KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) – Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary inaugurated a new academic year at Fall Convocation Aug. 27 with a sermon by President Jason Allen.
The convocation service also featured the signing of the Articles of Faith by two recently elected faculty members, a recognition of new trustees and the installation of Donald S. Whitney, professor of biblical spirituality, in the John H. Powell Endowed Chair of Pastoral Ministry.
In his welcome, Allen reminded the audience of the significance of convocation, noting, “It is an act of consecration, giving our lives and our work to the Lord Jesus Christ in the service of His Church, an expression of devotion to Him.”
Echoing this spirit of devotion, Allen preached the Convocation sermon from Philippians 1:12-18, encouraging the seminary community to embrace joy in life and ministry.
He began by noting secular culture’s “preoccupation with pleasure” and its simultaneous brokenness. Allen pointed to the example of the apostle Paul, who experienced numerous beatings and imprisonments for the sake of the Gospel yet rejoiced in his sufferings.
Allen outlined three reasons Christians can find joy in every circumstance.
First, they can rejoice in seeing the Gospel advance. Reading Paul’s testimony in Philippians 1, Allen noted that Paul’s circumstances of imprisonment enabled him to share the Gospel with his guards. “Paul is rejoicing in his circumstances and encouraging the believers in Philippi to do the same because the Gospel is going forth,” Allen said.
Second, Allen highlighted that Christians can rejoice in circumstances when the Church is strengthened. Reading verse 14, Allen said, “We might think hardship would dial back the Gospel witness. But Paul says ‘my imprisonment’ is proving to strengthen the church.”
In light of this, Allen offered a special word of encouragement to students in the room, saying, “If you will purpose to draw a straight line from your academic studies and your syllabus expectations to the actual work of ministry and the churches that will be strengthened because of your study, your sacrifice and your effort – it will fill you with joy, even in the more complicated seasons.”
Finally, Allen reminded the audience that Christians can find joy when Christ is exalted. Allen addressed how Paul rejoiced even when the Gospel was preached by rivals who desired to harm him. “Regardless of the motivation,” he said, “if the message of the Gospel is being preached, we can find joy in this.”
Allen concluded by reminding the audience to remain fixed in the Gospel, looking to Christ and seeing in Him the reasons for ultimate joy that transcends earthly happiness and trial.
After the sermon, attendees celebrated as Allen formally installed Donald S. Whitney in the John H. Powell Endowed Chair of Pastoral Ministry. Whitney was elected to Midwestern Seminary’s faculty during the Spring Trustee Meeting in April.
“In recent years, we prayed that God would give us an endowed chair in Biblical spirituality and pastoral ministry,” Allen said. “We wanted to make sure we were doing our very best to train a new generation of servants of Christ who were spiritually mature and formed to the very best of our ability. As an institution that exists for the Church, we wanted to make sure we had a person that could champion that cause before our students year after year.”
The John H. Powell Endowed Chair of Pastoral Ministry was established in 2023 and named in honor of John Powell, a Southern Baptist pastor who heroically gave his life in 2020 while assisting a family stranded on the highway.
Reflecting on the friendship between Powell and Whitney and on Whitney’s qualifications to serve in the endowed chair, Allen said, “It brings me so much joy to honor Dr. Whitney. It brings us so much joy to have the Powell family here and others who knew and loved John. It is good and right that at this institution, under John’s name, Dr. Whitney will be fulfilling this vital role.”
Whitney and Travis Montgomery, both recently elected faculty, signed the Articles of Faith during convocation. Montgomery serves as assistant dean of Global Campus and assistant professor of Christian studies.
The seminary’s Articles of Faith encompass the confession of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, and three other guiding doctrinal statements: the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and the Nashville Statement on Biblical Sexuality.
Additionally, Allen recognized five new trustees: Josh Brown, Collin Coffee, John Lee, Jeff Vanderford and Joel Wellum.
Trustees of Midwestern Seminary serve five-year terms, with the opportunity for one reappointment, providing each trustee the potential for a decade of leadership and service to Midwestern Seminary. The new trustees include graduates of Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College, as well as business leaders and pastors from around the United States.
The convocation service concluded with a benediction given by Marshall Adkins, assistant professor of biblical counseling.
To watch the convocation service online, click here.
