‘The privilege of a lifetime’: Akin and Pace give SEBTS report to messengers
SEBTS Staff
ORLANDO – On Tuesday afternoon, June 9, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Danny Akin presented his 23rd and final seminary report to messengers at the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting. As Akin, who will retire on July 31, stood to deliver his report, messengers honored him with a standing ovation.
Akin highlighted continued growth in Southeastern’s student body. Southeastern’s enrollment exceeded 5,600 students, and Judson College’s enrollment has increased 30 percent in the past three years.
He also celebrated Great Commission growth through the impact of the student body. “In our April commissioning chapel, we commissioned 76 students who will be going both to the nations and also across North America,” said Akin.
Southeastern’s Great Commission influence also extends to the Middle East, where Southeastern’s Global Theological Initiatives is equipping Farsi speakers directly affected by ongoing conflict in the region. “It is encouraging,” said Akin, “to know that in a country right now that is wracked by war, there are men and women that are receiving training both on the college level and the master’s level.”
Whether on campus or across the globe, Southeastern’s students are being formed to have a Great Commission heartbeat, and all of this is because of the Cooperative Program. “This year, Southeastern will receive $6.3 million through the Cooperative Program,” said Akin. “Without your general support, we could not provide an outstanding theological education at the very best price anywhere in the world.”
With Akin’s upcoming retirement on July 31, other seminary presidents took an opportunity to honor him. “I like many of you have been tremendously blessed by Dr. Akin’s heart for the lost, his passion for global missions, and his profound love for the local church,” said Gateway Theological Seminary President Adam Groza.
As Akin concluded his report, he expressed his gratitude to Southern Baptists for the privilege of serving as Southeastern’s president. “You have given my wife and me the privilege of a lifetime in serving this school for 22 years,” he said. “We love you, we thank you. Thank you for loving us and thank you for allowing us this incredible privilege of serving one of your great and wonderful Southern Baptist seminaries.”
During the report, Akin also introduced Scott Pace, Southeastern’s president-elect. In his remarks, Pace gave gratitude to God and highlighted his Southern Baptist heritage.
“Words escape me to express what a deep honor this is to stand before you as the seventh president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Judson College,” said Pace.
Speaking to the more than 11,000 messengers at the annual meeting, Pace acknowledged his gratitude for and formation by Southern Baptists. “I was saved and I’ve been shaped by the ministry and work of Southern Baptists,” he said. “Thank you for investing in me, and it’s a great joy and honor to serve in this capacity. I’m prayerfully hopeful that I’ll be able to serve in some way others whom God is raising up now in this generation that have a similar calling on their life.”
Under his leadership, Pace promised that Southeastern will continue to beat the drum of the Great Commission, as it is “the beat that keeps everything else in rhythm.”
“You’re also going to hear me lean into the work of the local church and champion the work that you’re doing because I believe we will advance the global church by serving the local church,” said Pace.
“By God’s grace,” said Pace, “Southeastern will continue to equip Great Commission-minded pastors and church leaders to stand on the inerrant, infallible, inspired, authoritative, sufficient Word of God.”
Mohler credits Southern Baptists for the strength of their seminaries
By Jacob Percy/SBTS
ORLANDO – Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. used his report to the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting to point messengers to the health and faithfulness of the convention’s six seminaries, and Southern Seminary in particular, crediting the Convention’s long commitment to owning and funding theological education. In his 33rd annual report as SBTS president, Mohler expressed gratitude for the faithful support of Southern Baptists and renewed Southern’s commitment to leading in training ministers for the churches.
Mohler told messengers that the unity among the six SBC seminary presidents is itself a sign of the convention’s theological recovery. He spoke of the peace, camaraderie, and shared purpose among the men who lead the schools, a marked contrast, he noted, to seasons in the convention’s past. He also marked the coming retirement of Daniel L. Akin, president of Southeastern Seminary and a former colleague at Southern, as a reminder that leaders are entrusted with their work only for a time.
That health, Mohler explained, rests on a conviction Southern Baptists settled long ago. When the convention was formed in 1845, its messengers committed to a learned, faithful ministry trained within their own institutions rather than borrowed from elsewhere. Southern Seminary became the Convention’s first answer to that need in 1859, joined over the following decades by Southwestern, New Orleans, Gateway, Southeastern, and Midwestern as the Convention grew. With the Cooperative Program adopted in 1925, Southern Baptists chose not only to fund their seminaries but to govern them through trustees elected by the convention.
That decision, Mohler said, set Southern Baptists apart. While much of theological education elsewhere has drifted from its purpose and abandoned its confessional foundations, the SBC’s seminaries have remained accountable to the churches that own them. Southern Baptists, he said, did not want schools standing merely alongside the Convention; they wanted seminaries that belong to it.
The true measure of Southern Seminary, Mohler said, is not its numbers but its faithfulness. The Lord has blessed the institution in an unprecedented way, and it remains committed to leading in theological education that serves the churches and keeps faithful Southern Baptists faithful until Christ returns.
Jamie Dew ‘astounded’ by SBC’s seminary system, he tells messengers
By Timothy Cockes/NOBTS
ORLANDO – NOBTS and Leavell College President Jamie Dew expressed thankfulness for the support of Southern Baptists during his report to messengers at the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando.
Dew opened his address to the Convention by reflecting on his recent seventh anniversary as president of NOBTS.
“It’s always a privilege and a joy to see fellow Southern Baptists and to tell you about the good things that are happening down in New Orleans,” Dew said. “My family and I would say that this has been the best seven years of our lives.
“Thank you, Southern Baptists, for entrusting this work to us and supporting us through the Cooperative Program.”
Dew elaborated on how effective the Cooperative Program is at enabling the SBC Seminaries, including NOBTS, to provide a quality theological education at a low cost.
“I often talk to people of other denominations that aspire to get theological education through a seminary, specifically a Master of Divinity degree,” Dew explained.
“And when I compare what our people have together in these six seminaries versus what the other denominations would have to offer, I am often astounded. A Master of Divinity at other theological schools may cost somewhere between $85,000-90,000. The reason we can charge a fraction of that to our students is because of your sacrificial giving through the Cooperative Program.
“On behalf of NOBTS, thank you for being consistent with this and we count it a privilege to serve you.”
Moving specifically to NOBTS, Dew shared a variety of ways that NOBTS is thriving in her mission.
“I absolutely love getting to do what I do, and these have been some of the most life-giving years on our campus,” Dew said. “Our students are flourishing and passionate. They are answering God’s call on their lives, and they rise to the occasion by doing what we challenge them to do.
“Our students are answering a call to take the Gospel to the nations through preaching and pastoring churches and missionary work. It is a joyful thing to see.
“At NOBTS, we are on mission, morale is high and financials are looking better and better each year.”
Dew closed by expressing gratitude for the chance to lead New Orleans Seminary.
“I am grateful to God for an institution that is growing and flourishing and to have the honor of sitting at the helm of this seminary is the joy of a lifetime,” he said.
Gateway’s historic growth due to Southern Baptists’ support, Groza says
By Tyler Sanders/Gateway Seminary
ORLANDO – Gateway Seminary President Adam Groza thanked Southern Baptists for supporting the seminary’s efforts in achieving historic enrollment growth and greatly expanding partnerships at the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Orlando, June 9-10.
“Thank you for the generous support you give, thank you for the amazing students that you send, and thank you for the faithful prayers that you pray,” Groza said.
This past academic year, Groza’s second as president, the seminary’s headcount enrollment reached a record high across its 82-year history.
“By God’s grace, more students are being trained at Gateway Seminary than ever before,” he said.
A portion of the growth was due to a series of new teaching sites that offer hybrid education opportunities in contextualized, local settings, including San Diego, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Salt Lake City.
“Through partnerships with state conventions, local associations and local churches, Gateway is offering in-person seminary education in the places that need it most and where it otherwise wouldn’t exist,” Groza said.
“God’s Word doesn’t change, but the ministry challenges of the urban and rural locations we serve require professors who possess not only academic qualifications but also practical ministry experience.”
Groza reported to attendees that trustees approved the creation of a new full campus in Hawaii, the first new Gateway campus in 30 years. Developed in partnership with the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention, this campus will serve churches across the Hawaiian Islands, as well as congregations in American Samoa, Guam, Japan, Korea and Thailand. Classes will begin in fall 2026.
“At Gateway Seminary, students can get the biblical training they need without having to leave their mission field and their vital ministry role in their local church,” he said.
Another major partnership has been established with California Baptist University (CBU). In an expansion to the existing 4+1 program, which allows qualified CBU graduates to earn a master’s in one year, now two master’s degrees are available: The master of biblical and theological studies and the master of missiological essentials.
“This partnership creates a pipeline of ministry leaders for the West and from the West to the world,” he said.
In another sign of program growth, Gateway’s Beyond Program, a short-term mission trip project that provides fully funded opportunities for all qualified students, sent more people overseas to more locations than ever before. This spring and summer, 70 students went to ten locations around the world to share the Gospel.
“When students return from Beyond Trips, some come home with a clear sense of calling to overseas mission’s service, but all return home better equipped to advocate for our cooperative missionary efforts in their local church”
Additionally, Groza shared how Gateway prepares students to serve people with disabilities. Through the course “Principles and Approaches to Bible Teaching,” students are exposed to disability categories and strategies for accommodation “to better show the love of Christ and to foster Christian hospitality for the sake of discipleship,” he said.
Groza concluded with a message of thankfulness.
“We give glory to God for his goodness to Gateway Seminary and once again, we say thank you, Southern Baptists.”
Groza recognized Daniel L. Akin for his contributions to Baptist life as a leader and educator, highlighting his service at Southeastern Seminary (SEBTS). He also welcomed new entity leaders Scott Pace, president of SEBTS, Evan Lenow, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, and Gateway alum Ryan Blackwell, president of Lifeway.
Allen highlights MBTS’ growth, commitments, Spurgeon Library
By Jonathan Lumley/MBTS
ORLANDO – Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Jason K. Allen delivered his 14th report to messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention June 10, highlighting the institution’s commitment to faithful stewardship, confessional fidelity, and service to Southern Baptist churches. He also noted continued enrollment growth and drew attention to resources such as the Spurgeon Library and the newly relaunched Spurgeon.org website.
“I bring the report with a profound sense of gratitude, a keen sense of stewardship, and an enduring sense of hopefulness for our work,” Allen said.
Allen described theological education as “denominational stewardship,” explaining that Midwestern Seminary seeks to serve Southern Baptists through a series of foundational commitments that shape every aspect of the institution’s work.
Pre-committed confessionally and denominationally
Allen first highlighted Midwestern Seminary’s confessional commitments, noting that the institution remains firmly anchored to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and the Nashville Statement on Marriage and Sexuality.
“We champion these truths on your behalf,” Allen said. “You can be confident that every professor believes and teaches in accordance with this sacred trust.”
Allen emphasized that these convictions remain central to the institution’s identity and mission as it prepares future pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders. He also underscored Midwestern Seminary’s commitment to serving the Southern Baptist Convention.
“We are a Southern Baptist institution,” Allen said. “Southern Baptists are not our customers; they are our owners.”
Addressing the messengers directly, Allen emphasized that Southern Baptists are not merely a constituency to be served but the very reason for the institution’s existence.
“You are not a disruption to our work or an impediment to our work,” he said. “You are our work.”
Allen added that Midwestern Seminary considers it a privilege to serve Southern Baptist churches and cooperate with convention entities in advancing the Great Commission.
Training leaders for the Church
Allen also highlighted the seminary’s commitment to spiritual formation, noting that Midwestern Seminary seeks to graduate men and women devoted to Christ, marked by personal holiness, and prepared for a lifetime of faithful ministry.
“We’re seeking to train students and produce graduates devoted to the lordship of Christ, evidently full of the Holy Spirit, valuing personal holiness, and honoring Christ in their lives,” Allen said.
He further emphasized the institution’s commitment to cooperative ministry through initiatives designed to strengthen local churches and support Southern Baptist partners.
Allen stated that these commitments have helped establish Midwestern Seminary as a trusted institution among Southern Baptists while positioning it for continued growth and service.
Celebrating growth and institutional strength
Reflecting on the seminary’s progress over the past decade and a half, Allen pointed to significant enrollment growth as evidence of God’s blessing on the institution.
Describing Midwestern Seminary as “the great outlier” among theological institutions, Allen noted that enrollment has grown from just over 1,000 students when he became president in 2012 to nearly 6,000 students today.
“Year after year, we are graduating record numbers of students,” Allen said.
He added that Midwestern Seminary continues to equip growing numbers of pastors, missionaries, church planters, biblical counselors, worship leaders, youth ministers and children’s ministers for service in churches around the world.
Allen also highlighted the institution’s strengthened financial position. When he arrived in Kansas City, he noted, Midwestern Seminary faced significant financial challenges. Today, the seminary operates with a sustainable model designed to support its mission for years to come.
He further celebrated God’s kindness for the faculty he has assembled in Kansas City, commending their scholarship, service to the church, and contributions to Southern Baptist life.
Dockery celebrates ‘another joyful and blessed’ year in SBC report
By Karen Garcia/SWBTS
ORLANDO – Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President David S. Dockery highlighted “another joyful and blessed academic year” in his report to messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. Thanking messengers for their prayers, support, and encouragement, Dockery said God’s “amazing kindness, grace, and favor” have placed the seminary in a much different position than it was 45 months ago.
The Southwestern Seminary “campus has been characterized by a deep dedication to faithful and regular prayer, becoming the campus of the bowed head with a fresh awareness of God’s providence combined with a renewed sense of our genuine dependence on the Lord,” he said.
“The measurable institutional turnaround has touched every area of campus,” Dockery said, noting the seminary’s improved financial position, enhanced commitments to providing distinctive theological education, faculty publications, and more.
Dockery reported a nearly $10 million positive change in the annual operational budget and the elimination of all short- and long-term debt. During this time, he added, Southwestern has seen stabilized enrollment, a measurable increase in total credit hours taught, and a $40 million increase in the seminary’s total net assets.
He also noted that while Southwestern is still awaiting official news regarding accreditation updates from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the report from the special committee that visited the campus in April “was extremely positive regarding the financial, educational, and operational health of the seminary.
“What can’t be measured by an accreditation report is that, by God’s grace, the spiritual health, campus culture, and the sense of community and comradery have continued to improve year after year,” he added. The spring semester chapel series focusing on the Gospel of Mark concluded with a time of community worship and celebration that served as an exclamation point for the entire academic year, he said.
Dockery also recognized faculty members, saying they “continue to teach faithfully in accord with our scripturally grounded and confessionally guided commitments.” He noted that during this administration the faculty has published more than 30 books across various academic disciplines, with more than 20 additional volumes scheduled for release in the next two years.
Dockery highlighted his new book, Hearts, Heads, and Hands: A Distinctive Vision for Theological Education at Southwestern Seminary, which would be given to those attending Southwestern’s alumni and friends luncheon the following day. He noted the book has drawn praise from Southwestern alumni including Jeff Iorg, Tony Wolfe, Hance Dilbeck, Gary Hollingsworth, Mark Dance, and Todd Fisher.
Dockery also spoke of the seminary’s commitments to be globally engaged—noting that faculty and staff regularly lead students on mission trips at home and abroad—and its commitment to the sanctity of life, as evidenced by the presence of the Prestonwood Pregnancy Center on the Southwestern campus, a partnership with alumnus Jack Graham and Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas.
Dockery also expressed gratitude for the work of the Southern Baptist Convention Disability Task Team. “We are pleased that Southwesterner Sandra Peoples will help guide us as we continue to work to support these efforts in the days ahead,” he said.
In other seminary highlights, Dockery noted that Danny Akin, a distinguished alumnus and outgoing president of Southeastern Seminary, was presented with the first Robert Naylor Denominational Service Award “in gratitude for his investment in Southern Baptists and his outstanding leadership at Southeastern Seminary over the past two decades.”
Dockery completed his report, “We are hopeful for the future. We are grateful that God has given us the privilege of carrying on the heritage of a Great Commandment, Great Commission institution to prepare the next generation of students to serve the churches, to engage the culture, and to take the Gospel across the country, around the globe, for the glory of our majestic and triune God.”
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