SoutheRn SeminaRy r 3 E 77, numb E Under Mohler’s leadership, Southern Seminary um L was once again Boyce’s seminary. vo —Greg A. Wills 1 SPECIAL 2009 A Letter from the President eflecting on his years as I am so thankful to all those dedicated a corporate executive, Max servants of Southern Seminary who RDePree once defined a leader as made this day all that it was and for the one who defines reality on the front end great crowd of witnesses who gathered and then says thank you at the other end. with us in the spirit of celebration and That seems just about right as I reflect recommitment. upon Southern Seminary’s sesquicenten- As I reflect upon these days, I am most nial celebration and the incredible events thankful for the fact that God still calls that took place on this historic campus his servants and that Southern Seminary over the past months. has been entrusted with the task more I am thankful that the Southern precious than that assigned to any other Baptist Convention came to Louisville, educational institution – to train, pre- Kentucky for its 2009 annual meeting pare, and educate God-called ministers –- celebrating the 150th anniversary of of the Gospel for more faithful service. the denomination’s oldest institution. Our sesquicentennial year is not yet Thousands of friends and alumni were over, and historic opportunities still able to visit the campus, along with a await. In particular, we look forward good number of Southern Baptists who to Heritage Week 2009 as yet another had never visited their mother seminary. opportunity to celebrate and express President R. Albert Mohler Jr. It was thrilling to see so many visitors thankfulness for all that God has done to the campus and to sense their and to reflect upon what this means as participation in all that Southern we seek to be faithful in the present. Seminary represents. Above all, there is much work to be We are deeply thankful for all that done. I am honored to serve on the Great God allowed to take place during those Commission Task Force established by days in June. The historic events came messengers to the convention in June. in quick succession, starting with an Our task will be to report to the South- historic meeting of present and former ern Baptist Convention in Orlando next Southern Baptist seminary presidents year concerning how Southern Baptists and their wives. We have participated can work more faithfully together in the in making history together and we now service of the Great Commission. Please share the common task of training the pray for this task force and for our next generation of faithful ministers, beloved denomination. A watching world missionaries, and church leaders. is waiting to see if we really believe what Thankfulness marked our Sesqui- we say about the priority and power of centennial Service of Celebration and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Commemoration from beginning to end. The new academic year has just begun. The throng gathered in Alumni Memo- The campus is crowded with new stu- rial Chapel came for worship. Together, dents as well as those returning for the we sang the great hymns of the faith and new academic year. A sense of excite- reflected upon the meaning of the last ment pervades the entire institution and 150 years entrusted to generations past the entire Southern Seminary community and present. We thank God for that long is ready to seize this moment and get line of faithfulness that has brought us to right to the task of theological education. this day, and for the gift of a future. We Come join with us. Pray for Southern honored those who had served, given, Seminary and Boyce College and look prayed, and toiled for so many years in with expectancy to see what God will do the past –- even as we are thankful for through the lives and ministries of the those whose service and sacrifice makes students now assembled on this campus Southern Seminary what it is today. and enrolled in our programs around the The dedication of the Duke K. McCall world. If you are in need of encourage- Sesquicentennial Pavilion served as a ment, just come to this campus and see capstone to the entire event, and we are what God is doing in this generation. thankful that Dr. McCall, now in his 95th year, was able to be present for this historic day. 2 SouthErn semInAry | Special 2009 SouthErn semInAry | special 2009 Senior Vice President for Table Contents Institutional Administration: Dan Dumas of Executive Editor: Dan DeWitt Editor: Jeff Robinson Associate Editor: Emily Griffin Feature Project Manager: Jared Hallal Flashback: Lead Designer: David Yeiser The Sesquicentennial Anniversary Contributing Writers: R. Albert Mohler, Jr., 6 in Review Mary K. Mohler, David Roach & Garrett Wishall Photography: John Gill & Abigail McBroom Proofreaders: Jessica Sampler, Elizabeth Mejia, Garnetta and Lawrence Smith main articles The Assurance of Things Hoped For: Special 2009. Vol. 77, No. 3. Copyright © 2009 The 12 President Mohler’s Sesquicentennial Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Address delivered June 24, 2009 R. Albert Mohler, Jr. Subscription information: To receive a free subscription to the Southern Seminary Magazine, to change your address or to Honoring a Legacy and Looking to cancel your subscription, you may contact us in one 16 a Bright Future of the following ways: A Prayer for Preacher’s Wives The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 20 Public Relations Mary K. Mohler 2825 Lexington Road Louisville, KY 40280 Five Minutes with Tom Nettles 22 and Greg Wills: A conversation online: www.sbts.edu with two authors telling Southern email: [email protected] call: 1-800-626-5525, ext. 4141 Seminary’s legacy Southern Seminary Magazine is published by The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary also A Letter from the President – 2 Look Familiar? – 21 A Celebration of a Lifetime – 5 Hot Off the Press – 24 Foundation Board plays Just Press Play – 25 key role in SBTS life – 19 SouthErn semInAry | Special 2009 SouthErn semInAry | special 2009 3 Russell D. Moore David Platt Justin Taylor Andrew Peterson 4 SouthErn semInAry | Special 2009 SouthErn semInAry | special 2009 The Celebration of a Lifetime Clockwise from upper left: During the sesquicentennial address on June 24, former Southern Seminary presi- dent Duke K. McCall thanked the Southern community for dedicating the Duke K. McCall Sesquicentennial Pavilion in his name. Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson proclaimed June 24, 2009, as The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Sesquicentennial Day. Guests toured the Duke K. McCall Sesquicentennial Pavilion at the June dedication ceremony. Attendees of the Southern Baptist Convention enjoyed a campus open house tour and luncheon. President R. Albert Mohler, Jr. with June Honeycutt, wife of the late Roy L. Honeycutt, the eighth president of Southern Seminary. SouthErn semInAry | Special 2009 SouthErn semInAry | special 2009 5 fl a s h back: The Sesquicentennial Anniversary rom the beginning, James Petigru diligently thanking Him for grace. The Sesquicentennial logo and the launch FBoyce believed in the power of the mission of Boyce and his fellow founders of Southern Seminary’s new website. Word. He believed that the only hope has remained steadfast throughout the As spring neared, the campus hosted a for dying men was to hear the Word, and last 150 years through the perseverance conference on the history of Southern he believed that preachers of the Word and faith of Southern’s unequalled lead- Seminary and American Christianity could be better prepared. With these ership and supporters. These individu- as the Sesquicentennial Pavilion’s steal unwavering beliefs Boyce led Southern als have preserved what began in that beams began to evolve into the stately Baptists to open an institution that humble South Carolina building and have structure it is today. Summer brought would prepare ministers of the Gospel. helped Southern Seminary grown into with it energy and excitement as the Boyce and the other founders opened the country’s largest seminary. Southern Baptist Convention arrived in the doors of The Southern Baptist This year, the Sesquicentennial An- Louisville and the Duke K. McCall Ses- Theological Seminary in October 1859 niversary of Southern Seminary, inspired quicentennial Pavilion was opened and in a humble, small community church us all to celebrate what God has done dedicated. Today, as the trees prepare to building in Greenville, S.C. Each decade through this institution and to recommit take on their autumn hues, we all have a of the last 150 years has presented ourselves to the vision of the founders, to renewed spirit of joy and thankfulness as tests and struggles as well as triumphs the truth of Christ’s church and to pre- we look back at what God has allowed and gracious prosperity for the institu- serving this legacy for future generations. this institution to accomplished in the tion, providing the ultimate testimony The anniversary celebration started last 150 years. to maintaining faith in God’s will and in early winter with the revealing of the 6 SouthErn semInAry | Special 2009 SouthErn semInAry | special 2009 1 6 2 5 3 4 SouthErn semInAry | Special 2009 SouthErn semInAry | special 2009 7 8 SouthErn semInAry | Special 2009 SouthErn semInAry | special 2009 1 7 2 7 3 5 4 SouthErn semInAry | Special 2009 SouthErn semInAry | special 2009 9 1 2 3 5 4 10 SouthErn semInAry | Special 2009 SouthErn semInAry | special 2009 1 5 2 4 3 SouthErn semInAry | Special 2009 SouthErn semInAry | special 2009 11 THE ASSURANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR: A LIVING STEWARDSHIP FOR THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AND THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President Delivered June 24, 2009, at the Service Commemorating the Sesquicentennial of the Seminary’s Founding v greet you in the name of our Lord out of Ur, Israel out of Egypt, and the children Jesus Christ as we join together to com- of Moses into the land of promise.