TBC classes preparing him academically, spiritually, Hess says

Kenneth Hess felt God calling him to the ministry in high school but “honestly had no idea where to go from there.” The first in his family to attend a four-year college, Hess wanted to stay close to his home in Burleson.

He found that Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary was about a 10-minute drive from the church he attends, Hallmark Church in Crowley, and he knew people in the church who had graduated from the seminary. Looking further, he discovered the undergraduate program at Texas Baptist College (TBC) and decided to attend Preview Day.

“And honestly, when I went to Preview Day, it was amazing,” he said. “Going to public school my entire life and not really being surrounded by people who [have] always loved Jesus, coming here, being able to worship with a body of believers was really cool. … It really just put me on fire for what God had called me to.”

As a student with dyslexia, however, Hess had concerns.

“So that was a big fear coming into TBC,” he said, “because I was like, man, how am I going to do this?” especially thinking about assigned readings and papers to write. At the beginning of his first semester, he was “kind of wrestling with the thought of, ‘Why am I here? Why am I doing this?’ That I made a mistake, like, ‘What am I doing here, God?’”

He found help at the seminary’s Student Success Center and says he doesn’t think he would have done as well in his classes without “them just checking over my papers, checking over assignments to make sure I’m getting everything I need to in order to pass it.”

The English teachers in the college also were a big help, he said, adding that Coleman Ford, assistant professor of humanities, taught English I and helped him in that class. Amy Crider, associate professor of foundations of education for Southwestern Seminary and director of the Center for Writing and Rhetoric, also helped tremendously, he said.

“And they were really understanding,” Hess said. “Another thing I do like is that you’re not just another student to them. Because I know in a bigger college, you can kind of get that feeling of, well, I’m just another student to them, but they, the professors [at TBC], really do care about you and they care about how you’re doing. … It’s awesome.”

Now in his sophomore year at TBC and majoring in intercultural studies, Hess said he believes his classes have prepared him for his calling not just academically, but spiritually as well. One class in particular stands out.

Spiritual formation, a class taught by Ford, “really did just change the way I looked at school, changed the way I looked at ministry, and really has kind of shaped the way I walk in my faith today,” Hess said.

Ford told his students that even if they finished their degree at TBC or Southwestern and didn’t go into ministry but came away stronger in their faith, “it was money well spent, because truly, the only thing that matters is your relationship with God,” Hess said. “And it really just put those things in line: that my worth is not on what degree I have, what position in a church I have, but it’s in my relationship with God. … I always just come back to that, because it was really moving.”

Ford described Hess as “enthusiastic and unafraid,” adding, “What I appreciate about him as a student is his curiosity and willingness to learn, as well as his desire to aid his peers. He has a prayerful spirit and always shares about those whom he knows in need of salvation or spiritual help. His laugh is infectious and he’s an encouragement to those around him. His desire to pursue Christ-like love and God-glorifying learning is evident inside and outside the classroom.”

Hess has his eyes on mission work after graduating and would like to serve as a Journeyman through the International Mission Board (IMB). “[That’s] at least where I’m at right now,” he said. “I don’t know if God fully wants me overseas for a lifetime, so … I want to test that water first and see where He wants me. I know anytime I hold on to an idea or a plan or something, I know God can switch that up, and He can maybe have something totally different planned. So, that’s another thing I’ve learned at TBC is never put God in a hold on what you’re going to do with your life.”

Hess said he frequently talks with Kevin Rodgers, professor of missions and Intercultural Studies Program coordinator who was a missionary for almost 30 years and “has so much wisdom, so much knowledge on that, and great and funny stories. So he’s just a really great guy to talk to.”

Rodgers said he has benefited from those talks as well.

“I have had Kenneth in multiple classes, and he continues to impress me,” he said. “It has been a gift to see his appreciation for the Gospel suddenly transform into a burden for the world, which then led him to rush headlong to South Asia for a summer to witness fearlessly in one of the most lost places on earth. I love his passion for the unreached and for the glory of God; it is infectious and the reason I do what I do.”

While Hess initially doubted his abilities in the classroom, he has found a home at TBC. Though his family home is in nearby Burleson, Hess has opted to live on campus.

“I have no problem commuting,” he said. “I can make a 30-minute drive every single day—that’s less than some people’s commutes every day to work—but the reason why I wanted to be on campus is because one of the things I heard at Preview Day is just how amazing the environment is, and they’re not wrong. I’ve made plenty of friends and … relationships with people that I believe I’ll have the rest of my life, and I think that’s something that’s totally worth it. Even if you’re only a couple minutes away from campus, I think it’s totally worth it to stay on there, just because of the people you’ll meet.”