Southwestern Seminary, TBC welcome new students for spring academic semester
Encouraging new Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College students to utilize and steward their gifts during their seminary studies, Interim Provost Matt Queen welcomed new students and their families to the Fort Worth institution during the Jan. 13 new student orientation.
“There are some things that have marked Southwestern for many, many years that we are trying to hold on to and to take into the future,” Queen said before noting that the institution is grace-filled, Christ-centered, Scripture-driven, confessionally formed, student-focused, and globally engaged. He said the six components are the “hidden curriculum” of the seminary’s graduate schools and undergraduate college.
Queen’s remarks were part of the day-long events that acclimated new students to the campus and departments before the spring academic semester begins Jan. 17.
Queen reminded the new students of the history and legacy of Southwestern Seminary that they join as he recalled the words of the seminary’s fifth president, Robert E. Naylor.
Naylor “said that ‘the sun never sets on Southwestern,’” Queen told the new students.
“It means nowhere in the world, there’s not a time zone that you can go into, that there’s not at least one Southwesterner, who is doing the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ somewhere,” Queen explained. “And the good thing is about you being here at Southwestern, you are entering into that tradition. You are entering into that employed strategy in order for the Lord Jesus Christ to see us make disciples of all the nations, baptize them into local churches, and through those churches to teach them obedience to all His commands.”
Queen added, “This is who we are at Southwestern Seminary.”
Michael Wilder, interim vice president for strategic and academic initiatives, chief catalyst officer, and professor of educational ministries, reminded new Southwestern Seminary and Texas Baptist College students there is a “commonality” in each of their stories.
In addition to Queen, students heard from Michael Wilder, interim vice president for strategic and academic initiatives and chief catalyst officer. Wilder also serves as professor of educational ministries in the Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries.
Wilder reminded the new students that though they are different from one another, “there’s a commonality in our story” noting that commonalities as believers include being made in God’s image, being conformed to His image, and union with Christ and His people. Wilder added “that before the foundation of the world, God made the decision to prepare the good works for you and I to walk in” and that part of the new students’ good work includes “education and training.”
“On purpose God has placed you here, and you have in obedience responded to that,” Wilder said. “And part of that good work is this thing called Christian education and Christian education is holistic” adding that “central to Christian education … is Christian formation.”
Wilder said that students would experience “shaping and forming” in thinking and living during their time at Southwestern because they will engage with the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, mentors, professors, and their fellow students.
New students at Southwestern Seminary and Texas Baptist College were acclimated to the Fort Worth campus during the Jan. 13 new student orientation.
New students expressed excitement about their studies, including Michael Bonett, a Frederick County, Maryland, native. Bonett will begin working on a Master of Divinity in biblical languages after he has spent five years in East Asia teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) classes through private companies.
Bonett said he first learned about Southwestern when a friend overseas directed him to the seminary. However, after visiting the campus and taking a tour he “liked the feel of the campus.”
Bonett said he believes God has called him to train other pastors and is “looking forward to learning Greek and Hebrew grammar.”
New students represent all of Southwestern and TBC’s degree programs.
Meghan Ditty, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, becomes the third generation of her family to pursue theological education at Southwestern Seminary as she begins in the 2+2 program. The program allows her to earn course credit for two years as a residential student before she serves two years overseas with the International Mission Board (IMB).
Ditty is the granddaughter of Bob Wagner, a 1971 Master of Divinity graduate of Southwestern. Ditty’s father, Jay Ditty, earned a Master of Divinity from the seminary in 2012 while her mother, Heather Wagner Ditty, received a Master of Arts in Church Social Services in 1995. Her uncle, Joe Wagner, also obtained his Master of Arts in Religious Education from Southwestern in 1993.
“Almost everybody that I know that has gone to seminary went here,” Ditty said. “If I was going to go to seminary, I don’t know why I would choose a different one besides this one.”
While Ditty is “excited to make new friends,” she said she is also looking forward to learning through the 2+2 program.
“Missions is something that I really want to do and so I’m excited to be here with people who all have similar callings to me, and then have friends to talk back to when I’m overseas … who are also doing ministry in other places,” she added.
New students spent time with their professors, including W. Madison Grace II, interim dean of the School of Theology.
James Hurlin, a new TBC student from San Antonio, Texas, said he is beginning his studies in the Bachelor of Music in worship studies program because he “was looking for something that would further my knowledge of leading worship.”
“I’m looking forward to a lot of the music classes,” Hurlin explained. “A lot of my music training up to this point has been pretty informal.”
Hurlin said he has been involved in leading worship at his Central Texas church “for many years” and believes “this is the next step in honing my craft so I can serve others better.”
