Lauren Pratt

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) -- "For the first 50 years [or more] of my life, I was a member of a growing denomination; now I'm not." This realization, among others, served as a primary influence for the latest edition to John Hammett's book, "Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches: A Contemporary Ecclesiology." Hammett, who serves as the John Leadley Dagg chair and senior professor of systematic ...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- This year's 9Marks panel discussions tackled the current state of the Southern Baptist Convention and whether or not the health of a church is enough to sustain itself in this cultural moment during two evenings of discussion in conjunction with the SBC's annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala. The Monday evening (June 10) discussion was led by Mark Dever, co-founder of 9Marks and senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C, and Jonathan Leeman, 9Marks editorial director. Conversation centered around the topic, "Are Healthy Churches Enough for Today's Problems?" Dever and Leeman's discussion was a live recording of their Pastors' Talk podcast, which they record weekly to discuss practical aspects of pastoral ministry and Christian life.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- This year's fifth annual Women's Leadership Breakfast focused on how women in a diversity of life stages have learned what it means to lead in their contexts by developing themselves and those under them for the glory of God. The annual event is hosted by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Missie Branch, director of graduate life and assistant dean of students to women at SEBTS, moderated the June 12 panel discussion in Birmingham, Ala. ...

From the Seminaries: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary announces two church revitalization courses, names Ross Inman as assistant professor of philosophy.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) -- Referencing Hebrews 12:1-3, Danny Akin urged graduates of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary to run the Christian race with endurance to the very end. On May 10, 263 seminary and The College at Southeastern graduates walked across the stage of Binkley Chapel to receive their diplomas during their spring commencement ceremony. "If you're going to run the race well today [and] also finish well, I believe the Bible provides some real insight into how that can be accomplished in your life for your good but, ultimately, for our Lord's glory," Akin, president of SEBTS, told graduates during his address.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) -- The public launch of the For the Mission campaign is just one way among many in which Danny Akin is continuing to cultivate an enduring Great Commission vision at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) as he marks his 15 years as president of the entity. These highlights, were among the many items discussed and celebrated at the Spring 2019 Board of Trustees and Southeastern Society meetings April 7-9.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) -- As an observer of Christianity and public life, Bruce Ashford sees the good, the bad and the ugly of American political engagement. In a new book, "Letters to an American Christian," he is seeking to change it for the better. In a whimsical yet informative series of letters between Ashford, provost at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a fictional character named Christian, the book seeks to address hot-button issues and ideologies in today's American culture and how believers can speak thoughtfully and persuasively into them. "I'm trying to show Christian conservatives how we can be our better selves, and I'm trying to appeal to progressives to show them why more conservative principles would be better for our nation," Ashford said. The recipient of the letters, Christian, is a university student among professors who are secular progressives and from a family of secular conservatives. In this context, Ashford seeks to help Christian consider how to address such topics as transgenderism, Black Lives Matter, nationalism and the relationship between church and state.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) -- It started with a prayer. In his home country of the Dominican Republic, youth pastor Moises Gomez had a burning desire to be better equipped to serve the church. He and his pastor asked the Lord to provide a way for Gomez to be equipped for full-time ministry. "I think we should pray and see God respond in this prayer," Gomez recounted his pastor telling him in 2014. Two weeks later the phone rang, and Edgar Aponte was on the other end. Aponte was Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary's director of Hispanic leadership development at the time (now the International Mission Board's vice president of mobilization).

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) -- Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Danny Akin encouraged 169 new seminary graduates and 30 undergraduates Dec. 7 to trust in the steadfast promise that God will never abandon them. Akin highlighted two points in his commencement message from Hebrews 13:5. First, he said God is the one who makes this promise. Noting similar Old Testament promises from Deuteronomy 31:6,8 and Joshua 1:5, Akin explained that God has promised to never leave His children in the past nor will He leave His children in the present. "This is a truth that was real for Old Testament saints; it is a truth that was real for New Testament saints; and it is a truth that is real for you and me today right where we are," he said.

ANGIER, N.C. (BP) -- Logan Carson, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary's first full-time African American professor, died Nov. 3 at age 86. Carson, who taught theology at SEBTS from 1994-2009, will be remembered for his zeal for life, love for teaching Scripture to his students and his humility in serving others. Danny Akin, Southeastern's president, noted, "The thing I remember most about Dr. Carson is that he said he didn't want his sight back in this life because 'the first thing I want to see is Jesus' face.'"