Though the United States is often considered a “Christian nation,” Geoff Hammond said there is still plenty of work to do in making believers and disciples of all people, especially those residing in North America.
The president of the North American Mission Board, Hammond has a passion for reaching people living in the United States, Canada and the territories, those areas that are the focus of NAMB’s work. He said people often forget there is a very ripe mission field within the United States, and it is one that is growing and constantly changing. While speaking to the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary family during chapel on April 29, Hammond challenged students to see the world they live in as a mission. After presenting a NAMB video on the status of North America and the work of Southern Baptists here, he challenged students to hear the call of God and allow themselves to be sent by God, wherever that may be.
“There is still work left to do,” Hammond said, after showing the great need for missionaries in this region. Although there are approximately 150,000 NAMB missionaries, volunteers and chaplains working within North America, Hammond said there are still 250 million people to be reached. Read the rest of this entry »
Very little evidence remains of the F-4 tornado that struck Union University on February 5, and Southeastern students did their part to aid the undergraduate university in reconstructing campus and moving onward.
Union’s 200-acre campus, located in Jackson, Tenn., received over $40 million dollars in damage when the tornado swept through in February. Despite the extensive damage to the housing complexes and one of the academic buildings, there were no lives lost at Union, despite having approximately 1200 people on campus at the time. A few mangled road signs, water stains on some of the buildings and a constant buzz of rebuilding activity is nearly all that is left to tell visitors about the tornado that hit Union, little over two months ago. Instead of devastation and destruction – the images so recently seen on campus – there is a flurry of activity as construction crews erect new dormitory facilities.
On April 24-26, Southeastern students and staff traveled to the fellow Southern Baptist institution to aid in the continuing efforts at restoration. Approximately 25 people spent a portion of their spring break helping in the continuing clean-up efforts by landscaping, a task which had largely been neglected as maintenance and rebuilding efforts were focused on more urgent matters, as well as lending support to the Union family. Read the rest of this entry »
The Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Male Chorale, the Seminary Choir, and the Northeast Piedmont Chorale, under the direction of Dr. John Davis, will present Mendelssohn’s Elijah this Friday, May 2, at 8:00 pm in Binkley Chapel. Dr. Doug Crawley will perform the role of Elijah. A pre-concert lecture on Felix Mendelssohn and the composition of Elijah will be presented by Joshua Waggener in Eitel Auditorium at 7:00 pm preceding the concert. Read the rest of this entry »
The greatest call of God on your life is not the call to an opportunity, but first to Christ and then to a place of service.
In a message entitled “The Call,” Johnny Hunt challenged the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary family to examine how and to where they have been called, and think about what the call of God has meant for their lives. Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga., spoke during Southeastern’s chapel service on April 15. The service, which is known as the commissioning service, also was a special time to pray over the many students and families about to enter service on the mission field.
“Over and over again I have heard God saying, ‘Preach on the call. Preach on the call.’ Then, when I come in here and hear all the news on the call – and I wish I could say this every time I preach – I thought, ‘Jesus, we got it right,’” Hunt said. “Oh, if we only knew the difference God’s call makes.” Read the rest of this entry »
Southeastern students, faculty and staff will have the chance to help rebuild the campus of Union University during spring break, as Union tries to move on post-tornado.
The Southern Baptist university, located in Jackson, Tenn., sustained heavy damage to the campus after an F-4 tornado ripped through on February 5. Estimates of damage to campus exceed $40 million dollars. In an effort to help the school continue the rebuilding process, Southeastern will be sponsoring a trip to help with landscaping and grounds repair.
The trip will take place April 24-26, which is the end ofSoutheastern’s spring break. Meals, transportation and lodging will be provided for Southeasterners who wish to go and help with landscaping work. Students can also receive one hour of class credit for participating.
To find out more information about the trip, please contact Benjamin Quinn (919-761-2283) in the Student Development office. If you’d like to register, please contact Elizabeth Graham (919-761-2200).
The distance between science and faith is not as great as some atheists would have people believe, according to mathematician and philosopher John Lennox.
Speaking on the topic of “the new atheism,” Lennox, who is a world-renowned mathematician, scientist and philosopher, delivered an argument for compatibility between the existence of God, faith and science during Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Carver-Barnes Lecture Series, sponsored by the school’s L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture.
His addresses on the topics of science, philosophy and religion were held on March 11 and 12.
The so-called “new atheism,” Lennox said, is virtually the same as the old in content, albeit with a different tone and aggressiveness. The change in tone has come about recently, he said, in response to the events of September 11, 2001. Read the rest of this entry »
Knowing the will of God is not entirely impossible.
There are four principles, all part of God’s will for his people, to be gleaned from the “little jewel” of Philemon, said Thom Rainer. Rainer, who is president of LifeWay Christian Resources, addressed Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary during chapel on March 4, 2008.
Rainer began by challenging students, staff and faculty to think about their lives, and whether or not they are living them well.
Teaching from the text of Philemon, beginning in verse eight, Rainer said, “I don’t want to look at my life and say, ‘Was it lived well, or was it mostly wasted?’
Whether it has been in pastoral ministry or whether it has been in any other position I have held, a common question that comes to me is, ‘I want to live my life well.’ That’s the statement, and the question is, ‘How can I know the will of God for my life?’” Read the rest of this entry »
To have a healthy, God-proclaiming church, Mark Dever said it is important for the leadership to pray for its people as the Apostle Paul did.
Dever, who is the author of Nine Marks of a Healthy Church and the pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., spoke especially to those who currently pastor congregations, no matter the size. His fear, he said, is that 30-40 years from now, the church will see a majority of those who are just entering the ministry no longer active in it.
Speaking from the text of 1 Thessalonians 3:10-13, Dever said it is important to study the words of Paul and see what he desired for the early church in Thessalonica. He outlines three prayers Paul had for the early church and uses them as an example of how modern church leaders ought to encourage and pray for their own congregations. Read the rest of this entry »
Highlights from the 2008 20/20 Collegiate Conference, “Missio Dei.” If you haven’t heard, Mark Driscoll is among those who have committed to be our guests at the 2009 20/20 conference, with the theme “The Gospel Comes to Life.” Click here to learn more about it.
All of humanity is represented by one of two thieves who were crucified alongside Jesus, Buddy Gray said.
The pastor of Hunter Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., Gray spoke to the Southeastern family during chapel on February 19. Speaking out of Luke 23:32-43, Gray discussed the relevancy of the two criminals, who were crucified alongside of Jesus, and related them to people today.“I want us to look at those three crosses. I want us to look at those two criminals. The Bible says they are criminals. They were on “Jerusalem’s Most Wanted List,” Gray said. “Both of them were heaping insults on Jesus. They have a great deal in common. One on the right, and one on the left. There is something very different about them, though. That is how they come to view Jesus Christ.” Read the rest of this entry »
The president of the North American Mission Board, Hammond has a passion for reaching people living in the United States, Canada and the territories, those areas that are the focus of NAMB’s work. He said people often forget there is a very ripe mission field within the United States, and it is one that is growing and constantly changing. While speaking to the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary family during chapel on April 29, Hammond challenged students to see the world they live in as a mission. After presenting a NAMB video on the status of North America and the work of Southern Baptists here, he challenged students to hear the call of God and allow themselves to be sent by God, wherever that may be.
Speaking on the topic of “the new atheism,” Lennox, who is a world-renowned mathematician, scientist and philosopher, delivered an argument for compatibility between the existence of God, faith and science during Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Carver-Barnes Lecture Series, sponsored by the school’s L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture.
