[1]Longtime pastor and SBTS alum joins faculty
By Travis Hearne/SBTS
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has named accomplished pastor, speaker and author Jimmy Scroggins professor of Christian Ministry in the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry.
“I’m very grateful for the investment that Southern has made in me, as a pastor, as a leader and as a scholar,” Scroggins said. “It’s a tremendous joy to continue this relationship through the ministry of teaching. I place a tremendous value on training new generations of leaders for the churches of the world and there’s no place I’d rather do it than SBTS.”
Paul Akin, provost at Southern Seminary and dean of the Graham School, said Scroggins displays a heart for the local church and will contribute a wealth of practical ministry experience to the Southern faculty. Akin believes Scroggins represents the highest values of Southern and is a perfect addition to the faculty.
“Jimmy Scroggins is a quintessential alum of the Billy Graham School,” Akin said. “He exemplifies what we desire in all of our graduates: a love for the Bible, the local church and evangelism and missions. I am thrilled that he is joining our faculty and eager for our students to learn from him.”
[2]Scroggins will continue as lead pastor of Family Church – a network of neighborhood churches in South Florida. While Scroggins has proven himself in the fields of pastoral ministry and evangelism, he also has experience in academia, including a decades-long history with SBTS.
He received a Ph.D. and M.Div. from SBTS after coming to the seminary as a student in the mid-1990s. He served as dean of Boyce College from 2004-2008 and is the author or co-author of multiple books including, Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations [3] and Full Circle Parenting [4].
“Jimmy Scroggins is a remarkable pastor of a thriving church in West Palm Beach, where for years he has demonstrated vision, conviction, passion and joy in ministry,” said SBTS President Albert Mohler.
“I have known Jimmy Scroggins since he came to Southern Seminary as a young student. I know his heart, and I look forward to his contributions in the classroom, as well as in the fields of ministry. Of course, I know the leadership of Jimmy Scroggins through his years as dean at Boyce College and as a member of this faculty, so this is just another way of continuing an influence that began long ago. To know Jimmy is to know a pastor’s heart that beats for evangelism.”
Spurgeon College hosts World Changers mission trip
By Brett Fredenberg/MBTS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) – This summer, Spurgeon College hosted World Changers, a week-long mission trip for high school students, on its campus for the first time. More than 120 students and adult volunteers gathered in Kansas City for five days of service, worship and fellowship.
“We were delighted to host these students on our campus,” said Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Jason Allen. “The experiences they shared and the memories they made were substantial, just as the ministry service they rendered.”
Here to serve
Beginning in 1990, World Changers exists to provide week-long mission trip opportunities for students across North America. Every year, students from around the country gather in select cities to serve their communities.
Grace Sutton, assistant to the dean at Spurgeon College and site coordinator for the Kansas City World Changers mission trip, worked with Kansas City officials and local non-profit organizations to locate three main areas of service for the World Changers teams: Liberty Village Mobile Home Park, Kessler Park and Platte City.
At the worksites, each day began with a morning devotional. Participants then engaged in a wide variety of service activities including painting, repairing decks, clearing out honey-suckle, laying sod and more.
Several churches in Kansas City worked alongside the World Changers teams. While many local church members participated in the service projects, five specific local churches provided free lunches for the teams: Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Northside Fellowship, The Grove KC, River Park Church KC, and Northland Baptist Church.
After an afternoon of service, participants gathered back at Spurgeon College for dinner, worship, and evening activities.
Spurgeon College Dean Sam Bierig served as the camp speaker for the week. During the evening worship gatherings, Bierig preached through most of the book of Galatians in an expository fashion, focusing on the theme in Galatians of the Christian being free in Christ.
Reflecting on his week of teaching, Bierig said, “It was an absolute joy to walk these students through much of Galatians. We focused on the gospel, the doctrine of adoption, personal and congregational holiness, and what it means to be a disciple in a local church. I trust, by God’s grace, these students grew under God’s Word.”
Church groups met for devotional time after each evening session. Before concluding the evening, students enjoyed late-night activities in the gymnasium at the Mathena Student Center.
At the end of the week, community members and city volunteers were invited to join World Changers teams at Spurgeon College for the Project Celebration. During this Friday night event, Spurgeon College highlighted the work completed at each site and gave an opportunity for each community member involved to hear the gospel.
A Week to Remember
In addition to serving the Kansas City community, World Changers participants were able to experience Spurgeon College’s campus firsthand. Several of these students plan to attend Spurgeon College this coming fall.