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‘God is with you wherever you go,’ Akin tells grads


[SLIDESHOW=40280,40281,40282]WAKE FOREST, N.C. — “Our God is a global God. He is always with those who are on mission with him,” Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, said to the seminary’s spring 2015 graduates.

Southeastern’s 61st graduating class included 274 graduates receiving 44 undergraduate, 197 graduate and 38 doctoral degrees.

In his commencement address on May 15 in Wake Forest, N.C., Akin challenged the graduates with Jesus’ last words in Matthew 28:18-20. He highlighted God’s sovereign power, plan and promise.

“As you go and do what God has called you to do, you need to daily continue to acknowledge His authority,” Akin said. “Now that you are in Christ you have access to His authority and power.”

He challenged the audience to remember they are going as Christ’s missionaries to make disciples. Akin quoted missionary Hudson Taylor, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”

Akin emphasized the 3.78 billion people who have limited or no access to the Gospel. “The Bible gives clear evidence that King Jesus needs to be known by those people,” he said. “You will go to the hard and difficult places, do not question the command of your King.”

He also called believers to consider going to the underserved areas in North America “where the Gospel light is nothing but a flicker.”

“What an incredible promise from an awesome King,” Akin said. “Wherever He sends you, He is already there. God is orchestrating events for your good and His greater glory.”

Akin read the words of missionary David Livingstone, “without Christ, not one step; with Him, anywhere!” Akin said, “That is my prayer for you this morning. He promises to go with you wherever you may go.”

Among the graduates: Timothy Akin, Daniel Akin’s son and campus pastor of Family Church West of First Baptist Church in West Palm Beach, Fla., earned a master of divinity degree with Christian ministry; Matt Carter, pastor of preaching and vision at Austin Stone Community Church in Texas, earned a doctor of ministry degree; Scott Hildreth, director for the Center for Great Commission Studies and assistant professor of global studies at SEBTS, and Jeff Struecker, lead pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Columbus, Ga., and former ranger and retired chaplain for the U.S. Army, both earned doctor of philosophy degrees.

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  • Staff/SEBTS Communications