J.T. Burdine was the National Consultant for bi-vocational ministries for the Home Mission Board. The service begins with a word of prayer (00:00-01:13). J.T. Burdine is introduced as the chapel speaker (01:14-05:01). The choir leads in a song of worship (05:02-09:12). Burdine begins his sermon by reading Acts 16:5-10, and he gives a word of prayer (09:13-12:52). He challenges the audience to consider God’s call to leave their homes, go to a difficult context, and share the gospel with the people there (12:53-25:30). Burdine ends the service with a word of prayer (25:31-26:08).
Horace Ham was the pastor of Fuquay-Varina Baptist Church. The service begins with a benediction and a word of prayer (00:00-02:59). Horace Ham is introduced as the chapel speaker (03:00-05:02). The choir sings a song of worship (05:03-08:25). Ham reads from Acts 2:42-47, and he speaks about loving the church and developing a burden for the lost (08:26-28:17). Ham concludes his sermon with a word of prayer (28:17-30:10).
William Randall Lolley was the 3rd president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The service begins with organ music (00:00-01:56). Morris Ashcroft, Dean of the Faculty, delivers an announcement about the death of visiting professor Bishop Stephen Neill and a Southeastern student, and he gives a word of prayer (01:57-03:42). President Randall Lolley announces the beginning of the 34th academic year, and he recognizes the new students (03:43-06:10). A speaker delivers the Scripture readings from Matthew 27:45-56 and Luke 23:55-24:11 (06:11-10:25). Thomas R. Mckibbens Jr. is inducted into the faculty (10:26-13:07). Ashcraft presents the Award for Faculty Excellence to Thomas H. Graves (13:08-17:25). Lee Beaver, a member of the Board of Trustees, presents an aid fund for Southeastern (17:26-20:51). Lolley and his wife are presented awards of appreciation for 10 years of faithful service to Southeastern (20:52-26:03). For his convocation address, Lolley delivers a critique on the resolution on the ordination and role of women in ministry delivered at the 1984 Southern Baptist Convention in Kansas City, MO, and he speaks about the importance of women in the church using various characters and passages from Scriptures and stories of women in recent church history (26:04-47:05). The service ends with a word of prayer (47:06-48:05).
Alan P. Neely was Professor of Missions. The service begins with a word of prayer (0:00:00-0:03:22). Two speakers deliver the Scripture readings from Isaiah 42:1-6 and 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:1 (0:03:23-0:06:48). President Randall Lolley welcomes all guests, he shares about the importance of commencement, and he gives a word of gratitude to two retiring faculty members, Elmo Scoggins and James Blackmore (0:06:49-0:13:37). Lolley invites friends and family members to stand when the graduates receive their diploma (0:13:38-0:14:24). The Associate of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:14:25-0:21:15). The Master of Religious Education degrees are conferred (0:21:16-0:23:20). The Master of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:23:21-0:41:33). The Doctor of Ministry degrees are conferred (0:41:34-0:46:11). C. Michael Hawn and John Steely are introduced as the worship leaders, and Alan P. Neely is introduced as the commencement speaker (0:46:12-0:46:52). Hawn and Steely play “Amazing Grace” on acoustic guitars (0:46:52-0:49:52). Neely delivers a sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:1, and he gives a charge to the graduates to preach the gospel at any opportunity for the purpose of reconciliation (0:49:53-1:13:46). Lolley leads in a round of applause for the graduates, and the service ends with a word of prayer (1:13:47-1:14:51).
This message was part of the Ministry with the Small Rural Church Workshop. Robert E. Wiley was Associates Director of the Rural Missions Department in the Associational Missions Division of the Home Mission Board. Wiley begins his lecture by sharing some book resources for the audience, and he lays out the topics that he will be lecturing on over the next few days (00:00-08:12). Wiley’s lecture is about the changes in society bringing the rural and urban worlds closer together, and he walks through how one brings change to small rural churches where change is a difficult process (08:13-50:35). Wiley concludes his lecture by once again bringing attention to the book resources on cultural church change (50:36-51:12).
Chevis F. Horne was Visiting Professor of Preaching. The service begins with a call to worship, a Scripture reading from Jeremiah 1:4-6, and a word of prayer (00:00-03:50). The choir sings a song of worship (03:51-07:20). Horne delivers a sermon about the Word of God, and he gives three observations: God’s word is above us, God’s word is personal, and unfortunately the prophetic voice in the Southern Baptist Convention is very weak (07:21-21:54). Horne ends the service with a word of prayer (21:55-22:45).