KANSAS CITY (MBTS) – President Jason Allen opened Midwestern Seminary’s fall semester with a Convocation message titled, “We Preach Christ.” The service took place in the Daniel Lee Chapel, Aug. 30.
In addition to his message, the Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College community welcomed six new trustees and three newly elected faculty members to the institution during the service.
Beginning the service, Allen reflected on the importance of Convocation, stating, “Convocation is always a day of promise. There is a formality to this day because there is a formality to our service. There is a gravity to this day because there is a gravity to our work.”
“As we gather this morning as a seminary,” he continued, “we look forward to the dawning of a new academic year reflecting on our past and on our future to give us renewed awareness of the promises of God.”
“We reflect on our past, both distant and recent, and are strengthened by the clear sign of God’s faithfulness, grace, and kindness. We look forward to our future with hopefulness as we have every reason to be hopeful with this new academic year – historic enrollment, abundant financial provision, an accomplished faculty, dedicated students, and the ever-present promise that Christ is building His Church.”
Allen reminded attendees, “To whom much is given, much is expected. Convocation signifies for us a coming together to dedicate ourselves anew to the Lord to seek His favor, protection, and blessing–and it is an act of consecration.”
Allen then preached from 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, addressing four main reasons why the cross must be central to the life and ministry of every student, faculty member, and staff member at Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College.
“We are a people of the cross because the cross is the sinner’s only hope,” Allen said. He went on to share that the preaching of Christ also fortifies conviction.
“God has called us to be a people of faithfulness, to be men and women of conviction,” he said. “We are called to maintain a public witness of Christian truth when there are issues of life and death, gender, complementary, biblical inspiration and inerrancy; and we hold to these truths joyfully, courageously, and convictionally.”
Challenging attendees, Allen said, “The quicker you get to a place of inner equanimity, where you are sturdy enough in your own gospel beliefs that rejection doesn’t unnerve you, you will be healthy.”
He encouraged attendees with one final reason to preach Christ, “We preach Christ so that He receives the glory, and our boast remains in Him alone.”
Allen closed his message with a reminder, “We begin this new academic year as men and women of faith–not as a perfect people, but as a redeemed people. We do so trusting God to continue to grow us, build us up, lead us, and sustain us this academic year.”
In addition to Allen’s convocation address, three newly elected seminary faculty members signed the institutions Articles of Faith during the service: Thomas Kidd, Jung-Hoon “Rio” Kim, and Jared Bumpers.
The seminary’s Articles of Faith consist of the confession of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention, The Baptist Faith & Message 2000, and three institutional guiding documents: the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and the Nashville Statement on biblical sexuality.
Prior to closing the service, Andrew King, Assistant Dean of Spurgeon College and Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, gave the benediction, praying for the broad Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College community for the upcoming year.
To view the entire convocation address, visit mbts.edu/events/chapel