Southwestern invites churches to visit campus for tours

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary welcomes churches and their congregants to tour the Fort Worth campus as a way to witness one way churches’ Cooperative Program support is used, to see an example of theological education, and to meet the faculty and students of the seminary that serves to equip men and women for service in the local church.

John Mann, assistant to the president for constituent relations, returned in 2023 to serve on the faculty after being a pastor for about 20 years. Mann’s goal in welcoming congregations to campus is to help them connect with the seminary.

“When I came back to Southwestern, one of the primary things that we talked about was the necessity of Southwestern reconnecting with churches and just making sure that we communicate to our churches that we see ourselves as being servants to the church,” Mann said, adding the seminary’s goal is “equipping students for the work of the ministry we’re doing, so that we can put them into churches, so that our churches will be healthy, so that they will be equipped to engage their community.”

As a three-time graduate himself, Mann said this is also an opportunity for alumni serving in churches to relive old memories of their time on campus while introducing the institution to members of their church who might not be familiar with their local Southern Baptist seminary.

Matt Miller, executive pastor of First Baptist Church of Benbrook and an alumnus, brought members from his congregation this fall semester and said it gave them an opportunity to see how the operations of Southwestern work in person and experience the impact of Cooperative Program money themselves.

“Seeing the operation firsthand let us witness the mission, not just fund it,” Miller said. “It’s one thing to read about spiritual formation; it’s another to walk the halls and sit in the chapel where it happens.”

Miller said he spoke afterwards to congregants who came to the campus, and they voiced their enjoyment of getting to speak with students, meet the president and other key leaders, experience the ethos of the campus community in its spiritual and educational mission, and see that the core values are truly shaping daily life on the campus.

“Our time on The Hill was a chance see where faith, scholarship, and investment meet,” Miller said. “Worshiping with a generation of young men and women preparing for Christian service helped to remind us all why our investment matters.”

Mann said his prayer is that the experience will also prompt visitors “to pray for the campus, to pray for our faculty, to pray for our staff and administration, and most importantly, to pray for our students.”

Churches can visit the campus Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., allowing an opportunity for visitors to participate in chapel, tour the campus, enjoy lunch, and meet faculty. Additional times are available as needed. Those interested can find more information and sign up here.