Reuel L. Howe was a professor of pastoral theology and founder of the Institute for Advanced Pastoral Studies in Bloomfield Hills, MI. The service begins with President Randall Lolley giving a word of prayer (00:00-01:19). Reuel L. Howe is introduced as the Spring Conference speaker (01:20-03:12). Howe’s lecture is entitled “Survival Approaches to Ministry,” and he begins his lecture by thanking Southeastern for their cordiality during his visit (03:13-04:05). Howe first speaks about ministry burnout and how the Spirit’s energy is needed to transform lives (04:06-14:44). He then says that to resist burnout and other destructive forces in ministry is a healthy examination of oneself and healthy expectations for the future and for relationships, and he list expectations to examine carefully (14:45-24:11). Howe speaks about the importance of communication in ministry, and he says that minister’s must be great listeners and one’s who strive for reconciliation (24:12-29:38). Howe concludes his lecture by speaking about love, and he highlights the importance of unity, inclusion, and ecumenicism in the modern church (29:39-36:20).
Clyde E. Fant, Jr. was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Richardson, TX. The service begins with organ music (00:00-04:41). The speaker gives a word of prayer (04:42-05:25). Clyde E. Fant, Jr. is introduced as the Adams Lecturer (05:26-08:18). The choir sings a song of worship (08:19-10:11). Fant’s lecture is entitled “The American Pulpit, Another Victim of Recent Bad History,” and he begins with Richard Baxter and John Bunyan of the Puritan tradition whose preaching were characterized as lively and personable yet legalistic and rigid (10:12-18:40). Fant moves to the Great Awakeners, George Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards, and Timothy Dwight, and he says that their preaching was defined by great flair, utilitarianism, and sometimes exploitation (18:41-33:08). Fant then examines many 19th century preachers who transformed the sermon into printed form for popular consumption, but they fell to the elegance of print (33:09-40:42). Fant concludes with the recent bad history of American preaching, and he says that preaching in modern America suffers from legalistic moralizing, which he calls the Massachusetts Bay Error (40:43-51:17). The service ends with a word of prayer (51:18-51:53).
At the time of recording, Max Hill was a senior MDiv student at Southeastern. The sermon opens with prayer (0:00-0:52). Mr. Hill reads from Exodus 17:1-7 (1:00-3:00). Mr. Hill uses the phrase “Is the Lord among us, or not?” from the text to guide his sermon. He briefly reviews the story of the Exodus and discusses how this story shows the ways humans behave in distress. The people looked for a scapegoat, they looked back at Egypt, and they got into a fight (3:00-8:50). God’s response to Moses’s prayer shows the goodness of God and the theme that God provides for his people’s needs when they call on him (8:50-12:05). Mr. Hill states that humans will all at some point be in crisis and often react in ways like the Israelites did. The good news is Jesus Christ brings the living water and his presence which we need in those times and for the future (12:05-17:54). Speaker closes in prayer (17:54-18:58).
Lily Sang was a Master of Divinity student from Taiwan, and Rebecca Barns was a Master of Religious Education student from Georgia. The service begins with Lily Sang and Rebecca Barns being introduced as the chapel speakers (00:00-01:28). The choir sings a song of worship (01:29-05:45). Lily Sang delivers a sermonette on relying on the Lord for strength (05:46-11:05). Rebecca Barns gives her testimony on how she became involved in international ministries, and she encourages the audience to love internationals (11:06-19:55). The service ends with a word of prayer (19:56-20:44).
Charles L. Tyre was the President of Bluefield College. The service begins with a poem about chapels and a word of prayer (00:00-01:04). Charles L. Tyre is introduced as the chapel speaker (01:05-03:57). The choir sings a song of worship (03:58-07:38). Tyre’s sermon is about the preaching of the Word of God with his text from 2 Timothy 4:2, and he says that preaching from the “overflow” of one’s studies, personality, and experiences are the best ways to preach and avoid burnout (07:39-25:26). Tyre ends the service with a word of prayer (25:27-26:18).
