OBU’s Thomas encourages embracing change in ministry, life

During his Nov. 9 chapel message at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College (TBC), Heath Thomas reminded the gathering of students, faculty, and staff that change is part of life.

In his introduction of Thomas, David S. Dockery, interim provost and vice president for academic administration at Southwestern Seminary, commended the Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) president for his “outstanding job providing leadership” at the school.

Thomas, who became president of the Shawnee, Oklahoma-based university in January 2020, is a 2001 Master of Arts in Theology graduate of Southwestern Seminary. Before serving at OBU, Thomas was the director of Ph.D. studies and associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He joined the faculty of OBU in 2015 and served as dean of the Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry and as the associate vice president for church relations before becoming the university’s president.

Dockery also welcomed Thomas’ parents, Claude and Janice Thomas. The elder Thomas is former pastor of what is now known as Cross City Church in Euless, Texas, and is a 1979 Master of Divinity and 1982 Doctor of Ministry graduate of Southwestern Seminary. He is also a former president of Southwestern Seminary’s national alumni organization and past chairman of the SBC Executive Committee.

Directing the assembly 1 Samuel 16 and God’s rejection of Saul as the king of Israel due to his disobedience, Thomas told the gathering, “Change is real. Change is a part of life.”

In 1 Samuel 15, God commanded Saul to “wipe out” the Amalekites and all of their animals, Thomas explained while observing that Saul partially obeyed God’s command and the result was God changing leadership in Israel, which left Samuel, the nation’s judge and priest, in mourning.

Outlining God’s command of Samuel to go to appoint God’s new king of Israel from the sons of Jesse, Thomas reminded the gathering, “We must embrace the fact of change.”

Thomas noted the entire book of 1 Samuel is “a book of change” as the people of Israel moved from being ruled from judges to being led by kings, or “a change from charismatic leaders amongst God’s people to royalty.”

Thomas explained Samuel’s “response is not faith, it’s fear.” He said most people today still “resist change” and approach transition with fear like Samuel. However, Thomas said people then miss God’s work when fear and resistance are their responses.

“When we’re confronted with the face of change, what do we do?” Thomas asked. “We look at that face, and say, ‘I’m not doing it. Nope, I’m not doing it.” He explained believers then miss that “God is doing something fresh in our lives, or in our ministry or in our church or in our world, whatever it may be and God wants to use us” to be a part of what He is doing.

Thomas said change happens throughout all of life and it can be “painful,” but God often allows change for “growth.”

“We know from God’s teaching in the Scripture … pain is not all bad,” Thomas observed. “Sometimes God allows suffering in our experience, to grow us, to develop us, to develop perseverance in our lives so that we can face change with a deeper faith and reliance on the Lord Jesus.”

Thomas challenged the gathering to learn from Samuel’s example and how he embraced change with prayer, worship, and the Spirit of God in order to move forward as the “goal when we worship is to encounter the Risen Christ who reigns over all.”

When change occurs, Thomas said, believers should embrace God’s plan.

God’s plan is “using the insignificant things in an extraordinary way to proclaim and promote Christ the King,” Thomas noted. “God’s plan is to use the weak, the insignificant for His purposes. Now why? Because when God uses the weak, the insignificant, the underserved … we all know who gets the glory. It’s God Himself.”

Finally, Thomas encouraged embracing Jesus as 1 Samuel 16 shows Jesus is “in charge.” He said to “embrace change well in God’s kingdom” believers must embrace “the King of kings.”

“You have to embrace Christ,” Thomas concluded. “He’s not an idea. He is a person and He died on a cross so that you and I might not just get out of hell free … He gives us life, forgiveness, purpose, meaning, joy, [and] peace today and forever. He frees us so that we can freely love a lost and broken world.”

The entire sermon can be viewed here.

Chapel is held every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 10 a.m. (CT) in MacGorman Chapel on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Chapel may be viewed live at swbts.edu/live.