The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention pledged a $200,000 gift to Midwestern Seminary toward the construction of the Mathena Student Center, bringing total gifts toward the project to nearly $9 million. The total cost of the project is estimated at $12 million.
The SBTC Executive Board notified Midwestern Seminary President Jason Allen of its decision following its November 16 meeting.
“We cannot be more grateful to the SBTC Executive Board and to Southern Baptists throughout Texas for their generosity in providing this gift and for their partnership in preparing the next generation of pastors, missionaries and ministry leaders for the church,” Allen said. “This gift is another sign of God’s faithfulness and provision in making Midwestern Seminary’s dream of having a student center become a reality. This has been a campus need since 1957 and because of the SBTC’s generosity in this regard, we are now one step closer to fulfilling it.”
SBTC Executive Director Jim Richards addressed the convention’s decision to pledge such a gift, saying, “The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention carries on the legacy of Texas involvement at Midwestern Seminary by providing a gift to enhance the learning experience of those training for ministry. While Southwestern Seminary remains the crown jewel of Texas Southern Baptists, the SBTC wanted to give above-Cooperative Program contributions to a seminary in the Heartland. Midwestern’s impact in the Midwest and the Plains, as well as around the world, is a worthy investment. We are grateful for the Lord’s hand of blessing.”
The student center project will consist of a 39,000 square foot building located in the heart of the school’s Kansas City, Mo., campus. The facility will include a fully-equipped gymnasium; exercise and aerobic areas; education and recreational spaces; a campus bookstore and resource center; a new cafeteria and café; seminar-style classrooms; offices for student services; campus events and select administrative staff; and commons areas to foster mentorship, discipleship, and campus community.
“The student center will complete the heart of campus and will sit beside Midwestern Seminary’s chapel complex, to which the SBTC also very generously contributed,” Allen said. “This new student center is the most urgent need before Midwestern Seminary, and it will position us to take the next step as one of North America’s truly elite theological institutions.”