J. W. Hutchens, Jr. was Director of Evangelism for the North Carolina Baptist Convention. The service begins with organ music (00:00-04:12). The speaker delivers a call to worship, and he gives a word of prayer (04:13-05:46). J.W. Hutchens, Jr. is introduced as the chapel speaker (05:47-06:34). The choir sings a song of worship (06:35-10:37). Hutchens begins his sermon by reading from Mark 10:46-52 (10:38-12:38). His sermon is about the healing of Blind Bartimaeus, and he says that the questions Jesus asked Bartimaeus are the same questions he is asking of those who follow him in as they go about their daily lives in service to others (12:39-28:25). Hutchens ends the service with a word of prayer (28:26-29:22).
Audio quality is poor. Julius Carroll Trotter was Professor of Preaching and Speech. The service begins with organ music (00:00-05:23). The speaker reads from John 5, and he gives a word of prayer (05:24-08:22). The choir sings a a song of worship (08:23-11:43). Trotter speaks about various passages in the gospel of John, and he says that the main theme of Jesus’ ministry and the most important element of the Christian life is love (11:44-32:21). Trotter ends the service with a benediction (32:22-32:37).
John Edward Steely was Professor of Historical Theology. The service begins with organ music (00:00-05:30). Steely gives a brief word about God’s grace and a word of prayer (05:31-09:11). Steely reads from Ephesians 3:8-19 (09:12-11:06). The choir sings a song of worship (11:07-14:00). Steely preaches about God’s love and how he shows this love through suffering in the incarnation (14:01-29:45). Steely concludes the services with a word of prayer (29:46-32:06).
Thomas Albert Bland was Professor of Christian Ethics and Sociology. The service begins with a word of prayer and the singing of the doxology (0:00:00-0:01:47). Two speakers deliver the Scripture readings from Isaiah 6 and Acts 26 (0:01:48-0:12:33). President Randall Lolley welcomes all the guest to commencement, and he recognizes two international guests who have come to see their children graduate (0:12:33-0:15:51). Wayne Brown, representative of the senior class, announces the endowment of a fund to help and support students with physical handicaps in honor of Wes Williams, a former student (0:15:52-0:17:25). Thomas Albert Bland is introduced as the commencement speaker (0:17:26-0:17:52). Bland’s commencement address is about God’s call and its relation to missions and ministry, and he challenges the graduate to be faithful to Christ and to the gospel (0:17:53-0:30:44). Lolley recognizes the friends and relatives of the graduates, and he announces the conferment of the degrees (0:30:44-0:32:06). The Associate of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:32:07-0:34:17). The Master of Religious Education degrees are conferred (0:34:18-0:36:21). The Master of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:36:22-0:52:13). The Master of Theology degrees are conferred (0:52:14-0:54:39). The Doctor of Ministry degrees are conferred (0:54:40-0:59:14). The service ends with a word of prayer (0:59:15-1:01:41).
Frank Stagg was Senior Professor of New Testament Studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The service opens with a word of prayer (00:00-00:30). Frank Stagg is introduced as the Page Lecture speaker (00:31-02:15). Stagg’s lecture is entitled “Universals & Codes,” and he begins by defining these terms (02:15-05:41). Stagg gives many examples from both the Old and New Testaments where believers have both universalized certain laws of God and also minimized other laws and commands, and he also says that figuring out what God commands for his people to do in Scripture can be a difficult task with what appears to be contradictions, even from the words of the same human author (05:42-39:20). Stagg uses Paul’s letters as an example of how to do proper hermeneutics, and he argues that the readers of Scripture must discern a writer’s prophetic voice and distinguish between universal commands and particular commands given in a certain context (39:21-49:30). The service ends with a word of prayer (49:31-50:17).
Richard Albert Spencer was Associate Professor of New Testament. The service opens with a word of prayer (00:00-00:27). Richard Spencer reads from Psalm 51 and Luke 15:11-32, and he gives a word of prayer (00:28-04:50). The choir sings a song of worship (04:51-07:36). Spencer begins his sermon by speaking on the topic of Lent and the attitude of repentance (07:37-13:14). He first speaks of repentance as being inaugurated by the coming of God’s kingdom and his grace (13:15-20:52). He then speaks of repentance as the changing of one’s heart to seek after God (20:53-26:12). Spencer ends his sermon with a prayer (26:13-26:58). The choir ends the service with a song of worship (26:59-27:34).