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FROM THE SEMINARIES: MBTS, SEBTS offer video services; SWBTS to hold Virtual Previews; MBTS launches ‘This Week in Church History’ podcast

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Seminaries offer studios to pastors to record sermons

Midwestern and Southeastern Baptist theological seminaries are offering recording studios to pastors in their regions to record sermons.

“Southeastern Seminary exists to equip students to serve the churches of the SBC,” says a statement on a website where churches can register for the service. “In this time of uncertainty we want to extend sermon video recording services in our studio to share with your congregation on Sunday morning. We want to help churches stay connected and continue the teaching of God’s Word in the days ahead.”

A tweet from Midwestern seminary said, “Kansas City area pastors, many of you are moving Sunday’s sermon online for the first time and may not have the equipment you need.”

Churches also can receive help in streaming the recorded sermon to various platforms.

To sign up for a time slot with Midwestern Seminary, click here [2]. For Southeastern, click here [3].

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Southwestern Seminary announces Virtual Preview initiative
By Staff

FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) — Individuals who were interested in participating in upcoming Preview Days for The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Scarborough College now have an innovative way to learn about academic programs and faculty as part of a new Virtual Preview initiative, beginning with live video-conferencing Virtual Preview sessions featuring President Adam W. Greenway and faculty members.

“The call to ministry is the call to prepare — and always will be, no matter how the coronavirus is currently interrupting theological education,” Greenway said. “Nothing less than the eternal destinies of human beings is at stake in Gospel ministry, and those who are called to ministry must not permit current inconveniences to interrupt their commitment to seek the very best in preparation for that calling.”

Because of the ongoing need for well-prepared Gospel ministers, Greenway said his administration is introducing a new way to deliver a seminary preview experience.

“The Gospel is too important to wait; let us show you how Southwestern Seminary and Scarborough College can help you get ready for ministry — whether that means being on our campus in Fort Worth or being with us via online platforms,” he said.

The Virtual Preview sessions will replace Preview Days previously scheduled for April 3-4 before the seminary announced various event cancellations in response to COVID-19. Prospective students will have the opportunity to hear from and dialogue with Greenway and faculty members, as well as with seminary admissions staff.

Most sessions are to be held each Tuesday and Thursday of March and April, beginning at 12 p.m. CT, while the sessions with Greenway will be held March 27, 1-2:30 p.m., April 1, 1-2:30 p.m., and April 8, 3:30-5 p.m. The full list of sessions:

— March 24: Office of Admissions

— March 26: Master of Divinity programs, Research Professor of Systematic Theology Malcolm B. Yarnell III

— March 27 (1-2:30 p.m. CT): President Adam W. Greenway

— March 31: Women’s Programs, Dean of Women Terri Stovall and M.Div. student Mojade Adejokun

— April 1 (1-2:30 p.m. CT): President Adam W. Greenway

— April 2: School of Church Music and Worship, Dean Joseph Crider

— April 7: Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions, Associate Professor of Apologetics and World Religions Travis S. Kerns and Assistant Professor of Evangelism Carl J. Bradford

— April 8 (3:30-5 p.m. CT): President Adam W. Greenway

— April 9: Scarborough College, Assistant Professor of Bible Donald H. Kim and Associate Dean for Student Success Sarah C. Spring

— April 14: Doctoral Programs, Director for Research Doctoral Studies Jonathan W. Arnold and Director of Professional Doctoral Studies Coleman Ford

— April 16: Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries, Master of Arts in Christian Education, Dean Michael S. Wilder

— April 21: School of Preaching, Dean David L. Allen

— April 23: Student Panel, Southwestern Seminary

— April 28: Student Panel, Scarborough College

“If Christian history teaches us anything, the coronavirus will one day be a pandemic in our past, and just as the need for theologically educated and trained ministers who can faithfully preach the Good News and minister to Christ’s church has never been diminished by previous crises, God is still calling ministers today who must prepare to minister to His church until Jesus returns,” Greenway said.

Future elements of the Virtual Preview initiative will include a Virtual Preview Day that will include a virtual campus tour. For more information, visit swbts.edu/virtualpreview.

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Midwestern Seminary introduces “This Week in Church History” podcast
By T. Patrick Hudson

KANSAS CITY (BP) — Midwestern Seminary announced the addition of a new resource dedicated to serving the local church, a podcast entitled, “This Week in Church History.” The podcast, which will be hosted by John Mark Yeats and Michael McMullen, Midwestern’s professors of church history, takes a snapshot of a seven-day period from the last 2,000 years and discusses one or two key events in the history of the church during that window.

The podcast, which will be hosted by Midwestern Seminary’s professors of church history, John Mark Yeats and Michael McMullen, takes a snapshot of a seven-day period from the last 2,000 years and discusses one or two key events in the history of the church during that window.

“We are excited to connect Christians to the deep history of the church,” Yeats said. “The story of God’s faithfulness through the church is compelling, instructive, and encouraging for believers in our day!”

The first three episodes in the weekly podcast series were posted March 17. The first is a conversation among Yeats, McMullen, and Rex Butler, professor of church history and patristics at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, discussing the martyrdom of the 2nd century martyr, Perpetua.

In upcoming interviews, Yeats will engage wide-ranging subjects connecting listeners to aspects of church history. “Our goal,” he said, “is to help listeners to learn about key people and movements from the last 2,000 years of church history which, in turn, will inspire believers and church leaders to remain faithful in their own ministry contexts.”

Among the podcast’s first guests will be leading historians of the church such as Thomas Kidd, on the subject, “Patrick Henry, Patriotism, and Liberty,” Greg Wills discussing, “Leadership and Preaching Prowess through the Lens of John Albert Broadus,” Michael Kruger on “Shaping the Canon of Scripture” and in a different episode, hosts Yeats and McMullen reflect on, “Piety and Reform.”

Yeats said he desires for the podcast to reach pastors, ministry leaders, and interested lay people with thought-provoking, insightful, and edifying content about a wide variety of foci within the sphere of church history.

“My hope for ‘This Week in Church History’ is to connect Christians to the deep roots of our faith,” Yeats said. “As a mission-driven people, Christians have engaged their culture uniquely at different junctures that can be instructive for us in our own contexts. Hopefully, listeners will be introduced to people and movements they may have never heard of before and be encouraged to learn more about what God was doing in that era.”

Yeats also explained that this podcast is unique in its field, saying, “By taking a specific slice of time and looking back through 2,000 years of church history, we have a unique opportunity to introduce listeners to a broader spectrum of voices from the past. Our guests, as specialists in the field, connect figures people may be familiar with to broader contexts that help situate their lives and ministries in new ways.”

You can listen to “This Week in Church History” on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast and more. Learn more at mbts.edu/churchhistorypodcast.