KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) — The Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College community celebrate God’s kindness for all He has done in the past year. From receiving support and awards to overseeing academic initiatives and institutional events, 2023 has been a year filled with God’s grace to the seminary and college.
Midwestern Seminary continues to grow in their enrolled students, this year recognizing the 11th consecutive year of enrollment growth.
The continued growth in enrollment was matched with growth in academic offerings and achievements at the seminary and college.
Spurgeon College recognized the largest class of Fusion participants in the history of the program while also seeing great success in transitioning their residential education to a cohort-based model.
At the graduate level, the seminary expanded its academic offerings to include three new degrees and 14 new emphases. Additionally, they established a new partnership with the Send Network for residential students, launched Global Campus cohorts, and announced 100 new full-tuition scholarships for participants in For the Church Cohorts, which now includes Shepherds Fellowship, Theological Studies, Biblical Studies, Biblical Counseling, Women in Ministry and Scholarship, Spurgeon Fellows, and Fusion Masters.
The seminary also added new several new faculty members, including John Mark Clifton. The entire faculty continues to publish an array of helpful resources and books for the Church, including this year:
- Lectures to My Students: Deluxe Edition edited by Jason K. Allen
- The Reformation as Renewal: Retrieving the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church by Matthew Barrett
- Baptist Political Theology edited by Thomas S. Kidd with contributors Jason G. Duesing, Jesse M. Payne, and J. Alan Branch
- Friendship with the Friend of Sinners: The Remarkable Possibility of Closeness with Christ by Jared C. Wilson
- Go Outside… And 19 Other Keys to Thriving in Your 20’s by Jared C. Wilson
- Daily Readings: William Wilberforce by Michael D. McMullen
Also in 2023, Midwestern Seminary celebrated the launch of the Missions Moonshot, which aims to produce 100 new missionaries each year in partnership with the International Mission Board. With the announcement, Allen shared news of a substantial gift to the seminary of $2,500,000 to help fund the initiative.
The missions donation was accompanied by additional financial support this year, including gifts to Midwestern Seminary’s For the Church Fund from Crossway Baptist Church, to the Spurgeon Library from Harbour Shores Church, to the establishment of an endowed chair in biblical studies by Rex and Jackie Smith, and to the funding of a faculty retreat to Israel by a generous donor.
As always, the seminary’s leadership was pleased to host conferences, speakers and guests for the benefit of students and ministry leaders.
The annual FTC National Conference focused on the theme “A Glorious Calling,” welcoming more than 1,100 pastors and ministry leaders to campus. The 9Marks Conference on campus focused on the practice and principle of biblical evangelism. The seminary also prioritized fellowship and fun through the annual events of Meet on the Lawn and Fall Festival.
The seminary welcomed a number of guests to campus for chapel and special events. This year’s visitors included Grove City College Professor Carl Trueman, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Daniel Akin, Pastor and Professor David Choi, Covenant Theological Seminary Professor Robert Yarborough, Pastor H.B. Charles, Jr., and more. Two chapel services featured special panels, one on the topic of Human Identity and Pornography and the other commemorating the 250th anniversary of the beloved hymn ‘Amazing Grace.’
In a historic announcement, the seminary celebrated the acquisition of the Spurgeon Heritage Room Collection, establishing Midwestern Seminary’s Spurgeon Library as the premier institution for Spurgeon scholarship in the world.
Midwestern Seminary exists for the Church beyond Kansas City as well, exemplified in 2023 initiatives such as seven new For the Church Institute courses, two specialized study trips, and a record number of presenters at the annual ETS meeting in San Antonio.
During the month of October, the seminary expressed its gratitude to the many pastors who faithfully serve local churches across the country by providing encouraging resources and a $10,000 giveaway package to one pastor, half of which was dedicated to a family vacation and the other half to a church need.
In light of all of the news this year, we recognize God’s kindness and faithfulness to provide another banner year here in Kansas City and to bless this institution as we seek to remain faithful for the Church.
We also want to express our gratitude to all our supporters, students, alumni, and friends. Wherever you may find yourself this season, we pray you would have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
