Thomas H. Conley was the senior minister of North Side Drive Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. The service begins with President Randall Lolley welcoming everyone to the pastor’s seminar, and he gives an endorsement of a book written by Dr. James Tull (00:00-04:45). Lolley gives a word of prayer (04:46-05:19). A moment of silence is given for Theodore F. Adams, and Thomas H. Conley is introduced as the Adams Lecturer (05:20-11:03). The choir sings the anthem (11:04-12:10). Conley begins his lecture giving a word of honor to Theodore F. Adams and a word of thanks to Morris Ashcraft, John Carlton, and Furman Hewitt (12:11-16:28). The tittle and theme of Conley’s lecture is “Assumptions of the Preaching Ministry.” He says his first assumption is that there is one body of Christ, and he focuses on the one baptism and how this principle effects a church’s membership policy (16:29-25:28). Conley’s second assumption looks at Christian education, and he says that effective preaching should have an element of teaching to equip the saints (25:29-33:33). Conley’s third assumption looks at worship, and he urges Baptists to return to the great liturgical tradition of the church (33:34-42:21). Conley’s fourth assumption is none of the above assumptions, and he focuses on the laity that need the hope that comes through the preaching (42:22-52:55). President Lolley ends the service with a word of prayer (52:56-53:44).
Elaine Neil Orr was a Ph.D candidate at Emory University. The service begins with organ music (00:00-04:28). The men in the audience recite the Apostles Creed, the women sing the Doxology at the same time, and a responsive reading follows (04:29-06:44). The choir sings a song of worship (06:45-10:05). The speaker leads in a second responsive reading (10:06-11:11). There is a second song of worship (11:12-14:40). The speaker reads from the Scriptures (14:41-16:47). Orr delivers a sermon on the Parable of the Vineyard, and she concludes that the message of the parable is that God is revealed through our covenantal love and grace for one another (16:48-40:22). Orr’s husband announces the formation of a new support group at Southeastern, and he closes the service with a benediction (20:23-42:50).
Robert T. Handy was Professor of Church History at Union Theological Seminary in New York. The service begins with organ music (00:00-06:55). Glenn T. Miller gives a word of prayer (06:56-07:31). Robert T. Handy is introduced as the Carver-Barnes Lecturer (07:32-08:10). Handy begins his lecture by stating his theme of religious liberty and the dynamics of history (08:11-10:06). Handy examines the history of religious freedom from English Baptist Separatism to the establishment of the First Amendment, and he speaks about the challenges facing religious freedom today (10:07-52:36). Miller ends the service with a few announcements (52:37-53:45).
Malcolm O. Tolbert was Professor of New Testament. The service begins with the speaker reading from John 1, and he gives a word of prayer (00:00-03:16). The choir sings a song of worship (03:17-06:12). Tolbert begins his sermon by speaking on the importance of Jesus’ incarnation and his lowly status in society (06:13-15:13). Tolbert argues from Scripture that we should emulate the life of Christ, and he shares the story of a man in Japan who sought to live like Christ even in his difficult circumstances (15:14-25:12).
James Brad Chance, III was Visiting Instructor of New Testament. Chance begins his sermon by reading Philippians 3:8-11, and he leads the audience in a word of prayer (00:00-03:58). In the first part of Chance’s sermon, he asks the question of where we can find union with Christ in Baptist life, and he argues that it is not found in our ecclesiastical powers (03:59-13:39). In the second part of Chance’s sermon, he argues that union with Christ is found in conforming to the image of Christ through suffering (13:40-23:37).