Greenway encourages new students to prepare well for ministry faithfulness

In his Jan. 14 welcome to new Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College (TBC) students, President Adam W. Greenway encouraged the incoming class to remember the years they will be on Seminary Hill will result in “decades of faithful life and ministry and mission.”

“You need to dig the well as deep as you possibly can while you are here,” Greenway told the new undergraduate and graduate class of students who were gathered for new student orientation. “You need to milk this experience for everything you can get out of it, not just for your sake, but for the sake of the men and women that God will call you to serve in His Kingdom service who deserve nothing less than God’s best through you.”

Greenway said since becoming president of Southwestern Seminary and TBC in February 2019, his prayer has been that “Southwestern Seminary would be the kind of institution that is known for training those who will go out and who will neither become casualties themselves nor create casualties in their wake – that no harm would come to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ because of you.”

Greenway said both schools are “committed” to making certain students are able to “go as deep as you can, in your knowledge of Scripture, theology, and history, but along with that, you get a well-rounded, broad-based application” so they will be able to handle and apply God’s Word correctly. He noted students also would be “exposed to the disciplines” that are “practical” so they can apply their studies.

Before concluding his remarks, Greenway encouraged students to build relationships with their fellow students, get to know the faculty of the seminary and the college beyond the classroom, make use of campus resources, such as the schools’ A. Webb Roberts Library, and participate in campus social activities.

Ainsely Briggman, a new TBC student from North Fort Worth who is enrolled in the bachelor of arts in humanities program, looked forward to “being able to make lifelong friendships with other Christian believers.”

Briggman, who is “called to be a missionary in a Spanish-speaking country,” said she chose TBC because being around “like-minded believers” who have the “same goals and beliefs in life is very important” to her. Briggman hopes to transfer into TBC’s bachelor of arts in intercultural studies program when it launches in the fall.

James Hudgins, a new Master of Divinity student from Greenville, Mississippi, sensed God’s calling to student ministry several years ago. Hudgins, who will focus on student and family ministry, said several of his pastors have studied at Southwestern Seminary and encouraged him to attend. Hudgins said he looks forward to “learning” and “getting to know people and building a community.”

Shane Mushonga, a transfer student from a Dallas-Fort Worth area divinity school, said he is pursuing his Master of Divinity with a concentration in missions at Southwestern Seminary because someone told him, “The sun never sets” on Southwestern Seminary and he wanted “to tap into that.”

Originally from Zimbabwe, Mushonga said he is “interested in preaching the Gospel internationally or wherever the Lord sends” him. He said he anticipates “connecting with those who are from abroad,” while also learning, especially in the area of missions. Following his time of study at Southwestern, Mushonga plans to “plant churches, strengthen churches, and work with already established ministries as needed.”

Organized by the Offices of Admissions and Student Life, new student orientation allowed students and their families to move-in to student housing, become acquainted with the school’s services, such as on- and off-campus employment, international student services, and campus technology, and participate in campus-wide social events, including archery tag and a campfire worship.

Classes began Jan. 18.