Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

By Michelle Workman

More than 1,000 alumni and friends gathered at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Alumni and Friends Luncheon on June 11, held during the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting, recognizing the 2025 distinguished alumni and celebrating the grace of God shown to the institution over its 117-year history and specifically over the past 33 months.

“’The Lord has done great things for us, and it’s marvelous in our eyes,’” Chancellor O. S. Hawkins said, quoting Psalm 118:23 while speaking of the current culture at Southwestern. “We’re living in the middle literally of a miracle. … The state of the seminary is good, and it’s happy … and we’re thankful.”

President David S. Dockery expressed appreciation for those in attendance, the many who helped organize the luncheon, and for the musical performances provided by Southwestern A Cappella during the event.

“Your presence is so encouraging to each one of us,” Dockery said. “… We’re grateful to God for what He has done at Southwestern Seminary over the past 33 months.”

The Southwestern community surprised Dockery and his wife, Lanese, with a vase of flowers marking their 50th wedding anniversary on June 14.

“We just want to honor you, love you and thank you,” Hawkins said to the couple who have invested in Southwestern and many other institutions over the years.

Distinguished Alumni Awards

During the luncheon, Dockery recognized three recipients of the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards who serve in various ministries.

“They come from different fields, different areas of service, different areas of influence” while representing the Southwestern tradition, Dockery said.

Read the full story, including the list of award recipients, a faculty panel discussion and a report from Dockery here.

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

By Jacob Percy

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary hosted its annual Alumni and Friends Luncheon in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting, welcoming more than 1,000 alumni and guests for a joyful gathering marked by gospel fellowship and renewed gratitude for the Lord’s ongoing faithfulness. President R. Albert Mohler, Jr. offered reflections on the seminary’s global influence, theological integrity and enduring strength as it continues its mission to train ministers for a lifetime of faithfulness.

Mohler presented the 2025 Alumnus of the Year Award to Aaron Menikoff, senior pastor of Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. A two-time graduate of Southern Seminary, Menikoff has served the church with conviction and care as a pastor, author and mentor to fellow leaders.

Before entering pastoral ministry, Menikoff worked in the U.S. Senate and later served at Capitol Hill Baptist Church. In Atlanta, he leads a monthly pastors’ fellowship, hosts the Feed My Sheep conference and serves on the board of the Association of Churches for Missions & Evangelism. Mohler described him as “the model of what we are trying to produce at Southern Seminary,” a faithful preacher, a wise leader and a trusted guide to other pastors.”

In his address, Mohler acknowledged the significant challenges facing theological education nationwide, noting that many longstanding institutions are downsizing or closing. “This is a very sober moment for theological education,” he said. “But by God’s grace, Southern Seminary is strong — financially, academically and missionally.” He contrasted that reality with the remarkable stability and growth at Southern, which continues to expand both residential and online programs while remaining anchored in theological conviction. Strong enrollment, a vibrant campus culture and a global student body testify to the Lord’s provision.

The spring graduation included students from 26 countries, including Russia and Ukraine. Mohler described the powerful moment of seeing graduates from both nations cross the stage — a glimpse of gospel unity amid global conflict. “Their countries may be at war,” he said, “but the gospel is not.”

Read the full story here.

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

By Mary Asta Mountain

On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting, the Southeastern community gathered for its annual Alumni and Friends Luncheon — a time of encouragement and fellowship centered around the theme of gospel-centered, Great Commission legacies.

Each year, the Alumni and Friends Luncheon is the capstone of Southeastern’s visit to the SBC. During the lunch, attendees hear institutional updates as well as testimonies from faculty and alumni who are pursuing the mission of serving the church and fulfilling the Great Commission.

This year, Landon Dowden, associate professor of preaching and pastoral ministry, shared his own story of the many people who have had a strong gospel influence in his life, including his wife, Tara, and his mother, who faithfully discipled him as he grew up.

Another individual who had a deep impact on Dowden’s life was his longtime mentor and friend, the late Jim Shaddix, who instilled in Dowden a passion for expository preaching and for equipping the next generation of leaders.

“I am the product of the ministry of Jim and Debra Shaddix, and I couldn’t be more thankful,” Dowden shared. “When I think about their ministry, I think about intentionality; I think about generosity; and I think about hospitality,” he said. “And in my last conversation with Dr. Shaddix at Shane’s house, I shared with him how much I loved him — how grateful I was for his ministry — and I committed, as best as I could by the grace of God, to be a good steward of his investments in me, to invest in those whom the Lord would entrust to me.”

Dowden also shared with attendees a brief message from 1 Thessalonians 2:8, encouraging them to “be concerned for others to gratefully grasp the gospel, grow in the gospel and go with the gospel.”

Read the full story, including reports from addresses by Daniel Ritchie and Danny Akin, here.

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

By Timothy Cockes

Larry Lyon, senior vice president for business administration, welcomed alumni and friends to the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) Alumni and Friends Luncheon after an opening worship set by Crescent City Worship (CCW), which is a newly named collection of students, staff and friends of NOBTS and Leavell College. 

CCW leads worship during NOBTS chapel and travels around the country performing in churches and at various Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) events. The group is connected to the Center for Worship Studies at NOBTS and serves as the official music publishing arm of the seminary.  

Lyon explained the ultimate goal of CCW is to serve churches. 

“We could see that this was a need for our school, but it was also an opportunity to serve churches like yours,” Lyon said. “It really is about us as NOBTS and Leavell College preparing servants who will lead worship throughout the churches of the SBC.  

“What we wanted to do as an institution is just take part in what God already does through the power of song, and in doing that, we want to train students to do that very thing. We want our students to come to your churches as worship leaders that are theologically trained and pastorally equipped to lead in ways that honor Christ. This is what Crescent City Worship does.” 

Since their official formation in early 2024, CCW has released three albums, garnered more than 130,000 streams on various digital music platforms and performed at events like the 2025 Louisiana Baptist Convention annual meeting.  

More information about Crescent City Worship can be found on their website. 

Jamie Dew, NOBTS and Leavell College president, expressed his gratitude for the success of CCW and for the seminary’s annual luncheon event.  

Read the full story, including a report of Dew’s address, here.

Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Midwestern Seminary welcomed nearly 600 participants to the Alumni and Friends Luncheon on June 11 for a hymn sing with Matt Boswell and a discussion of the relationship between worship, theology and spirituality in the Christian life.

Themed “Doctrine, Devotion, and Doxology,” the luncheon featured a panel with three of Midwestern Seminary’s newest faculty members and included the presentation of the 2025 Alumnus of the Year Award.

To begin the event, Boswell led guests in singing “Holy, Holy, Holy,” “Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery” and “Christus Victor,” a hymn he recently co-authored with Bryan Fowler, Keith and Kristyn Getty, and Matt Papa. Boswell, who serves as lead pastor of The Trails Church in Celina, Texas, joined Midwestern Seminary’s faculty in the Department of Worship Ministries in February 2025.

Following the hymn sing, President Jason Allen shared key updates from Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College. He highlighted the seminary’s commitments to faithful doctrine, stewardship and mission.

“It is incumbent upon us in our generation to be theologically faithful above all other areas of commitment or concern,” he said.

He also highlighted God’s kindness to grow the institution’s net assets from $20 million to nearly $120 million since 2013, reflecting the seminary’s investment in training leaders for Southern Baptist churches into the future. He emphasized the seminary’s commitment to that mission since 2012, reflected in the institution’s continued growth to nearly 5,500 students in the 2024-25 academic year.

Allen reflected, “It’s always right to plant your convictions and set your mission where Scripture teaches us to stand and to set our convictions and our mission. And I am grateful that along the way, those convictions and that mission has resonated so broadly with Southern Baptists, and the Lord has been so very pleased to bless these efforts.”

Allen went on to highlight God’s particular blessing on Midwestern Seminary’s faculty over the previous year. Noting the seminary’s recent additions of professors Don Whitney, Matt Boswell, John Meade, Peter Gurry and Ronni Kurtz, Allen said, “These individuals are godly and gifted men, and we are privileged to have them join our ranks and continue to work with us as we seek to serve the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention.”

Concluding the updates, Allen presented the 2025 Alumnus of the Year Award to Jeff Dodge.

Read the full story here.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Reported by Lauren Crane of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Gary D. Myers of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.)