FROM THE SEMINARIES: pupil's Gospel letter; MBTS ...

Copyright (c) 2020 Baptist Press. Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), information carrier of the Southern Baptist conference.The original story will also be found at http://bpnews.web/54234/from-the-seminaries-college students-gospel-letter-mbts-convocation-mandrell-addresses-nobts

scholar's letter shares Gospel with grandmother, others

by way of Alex Sibley

castle value, Texas (BP) -- closing fall, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary grasp of Divinity pupil Nakwon You became reminded never to underestimate the vigor of the Holy Spirit.

As part of Malcolm Yarnell's Systematic Theology III direction right through the fall 2019 semester, You fulfilled a class task in a distinct way. Yarnell, analysis professor of systematic theology, requires all of his college students in the direction to share the Gospel with someone who is misplaced, then "mirror upon that adventure in a theological manner." Yarnell says that a few hundred individuals were saved over that final 15 years because of this assignment.

You preferred to share the Gospel with his grandmother, for whom he and his family unit had been praying for more than a decade. unluckily, she lives in Korea, and you is unable to return there at present. His solution: write her a letter concerning the Gospel.

because of his grandmother's superior age and terrible health, You's mom study the letter aloud to her and punctiliously shared the Gospel. After hearing the Gospel presentation, You's grandmother "recounted the presence of Jesus Christ for the first time in her existence and shared her desire to get to understand Him extra," You mentioned.

"i am now not sure if my grandmother is saved, however for her to say one of these factor was conveniently a miracle to us," he endured. "She struggles to even appreciate any of our members of the family at this stage of her life, yet she turned into in a position to comprehend the theory of salvation."

In mild of his family unit's persistent prayers for his grandmother, You observed that "to look the Holy Spirit movement in her coronary heart like this changed into astonishing."

You's mom, "a loyal church member," began to share this story with her chums at church. After reviewing the letter, these pals requested copies, and for those who's mom obliged, they took their copies of the letter to their personal chums and household to be able to latest the Gospel to them.

"remaining time I heard, there were about eight-12 americans, and that they have been sharing it regularly with their family members," You noted.

"If i'm being honest, I absolutely underestimated the energy of the Holy Spirit," You pointed out. "I just didn't predict God to circulation in such a method. My household is tremendously inspired by the Lord's work and beyond grateful for the present of salvation."

when you shared this with Yarnell, his professor took to Twitter to share the news, concluding, "praise the Lord!"

You answered, "never underestimate the energy of the Holy Spirit."

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MBTS convocation addresses sufficiency of Scripture

by T. Patrick Hudson

KANSAS city, Mo. (BP) -- In providing the 2nd installment of his "Truths worth Contending For" collection, president Jason Allen opened Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's spring semester with an educational Convocation message addressing the sufficiency of Scripture. The provider took vicinity in the Daniel Lee Chapel on Jan. 21.

Jason DeRouchie, left, signs the Midwestern Seminary Articles of faith throughout the institution's Spring Convocation service held within the Daniel Lee Chapel on Jan. 21.

MBTS photograph

Jason DeRouchie, left, signals the Midwestern Seminary Articles of faith all over the establishment's Spring Convocation carrier held in the Daniel Lee Chapel on Jan. 21.

MBTS photo

additionally, newly elected seminary school member, Jason DeRouchie, signed the institution's Articles of faith all the way through the service.

Allen's first message of the 10-half "Truths value Contending For" collection took location all through the school's December graduation service on Dec. 6, 2019, and concentrated on the inerrancy of God's notice.

Now, in the sequence' second message, Allen argued that believers should contend for the sufficiency of Scripture. through an exposition of 2 Timothy three:15-17, he fleshed out why sufficiency matters and outlined 10 utility facets about how Scripture is satisfactory for believers.

Allen explained that if denying biblical inerrancy takes something out of students that nothing else can substitute, then to deny sufficiency fails to put whatever thing in them. Denying inerrancy eliminates one's self assurance within the Bible, he introduced. Underemphasizing sufficiency fails to give a fuller, extra powerful, extra perennial confidence within the Bible.

a technique that satan can damage the church, Allen continued, is not necessarily by means of attacking the inerrancy of Scripture, rather it will be throughout the undermining of the sufficiency of Scripture.

"A refined undermining of sufficiency questions the relevance of Scripture, the completeness of Scripture, the adequacy of Scripture, the vigor of Scripture," Allen spoke of. "This might wreak equivalent havoc and, certainly, does do similar harm within the body of Christ."

Allen defined "sufficiency" from 2 Timothy 3:17 asserting "that the note of God, the inspired, inerrant notice of God is given to us, and with it the person of God, the woman of God, is enough, fitted for each good work."

The cause it matters to believers, Allen concluded, is that the Scriptures convey all truths fundamental for Christian residing and Christian ministry. since it is inerrant—God's be aware is profitable to us for teaching Christian doctrine, the truth of Scripture, a way to reside the Christian existence, and what Christians are to consider. here is all wrapped up with a promise in verse 17, that believers are "equipped to do every respectable work" on account of Scripture's sufficiency.

"You see, brothers and sisters, an errant Bible is an insufficient one," Allen observed. "A Bible that isn't without error is a Bible that is not satisfactory for Christian ministry."

in this passage, Paul is telling Timothy that despite the intricate cases he's dealing with, Scripture is enough. Allen referred to the equal is correct for modern-day believers.

"For us in this ministry moment and for every generation of Christian ministers, is it no longer respectable and fitting and correct to, many times, reassert and re-prioritize the sufficiency of Scripture? Our churches may need a good deal, but what they want most of all is the preaching and instructing of God's note. Our infants may wish a lot, but what they need most of all is the instructing of God's note. Our communities may need a whole lot, but what they need most of all is the preaching of God's notice."

prior to Allen's message, DeRouchie signed the establishment's Articles of religion, which carries the Baptist faith and Message 2000, the Chicago statement on Biblical Inerrancy, the Danvers commentary on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and the Nashville remark on biblical sexuality.

DeRouchie, who serves as research professor of historical testament and biblical theology, become elected by way of the Board of Trustees in October 2019. As such, by using signing the publication, he promised to uphold Midwestern Seminary's Articles of faith.

To view Allen's message in full, seek advice from https://www.mbts.edu/2020/01/2020-spring-convocation-with-dr-jason-allen/.

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Mandrell: When God calls, 'are expecting the surprising'

with the aid of Marilyn Stewart

NEW ORLEANS -- Ben Mandrell, LifeWay president and CEO, instructed listeners at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's Leavell Chapel, Jan. 23, that after it involves God's name, they could "are expecting the surprising."

Ben Mandrell, LifeWay president and CEO, instructed listeners at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's Leavell Chapel, Jan. 23, that after it involves God's name, they can "predict the sudden."

screen capture from YouTube

Ben Mandrell, LifeWay president and CEO, told listeners at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's Leavell Chapel, Jan. 23, that once it involves God's call, they could "expect the sudden."

screen seize from YouTube

Mandrell gave three ideas involving God's calling to ministry and talked about believers can believe God to lead them notwithstanding he'll achieve this in unexpected approaches.

"you are going to doubtless haven't any theory the place God is going to take you during this existence," Mandrell talked about. "If anything else is obvious from scripture, it is that we can't predict what God is planning on doing for your lifestyles."

Drawing from 1 Samuel 9, Mandrell pointed to Saul's existence earlier than he was anointed king. After shopping days for his father's lost donkeys, Saul sought out the prophet Samuel's help, now not knowing that Samuel would anoint him king.

"There are no random circumstances with God," Mandrell explained, noting that Saul had set out only to meet his obligations that day when he found himself before Samuel. "You often will don't have any clue the second before God does whatever on your existence," Mandrell referred to.

Believers will think unwell-equipped for the project God offers them, Mandrell cited as a second principle.

"God seems to serve up something that feels greater than our means; there is a niche between skill-set and the dimension of the project. it's the place faith grows," Mandrell mentioned. "it be uncomfortable, however anyplace there's a niche, this is the space the place God does the choicest work for your life."

in the "gaps," a believer need to count on God in place of own capacity, Mandrell pointed out, adding, "God likes to make use of people with gaps."

Mandrell pointed to 1 Samuel 10:9 and stated that God didn't provide the newly anointed king a sparkling theory or a "pat on the lower back," but as a substitute gave Saul what he needed most – "a modified coronary heart." Mandrell introduced that God desires most to grow a believer's faith.

The third principle Mandrell provided is that God will empower those whom He calls.

"you are going to obviously suppose the filling of the Holy Spirit," Mandrell stated.

Mandrell pointed to the starting of the church period at Pentecost when God's Spirit spurred the church to develop in daring witness.

"The Gospel would go forth via those commonplace americans that had been now filled with the Holy Spirit," Mandrell spoke of. "God substances the vigor to His individuals to achieve the work He has assigned to them."

When discouragement comes, Mandrell warned, a believer can also be thankful that God has promised to empower them in the course of the Holy Spirit.

In conclusion, Mandrell pointed to Gateway Seminary President Jeff Iorg's publication, "Is God Calling Me?" to answer two questions imperative to a name to ministry. Drawing from the publication, Mandrell noted that God calls to ministry in three simple techniques: via a crisis or sudden dramatic journey such as skilled via Peter and Paul, via reasoned pondering, corresponding to with C. S. Lewis, and thru the community of believers who "validate" God's calling on an individual's lifestyles, similar to what happened in his own lifestyles.

Mandrell closed by way of praying for these within the audience struggling to discern the place God's calling became leading them.

Appreciation for LifeWay

Jamie Dew, NOBTS and Leavell college president, brought Mandrell to the audience at the start and expressed his personal thanks for LifeWay's ministry. Dew referred to he got here to religion in Christ at age 18 at Centrifuge, a ministry of LifeWay.

"[LifeWay's] ministry is so expansive and so critical to us as Southern Baptists," Dew noted. "yes, there are gigantic supplies however there is additionally frontline, boots-on-the floor ministry it's finished via LifeWay."

Responding to Dew's praise of LifeWay, Mandrell stated that LifeWay supplies serve more than seventy five,000 church buildings world wide and provide substances in more than a hundred and sixty countries. Mandrell defined that when he arrived at LifeWay he realized about its background and the imaginative and prescient of the first president, James M. Frost, to create substances for church leaders that could make their job more convenient.

Mandrell explained that LifeWay "is relocating back to its normal roots and asserting, 'We're right here for the church buildings.' i'm excited that LifeWay is relocating returned to the church leader as its fundamental customer."