the midwestern - spring 2009

Newsmagazine for Alumni and Friends of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and College, SBC

Spring 2009

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Spring 2009

Newsmagazine for Alumni and Friends ofMidwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

R. Philip RobertsPresident

Tammi LedbetterInterim Editor

Josh ErismanCharis BucklandCommunications Assistants

Jenny BuehlerDesigner

The Covington GroupPublisher.............................................................ADDRESS CHANGEPOSTMASTER: Send address changes to Communications Office5001 N. Oak TrafficwayKansas City, MO 64118

HOW TO REACH US

Phone:816.414.3700, ext. 709

Fax:816.414.3724

Internet:www.mbts.edu

Mail:5001 N. Oak TrafficwayKansas City, MO 64118

Email:[email protected]

The Midwestern is published quarterlyand is distributed free for alumni andfriends of Midwestern Baptist TheologicalSeminary by the Office of InstitutionalAdvancement, 5001 N. Oak Trafficway,Kansas City, MO 64118. Postage paid atKansas City, MO.

The Midwestern highlights the Seminary’smission: Midwestern Baptist TheologicalSeminary serves the church by biblicallyeducating God-called men and women tobe and make disciples of Jesus Christ.MBTS is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

MidwesternThe

MIDWESTERN NEWS: Faculty office honors Johnny Hunt’s legacy of missions and soul-winning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

PRESIDENT’S EDITORIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

MIDWESTERN NEWS: Evangelist Billy Kim reminds Midwestern audience of evangelistic mandate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

COVER FOCUS: Inaugural Dead Seas Scrolls conference opens to dialogue on Gospel of Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Watson provides Old Testament studentsinsight from studies of ancient world . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

MIDWESTERN NEWS: Trustees select experienced educatorand pastor as academic vice president . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

MIDWESTERN NEWS: Midwestern Seminary teams ministeramidst cults and false religions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

MIDWESTERN NEWS: D.Min. in Spanish provides students with education in ‘heart language’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT: All in the same boat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

ALUMNI PROFILE: West Texas ministry becomes homefor Midwestern alumni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

FACULTY COLUMN: Undervaluing sermon introduction harms enterprise of preaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

KEEPING IN TOUCH: News and updatesfrom alumni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

CONTENTS

2 The Midwestern Spring 2009

Construction of new apartments progresses intime for students arriving next fall.


MIDWESTERN NEWS

Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt washonored March 10 at the dedication of a faculty officethat will be occupied by Professor Stephen J. Andrews,

who teaches Old Testament, Hebrew and archaeology anddirects the Morton-Seats Institute of Archaeology andAnthropology at Midwestern.

Vice President for Academic Development Jerry Johnson notedthe appropriateness of honoring Hunt in a building dedicated tothe memory of two martyred missionaries who graduated fromMidwestern—William Koehn and Martha Myers. “Just as theprophet Elisha sought a double portion of Elijah’s spirit,” Johnsonsaid, “my hope and prayer is that our pastors, missionaries andevangelists going out of Midwestern catch some of the fire youhave for soul-winning, missions and evangelism.”

Trustee and Regent Dan McDonald of Roswell, Ga., providedfunding for the office, offering a dedicatory prayer in which heexpressed gratitude “for the leadership Pastor Johnny haspersonally given me and my family and my church that hasenabled me by power of the Holy Spirit to lead people to Christ.”

Marty R. Harkey, vice president for institutionaladvancement, read the following resolution:

“Today we honor Pastor Johnny Hunt, presidentof the Southern Baptist Convention and seniorpastor of First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga.,where he has served for over 22 years. He andhis wife, Janet Allen Hunt, have two daughtersand three grandchildren.

“He has led First Baptist Church Woodstock tobecome a strong financial supporter of missionsaround the world. Under his leadership, FirstBaptist Church Woodstock has grown from anaverage attendance of 275 to a presentmembership of almost 17,000 with threemorning worship services averaging almost7,000 in attendance.

“His ministry spans the world in internationalmissions, evangelism, pastoral ministries, andtraining and equipping leaders and other

believers to reach people for Christ. His legacy in the lives ofbelievers and his ministry influences will live on for all eternity.

“Because of his dedicated service and his faithful and powerfulproclamation of the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, today we arehonored to dedicate this room to Pastor Johnny Hunt. Thank you,and may God continue to bless you.”

“Whether as an acknowledgment of your family, pastor,church, or as a memorial to a loved one, room naming is aunique opportunity to show publicly your support of the Lord’swork at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary,” Harkey laterexplained. Midwestern is currently involved in a capitalcampaign for building renovation and new construction projectscalled “Building for the Future!” This campaign is instrumentalto providing an atmosphere conducive to academic excellence.The Office of Institutional Advancement offers many room-naming opportunities for new and existing buildings. Forfurther information please contact Marty Harkey in the IA officeat 816-414-3720. MW

Trustee honors Huntwith dedication ofnew faculty office

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by Tammi Ledbetter

SBC President Johnny Hunt with Trustee Dan McDonald.

Hunt greets Professor Steve Andrews.Hunt greets Professor Steve Andrews.



The word came to us as we were leaving church onSunday morning, March 8. It was unbelievable andshocking news that Fred Winters had been shot down

in his pulpit, First Baptist Church, Maryville, Ill. He waspreaching the Gospel and was in the middle of his sermonwhen approached by a gunman from the front rows. The firstbullet, it has been reported, shattered Fred’s Bible. The secondbullet wounded him and apparently was the killer round thatended his life. Among Fred Winters’ last words to the manwho was about to kill him were, “How may I help you,brother?” What a testimony to Fred’s life purpose. Fred hadbeen our National Alumni President just the year previous andhad also served us faithfully as an adjunct professor at our St.Louis extension. He was a friend and a great encourager to ushere at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

As I pondered the shock of his sudden and violentpassing, several key thoughts came to mind. Number one,Fred’s life was not taken that Sunday morning but it hadalready been given. He had lived out the eternal truth thatwhoever seeks his life shall lose it, as Jesus said, but whosoeverloses his life for My sake shall find it. That had been the storyof Fred’s life since he was a teenager in high school. Havingbeen invited to church by a high school buddy, he came toaccept Christ as his savior and was baptized at First BaptistChurch at Raytown. That is the point at which he had givenhis life to Christ. He had also given his life to Christprofessionally and vocationally having answered the call topreach the Gospel and to serve the Lord in the capacity andthe calling of the New Testament role of pastor.

Notably Fred was the third MBTS alum to have died as theresult of an assassin’s bullet. Dr. Martha Myers and Bill Koehnwere both killed in Yemen, December 30, 2002. It was thenthat Dr. Jerry Rankin spoke of them in these same words thattheir lives had not been taken because they indeed had alreadybeen given. We rejoice to know that this is the power of theGospel and this is the power of a life lived, not to one’s self butto the service and cause of Jesus Christ.

The second great truth is that Fred didn’t cease to live onthat Sunday morning, rather he graduated to glory. “For to meto live is Christ,” the apostle Paul said, “and to die is gain.”The wonderful truth of heaven and the triumphant gloriousresurrection that awaits each of God’s children is not fiction, afable or a fantasy, it is a fact. We rejoice in this great news thatall the world’s religions are still seeking to find an answer for.Eternal life is not found in how we live our lives or how muchgood we do or keeping the balance scales of good and badworks on the good side on our behalf, rather it has to do withthe atoning death of Christ on the cross. It is the hope of glorythat we have bolstering the message of the cross. The crucifiedone, the executed, persecuted Messiah is now the gloriousrisen Lord. He is the Lord of our life and death and He giveslife to all who believe and trust in Him. The scripture saysclearly that whosoever has the Son has life, whosoever doesnot have the Son does not have life. The good news is thatFred had a personal and intimate and saving relationship withJesus Christ. He is assured of a home in heaven and of aneternity with all of the saints in the realms of glory.

Number three, Fred lost nothing on that Sundaymorning; rather he was the overcomer and victor even in themidst of someone seemingly snatching his life from him.Notably in the 11th verse of Revelation 12 we find thesewords: “and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and

the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives untodeath.” Very interestingly, the martyrs mentioned here inRevelation chapter 12 were the overcomers, the victors, thenikes. Yes, that is where we get the name for the sports dealerwho so wants to promote all of his clients as being on thewinning side. When we put our faith and trust in Jesus we areon the winning side. What seems to be a defeating death isreally nothing more than an elevation of one’s victoriousrelationship in Jesus. The one who is the ultimate victorprovides victory and an overcomer’s mentality for all of thosewho put their faith and trust in Him. Fred may have beencarried out of his church on a stretcher but he was the onewho was found faithful until death and who will receive themartyr’s and the victor’s crown.

Number four, Fred Winters did not end his ministry onthat Sunday morning, rather he validated it. In Hebrews 11we hear the words related to the testimony and witness ofAbel that he was dead yet speaketh. This is true for all thosewho faithfully, courageously and consistently serve Christ andseek to witness and to evangelize for His glory. Theirministries will bear fruit, sometimes one ministry more thananother, but nonetheless fruit that will last for eternity. Afriend of mine in Romania who suffered heavy persecutionand threats under the Communist regime tells a story about afinal threat that was made on him by his Communistinterrogators. They pulled out a pistol and threatened to killhim, take his life and end his ministry right there. Hiscomment to them was, “I know what your greatest weapon is,it is to kill me. But you need to know what my greatestweapon is, it is to be willing to die for my faith, for mywitness in Christ and for all that I have said and done on Hisbehalf. When that happens the word will go out that I meantevery word that I have preached and said when it comes tothe Gospel. You will but validate the truth of all that I havedone for and in the name of Jesus.” Needless to say, theydidn’t kill him. They recognized that truth, too. And as hasbeen said, in the blood of the martyrs is indeed the seed of thechurch. It is through believers being called upon from time totime to give of themselves totally and completely for the causeof the Gospel that ministries are validated and the truth andabsoluteness of the Gospel is affirmed afresh through thetestimony and witness of those who are willing to lay downtheir lives for the cause of Christ. While we would not havethought it particularly unusual for martyrs to be killed invarious parts of the world, including strictly Muslim andCommunist countries, we, at the same time are shocked toknow that this killing took place there in small town USA,Maryville, Illinois. This is a constant reminder to us to beready at all times, to pay whatever price that might be askedof us, to stand firm in our testimony and witness for Christ.Fred Winters did exactly that. In that regard we hold him as amodel and ideal for all of us to bear witness to the great truthsthat he gave his life in proclaiming.

It is our privilege this year to name Fred Winters, alongwith our other alumni award recipients, as National Alumnusof the Year. Thank you, Fred, for being a great model andexample for us. We look forward to seeing you again one daywhen we shall be able to bear witness with you that God isgreat, gracious and loving—that His truth endures forever!

PRESIDENT’S EDITORIAL

R. Philip RobertsPresident

MBTS alumnus Fred Winters remained faithful to God


God has commissioned us to evangelize the world, notto westernize the world,” evangelist Billy Kim told thespring convocation audience on Jan. 27. Kim traced

God’s strategy as revealed in Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47, John20:21 and Acts 1:8.

“I believe with all my heart if all of the Christianscombined together, if they have conviction and determination,we could fulfill the Great Commission within our generationwith all of the technology we have today,” Kim said,acknowledging a host of enemies of the Gospel who have risenthroughout history.

But he reminded students of Jesus’ promise that God hassupplied all of the necessary power to fulfill the evangelisticmandate.

Speaking as part of the Drummond Lecture Series onEvangelism, Kim was honored by R. Philip Roberts,Midwestern’s president, who awarded Kim with the PresidentialMedallion. Roberts commended Kim’s leadership as pastor ofSuwon Central Baptist Church in Korea, his ministry as aninterpreter for evangelist Billy Graham and his leadership of theFar East Broadcasting Company in Korea and the Baptist WorldAlliance.

Roberts said the incredible growth of biblical Christianity inmuch of that region of the world can be attributed to theleadership of Kim and others like him. Kim has devoted muchof his ministry to this largest part of the world’s population thatlives in extreme poverty.

“Korean believers are very much the world’s pace setters forprayer, evangelism and world missions among Baptists and otherevangelicals. We can thank Billy Kim for much of that dynamicin Korean churches,” Roberts said.

The lecture series was established in memory of Lewis A.Drummond, who was known as an evangelical scholar with apassion for evangelism. He served as president of SoutheasternBaptist Theological Seminary and was the Billy GrahamProfessor of Evangelism at Southern Baptist TheologicalSeminary, having directed the Billy Graham Center there.Roberts also thanked Drummond’s widow, Betty, who was inattendance, for her support in establishing the lecture series.

Joining Kim were members of the Korean Children’s Choir,presenting a concert prior to each day’s message.

Recalling the challenge Paul extended in 2 Timothy 2:15 tobe a workman who is not ashamed, Kim said: “In my life thereare a number of mentors who helped me spiritually andfinancially and encouraged me when I was discouraged andready to quit the ministry because there wasn’t much result. Godhas placed different people along my journey and when Ineeded it most they encouraged me and prayed for me.”

Newly elected faculty members publicly affirmed the articlesof the Baptist Faith & Message while the rest of the faculty stoodto express solidarity. Those signing at the Jan. 27 ceremony wereLarry Cornine, associate professor of pastoral care andcounseling, and Daniel Watson, associate professor of OldTestament and Hebrew. MW

Evangelist Billy Kim reminds Midwesternaudience of evangelistic mandate

Spring 2009 The Midwestern 5

MIDWESTERN NEWSby Tammi Ledbetter

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The Korean Children's Choir traveling withBilly Kim performs for chapel.


MIDWESTERN HIGHLIGHT

Christian origins scholars took to the stage atMidwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to evaluatewhether the Gospel of Thomas serves as a means of

better understanding the historical Jesus. Most of the dialogue dealt with the date of the manuscript

and the degree to which it parallels the synoptic gospels ofMatthew, Mark and Luke. However, the missing emphasis on thedeath, burial and resurrection of Jesus left many in the crowddoubting Thomas.

Sharing the platform with Midwestern President R. PhilipRoberts were Stephen J. Patterson, who sought to glean newinsights into the life of Jesus by studying the Gospel of Thomas,and Craig A. Evans, who found little or no early or authenticmaterial beyond what is preserved in the New TestamentGospels.

The opening night of the March 12-14 Dead Sea Scrolls andChristian Origins Conference served as the inaugural event ofthe G. Richard and Judy Hastings Institute begun a year ago.Hastings is president and CEO of Saint Luke’s Health System inKansas City, a member of First Baptist Church of Raytown, Mo.,and serves on Midwestern’s board of regents.

Additional conference sessions continued the theme byexamining the scrolls in relation to the Hebrew Bible, NewTestament, Dead Sea community, interpretation of Scripture, thescribes and the Messiah — drawing experts in those fields fromacross the country.

“There is no greater discovery than the Dead Sea Scrolls,”declared Peter W. Flint in the first lecture on Friday, praising thevision of the Hastings family and Midwestern Seminary inestablishing the Institute. Flint holds the Canada Research Chairand is professor of religious studies and director of the Dead SeaScrolls Institute at Trinity Western University.

“For Jews and Christians it is the greatest find of our time,”Flint added, noting the phenomenal size of the crowds attendingexhibitions, most recently 390,000 in San Diego. “It’s like aRolling Stones concert,” he said.

That level of interest was reflected in the audience of 350people attending the conference at Midwestern, filling theauditorium and overflow area.

Midwestern College Dean Thorvald Madsen opened the

session in prayer for a renewed commitment to the Word ofGod, its authority and the study of it, urging those gathered,“not to just hear the Word, but to do it.”

The text of what is known as the Gospel of Thomas wasdiscovered by a farmer in Egypt in 1945. Quoting first from apassage that seemed to mirror Jesus’ words as recorded inMatthew, Patterson then turned to a saying that described ahuman turning into a lion. “It is, as you can see, an unusualgospel — not a narrative gospel like those in the NewTestament,” but simply a list of what Patterson described as“collected sayings of Jesus.” Many are similar or virtually thesame as sayings found in Matthew, Mark and Luke, but othersare not found there, he observed.

Patterson, who serves as professor of New Testament atEden Seminary in St. Louis and chairs the Jesus Seminar onChristian Origins, made his case for the Gospel of Thomas as anauthentic witness to Jesus, composed relatively early by anauthor whose message was written independently of thecanonical Gospels. Thus, it holds value as a witness to the Jesustradition, he said.

Evans, who is a distinguished professor of New Testament atAcadia Divinity School and a frequent source of interviews forthe History Channel, BBC documentaries and Dateline NBC,agreed with many of Patterson’s characterizations of the text,although he insisted on dating it later. Evans focused oncharacteristics of the text that seem to connect it to second-century Syrian Christianity, even perhaps the influence of Tatian,author of the Diatessaron and the Oratio.

Pointing to the lack of archaeological evidence validating thetext, Evans asked: “If Thomas is early and accesses authenticJesus tradition, why the absence of verisimilitude?”

The problem of dating the manuscript comes from itsnature, Patterson said. “Lists are not like narratives — the partsaren’t woven into the narrative whole.” Instead, he called for“educated speculation.”

Evans noted Patterson’s dependence upon “a reasonableguess” as a means of expressing the nature of their kind of work.“It’s just the way it is. There are gaps in our knowledge.”

Holding to the superiority of the Gospels that were includedin the canon, Evans said: “At least we have in Papias a dateable

by Tammi Ledbetter

Inaugural Dead Sea Scrolls conferenceopens to dialogue on Gospel of Thomas

MIDWESTERN NEWS


The April 22 Spurgeon Pastoral Leadership Workshopwill prepare pastors, staff and laypeople to lead theirchurches to have a passion for missions that results in a

global impact.Tom Elliff, a former pastor, missionary, and Southern Baptist

Convention president, will speak at the morning and afternoonplenary sessions with other IMB representatives leading break-

out sessions. One hour of credit may be arranged through theregistrar for those attending the workshop.

The first plenary session begins at 10 a.m. and the day-longevent will conclude by 3:30 p.m. For more information on theworkshop, contact Student Development at 1-800-944-6287. Toregister for course credit, contact the Registrar’s office at 816-414-3714 or e-mail [email protected]. MW

Leaders offered training for global missions impact


person in a dateable time who’s talking aboutthe four of them in time. There isn’t muchdoubt of Matthew, Mark and Luke and Johnbeing first century. I like to hang theories onpegs and the pegs are the people who reallylived and talked and tell us information anddocuments that we can find.”

Allowing for the theoretical possibility ofsome of Patterson’s assertions, Evans stated,“He could be right, in which case Thomasbecomes an important fifth gospel, anotheraccess to some of Jesus’ thinking, ethics, andworldview, perhaps not clearly present inMatthew, Mark, Luke or John, or perhapsnot there at all.”

Patterson said he had become intriguedby the way the Gospel of Thomas fits into apicture of early Christianity in eastern Syria.The sayings provide no additionalinformation about Jesus’ suffering and death.“Instead we are drawn to Platonism as a wayof interpreting the Jesus tradition,” he said,and “engage in a measured asceticism andcultivate a certain aloofness” from the world.

He emphasized the contrast between the life of earlyChristians in cities that lay along ancient trade routes to the eastand those in imperial lands further west. Mapping out a Gospelof Thomas that focuses on the counter-cultural wisdom of Jesus,Patterson offered an answer for the missing elements. “Salvationis not to be found in Jesus’ atoning death, but in theinterpretation of His words,” he offered.

Laying a case for the life of Jesus as the focus of Thomas,rather than His death, which he claimed was the focus of thesynoptic Gospel writers, Patterson said: “Stories of Jesus themartyr held little interest because they are in no danger ofmartyrdom. How might one live in the hustle and flow ofcommercial crossroads?”

“Did the dissident status of the Christians in the RomanEmpire affect the form their new religion took? Was their focuson Jesus’ death simply the nature of Christianity or was theirown concern about martyrdom leading them to focus on Jesus’death?” Patterson asked.

Countering that distinction, Evans asked whether Pattersonwould agree that the resurrection ignited the Christian churchand turned Jesus' movement into a growing church. “Within itis the passion story. Or are we to think somehow that Jesusdies, the followers recover and the church grows up,surrendering His teaching?”

Patterson reasserted his belief that Paul’s attention to thedeath of Jesus was motivated by “the context of reflecting on hisown career as someone who’s been arrested, flogged, and put inprison.” He later described Thomas as composing a text more suitedto Christians in the East, “so it didn’t gain currency in the West.”

“Our canon is a western canon, a Roman imperial canon,shaped by that experience,” he insisted.

Roberts admitted to “biting my tongue,” during thediscussion on an emphasis on death in the West versus zeal for

life in the East. “The reason Paul got kicked around was becausehe preached a crucified, Jewish, resurrected Messiah. That wasthe crux of the controversy,” Roberts told Patterson.

“I don’t think the fact that he got kicked around was why hepreached the message,” Roberts added. “He preached themessage first and then he got kicked around.”

After an opportunity for rebuttal arguments, the floor wasopened to questions from the audience. One student asked whyThomas’ writings are described as a gospel when the messagefails Paul’s test, as recorded in his first letter to the Corinthians,that the Gospel is centered around the life, death, burial andresurrection of Jesus Christ.

“Why not call it ‘The Proverbs of Jesus According toThomas’ or ‘101 Things Thomas Said About Jesus,’” the studentproposed. “To be called a gospel, it must talk about those things— that Jesus died and was crucified. Thomas is left wanting ofthose.”

Acknowledging that the apostle summarized the content ofthe Christian message, Evans said the term also is used for agenre of writing based on Mark’s reference in the Greek text to“evangelion,” or “good news.” Patterson concurred that the textcomes with a natural title.

“Your question is an interesting one,” Evans added, “but Ithink that’s part of the answer,” clarifying that a “summary of thegospel becomes a story about Jesus.”

In addition to Roberts, Flint and Evans, other sessionspeakers include George J. Brooke of the University ofManchester, John J. Collins of Yale University, William M.Schniedewind of the University of California at Los Angeles andTerry L. Wilder of B&H Publishing Group and researchprofessor at Midwestern. MW

Audio recordings of MBTS events are available atwww.mbts.edu.

Dead Sea Scrolls expert Peter W. Flint (shown at center) offers tribute toRich Hastings (at right) for his vision in establishing the Institute for theStudy of Dead Sea Scrolls and Christian Origins and for the priorityMidwestern President R. Philip Roberts (at left) has given to such studies.

Dead Sea Scrolls expert Peter W. Flint (shown at center) offers tribute toRich Hastings (at right) for his vision in establishing the Institute for theStudy of Dead Sea Scrolls and Christian Origins and for the priorityMidwestern President R. Philip Roberts (at left) has given to such studies.

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Old Testament Associate Professor Daniel R. Watsonjoined the Midwestern faculty last fall, bringing to theclassroom his own ministerial experience from the

Midwest as well as an interest in ancient civilizations. Watson isteaching Hebrew and Old Testament Survey this semester as wellas an exposition course from the book of Daniel.

It’s a text with which he’s well-acquainted, having writtenhis doctoral dissertation for Hebrew Union College on “TheWriting on the Wall: A Study of the Belshazzar Narrative.”

Using that narrative from Daniel 5 as a test case fordeveloping a model of intertextual exegesis, Watsondemonstrated how to read and interpret a Bible passage in lightof other passages with which it has a demonstrable connection.

“The conclusion was that the soundest basis for establishingand exploring that connection is the literary dimension of thetext,” Watson explained. “For example, if Daniel 5 is read as aprophet-king confrontation story, it can be instructive toexamine it in the light of other similar episodes like Samuel’sconfrontation of Saul in 1 Samuel 15.”

Watson submits that successful dissertations do notnecessarily enhance teaching skills, noting that being a goodscholar and a good teacher are two different things. However,the experience helps one develop the ability to collect, assess,organize and present knowledgeeffectively—an important aspectof the teaching role to which hefeels called.

Prior to returning to theMidwest, Watson taught OldTestament at Bethel Seminary inSan Diego. He earned both thePh.D. in Biblical and AncientNear Eastern Studies and theM.Phil. in Hebraic and CognateStudies from Hebrew Union,based in Cincinnati. He receivedthe Th.M. from Grace TheologicalSeminary in Old TestamentLanguage and Literature and theB.A. from Liberty University.

Watson’s interest in ancientcivilizations led to hisparticipation in the third seasonof the Tel Gezer Project last year.He describes work on thearchaeology dig a valuableexperience for ministry-boundstudents.

“They get a firsthand

knowledge of Israel—pretty important since that is where mostof the Bible’s story takes place. Second, they get a realisticunderstanding of how biblical archaeology works—what it cantell us about the biblical world and what it cannot.” Then, as aresult, Watson said, “They gain the ability to be discerning aboutclaims to prove something supposedly based on archaeology, sothey can help people in their churches to be discerning as well.”

Amidst studying biblical Hebrew and Aramaic, Watson alsogained experience in ministry at Blessed Hope Baptist Church inIndianapolis where he served as associate minister from 1993 to2007. He finds the common cultural framework of the Midwestto be helpful in facilitating interaction with students who areprimarily from the same region of the country. “People do nothave to struggle to understand a speech accent,” he said, “andthey get the jokes—most of the time.”

Watson has found the opportunity to lead out in localchurch ministry valuable for training seminarians. “Ministrystudents have more confidence in the instruction and guidanceof their teachers if those teachers have a vocational history indoing what they are training the students to do,” he said. “Theteachers, in turn, can provide a realistic understanding ofministry as opposed to a romanticized or purely theoretical one.”MW

Watson provides Old Testament studentsinsight from studies of ancient world

by Tammi Ledbetter

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Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary trusteesapproved the selection of an experienced SouthernBaptist educator and administrator for vice

president of academic development as part of a reconfiguredcabinet that utilizes the giftedness of current leaders.

In addition to his election as professor of ethics andtheology, Jerry Johnson was named academic dean to succeedThorvald Madsen who becomes dean of Midwestern BaptistCollege, SBC. Madsen also was re-elected as associate professorof New Testament, ethics and philosophy. The college’s formerdean, David McAlpin, became vice president for studentdevelopment late last year.

Johnson, 44, joins Midwestern after serving nearly five yearsas president of Criswell College in Dallas where he also taughttheology and ethics and hosted a daily syndicated radio programon ethics and public policy. He earlier served as dean ofSouthern Baptist Theological Seminary’s undergraduate BoyceCollege and also taught Christian ethics and worked indevelopment while working toward a Ph.D. from the seminarywith a specialization in Christian ethics. He also holds an M.A.from Denver Seminary and a B.A. from Criswell College.

Johnson pastored in both Texas and Colorado, the latterbeing where he met his wife, Rhonda. Among thoserecommending Johnson to the post was Southern Baptists ofTexas Convention Executive Director Jim Richards who wrote,“If I were on a search committee for an academic institution,Jerry would be the first person I would pursue because of hisintellectual attributes.” Richards called him a man of“impeccable character,” praising Johnson’s dedication to hisfamily and defense of biblical inerrancy and Baptist distinctives.

He contributed the chapter on religious liberty in a bookoutlining The Baptist Faith and Message 2000. His studies inbiblical ethics have provided a platform to address theEvangelical Theological Society, the Center for Bioethics andHuman Dignity and other organizations.

While grateful for the opportunity to lead the school'sacademic development for the past six years, Madsen toldtrustees he had encouraged MBTS President R. Philip Roberts topursue Johnson for the post. “Dr. Johnson is more thanqualified to serve as the MBTS academic dean, and I lookforward to serving as Dean of the College under his leadership.”

Trustees also elected to the faculty Rustin J. Umstattd asassistant professor of theology. In addition to earning his Ph.D.in systematic theology and M.Div. from Southwestern BaptistTheological Seminary in Fort Worth, Umstattd received anM.B.A. from Georgia Southern University and B.A. from GeorgiaSouthwestern College. He taught adjunctively at Southwesternand served as minister of education and students at MatthewRoad Baptist Church in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Calling Umstattdt “one of the brightest and potentiallygreatest theologians in our Southern Baptist Zion,” Southwestern

Seminary AssociateProfessor MalcolmYarnell describedhim as “biblical,orthodox andministry-oriented.”

HavingsupervisedUmstattdt’s work,Yarnell wrote in hisletter ofrecommendation,“Dr. Umstattd displays an ability, not only to theologize well andteach well, but also to relate well with human beings throughthick and thin. In his role as a minister, Rusty is careful to keepthe Gospel ever before his students.”

Other faculty re-elections include James Anderson asprofessor of biblical studies; Robin D. Hadaway, associateprofessor of missions; Rodney A. Harrison, assistant professor ofChristian education, and David J. Richards, assistant professor ofChristian education. The reappointment of Charles E. Warren asassociate professor of theology also was affirmed in the trustees’academic development committee.

After listening to committee members question prospectivefaculty regarding their theological convictions, trustee chairmanMichael Landry of Sarasota, Fla., told the board, “We have afaculty that is very committed to the truth.” Pointing to hisBible, he said, “In every case you’re going to find a professorwho says unapologetically, ‘This is the Word of God.’”

The board approved the 2009-10 budget of $7,602,888, up4.3 percent over the current year. Revenue is projected toincrease due to a number of changes approved by the board,including a $15 per credit hour tuition increase forundergraduate courses and $10 per credit hour increase forgraduate courses. Minor increases were made to audit andregistration fees and housing rental rates.

New tuition and fees for doctoral students will be set at$5,690 for coursework toward the D.Min. program, $7,980 forthe D.Ed.Min. and $10,980 for the Ph.D.

Trustees also approved an investment strategy, re-electedLandry as well as First Vice Chairman James Freeman of KansasCity and Secretary Judy Crain of Trapp, Md. Wayne Lee ofSouthlake, Texas, was elected second vice chairman and KevinShrum of Madison, Tenn., was named to serve as member atlarge on the trustees' executive committee.

Noting the Midwest roots of President Roberts as a native ofOhio, outgoing trustee Wayne Parker of Garden City, Mich.,said, “One of the things that excites me about this institution isits pioneering spirit – that willingness to be on mission whereverGod would have us to be. It's a rare quality among ourseminaries.” MW

MIDWESTERN NEWS

Experienced educator and pastornamed academic vice president

Vice President for Academic Development JerryJohnson preaches to a March 4 chapel audience.Vice President for Academic Development Jerry

Johnson preaches to a March 4 chapel audience.

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by Tammi Ledbetter


Midwestern Spring 09.qxp 3/30/09 9:13 AM

Story by Tammi Ledbetter

Midwestern Seminary teams ministeramidst cults and false religions

MIDWESTERN NEWS

Situated halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, the tinycountry of Samoa is regarded as having an overwhelminglyChristian population. And yet Baptists aren’t mentioned

among the seven dominant faith groups, though Latter-Day Saintsrank fourth at 12.7 percent.

The growing influence of Mormons prompted the pastor ofthe English-speaking congregation of American Samoa’s HappyValley Baptist Church to invite two Southern Baptist experts to joinhim in the Polynesian region of the Pacific Ocean where they spentseveral weeks teaching pastors and other church leaders. BrianSmart serves as a missionary in Samoa, pastoring an English-speaking congregation. Having read Mormonism Unmasked:Confronting the Contradictions between Mormon Beliefs and TrueChristianity by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary PresidentR. Philip Roberts, Smith enlisted the author and North AmericanMission Board Interfaith Coordinator Tal Davis for the January trip.

Tracing the history of Christianity on the islands, Roberts saidSamoans responded positively to the initial approach ofCongregational missionaries in the 1830s, but Mormons becameactive by the late 19th century, eventually erecting a temple inApia. “There are ward houses all across American Samoa andNational Samoa,” Roberts said, distinguishing between theunincorporated and southernmost territory of the United Statesand independent Samoa.

“Brian asked us to come and teach the people the differencebetween Mormonism and Christianity and help show them thatMormonism is not Bible-based Christianity,” Roberts said. He andDavis began with a series of conferences, teaching every day in adifferent location, sometimes before open congregations as well as“more intense” settings with pastors.

“The response was tremendous,” Roberts said, describing ameeting that attracted 1,700 people in the capital city at theinvitation of a host of evangelical groups. “Pastors held a service ofrepentance at the end of our time and said they had not been

faithful enough to warn their people about the dangers ofMormonism,” Roberts recalled. In addition to the materials they leftbehind, additional resources have been sent to Smith for use infollow-up.

“The growth of Mormonism is indeed rapid,” Davis added.“It’s easy to see why the evangelical churches are concerned. Mostof those LDS converts are out of their churches,” he added, notingthe aggressive proselytizing by Mormons. Latter-Day Saints reportsplace the number of Mormon adherents at 25 percent of thepopulation of American Samoa and 30 percent of those in theIndependent State of Samoa.

While Midwestern’s president was addressing Mormonism, ateam of students from the Kansas City campus was deployedfurther west to a predominantly Buddhist country with 200 timesthe population of Samoa. MBTS Missions Associate Professor RobinHadaway taught a week-long course at a seminary and Bibleschool, training nationals in missiological principles while fourstudents taught Bible stories at an orphanage.

“One evening the team shared Christ with a Buddhist monk ina major temple,” Hadaway recalled. A 27-year-old studentministered to a girl near the temple, offering medicine to alleviatephysical suffering and a Gospel tract to meet her spiritual needs.

“She spoke very little English, but now has access to theGospel,” the student explained. When a security officer intervened,the group disbanded. “We will find out in eternity whathappened,” the student added.

“God has called us to make disciples of all nations. If we aregoing to do that for a lifetime, we really need to learn while inseminary,” she explained. “Now is the best time, when we’re beingpoured into by those who have gone before us to learn how to domissions most effectively.”

The January trip confirmed her interest in serving overseaslong-term. “It’s absolutely amazing to see God work in a closedcountry,” she stated. “His grace is so sufficient for us. It really madethe words of Paul come alive,” she added, quoting, “‘I want toknow Christ in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship ofHis suffering, being conformed to His death; in order that I mayattain to the resurrection from the dead.’”

“There’s nothing better than knowing Jesus like that.”“First-hand missions experience has given me renewed awe of

God,” added another Midwestern student. “He is alive and at workall the way around the world, in a dark and closed country. I amso blessed to have access to books, great teachers and no fear ofimprisonment for sharing my faith! Being a part of this trip hasrenewed my energy for completing school and working as unto theLord.” MW

The names of students were omitted to protect their identity forfuture service. For more information about the work in Samoa,contact Brian Smart at [email protected].

Midwestern students use local transportation to minister in Asia.

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MIDWESTERN NEWS

Spanish-speaking students now can pursue doctoralstudies in their own language at Midwestern BaptistTheological Seminary—the first such program of its

kind.The seminary’s new missions and leadership concentration

within the doctor of ministry program answers a need expressedby state convention leaders intent on reaching a growingHispanic population.

“During recruitment trips, state convention leaders wouldask if we offered a D.Min. in Spanish,” said Rodney Harrison,Midwestern’s director of doctoral studies. “With the launch ofthe D.Min. in missions and leadership, this will be the onlyprogram taught in Spanish with all work done in Spanish,including the dissertation.”

Gus Suárez, a professor at Midwestern’s Nehemiah Centerfor Church Planting, brings further credibility to the program,having served as a North American Mission Board-appointedmissionary for more than 20 years with experience in New York,Maryland, New Mexico and the Northwest Baptist Convention.Suárez, a native of Cuba, will be one of several Hispanic leadersteaching in the seminars.

Taking a series of five-day seminars, ten students made upthe initial class in March with orientation to doctoral studies andcritical thinking taught by Suárez and Bobby Sena, a churchplanting coordinator for NAMB. Missional leadership will betaught June 20-25 in conjunction with the annual SBC meetingby Joe Hernandez, and a fall seminar will address Hispanicchurch planting and evangelism. Harrison notes that Spanish-speaking applicants who are bilingual, but missed the deadlinefor the March orientation seminar, may still enroll in theSpanish-language program, but would be required to take theEnglish orientation seminar during the summer.

Luis Mendoza will be among the first students to pursue thedoctor of ministry in Hispanic studies. A church planter andpastor of Iglesia Cristiana Palabra Viva in North Kansas City, healso develops multicultural churches and encourages otherchurch planters in developing evangelistic strategies for the Clay-Platte Baptist Association.

Mendoza said a call to ministry also is a call to obtain thebest instruction available.

“The D.Min. program of study will help me to improve mybiblical and theological training as well as academic knowledge,

helping me achieve my personal educational goals as a servant ofGod,” Mendoza said. “This will give me the possibility of beingbetter prepared to train the new generation of Hispanic leadersin a more conscientious and productive way.”

Church planters like Mendoza readily speak English, butstudying in what is described as a heart language has anadvantage.

Students applying to the program are fluent in English inmost cases, Suárez said, and many of them have completedmaster’s degrees at English-speaking institutions. While he agreeswith the frequently used assimilation argument that encouragesEnglish usage in order to succeed in the United States, Suárezsaid being proficient in two languages in the midst of a growing,diverse population only strengthens a person.

“The idea of assimilation does not necessarily mean that aperson must ignore his or her native language,” he said.

The fact that the program is offered fully in Spanish initiallycaught Mendoza’s attention.

“Even though I speak and write English, Spanish is my heartlanguage,” he said. “I believe it is a wonderful opportunity tohave the privilege of receiving this high level of education in alanguage close to your heart.”

Students in Midwestern’s newest program will be making anacademic contribution written in Spanish for Hispanics andcontextual to the Hispanic culture, Suárez said.

Among the current students, eight nationalities arerepresented in addition to the United States, includingGuatemala, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Cuba, Spain,Ecuador, El Salvador and Chile. Each of their professors has atleast 30 years of ministry experience among Hispanics in NorthAmerica.

“Midwestern recognizes that the Hispanic population inNorth America is growing exponentially. Training theseHispanics who are now in key leadership positions in localchurches, associations and conventions will facilitate additionalSpanish resources in the language and context of the Hispanicpopulation,” Suárez said. “We, as a seminary, do not want tomiss the opportunity to train our Hispanic leaders in their ownlanguage.” MW

For more information, contact Rodney Harrison at 816-414-3755.

D.Min. in Spanishprovides studentswith education in‘heart language’

Story by Tammi Ledbetter

Ten students attended the March orientation for doctoral studies and critical thinkingas part of D.Min. in missions and leadership taught in Spanish.Ten students attended the March orientation for doctoral studies and critical thinkingas part of D.Min. in missions and leadership taught in Spanish.

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Iam sure you have heard the expression, “Weare all in the same boat.” It means that we,like people who are in the same boat, need to

cooperate in order to succeed. That is why peoplesay, “These may be difficult times, but we’re all inthe same boat. We can get through it together.”

One day Jesus was in a boat with the disciples,Mark chapter four recounts the event it in thisway… “On that day, when evening had come, Hetold them, ‘Let’s cross over to the other side [of thelake].’ So they left the crowd and took Him alongsince He was [already] in the boat. And other boatswere with Him. A fierce windstorm arose, and thewaves were breaking over the boat, so that the boatwas already being swamped. But He was in thestern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Himup and said to Him, ‘Teacher! Don’t you care thatwe’re going to die?’ He got up, rebuked the wind,and said to the sea, ‘Silence! Be still!’ The windceased, and there was a great calm. Then He said tothem, ‘Why are you fearful? Do you still have nofaith?’ And they were terrified and asked oneanother, ‘Who then is this? Even the wind and thesea obey Him!’” (Mark 4:35-41 HCSB)

Nothing catches Jesus by surprise; He hasnever slapped Himself on the forehead and said,“Wait, they are in a recession? I need to change myplan.” The current economic conditions have notcaught our God by surprise. This is not the firsteconomic downturn in history nor will it be thelast. Someday we may even find, when weunderstand all things, that this was a specific partof the plan for our nation. We cannot ignore it, butneither do we need to fear the elephant in theroom.

It would be so easy to flail our arms along withthe disciples and question God’s care. However, thefact is we are all in the same boat. Nevertheless,what is more important for us is that Jesus is in theboat as well. In addition, He cares for us now asmuch as He cared for the disciples 2,000 years ago.And He asks us the same questions, “Why are you

fearful? Do you still have no faith?” The Lord knows what we need and when we

need it. Now more than ever, each person in ournation and the world needs to know that Godknows them personally and cares about theircondition. The students that are trained atMidwestern can take the life-changing message to aworld that is looking for hope where it sees none.We know that Jesus is the ultimate hope for allhumanity. This is the time to recognize theopportunity we have to pull together and makesure that the students who are here at Midwesterncan complete their education.

Thank you for your previous gifts toMidwestern. Those gifts have allowed us to preparestudents who are now ministering all across theglobe right now in the midst of this economicwindstorm. Your gifts to the Annual Fund allowMidwestern to meet the most immediate needs.Gifts to the Annual Fund allow Midwestern to domany things. Using its Annual Fund donations,the Seminary is able to tap resources for immediateneeds, offer financial aid to students who need it,enhance opportunities for teaching and learning,and improve Midwestern’s historic campus.Consider including Midwestern in your estate planin 2009 for a future gift to the Seminary.

Again, remember, “These may be difficulttimes, but we’re all in the same boat. We can getthrough it together.” Never forget that Jesus in thegreatest resource we have in this life. And Heencourages us to not be afraid but have faith inHim. Moreover, we will not fear and we will havefaith when we recognize that Jesus in is the boatwith us.

In His service,Marty

Marty HarkeyVice President forInstitutional Advancement(816) [email protected]

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

All in thesame boatAll in thesame boat



West Texas ministry becomeshome for Midwestern alumni

Midwestern never figured into the plans of Steve andCarolyn Fox. After marrying in 1981, the couplepursued a life in which they worked secular jobs

and were very active laypeople in their North Georgia church.However, a youth mission trip in 1993 changed everything andset them on a course toward full-time ministry that led them toMidwestern in 1997 and eventually into pastorates in Kansasand West Texas.

“If you had told me in 1997 what we would be doing now, Iwould have said ‘no way,’” remarked Carolyn. The Foxes credittheir experiences at Midwestern with shaping them into theministers they are today.

“My day may be in the office or I may be out working on acattle ranch,” said Steve, who has been the pastor of First BaptistChurch, Mertzon, Texas, since 2005. “Helping people relate tothe Gospel—that’s what I was taught at Midwestern.” FBCMertzon is Steve’s first senior pastorate. He served as minister ofeducation, administration, and youth for eight years atLeavenworth Baptist Church in Leavenworth, Kan.

Steve graduated from Midwestern in 2000 with a diploma inpastoral ministry and he said the seminary prepared him to leadin a number of ways. “It prepared me theologically to know andanswer questions. It also prepared me to lead the church in asound manner, and it helped me develop vision.”

Under Steve’s leadership, FBC Mertzon has experienced achange of focus. “The church was not on its last leg, but it wasbeing led for the time,” Steve recalled. “I’m trying to lead for thefuture. The people of the church are the backbone—not thepastor.” Noting the recent murder of Midwestern alumnus andpastor Fred Winters at First Baptist Church of Maryville, Ill., hestated, “What happens if I’m not here? The church needs tomove forward. That’s discipleship.”

Discipleship is also a focus of Carolyn’s. While atMidwestern, she was involved in the WISDOM program forwives, graduating in 2000. The acrostic references Wives in

SeminaryDeveloping OurMinistries—providing a rangeof courses fromBaptist history tohospitality. Havingtaken nearly everycourse offered,Carolyn joked, “Ithink I graduatedwith the mosthours.” She was also involved in the Midwestern Women’sFellowship while on campus, serving as president. Both of theseprograms enabled her to serve as a pastor’s wife with confidence.

“One of the biggest things about Midwestern was that it hasgiven me confidence as I share Christ with other women in thechurch and in the community,” Carolyn said. “It has also givenme the confidence to be myself as a pastor’s wife. They taught usnot to let a church fit us into a mold, but to be ourselves inministry.” Carolyn is active in women’s ministry and leadingwomen’s Bible studies at FBC Mertzon in addition to teaching ayouth girls’ Sunday school class and singing in the choir.

Steve and Carolyn love their ministry at FBC Mertzon, theysaid, and they have become active in their community eventhough Texas was never in their plans. Steve grew up in Floridaand Carolyn in Louisiana—two states with landscapes that differfrom West Texas. “Funny how God works,” Carolyn said,“because Texas was never on our wish list of places to live.” Nowthey love the people with whom they minister in their newhome. Steve is active as president of the Lion’s Club, vicepresident of the Child Welfare Board and president of thecommunity Little League in addition to his work at the church.

Steve had an unusual opportunity to donate bone marrowto a local 13-year old in 2005 with a very aggressive strain of

leukemia. A year later the Foxes met the girland developed a friendship with her family,leading Sherilyn and her mother to profess faithin Christ. Due to the return of leukemia in2007, she died later that year and Steveofficiated and Carolyn sang at the "celebrationof life service." They continue to minister tofamily members who grieve the loss of thedaughter.

The Foxes look back fondly at their days atMidwestern, believing their seminaryexperience helped them break out of the moldand learn to approach ministry from their own,unique perspective. As Carolyn noted,“Different professors taught us that you have tobe who God created you to be.” MW

ALUMNI PROFILEStory by Stephanie Heading

Alumnus Steve Fox is just as comfortable ministering out in the fieldamong members of his West Texas church as from his office at church.

Steve and Carolyn Fox



FACULTY COLUMN

Effective and pleasing sermon introductions are likepleasing landscapes. They do not happen automaticallyor accidentally. They are the result of the

implementation of time-honored principles. If the principles forintroducing a sermon are disregarded, they are disregarded atthe expense of the preacher and the hearers of the message.Effective sermon introductions, like pleasing landscapes, are theresult of one who has a deep concern and passion for a desiredcommodity. Just as a landscaper is personally convinced that thediligent and strenuous effort of his work will make a difference,so must the preacher be assured even more so of the efficacy ofhis sermonic work, in general, and his work in introducing asermon specifically.

It is definitely the case that the work of introducing asermon is undervalued. And it is potentially the case that apreacher may, upon occasion, lose sight of the eternalsignificance of the whole enterprise of preaching. Therefore, asRichard Mayhue advises, it is good counsel in general “to thinkon all that can happen to one mortal in one service. God’sgreatest miracle happens often under preaching. Let a manthink on the eternal consequences of one half hour.” As wise asit is to be reminded about the significance of preaching, I believe

it to be an excellent idea to consider what is to be done in thebeginning portion of our preaching effort—the introduction ofour sermons.

In order for one to take seriously the task and put forth thesermons more effectively he must be consumed with the passionto do only the very best he can do in his preaching. Thisconsuming passion for excellence is what my homileticsprofessor, Howard Yim, a Korean-American, called “the Orientalart of perfecting a masterpiece and mastering a craft.” In orderfor one to preach as well as he is able, one must possess adiligent spirit and be marked by a passion for excellence. Sucha man will stint no cost in the endeavor to preach well. Thisspeaks of the kind of person he is, as well as the character hepossesses, in reference to his preaching. If one is truly desirousof preaching excellently, then one must take seriously theobjective of improvement in the area of the sermon introduction.

However, for a preacher to do a consistently effective job inhis sermon introductions, he must bear the burden of a desire tobe heard by the audience. He cannot abide the thought of beinggreeted with half-hearted interest regarding the things of God.Yet this is a man who is the exception rather than the rule. Justas certainly as there will be people who receive truth from every

preacher in a half-hearted fashion there willbe preachers who handle truth from everypassage in a haphazard fashion—in theirsermons and especially in their sermonintroductions. I couldn’t agree more heartilywith the indictment advanced by Spurgeonregarding men who bear no such burden ofdesire for the work of their sermonintroductions. His comments are as follows:

“There are preachers who care very littlewhether they are attended to or not; so longas they can hold on through the allottedtime it is of very small importance to themwhether their people hear for eternity, orhear in vain: the sooner such ministerssleep in the churchyard and preach by theverse on their gravestones the better.”

As appropriate as these remarks were inSpurgeon’s day, I would suggest that they areeven more so today.

A sermon introduction that signals acongregation that the sermon about to bedelivered is a ‘must hear’ matter ispredicated upon some basic yet significantconvictions held by the preacher regardinghis sermon introductions. The convictions apreacher holds regarding the role andimportance of the sermon introduction

by Ben AwbreyAssociate Professor of Preaching

Undervaluing sermon indroductionharms enterprise of preaching

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Vance R. Veazey (M.Div.'67), 88, of Emporia,Kan., died Friday, Jan. 30 in Topeka ofcomplications arising from lung disease. Hewas an active member of the Americus BaptistChurch and had served there as pastor and inother area churches since his arrival inEmporia in 1981. Prior to that, he was Pastorof Nashua Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo.,15 years.

Born in Westville, Okla., Veazey retired from active duty inthe U.S. Air Force at the rank of master sergeant in 1960 after21 years of service, before pursuing educational training forthe ministry. While attending MBTS, he pastored First BaptistChurch of Denver, Mo.

Veazey taught an extension course for Midwestern Seminaryand conducted Bible study services at multiple rest homesevery week for many years. He was teaching one such Biblestudy every Wednesday at Sterling House in Emporia right upto the time of his death. He was also active in the EmporiaWing of the Kansas Civil Air Patrol as a chaplain, recentlyachieving the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Veazey was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie JuneVeazey, as well as four children, 11 grandchildren and 12greatgrandchildren.

Seven people with ties to Midwestern Seminary wereappointed by the International Mission Board March 18 tomission service, three of them to areas where their securitywould be threatened if their names were published.

Ray Milburn (M.Div.' 92)and Paula, his wife wereappointed to serve asapprentice missionaries toWestern Europe in where hewill serve in evangelism andchurch planting and she willserve in community and

home outreach. From 1997 to 2008 he served as an Armychaplain and she served as a childcare worker and substituteteacher. They have been members of First Baptist Church ofCopperas Cove, Tex.

Don Friesen(B.A.'08) andDawn (B.A.'08), his wife,were appointed to return asassociate missionaries inSouth America where he willserve as a strategycoordinator and she willserve in community and

home outreach. They have been members of South PlatteBaptist in Parkville, Mo., and he managed the bakery at Hy-Vee Foods in Gladstone, Mo.

Let us hear from you. . .Send updated information on your current ministry to [email protected] for publication in The Midwestern magazine.

determine much of the presence of the preacher who will preachto them. It is at the crucial junction of the sermon introductionthat the preacher not only informs the hearers about the messagethey will hear but also about the messenger who will preach thatmessage to them. The introduction a preacher makes abouthimself during the act of introducing his sermon is bothinevitable and influential. Haddon Robinson surmised thefollowing:

“During the introduction an audience gains impressions of aspeaker that often determine whether or not they will acceptwhat he says. If he appears nervous, hostile, or unprepared,they are inclined to reject him. If he seems alert, friendly, andinteresting, they decide he is an able person with a positiveattitude toward himself and his listeners.”

Regardless of whatever changes might occur in the arena ofpreaching, the sermon introduction will remain a significantfactor.

The introduction is an opportunity for the preacher to makea favorable impression on the congregation that will help him dothe very thing he is there to do—serve the people through theagency of God’s Word. Through a solid understanding of and a

good procedure in introducing his sermons, a sermonintroduction can be a servant to the servant of God in hispreaching. An effective sermon introduction makes animmediate impact upon the people to whom you preach andthat you will experience the joy of introducing God’s truth in amanner that will be considered as “must hear” material by thosewho hear you preach.

Effective introductions, like effective preaching in general,may be aided by homiletical insights but effectiveness inpreaching is far more a byproduct of one’s personal walk withthe living God rather than compliance with homileticalprocedures. The adage, “The sum is greater than its parts” isnever truer than when it is applied to preaching a sermon.Additionally, homiletical instruction cannot take the place of thegift of preaching. Nevertheless, the setting aside of practicalinsights helpful in the act of communicating biblical truth isunwarranted and unwise. MW

This article is reprinted with permission from the newlyreleased book, How Effective Sermons Begin by BenAwbrey, a Mentor imprint of Christian Focus Publication

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Ray Milburn Paula Milburn

Don Friesen Dawn Friesen

Vance R. Veazey


Alumni NewsKEEPING IN TOUCH


Annual Alumni & Friends Luncheon

Wednesday, June 24 at noon

Crowne Plaza Hotel in Louisvilleacross from the Kentucky Exposition Center

Hear MBTS President R. Philip Roberts and alumnus Michael Catt, pastor of

Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga.,which produced Fireproof and Facing the Giants.

Annual alumni awards will be presented including atribute to Midwestern alumnus Fred Winters.

Limited seating will be available at sponsored tables. To add yourname to the seating list please contact Marty Harkey at

816-414-3721. Several tables are still available for sponsorship.

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDKANSAS CITY, MO PERMIT NO.1973

MIDWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY5001 N. Oak Trafficway Kansas City, MO 64118

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