William Wallace Finlator was the pastor of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church. The service begins with the procession of the faculty accompanied by organ music (00:00-07:19). President Randall Lolley gives a word of prayer, and he welcomes the newcomers to the Southeastern family (07:20-10:22). Morris Ashcraft, Dean of the Faculty, gives the Middler Award for Systematic Theology to Marian Burcky and Loral Link (10:23-11:43). Lolley gives a word of appreciation to Robert Color who endowed the Middler Award, he introduces the Spring 1985 teaching team, he gives a word of thanks to Dr. Fred Sandusky who is up for retirement, he announces the evening classes, and he announces a chapel series on the great texts from the Bible (11:44-16:56). William Wallace Finlator is introduced as the convocation speaker (16:57-18:49). Finlator begins his sermon by giving a good word about Southeastern and the history of his relationship with the seminary (18:50-22:26). Finlator asks the question “can the gospel be preached in America today,” and he quotes Jesus by saying, “What is impossible with man is possible with God (22:27-27:12). He criticizes American society and the government for not caring for the poor, and he gives five methods for sharing the gospel with Americans: the sheep’s clothing method, the future shock method, the more to follow method, the honest slant method, and the extra-curricular method (27:13-51:38). Finlator closes by stating that the gospel can be shared in America hardly by hopefully (51:39-54:51). The service ends with a word of prayer (54:52-55:32).
Jerry L. Niswonger was Assistant to the President for Student Development. The service opens with a welcome of the faculty for the summer school session and a few announcements (00:00-05:59). Niswonger designates a portion of time for the sharing of prayer requests (06:00-11:50). Niswonger begins his sermon by reading 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (11:51-12:47). His first point is that the scaffolding of religion that is put around God must be torn down because God is not content to be trapped (12:48-18:34). His second point is that the foundational principles of the old scaffolding should be used to build the new religious structure (18:35-20:16). Niswonger’s final point is while the new religious structure is being built, we are to remain in the old building for a time pursuing the mission of the new building (20:17-23:02). Niswonger ends the service with a word of prayer (23:03-23:42).
G. Thomas Halbrooks was Professor of Church History. The service begins with a word of prayer (00:00-01:00). The title and theme of the faculty lecture is “Coming to and Growing in Faith,” and the speaker introduces Dr. William P. Clemmons, Dr. G. Thomas Halbrooks, and Dr. Bruce P. Powers as the faculty lectures (01:01-02:43). Genesis 1 and John 1 are publicly read, and Clemmons & Halbrooks trace the development of teaching and living out the faith in the history of the church from Patristic, to Medieval, to Reformation and Post-Reformation (02:44-28:16). Powers traces the development of Baptist faith education, and he examines some developmental psychological methods on the role of faith in children (28:17-45:02). The service ends with a benediction (45:03-45:43).
Luke B. Smith was Professor of Supervised Ministry. The service begins with a liturgical reading and a word of prayer (00:00-01:50). Smith reads John 17:6-19, and in his sermon, he argues that Christians are to penetrate the world with God’s love even though the world hates them (01:51-22:16). Smith ends the service with a word of prayer (22:17-22:51).
The service begins with a reading from the litany and a word of prayer (00:00-02:24). Lee Scripture, the student council president, delivers a sermonette on worrying, and he leads in a time of meditation (02:25-10:58). He leads in a corporate confession (10:59-11:44). Scripture ends the service with a responsive reading and a word of prayer (11:45-12:58).