Olin Trivette Binkley was the second President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Professor of Christian Sociology and Ethics. Dr. Binkley starts the service with a word of prayer from 0:00-1:55. He leads a responsive reading from 2:12-4:18. Dr. Binkley gives upcoming announcements from 4:27-6:46. He preaches from 6:52-26:22. He preaches on the courage to seek God.
Raymond Bryan Brown was Professor of New Testament Interpretation. The service begins with prayer and music from 0:00-1:00. A prayer is offered from 1:09-3:32. A responsive reading and song takes place from 3:33-4:57. Brown preaches from 5:00-17:58. Brown encourages us to share the good news of the Word of God. Music plays from 18:08-19:48.
After reading Colossians 3:2-11 and a prayer (start-2:40), Branan G. Thompson, Jr., a student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, reads and applies a poem that asks “Why Are You Here?”
The speaker and congregation gathered reads aloud the purpose statement of SEBTS (00:00-00:43), the speaker reads Psalm 124:8 and Psalm 100:4b-5 (00:44-01:17), and the speaker prays twice (01:18-02:19). Those gathered read a responsive reading together (02:20-03:25), and the speaker reads various texts of Scripture aloud (03:26-05:40). There was no introduction for H. Eugene McLeod, but he was Assistant Professor of Bibliography at SEBTS. He begins by describing the seminary’s high priority on chapel and gathering for corporate worship weekly because corporate worship is pivotal in the development of theological education (05:41-09:40). After describing the nature of the community of a collegiate or seminarial environment, McLeod discusses that community is an essential component in the development of students which must be balanced with schoolwork (09:41-14:55). Unless students attend to the Word preached to them, they will show a flight away from both God and self (14:56-17:57). McLeod concludes by reading from Robert W. Duke on his article “Seminary Worship” (17:58-19:24). He ends with a silent time of response for self-giving (19:25-20:15) and prayer (20:16-20:30). A responsive reading is read (20:31-21:53), and a final prayer is given (21:54-22:46). McLeod gives a final benediction (22:47-23:25).
There was no formal introduction for G. Avery Lee, but he was pastor of St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana, and focused his ministry on college/seminary campuses. He made dedicated commitments to bettering race relations and served as Chairman of the Christian Life Commission from 1961-62. He gives various introductory courtesies (00:00-02:56), and his sermon builds from his previous sermon on February 10, 1966, focusing on “The Acceptable Year of the Lord” taken from John 12:27 (02:57-03:20). Lee outlines key facets of making this year (1966) the acceptable year of the Lord. Firstly, we must take seriously the explosion in knowledge and its effects on our seminaries and economy (03:21-12:41). Secondly, we must have an acute sense of responsibility, which Lee thinks is our top weakness in our churches and as a society (12:42-20:12). Thirdly, our Christian development must give us a sense of concern as we seek to avoid both conformity and complacency. He focuses this point on global missions, encouraging his listeners that obedience, not results, is what God requires of us (20:13-34:32). He closes the service in prayer (34:33-36:17).
Marc Hoyle Lovelace was Professor of Archaeology (1951-1968). The service begins as Dr. Lovelace provides a word of prayer from 0:00-2:18. Those in chapel sing the hymn, “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” from 2:24-3:00. A prayer is offered from Lovelace from 3:00-6:09. A second hymn, “Immortal Love Forever Full” is sung from 6:10-6:43. Dr. Lovelace reads John 13:34-35, Ephesians 4:32, and prays from 6:48-12:23. A third hymn, “O God We Pray For All Mankind” is sung from 12:30-15:35. Dr. Lovelace leads the service in a responsive reading on Christian fellowship and prayer from 15:40-20:21. The service closes with the hymn, “So Let Our Lives and Lips Express” from 20:25-23:44. Dr. Lovelace offers one final prayer from 23:47-23:59.
Robison B. James was Instructor in Theology for 1961-62. The service opens with a scripture reading from 0:00-0:22. An introduction to the speaker is given from 0:30-1:55. Dr. James speaks from 2:03-26:39. His source text was Amos 7:10-15 and Galatians 1:11-16. James preaches on receiving and accepting the call to share the gospel and to make that our ultimate priority in our lives.
Eduard Schweizer was a New Testament scholar at the University of Zurich. The service begins with prayer from 0:00-1:49. An introduction to the speaker is given from 1:54-3:34. Dr. Schweizer gives a message from 3:40-43:02. Schweizer gives a biblical interpretation of 1 Corinthians 12. He focus primarily on the spirit of God and its work in believers today.
