No introduction was given for Troy Bennett, but he was a missionary in Southern Asia and a former graduate of SEBTS. He recounts the cultural differnces between his home and the mission field, remembering what he and his family had to learn while there, including customs, language, etc. (00:00-05:58). He then talks about a bothering question, “What is a Christian,” concerning which he received affirmative answers from many who did not know themselves what it meant to be a Christian. Identifying as Christian here meant identifying against over 85% of the Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu population (05:59-12:52). He then speaks about his experience of those in the East viewing the American West as “Christian” (12:53-17:07). Bennett referred to the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 to determine what it truly means to be a Christian (17:08-21:01) before closing his time in prayer (21:02-22:38). Organ music ends the service (22:39-24:42).
James E. Tull was Professor of Theology at SEBTS (1960-1985). The service begins with prayer from 0:00-1:45. There are opening announcements and an introduction to the speaker from 2:00-4:38. The choir performs a song from 4:40-8:36. Dr. Tull speaks on how Southeastern should strive to have a strong spiritual atmosphere. He argues that the institution should seek to be aligned with God, the most progressive forces of scholarship, and be deeply rooted in Southern Baptist ideals. Tull speaks from 8:51-43:48. A closing prayer is made from 43:49-44:28.
Robert Andrew Baker was Professor of Church History at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The service starts in prayer from 0:00-0:43. Dr. Baker is introduced from 0:49-1:41. Baker’s message is titled, “The Convention and the Independence of the Churches.” He speaks from 1:47-49:46. A closing prayer is given from 50:02-50:16. This is part 3 of a 4 part lecture series.
Almonte Charles Howell was from the University of North Carolina. Music plays from 0:46-2:05. Dr. Binkley shares a few announcements from 2:12-2:51. He offers a prayer from 2:52-5:00. Music plays from 5:06-8:00. Dr. Binkley introduces the speaker from 8:08-9:25. Dr. Howell speaks from 9:30-35:51. Dr. Howell shares the stories of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son and gleans wisdom to exhort to the chapel.
Jimmie Steele was a student at SEBTS. The service opens with an announcement of the fifth annual Student Missions Conference from 0:34-2:19. A portion of selected verses from Exodus 18 is read from 2:26-3:10. A prayer is offered from 3:11-4:50. Music plays from 4:55-7:41. Steele speaks from 7:55-21:29. Steele admonishes the students to be a leader such as Moses. The service closes with music from 21:34-23:03. This service was organized by the Student Coordinating Council.
John William Eddins, Jr. was Associate Professor of Theology (1957-1993). The service begins with music from 0:00-3:07. A responsive reading takes place from 3:25-4:42. There is a prayer from 4:45-6:40. Music plays from 6:49-9:49. Dr. Eddins speaks from 10:02-22:36. Eddins preaches on the need for community and friendship in the Christian’s life. Music plays from 22:36-23:41.
Van Mall was the head of the Department of Religion at Garner-Webb. The service begins with Dr. Cook giving an introduction to the speaker from 0:00-2:22. Dr. Mall speaks from 2:27-19:36. His message was to be a witness for Jesus with joy. He preaches from the parable of the faithful steward.
(This is a partial recording.) Samuel S. Hill was Professor of Religion at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC. Dr. Hill preaches on the importance of not confusing the role of the minister with the role of God in salvation.
Instrumental music plays (0:00-01:59), and an opening prayer is offered to God (02:04-04:36). Worship continues with “God of Grace and God of Glory” (04:50-08:26), and a responsive reading from “Selection 96” occurs between the speaker and the audience (08:27-10:12). An introduction is given for other SEBTS faculty briefly before Dr. Copeland delivers his message (10:13-13:00). No formal introduction was given for Dr. Copeland, but he was Professor of Missions at SEBTS, and his message is on the person of Albert Schweitzer. Dr. Copeland begins his message with the words of Norman Cousins, a great friend and admirer of Schweitzer, a missionary to Africa, on the account of his death (13:01-17:33). Dr. Copeland outlines Schweitzer’s controversial character, offering criticisms that could be made concerning his pantheistic outlook on God, his neglect of the reality of divine atonement, and his representation of an age of paternalism in missions (17:34-20:14). However, Dr. Copeland affirms that these criticisms do not effectively detract from the impact of his life, including his positions against conformism, materialism, and inhumanity, his intellectual genius and mastery of certain fields, his faith that outshone his theology, his life that outshone his faith, and his successful efforts to block nineteenth century liberalism’s attempts to remake Jesus in the form of the nineteenth century as opposed to the first century (20:15-23:01). Dr. Copeland quotes Dr. Pelican’s words concerning Schweitzer’s answer to criticisms made concerning his life and theology. The quote communicates the relevant and relatable style in which the Gospels were written as opposed to the less relatable and existential style of Proverbs (23:02-25:08). Dr. Copeland ends by reading a quote from Dr. Schweitzer himself which emphasizes the authoritative real version of Jesus—the historical Jesus—who calls those who follow Him to be “other than” the world instead of “like” the world and who reveals Himself to both the simple and wise without regard of persons (25:09-29:23). Dr. Copeland closes his message with a brief prayer (29:31-29:49).
The service begins with prayer (00:00-03:49). A welcome and recognition of certain people from the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) are given (03:50-05:39), and the speaker, Dr. Baker James Cauthen, is welcomed and introduced (05:40-08:06). He was the Executive Director of the Foreign Mission Board (now the International Mission Board). The service continues with choral singing (08:07-09:56). He begins by reminding the congregation of the seminary’s missional purpose from its inception and its level place among the other five seminaries (09:57-13:35). He stresses that the central theme of missions is seeking God in prayer (13:36-19:06). The Scripture text for the sermon is 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, entitled “the Ministry of Reconciliation” (19:07-20:55). Man’s basic need is to be reconciled to God, and we ought to leverage our means which we spend on buildings and programs to advance the gospel to the nations (20:56-34:57). He asks those in the congregation to consider their service to God as extending far instead of staying near, affirming God does call His people to both realms (34:58-53:18). He ends his message by talking about the seriousness of viewing oneself as a missionary, both near and far away (53:19-1:03:11).
