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01 VOLUME 13 AUGUST 2014 A NEWS PUBLICATION OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY EXPERIENCE THE SBTS COMMUNITY EXCEL IN THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES EXPLORE THE LOUISVILLE AREA October 28-30, 2014 | Southern Seminary Sponsored by the Center for Christian Preaching sbts.edu/events John MacArthur R. Albert Mohler Jr. H.B. Charles Jr. Course credit and conference #ExpositorsSummit scholarships available AUGUST 2014 - 06 - Boyce’s new look “The College at Southern” gets a major facelift with Publisher: Steve Watters a new logo and website, accompanied by a Executive editor: menacing mascot. James A. Smith Sr. Editor: S. Craig Sanders - 10 - Global missions for a Copy editor: Andrew J.W. Smith changing world Southern Seminary profes- News writer: sors M. David Sills and RuthAnne Irvin Jeff Walters discuss their Creative director: new book, Introduction to Eric Jimenez Global Missions. Art director: Andrea Stember - 20 - Graphic designer: ‘The Decision’ of 1859 Daniel Carroll Long before choosing your Photographer: next destination could be- Emil Handke come a televised sensation, CONTACT INFO a legend among Southern Baptist preachers wrote Phone: (502) 897-4000 E-mail: [email protected] a decisive letter that Web: news.sbts.edu changed history. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Survival guide to Fall 2014 2825 Lexington Rd. 12 Take on the challenge of a new semester with our guide to upcoming events, ministry oppor- - 25- Louisville, KY 40280 tunities and must-see places in Louisville. Around the world in ADVERTISING INFO 40 days Towers, the award-winning Southern Seminary stu- campus publication of dents and faculty traveled Southern Seminary, provides all over the globe this sum- an excellent advertising tion at Clearwater Christian of news and information, mer to assist SBTS alumni opportunity for business- College — his alma mater in helps to lead our news in their mission fields. es and ministries. Rates Clearwater, Florida. operation, telling the story available upon request by Craig began his duties in of God’s work through the emailing [email protected] or students, faculty and alumni - 28- calling (502) 897-4000. All June, when he covered the 3 Questions with material for the ads subject Southern Baptist Con- of Southern. to approval. The advertiser vention annual meeting. Like this issue, which Jen Wilkin assumes full responsibility for As a third-year master of provides a preview of the accuracy of the content. divinity student — and coming semester, readers Our mission is to use August 2014, Vol. 13, No. 1. our former assistant news won’t want to miss any Copyright ©2014 The Meet the editor: writer — Craig knows well issue of Towers this year as our time, resources Southern Baptist Theological I’m delighted to introduce the Southern Seminary Craig’s plans include many and talents to tell the Seminary. Postage paid at our new Towers editor, S. community. Craig’s wife, interesting and helpful Southern story in an Louisville, Ky. Craig Sanders. For the past Kaitlyn, is studying at Sulli- features that will benefit accurate, timely and three years, Aaron Cline van University to become a students and the rest of POSTMASTER creative manner to Send address changes to Hanbury capably edited this physician assistant. the seminary community. Towers, 2825 Lexington newsmagazine, but he de- In addition to editing James A. Smith Sr. the glory of God. Road, Louisville, KY 40280 parted in June to take a posi- Towers, Craig, as manager Executive Editor news.sbts.edu August 2014 TOWERS 3 REPORT Newslog SBTS names Mark Dever alumnus of the year By S. Craig Sanders R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of The Southern Bap- tist Theological Seminary, presented Mark Dever with the distinguished alumnus of the year award at the seminary’s alumni luncheon during the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in Baltimore, Maryland, June 11. Dever, a master of theology (1987) graduate from Southern Seminary, began serving as senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., in 1994, and has displayed a commitment to infusing theology into the life of his congregation and revital- izing churches in the nation’s capital. He is a former chairman of The Southern Baptist Theological Semi- nary Board of Trustees. “Mark Dever is one of the greatest gifts of God to me, and to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ,” Mohler said. “When we talk about [church] revitalization, there’s a SBC 2014: Floyd elected president, Mohler reports portrait of exactly what we hope and pray for at Capi- tol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. He models historic SBTS enrollment what is to be a pastor-theologian, he models what it is to demonstrate the influence of a pastor on other pastors.” By SBTS Communications Mohler presented Dever with an “obligatory” cer- tificate honoring the distinction, and an early print- Arkansas pastor Ronnie Floyd was elected president theme on “Restoration and Revival Through Prayer.” ing of the works of English Puritan pastor Richard of the Southern Baptist Convention during the annual “I want to see revival come to the church of Jesus Sibbes, on whom Dever wrote his dissertation at meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, June 10-11, as conven- Christ,” Floyd said at a news conference following his Cambridge University. tion leaders called for prayer and revival in the face of a election, “so that America would be awakened with a During his presentation to the alumni, Mohler cultural crisis and denominational decline. powerful God consciousness where great numbers come provided an update on the renovation to the Mullins Floyd, pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas, to faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior.” Complex, which will provide student housing and fac- was elected on the first ballot with 51.62 percent of the During the seminary’s annual report to SBC messen- ulty offices for Boyce College. He reflected on the re- vote. Southern Seminary Ph.D. student and rural Ken- gers, Mohler described the “vast shift” in “American tirement of historical theology professor Tom Nettles tucky pastor Jared Moore finished third with 5.91 percent. society over the last 200 years,” citing polls that indi- and the death of campus physician William Cutrer. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of The Southern Bap- cate one-third of Americans younger than 30 claim no tist Theological Seminary, nominated Floyd, calling religious affiliation. him a leader “with peerless experience in the Southern This “moral upheaval,” Mohler said, “presents an Baptist Convention.” enormous challenge to every preacher, every evangelist “At this crucial hour, we Southern Baptists desperate- and every missionary.” ly need a leader who can model convictional compassion The seminary will enroll this fall more than 4,600 and compassionate conviction — who can articulate our students, more than at any other time in the school’s message in the midst of most trying times — and repre- history, Mohler said, including more than 1,700 master sent us all as the world around us turns upside down,” of divinity students. Those pursuing the M.Div. consti- Mohler said in his nomination speech. “He will stand tute the largest such group assembled at one time in without compromise, articulate with clarity and lead us one institution in the history of theological education, with confidence.” Mohler reported. Succeeding the historic presidency of New Orleans Concluding his report, Mohler thanked messengers pastor Fred Luter, Floyd echoed the African-American for their support and for funding the seminary through leader’s call for revival, as the convention focused the the Cooperative Program. 4 TOWERS August 2014 news.sbts.edu REPORT Bridger directing Southern Seminary’s Jenkins Center for Christian Understanding of Islam By RuthAnne Irvin J. Scott Bridger, an evangelical scholar of Islam, recently losophy degree from South- joined the faculty of Southern Seminary as the director eastern Baptist Theological of the Jenkins Center for the Christian Understanding of Seminary, with a disserta- Islam and the Bill and Connie Jenkins assistant profes- tion on a Christian exegesis sor of Islamic studies. of the Quran. Moodie leads Boyce’s “I think Scott Bridger is the singular individual Bridger previously served God has prepared to take on the leadership of the Jen- as assistant professor of new business program kins Center at this time,” seminary president R. Albert world Christianity and Is- Mohler Jr. said. “His academic preparation, his knowl- lamic studies at The Criswell By S. Craig Sanders edge of the Arabic language and culture, his deep knowl- College in Dallas, Texas. edge of Islam, not only as a structure of thought but as Courses in Arabic lan- A cross-cultural business researcher and professor will a way of life, his experience in the Middle East — all of guage, Islam and the Quran lead the new business management program at Boyce these serve him singularly well as the one to take on this and Muslim peoples and cultures will be offered through College, the undergraduate school of The Southern responsibility.” the seminary’s Billy Graham School of Missions, Evan- Baptist Theological Seminary. The Jenkins Center was dedicated in February as gelism and Ministry. Bridger said workshops and an Wisconsin native Scott Moodie joined the Boyce fac- part of the annual Great Commission Week activities at annual colloquium about Islam and related topics will ulty as the assistant professor of business management. Southern Seminary. be available for faculty and students this fall to “elevate Moodie is currently completing his Ph.D. in manage- Bridger and his family spent 12 years in the Middle their understanding of Islam and enhance their effec- ment science at Spain’s ESADE School of Business. East where he studied and three of his five children were tiveness in loving and engaging their Muslim neighbors.” Moodie is responsible for Boyce’s new degree offering born.