KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) — Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Trustees gathered March 27-28 to receive an array of seminary updates, celebrate the Lord’s faithfulness in worship and prayer, and to approve several matters of key institutional business.
During his President’s Report, Jason Allen reminded the trustees of the importance of faithfulness and sanctification in the ministry.
Speaking from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Allen said, “Each of us will be judged not by how big our enrollment is or how large our endowment is, but whether or not we produce a generation of men and women who are faithful to the Scriptures.”
Allen spoke to the precious calling of local church ministry. After discussing the popular trend of complaining about the Church, Allen reminded trustees of the beauty of the Church as Christ’s Bride. He also reminded trustees of the stewardship in their own task to prepare and train the next generation of pastors and ministry leaders.
He said, “As we review and approve institutional priorities, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers, construction plans, budgets, endowments, enrollment, degree programs, and more. Today though, I want to remind us that from beginning to end, each one of us is called by God to a significant responsibility.”
He went on to say, “In a culture that has seemingly lost its mind and amidst the many moral failings we hear of all too often, our goal as an institution is faithfulness. We exist to help bring our denomination and the churches we serve back to a place of maturity, responsibility, and biblical faithfulness. We seek not merely to project faithfulness, but to see it happen internally with every man and woman in this institution.”
Allen reiterated the importance of prayer for such a task. Affirming the continued need to pray for enrollment growth and financial gifts, he communicated his desire to make sanctification the greatest prayer request.
He explained, “For if sanctification is right, then there are a thousand other things that are right as well. But if sanctification is wrong, there are a thousand other things that are wrong with it.”
Following the presidential report, trustee business included administrative approvals, the election of faculty members, and the approval of the 2023-2024 institutional budget.
Trustees authorized the seminary to explore options for naming the new Spurgeon College dormitory. They also unanimously offered their support, appreciation, and congratulations to John Mark Yeats’ recent acceptance of the role of president at Corban University.
In recommendations from the academic committee, trustees elected Sam Bierig to Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies; Joe M. Allen III to Assistant Professor of Missions; Brett Akright to Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies; and re-elected John Lee as Associate Professor of New Testament.
They also re-appointed T. Patrick Hudson as assistant professor of communications and history; James Kragenbring as assistant professor of business and Christian studies; Jared Wilson as assistant professor of pastoral ministry; and promoted Matthew Barrett to professor of Christian theology.
In other business, trustees approved the institutional budget, with a 5 percent growth from last year’s budget of $31.7 million to this year’s budget of $33.3 million, including the approval of an updated tuition and fees for the next academic year.
Finally, with recommendations from the Governance Committee, the Board completed its meeting by electing the 2023-2024 officers: Chad McDonald from Lenexa, Kan., will serve as chairman; David Meany from Collierville, Tenn., will serve as first vice-chairman; David Shanks from Fort Worth, Texas, will serve as second vice-chairman; and Lane Harrison from Ozark, Mo., will continue to serve as secretary.
Midwestern Seminary’s Board of Trustees consists of 35 members and meets biannually in the fall and spring semesters.
During this spring meeting, the seminary featured two special events on campus. On Sunday, March 26, Keith and Kristyn Getty led an evening of worship titled, “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death.” Midwestern Seminary welcomed hundreds of participants from the seminary and surrounding community to its chapel for community, fellowship and musical worship.
Additionally, H.B. Charles, Jr. preached a chapel message on March 28 titled, “The Life Jesus Uses.” During his sermon, Charles encouraged attendees to pursue three God-ordained means for being usable to God: availability, obedience, and submission. To listen to the entire message, visit mbts.edu/events/chapel/
