FIRST-PERSON: Which Path Will Southwestern Take?

I was on an early morning hike on Eagle Mountain when I came to the scene pictured above. The sun was just rising over the cliff and treetops when the hiking trail bifurcated. I had to decide which direction to take. It dawned upon me that many in the Southern Baptist Convention and the watching evangelical world are similarly wondering what direction Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary will take in the midst of the journey it has been on since April. The answer to that question is as clear as mountain spring water—Southwestern Seminary remains steadfast “on a hot trail after the lost.”[1]

Southwestern Seminary, by the grace of God and the support of Southern Baptists, has existed for more than 110 years. It remains on top of Seminary Hill today, the highest natural elevation in Tarrant County, and will continue to sit on Seminary Hill as a beacon of theological education. Its direction is clear: Southwestern Seminary assists the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention by biblically educating God-called men and women for ministries that fulfill the Great Commission and glorify God. L.R. Scarborough, Southwestern Seminary’s second president, stated it this way:

“[Southwestern Seminary] can give soul-winners to every line and phase of denominational task. We propose to give evangelists, evangelistic pastors, evangelistic Gospel singers, soul-winning teachers, and spiritual leaders in all the lines of Christian service. If Southwestern Seminary has any phase of its work which is unique, if it gives special emphasis to anything, probably it is in the line of fervent evangelism. The entire administration and teaching force, the whole life of the institution, is set to the high notes of soul-winning.”

Likewise, Robert Naylor, Southwestern’s fifth president, posited that the seminary’s driving force is “to train God-called men and women for a witness to the whole world.” He further stated:

“Evangelism is to be the main business of the Kingdom of God. To the degree that this seminary is based in evangelism, bathed in evangelism, committed to evangelism, rooted in evangelism, the institution is a quickening flame and an all-embracing arm of love around the whole world.”

I’ve hiked countless trails across the U.S., wearing out numerous pairs of hiking boots. Trails possess peaks and valleys; difficult and, yes, even painful portions; moments of shear wonder and worship and moments of terror; and even moments of “Why did I do that?” Southwestern Seminary’s 110-year journey has been no different. Yet, it remains steadfast “on a hot trail after the lost.”

Why does Southwestern remain steadfast on the trail in spite of obstacles caused by theological, social, economic, or personality issues during the past 110 years? It does so because men and women like B.H. Carroll, L.R. Scarborough, Floy Barnard, and others instilled into Southwestern Seminary the unwavering DNA of evangelism rooted in the Great Commission. Yes, Southwestern needs to do some things differently, and it will. Southwestern will adjust its backpack and center of gravity, modify the pace and rhythm of its gait, and retie the laces on its hiking boots—all needful things. Importantly and without reservation, it will remain on the trail—it will not sit down, will not turn back, and will not take wrong paths. The stakes are too high, eternal in fact. The souls of the lost provide the impetus to remain on the trail.

As I pen this, the semester is beginning—academic council and faculty workshop have taken place with traditional aplomb; Welcome Week is in full swing with food and fellowship as students move into student housing; the all-employee meeting has occurred with laughter and applause; faculty are busy placing final touches on their syllabi; students are gathering copious textbooks; and the Registrar’s office is ablaze with activity. Students, staff, and faculty are full of palpable excitement. To be sure, although the trail has been rocky the past few months, Southwestern Seminary has not missed a step, tripped on a rock, or been bitten by a rattlesnake. It remains on the trail. Steadfast.

Welcome, fall semester 2018!

[1] Final word from B.H. Carroll (Southwestern’s first president) to L.R. Scarborough (Southwestern’s second president): “My deep concern is about the seminary. Keep it on a hot trail after the lost. That is why I started the Chair of Evangelism and chose you as its professor. Never let it get away from the compassion of Calvary. Keep it missionary and true to the truth. Give it the best of your life.”