much for leading this school with gentleness and humility. I’ve been so blessed by your service and hospitality. May the Lord continue to bless you and your family!

Annelise Hull

Dr. Akin and Charlotte, Lacey and I want to express our sincere thankfulness and gratitude for you. Your love for Jesus, sweet spirits, and servant leadership have set an excellent example for Christ and your many students, faculty, staff, alumni, and contacts in the world.

We will fondly remember my birthday in 2019 because that was the day we came for the DMin program interest lunch. We enjoyed our time with the entire team, but you two made the biggest impact with your sincerity and Great Commission heart. I knew Southeastern was the right place for me to pursue my terminal degree. I loved the entire experience and the culture on campus and among your faculty.

Though our paths have not crossed much since then, you are often in our thoughts and prayers. Thank you for continuing to run your race well! Though the detractors have come, as they always do, Jesus gets the final say on your ministry legacy. I firmly believe that one day you will hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servants.”

Excited to see what God does next in your lives and family. God bless!

Josh and Lacey Komis

Charlotte has meant the world to me and my ministry. I often remember her wise and kind words about being the woman of God that he has called me to be instead of the one others expect me to be. Thank you so much for your work and for leading us all so well.

Ashley Burk

WHO WE ARE

Established in 1995, 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. To date, the Southeastern Society has given over $66 million to support Great Commission theological education.

WHY WE GIVE

Because we have been so blessed, we need to bless others. One person has a very limited amount of time and resources to share the gospel, but Southeastern Seminary is able to multiply our resources and efforts by training a missionary force, equipping and sending people to places we cannot go. That’s exciting to us, and that’s why we support Southeastern.

JIM & RUTH ANN DYER

Southeastern Society Members since 2016

IMPACT

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

HOW TO JOIN

Join by giving $1,000 or more annually to fund the training of gospel-ready ambassadors for Christ.

For more info or to become a member, contact Drew Davis at ddavis@sebts.edu or visit sebts.edu/ses.

From Classrooms to Conversations:

The Great Commission’s Call

ITanner Keen

s every classroom at Southeastern a Great Commission classroom? It is easy to see how some of the more “practical” classes in the curriculum may check this box, but I’ll admit that at times I have wondered if every class — even good and important classes — directly apply to the Great Commission.

One of my favorite Southeastern classes was a week-long Christology intensive with Dr. Steven McKinion. This class changed the way I look at Jesus and even at the gospel itself. However, while taking this upperlevel theology elective, I was not sure that our final paper assignment — on the question “Is it appropriate to say that God died on the cross?” — was a Great Commission paper or that it even necessarily had to be! It took my mission trip to South Asia, working among Muslims in a hostile context in a megacity, to show me that even the most “abstract” classes are preparing students for practical ministry.

The first day we went out to do street

evangelism on the trip, I was struck by a serious lack of gospel boldness within me. I caught myself shying away from the gospel in my conversations, dragging out the “get-to-know-you” formalities, and by the time I would finally turn the conversation toward the gospel, the person would have to leave. I will never forget the feeling of watching the first man I talked to walk away without getting to hear the gospel because the call to prayer was sounding in the distance. As he walked away, I realized he may never meet another Christian or have another chance to hear the gospel.

As the week went on, God graciously grew in me a commitment to share. I slowly grew more comfortable over the next few days and got to share the gospel with many Muslims (and occasionally Hindus) who had likely never heard it before. This steady growth in gospel boldness culminated in my last day of evangelism, when I and a few others left the urban center where we had spent the week and drove several

hours away to a small town that was home to a very conservative and orthodox Muslim seminary. A teammate and I walked onto the beautiful campus of the seminary in hopes of finding a couple people open to conversing with us, as we had done in the city the rest of the week. However, the atmosphere here was noticeably different. Within just a few minutes, a small crowd began to form around us, and the conversation — largely by their own initiation — focused exclusively on religion. So many people gathered that the two of us split up to form two crowds, with 20-30 Muslim students in each group. Over the next two hours, we had the opportunity to publicly share the gospel and contend for the faith with these crowds of students. I was able to open the Scriptures and explain to them that Jesus is not just another great prophet but God in the flesh! I was able to answer their many questions and ask them questions of my own.

Incredibly, I was uniquely familiar with one of the questions that they

Southeastern Student MDiv Christian Ministry

“Southeastern does this work of equipping both by taking us to hard contexts for hands-on ministry and by training us in every classroom and every subject for the advancement of the gospel and the kingdom of Christ.”

asked and spent a significant portion of time on. They asked me, “Are you saying, then, that God died?” Because of my Christology class, I was able not only to be bold but also to be theologically sound as I answered their familiar question. More than that, I was able to take this question and explain why Jesus died, on our behalf to save us from our sins, and that he didn’t stay dead but rose again defeating death and offering life to all who would believe in him.

My education at Southeastern directly and explicitly equipped me to be an evangelist in an intense setting in an unreached context across the planet. Even the weightier, more “abstract”

papers and classes actually asked questions and gave me tools that would prove beneficial on the field. I saw firsthand that every classroom really is a Great Commission classroom! And that’s not all God was doing in this trip through Southeastern students. There were so many stories of gospel opportunities Southeastern students experienced on this trip, made possible by the school’s commitment to equip us for real ministry and missions. Southeastern does this work of equipping both by taking us to hard contexts for hands-on ministry and by training us in every classroom and every subject for the advancement of the gospel and the kingdom of Christ.

PRAYER POINTS

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Pray for the people of South Asia, that God would soften their hearts and open their eyes to the gospel.

Pray for the IMB church planters in South Asia to have strength, endurance, holiness, and encouragement in the work to which God has called them.

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Pray for the gospel to reach and be received by the students in the Muslim seminary.

Pray for boldness, safety, and encouragement of the IMB team and their work in such a hostile context.

VISIT THECGCS.ORG/TRIPS OR SCAN HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT OUR UPCOMING MISSION TRIPS AND HOW YOU CAN PRAY FOR THEM

Dr. Brent Aucoin began teaching at Southeastern Seminary and Judson College in 2004 as Dr. Akin's first faculty hire. Today Aucoin serves as professor of history and associate dean of Judson College for academic affairs. When he isn't teaching classes on American and Baptist history, he enjoys spending time with his four sons and his wife, fellow Southeastern professor Amanda Aucoin. In the following Q&A, Aucoin shares more about his passion for history, God's work in his life, and his years at Southeastern.

with Dr. Aucoin

How did God save you?

I was raised Catholic in New Orleans, stopped practicing for a time during my undergraduate years, and then began attending Catholic church on a regular basis during graduate school. Then, in my first PhD course, I met Amanda Wood — now Amanda Aucoin — and we became friends. I tried to convert her to Catholicism and get her to go to mass with me, but I quickly found that she was very strong in her faith and had been raised in a Baptist home.

At the time I believed in God, and I believed in heaven and hell. But I believed that I could go to heaven because my good works outweighed my bad works. Amanda took me to hear good preaching and connected me with some other graduate students who were doing Bible studies. She also strongly urged me to read the Scriptures, specifically the book of John and then the book of Romans. By the time I got to Romans 7, that’s when I would say I became a Christian. I understood my sinfulness and my need for grace and for the atoning work of Christ. I went from being a believer in God to being born again.

How did you and your wife, Amanda, meet?

We met in what was my first PhD seminar and her first master’s degree seminar. There were probably 15 students in that class, and the professor came in with a big pile of books and said, “Read these, and we’ll meet again a month from today.” All the students looked at one another, and we decided to exchange phone numbers to help one another out. I took advantage of that and went straight to Amanda and said, “So, I should get your phone number so we can consult on this.” She made the mistake of giving me her number, and the rest is history, if you will.

Those first few months of our relationship, we were deep in historical research and reading and then theology. Everything I thought I knew about God and religion and faith was being upended by what I was reading and hearing in Bible studies and my conversations with her. It was an unusual start of a relationship, filled with theological and historical debates. I’m eternally grateful to her. We got married in June of 1995.

When did you first discover your love for history?

Looking back on my life, it’s clear to me I had a love of history very early on. In grade school, I really liked to read historical biographies, and growing up in New Orleans, I especially liked to read about Andrew Jackson. I knew almost everything there was to know about him by the time I was in sixth grade. In my senior year of high school, I became more politically engaged, and that’s why I wanted to pursue journalism. But that very first semester at college, I took a history course that I fell in love with. I also realized I wanted to be able to dig deeper into the various assignments I was given, rather than staying within a journalistic word count. All of that came together and made me switch over to history.

How did your approach to history change after you came to faith?

During my master’s degree, even though I was Catholic, I had a slight level of hostility towards Christianity. I was moving in a liberal direction when it came to American culture and politics. I viewed history as a weapon to be used politically. But after I was converted, at the beginning of my PhD program, my view of history switched to pursuit of the truth, for the sake of the truth — and with the knowledge that all truth is God’s truth. My life

changed dramatically in just about every area but certainly in the way I viewed politics and history.

What is a foundational piece of Southern Baptist history that you believe does not receive appropriate attention among Christians today?

The first thing that comes to mind is what we call the Conservative Resurgence. In my Baptist history class, I’m astonished on a regular basis by the number of students who, in some cases, know nothing — but more often know just very little about the battle for the Bible among Southern Baptists. Baptist history is also one of my favorite classes to teach. My students’ response is generally that they were not expecting much from the class and were not big fans of history. But at the end they tell me they’ve found that there’s much more to Baptist history and distinctives than they thought and that it’s much more relevant to their lives and ministry than they anticipated.

How have you seen your history classes shape the minds of your students as they prepare to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission?

Returning to that Baptist history class, I find that going through the distinctives of being a Baptist is eyeopening for a significant number of students who never learned what it means to be Baptist. During the class, the students learn not only the differences between denominations but also why those differences exist, that those distinctives signify something important. They signify a certain understanding of the Scriptures and a view of what the Scriptures teach. It makes their Baptist identity more meaningful to

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them when they have a better understanding of who Baptists are and why we believe what we believe. And that part of being Baptist, in our context, is cooperating together to fulfill the Great Commission.

8. Two of Dr. Aucoin's publications 2 1 4 5 Q A

As Dr. Akin’s first hire at Southeastern, how have you seen this institution change over the past 22 years?

When I came here to interview for the job, I was as nervous as could be. But Dr. Akin just talked and talked, trying to sell me on who he was, who Southeastern was, and on his vision for the institution. He was so excited to be here, and he shared all about his plans and his hopes, and then he asked me the hard questions. That was my first interaction with Dr. Akin, and it’s one I greatly appreciate and still think about.

The most noticeable change, since 2004, is that Southeastern has grown and become more effective without losing its pervading spirit. The spirit of the institution was really clear to me when I first stepped on campus: a love for God’s word and a

1. Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

2. A picture of Dr. Aucoin's son, Alex

3. Artwork from Dr. Aucoin's youngest son and a poster in honor of his oldest who is a U.S. marine

4. Part of Dr. Aucoin's library

5. Judge Thomas Goode Jones, on whom Dr. Aucoin wrote a biography

6. Old Main at the University of Arkansas, where Dr. Aucoin proposed to his wife

7. The Aucoins at a library event

dedication to missions. That has only increased, strengthened, and grown. We’re much more established as an institution than when I first arrived here, but we have the same exact mission and focus and camaraderie that was here 22 years ago.

What do you and your family like to do in your free time?

We have four boys in our family, ages 15-25, so we’re very much sportsoriented. We’ve spent a lot of our free time watching them play sports and playing with them. We also love to do hikes as a family — we’ve hiked lots of waterfalls — and we like to take trips and be somewhat active. We like to go to the beach and go skiing, and, really, we like to have people over. We’re members of First Baptist Church of Durham, which is kind of a ways away, so most weekends we find ourselves inviting people over to share a meal with us and do things together.

Your wife, Amanda, also teaches history here at Southeastern. What’s it like getting to work at the same place as her?

I love it. I actually tried hard to make it so that we could work together more. I want to spend every moment I can with her, and it’s great to have her across the hallway. Now that the boys are older, she’s been on campus more often. One of the reasons I wanted her to come to campus so much is that I wanted her to experience what I experienced, being around the other faculty and Dr. Akin and the students. I wanted her to have that as well. It’s been great to go with her to meetings and such, but we also go our separate ways. She has people that she likes to visit with, and I’ll visit others. I’m glad she’s getting to experience more of what I’ve experienced over these 20-plus years.

6 8 Q Q A A

APRIL 27 - MAY 1

Join us for the very first Southeastern Giving Days! During this week, we will spend five days supporting five initiatives, all a part of one mission — equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. Gifts from generous donors like you during these special days will make it possible for more men and women to be trained for ministry with the best resources available. As we prepare for Southeastern Giving Days, we invite you to prayerfully consider how you can participate and be a part of the Southeastern mission.

SCAN HERE OR GO TO SEBTS.EDU/GIVINGDAYS

WHAT CAUSES CAN YOU SUPPORT?

Monday: Southeastern Fund

Tuesday: Missions

Wednesday: Alumni Association

Thursday: Parents Fund

Friday: Legacy Giving

Supporting the Southeastern Fund is the most impactful way to invest directly in the mission of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Because it strengthens every aspect of campus life — from classrooms and faculty development to student scholarships and ministry training — every gift reaches every student. As graduates carry the hope of the gospel into their families, churches, communities, and mission fields, your generosity becomes part of their story. By supporting the Southeastern Fund, you help the gospel reach people you may never meet — but whose lives will be forever changed.

WAYS TO GIVE

Danny Akin Global Missions Endowment

For more than two decades, Dr. Danny Akin has challenged Southeastern to be a “Great Commission Seminary,” sending graduates to the ends of the earth with the hope of Christ. The Danny Akin Global Missions Endowment carries that vision forward by ensuring that every student called to go can be equipped, trained, and sent. This fund provides ongoing resources for the Center for Great Commission Studies and their work of missions mobilization. By giving, you join a legacy of faithfulness and help prepare generations of Southeastern students to go to places where the gospel is least known.

Charlotte Akin Student Aid Fund

For decades, Charlotte Akin has faithfully served the Southeastern community, embodying grace, resilience, and a deep love for Christ. The Charlotte Akin Student Aid Fund honors her remarkable story — from her formative years in the Baptist Children’s Home to her decades of ministry alongside Dr. Akin — by supporting students who share a similar journey and calling. This fund ensures that those shaped by the care of Baptist Children’s Homes in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia can pursue theological education at Southeastern. When you give, you honor Charlotte’s legacy of steadfast faith and open the door for future students to follow God’s call with confidence and courage.

SCAN HERE TO GIVE

NEWLY RELEASED

Equipped to Serve: How Seminary Strengthens You for Ministry

God has entrusted you with gifts to build up his church, and he uses seminary to strengthen those gifts. Whether you’re attending seminary or considering its benefits, “Equipped to Serve” explains why seminary remains indispensable for those called to serve the church. Seminary can uniquely grow your knowledge and nurture your character.

Each chapter of “Equipped to Serve” showcases how different areas of study come together to prepare you for well-rounded ministry. Every course matters, whether biblical studies, preaching and counseling, missions, or spiritual formation. And recognizing these benefits will help you get the most out of your education.

R. Scott Pace and Jonathan D. Six

August 2025

Exalting Christ in 1 Peter

Daniel L. Akin

July 2025

The Source of Hope: An Introduction to Eschatology

John Hammett

August 2025

False Love: 9 Steps Towards Sexual Integrity

Brad Hambrick

August 2025

Churches Planting Churches: A Guide for Multiplying Churches

Edited by Matt Rogers and Phil A. Newton

October 2025

True Betrayal: 9 Steps for Processing Your Spouse’s Infidelity

Brad Hambrick

August 2025

Building a Great Commission Seminary: Different by Design: A Brief History of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

October 2025

Keith Harper, Faith Steele, and Josh S. Pruitt

The Torah Mosaic: Introducing the Pentateuch in its Complex Unity

Tracy McKenzie

November 2025

FACULTY WORKS

Matthew: A 40-Day Bible Study

Charles L. Quarles

December 2025

Global Engagement in Mission and World Christianity: Asia Pacific

Edited by Will Brooks and Michael Copeland

January 2026

Shepherding Renewal: A Guide to Lasting Church Revitalization

Steven Wade and Matthew Capps

May 2026

Christian History: Volume One

Benjamin T. Quinn and Steven A. McKinion

March 2026

Ephesians: A 40-Day Bible Study

Benjamin Merkle

December 2025

A Theology for the Church: 2nd Edition: Revised and Expanded

Edited by Daniel L. Akin, Kenneth D. Keathley, and Keith S. Whitfield

March 2026

Counseling Teens: Biblical Wisdom for Today’s Young People

Kristin Kellen

May 2026

I Am Going: 2nd Edition

Danny Akin

June 2026

NEWLY RELEASED ALUMNI WORKS

Augustine of Hippo: The Doubter Who Became a Church Father

Joshua D. Chatraw

June 2025

Hope, Hurt, and Healing

Catherine Renfro

September 2025

The Man for the Day: Answering the Call to Godly Manhood

J. Josh Smith

January 2026

Chosen: Building Your Family the Way

God Builds His

Andrew Hopper

January 2026

Accessible Church: A Gospel-Centered Vision for Including People with Disabilities and Their Families

Sandra Peoples

July 2025

Every Member Matters

Matt Capps and Josh Wredberg

September 2025

Missional Preaching: Communicating the Gospel in an Age of Unbelief

Stephen Stallard

September 2025

The Devil Reads Nietzsche: A Public Theology for the Post-Christian Age

Michael McEwen

October 2025

Overflowing Peace: What God Says about a Peace-Filled Life

Tara Dew

January 2026

Joshua: A Commentary for Biblical Preaching and Teaching

Randall L. McKinion and Jason K. Lee

January 2026

God and Country: Upholding Faith, History, and National Identity

John D. Wilsey

February 2026

Classical Theism: A Christian Introduction

Jordan Steffaniak

February 2026

Moral Apologetics: A Short Companion

Jamie Dew and Jordan Steffaniak

April 2026

Steadfast: The Leadership Journey and Model of David S. Dockery

Andy Pettigrew

June 2026

Understanding Trauma and Resilience: A Guide for Counselors, Caregivers, and Ministers

Evan B. Marbury

June 2026

Academic Excellence for Thoughtful Ministry Leaders

Adoración: Lo que toda la iglesia debe saber (y los músicos también)

Rogers Peralta and Carlos Garcia

September 2026

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

Read or download your copy at sebts.edu/str

danny akin

“He

Will Be with You Every Step of the Way”: Akin Encourages Fall 2025 Graduates

• Last fall, Southeastern Seminary and Judson College celebrated the graduation of 253 students, representing a total of 28 states and 12 countries. These new alumni graduated with a shared heart for the nations and for God’s Church.

• “Some of you are going to be called to very hard assignments, very difficult assignments. Some of you will even be in very dangerous assignments,” said President Danny Akin. “I want to comfort you by letting you know that there is one who will love you like a father and be there every step of the way.”

Southeastern Welcomes Will Brooks as Professor

of Missiology

• Southeastern Seminary and Judson College welcomed Will Brooks as professor of missiology and associate vice president for Global Theological Initiatives.

• Brooks has served for the past eight years as a theological education strategist in Southeast Asia and for the past four years as provost at Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary.

• “Dr. Brooks is uniquely qualified to lead in this strategic role that requires practical, administrative, and academic expertise,” said Provost Scott Pace. “His years of field experience serving in Southeast Asia, his teaching and leadership roles in theological education, and the global relationships that he has established through years of faithful service will propel us forward in our efforts to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission! He embodies the best of who we are, and I’m grateful that the Lord has brought him to be a part of the Southeastern family.”

Global Missions Week Calls Students to Consider the Nations

• Global Missions Week in February 2026 offered students a variety of missions-focused events, early morning prayer walks, and other opportunities to pray for the nations.

• Missionaries and church planters from across the world from the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board joined students in their classes, met with them over coffee, and shared more about their work at GO Lunches.

• Chuck Lawless preached from Ephesians 6 and Colossians 4 on the importance of prayer in Tuesday’s chapel. Josh Powell of Taylors First Baptist Church in Taylors, South Carolina, preached from Acts 28:30-31 in Thursday’s chapel, reminding students and guests that “the advancement of the kingdom of God through the proclamation of the gospel of Christ Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, cannot be stopped.”

Spring Serve Sends Judson Students into Their Communities

• On March 6, Judson College participated in its inaugural Spring Serve event, involving students from Judson’s on-campus, online, dual enrollment, and prison programs populations, all united around a common mission: serving their local community.

• Students helped with a variety of projects, including delivering meals, picking up trash, sorting donations, and cleaning up local parks. They worked in partnership with the Town of Wake Forest, local food pantries, area churches, and non-profits.

• “We have an incredible student body, men and women who love Jesus and want to make his gospel known and who also love the people around us, love our community,” said Seth Bible, dean of Judson College. “I hope that the organizations we worked with have had an opportunity to get to know them better and see that firsthand.”

Cultivate Equips Women for the Church

• The Cultivate Women's Conference returned this spring with the theme “Gifted for the Church.” More than 260 women discovered the unique ways they can leverage their lives for the Great Commission and make disciples in their contexts.

• Speakers Kelly King, Hunter Beless, and Emily Dean explored the significance of spiritual gifts, and attendees received hands-on training in breakout sessions taught by women’s ministry leaders.

Christ-Centered Exposition Workshop

• David Platt, Charles Quarles, and Danny Akin led the one-day Christ-Centered Exposition Workshop in March. The speakers covered issues of interpretation in Matthew, key themes of the book, and valuable preaching tips.

• Hosted by the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership, this workshop equipped almost 200 pastors and students to become more effective communicators and expositors of God’s word.

We enthusiastically joined the Legacy Society because it was a small way to give back to a place that meant so much to us. Planning to give at our passing allows us to ensure that the institution that helped shape us continues to impact future men, women, and families for God’s kingdom. It is a gift of eternal significance that you can pursue at any income level.

Make Southeastern a Part of Your Story

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 champions 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.

Southeastern graduates are serving in all 50 states and 40 countries around the world. When your church gives to the Cooperative Program, you support Southeastern’s mission to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission.

During Dr. Akin’s presidency Southeastern received over $278 million in Cooperative Program allocations because of churches like yours who share our Great Commission heartbeat. www.sbc.net/cp

Letter from the VP

hange is difficult. In some sense, change marks the end of an era. Sometimes we mourn change; other times we celebrate it. At Southeastern, we find ourselves at the bittersweet crossroads of both. This year marks the conclusion of Dr. Danny Akin’s 22 years as president of Southeastern. While we grieve Dr. Akin’s retirement, we also celebrate with him and Mrs. Akin as they embark on this new stage of life and ministry.

I have been privileged to serve in the Southeastern community for 20 of Dr. Akin’s 22 years. I have observed his ministry as a student, as a staff member, and as a member of the president’s cabinet working closely alongside him. As a young seminarian, I admired Dr. Akin’s commitment to Scripture, his theological rigor, and his unwavering call to Great Commission ministry. In his renowned hermeneutics course, I witnessed his love for the Bible and his firm confidence in the infallibility, inerrancy, and sufficiency of the word of God.

As a staff member, I saw firsthand how he led our school with passion and prepared students to take the gospel across the street and around the world. Dr. Akin has consistently challenged us, asking, “Not why should I go to the nations, but why should I stay?” His words continually compel me to reflect.

Dr. Akin has intentionally demonstrated care for his staff. He is not only a passionate leader

but also a compassionate shepherd. When my first child arrived sevenand-a-half weeks early and doctors performed an emergency C-section, Dr. Akin called me almost immediately. His calming demeanor and confident faith brought the soothing salve my soul needed. I still marvel that the seminary president personally called and prayed with me. That is Dr. Akin — no task sits beneath him.

Serving on the president’s cabinet has given me an even clearer view of Dr. Akin’s leadership. He leads with the same integrity, uprightness, conviction, theological rigor, and missional focus in private that he displays in public. He makes hard decisions without hesitation and refuses to take shortcuts or play political games. He believes it is never wrong to do the right thing, and he never allows criticism from bad actors to dictate his actions. These convictions and focus have guided our beloved seminary into some of its brightest days. For that, I praise the Lord.

Finally, as I reflect on the coming transition, I am joyfully looking forward to what is next. Dr. Akin has set Southeastern on a trajectory of institutional health and well-being. His presidency is one marked by student growth, financial stability, and missional zeal. As Dr. Akin often says, “Our best days are in front of us.” Bright days indeed are ahead because of the good leadership of the past, the foundation of an incredible faculty, an enduring mission, and an unwavering gospel passion. I am grateful to the Lord for the past 22 years of Dr. Akin’s leadership, and I am looking forward to the next era with excited anticipation for what the Lord will do.

Jonathan Six, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Upcoming Events

SOUTHEASTERN BAPTIST

THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

WAKE FOREST, NC

DANIEL AKIN

PRESIDENT

SCOTT PACE

PROVOST

RYAN HUTCHINSON

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR OPERATIONS

JONATHAN SIX

VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

NATHANIEL WILLIAMS - Director

CHAD BURCHETT - Associate Director of Marketing

RYAN THOMAS - Associate Director of Design

ANNA BOATWRIGHT - Digital Marketing Coordinator

ABIGAIL GINSTERBLUM - Photographer

CLARISSA HARTMAN - Graphic Designer

CALLIE HAZERES - Undergraduate Marketing Coordinator

MARY ASTA MOUNTAIN - News & Copy Writer

SOPHIE RHOADS - Social Media Manager

FRANCESCA SMYLY - Graphic Designer

FINANCIAL & ALUMNI DEVELOPMENT

DREW DAVIS - Director

GEORGE HARVEY - General Counsel

& Director of Planned Giving

CHRIS ALLEN - Assistant Director for Church & Convention Relations

MEREDITH COOK - Grant Coordinator

JESSICA GODDARD - Development Events Specialist

CALEB HOLT - Alumni & Church Relations Specialist

TANNER KEEN - Annual Giving Officer

CAROLINE KREITZER - Donor Engagement Specialist

TAYLOR STEEL - Gift Accountant

KAYLA MING - Administrative Assistant

DAVID ROGERS - Major Gifts Officer

JONATHAN VAUGHAN - Church Relations Officer

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

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

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

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

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MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

P.O. Box 1889

Wake Forest, NC 27588-1889

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