FROM THE HILL: Queen discusses new book, Darling addresses morality, Ford speaks about St. Augustine and friendship

“From the Hill” is a regular series highlighting the work of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College’s faculty. Check back here regularly to find articles, blogs, podcasts, interviews, and more.

“Yes, you can legislate morality: Righteous laws influence behavior and declare moral truth” (article on WORLD), written by Dan Darling, director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement; assistant professor of faith and culture, Texas Baptist College

• “According to a report in Axios, abortion in America has declined significantly since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in June. Gleaning the data from a recently released report by The Society of Family Planning, a pro-abortion research foundation, in the two months following the Court’s decision, there were 5,000 fewer abortions nationwide. In states with significant restrictions, there was a 95 percent decrease. In states with few or no restrictions, there was an 11 percent increase.”

“FIRST-PERSON: Recapturing evangelism” (article on Baptist Press), written by Matt Queen, interim provost and vice president for academic administration, associate dean of the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions, professor of evangelism, and L.R. Scarborough Chair of Evangelism

• “From time to time, God distinctly superintends circumstances at particular places to prompt Christians to evangelize. In such a case the Holy Spirit internally impresses upon a believer that he or she must share the gospel with a specific person. In so doing the Spirit is personally making an opportunity for the believer to evangelize. Most other times, however, believers should be taking an opportunity to share the gospel. If they find themselves in conversations with others whose standing with God and eternal destination is unknown to them, such an encounter should prompt them to take an opportunity to share the gospel with those people.”

“A theology of friendship and the life of St. Augustine with Dr. Coleman M. Ford” (podcast episode on Digital Public Square Podcast), interviewing Coleman Ford, assistant professor of humanities, Texas Baptist College

• “In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Coleman M. Ford to talk about his new book A Bond between Souls: Friendship in the Letters of Augustine from Lexham Press. Today, we discuss the life and work of St. Augustine as well as his understanding of friendship.”

“Q&A with Matt Queen (Recapturing Evangelism)” (article on The Kings Table), interviewing Matt Queen, interim provost and vice president for academic administration, associate dean of the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions, professor of evangelism, and L.R. Scarborough Chair of Evangelism

• “This textbook intends to offer a biblically comprehensive, theologically applicable, personally and congregationally reproducible, and intentionally focused treatment of evangelism. In it, I have endeavored to present a thoroughly biblical philosophy and practice of both personal and corporate evangelism, in order to advance Great Commission disciple-making in the twenty-first century.”

“God’s Thoughts Should Be Our Thoughts: Truth Is Revealed and Knowable” (article on Breakpoint Colson Center), mentioning David S. Dockery, interim president

• “Dockery offers a powerful and concise strategy for cultivating Christian minds, both for our children and ourselves. His short guide is part of a larger series called Questions for Restless Minds, edited by theologian D.A. Carson.”

“Amid music minister shortage, training shift to emphasis on theology” (article on The Alabama Baptist), featuring comments from Joseph Crider, dean of the School of Church Music and Worship

• Churches across the Southern Baptist Convention are struggling to find worship pastors, but shifting from traditional church music degrees to biblically grounded worship may be part of the solution, one seminary professor said.