Bingham shares dream for Southwestern in coming academic year

In his first address to the student body as interim president of Southwestern Seminary, D. Jeffrey Bingham expounded three virtues that should characterize every Southwesterner: self-denial, taking last place, and orienting one’s entire life around serving others. This word from the interim president came during the seminary’s fall convocation service, Aug. 23, which signified the start of the new academic year. 

Bingham preached three different passages from the Gospel of Mark (8:31-35; 9:30-35; 10:32-45) in which Jesus refers to Himself as the “Son of Man,” a reference to the prophetic vision of the coming Messiah in Daniel 7. Contrary to that vision, however, in all three instances, Jesus referred to the suffering that He would endure. 

When teaching this to His disciples, Bingham noted, the Twelve misunderstood Jesus’ words and instead sought “power and glory, kingdom and dominion” as they understood it from Daniel 7. In response, each time, Jesus clarified the role of His disciples, noting that they must deny themselves, take last place, and orient their lives around serving others. 

“There is an order to the Son of Man’s experience,” Bingham said. “First comes the cross, the suffering, the betrayal and the death, and then after all of that comes the resurrection with its glory and with its honor. This is the model for your life and for mine.”

“We are living in the time before our own resurrection,” Bingham continued. “I promise you on the authority of the Word of God that the day is coming in which the Lord Jesus will return with the blare of a trumpet, and the dead will rise. And I promise you that on that day, if you are buried in your grave, you will rise to life, and you will be transformed from being mortal to immortal. 

“But prior to that day, your life is to be characterized not by the pursuit of glory and honor, victory or abundance, kingdom or dominion, lording it over others; your life is to be characterized by three virtues: denial of self, taking last place, and orienting your entire life around being the servant of others.”

Bingham shared that his dream for Southwestern this academic year is for Southwesterners to be known by these three virtues. “Everywhere I go throughout the metroplex and throughout the nation and overseas,” he said, “I want to hear these words: ‘We can always tell a Southwesterner, because she always denies herself.’ ‘We can always recognize a Southwesterner, because he always takes last place.’ ‘You know how we know that he is from Southwestern? Because his whole life is consumed with serving us.’”

“Southwesterners, the cross doesn’t just do something for you by forgiving you of your sins,” Bingham concluded. “The cross should do something to you—it should transform your heart into a heart that is consumed with denying yourself, with taking last place, and with serving others.”

In addition to Bingham’s exhortation, the convocation service also welcomed new and returning students and faculty to the Southwestern campus, propelled them to a campus-wide “Lunch on the Lawn” fellowship immediately afterward, and formally introduced Carl Bradford, the seminary’s new instructor in evangelism. Bradford comes with experience in several ministry positions and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern (2011). He plans to complete his Ph.D. from Southwestern this semester. 

For more information on chapel, including the fall’s chapel schedule and archives of past services, visit swbts.edu/chapel.