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).
Thomas H. Conley was the senior minister of North Side Drive Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. The service begins with organ music (00:00-04:09). The speaker gives a word of prayer (04:10-05:24). Thomas H. Conley is introduced as the Adams Lecturer (05:25-10:16). The choir sings the anthem (10:17-13:07). Conley begins his lecture by inviting everyone to an afternoon talk, and he introduces his theme of reorienting worship back to its historical and Christological roots (13:08-18:44). Conley lists many early liturgical texts from the early church, and he explains the importance of the centrality of the Eucharist in Christian worship and a church calendar centered on the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ (18:45-33:21). Conley walks through the Christian year as it is celebrated at his church, North Side Drive, and he says that these practices help the people of God see all aspects of Christ and his ministry and promote ecumenism (33:22-47:10). Conley concludes by giving his critique of the pulpit centered religious entertainment culture of the evangelical church, and he urges them to retrieve their historical, liturgical, and Christ-centered practices of worship (47:11-55:42). The service ends with a word of prayer (55:43-56:59).
Wade Armstrong was a trustee of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The service begins with organ music (00:00-04:05). The speaker gives a word of prayer (04:06-08:10). Wade Armstrong is introduced as the chapel speaker (08:11-10:54). Michael Hahn, director of music at the First Baptist Church in Decatur, GA, sings a song of worship (10:55-14:20). Armstrong begins his service by thanking the leadership of Southeastern for giving him the opportunity to preach, and he reads from 1 Corinthians 5 (14:21-17:30). Armstrong’s sermon is about the certainty of heaven, and he says the Christians can have a certainty through the work of the Spirit and the promise of judgment that they will all one day be in Christ’s presence (17:31-30:37). Armstrong ends the service with a word of prayer (30:38-30:50).
Motlaepula Chabaku was a South African refugee. The service begins with announcements over community concerns, and the speaker gives a word of prayer (00:00-02:35). Motlalepula Chabaku is introduced as the Missionary Day speaker (02:36-04:09). Chabaku reads from Matthew 4:18-21 and Luke 8:1-3, and she speaks at length about how the inequality of race, gender, and economic status seen, not only in her home country of South Africa but all over the world, is contrary to the Scriptures and the justice of God (04:10-34:51). The service ends with an invitation and a last word from Chabaku about a hymn that changed her life (34:52-38:20).
Morris Ashcraft was Professor of Theology and Dean of the Faculty. The service begins with a reading from the New Testament and a word of prayer (00:00-01:51). The choir sings a song of worship (01:52-05:30). Ashcraft begins his sermon with a story about his education journey through college and seminary as a journey of finding truth (05:31-09:18). Ashcraft’s sermon is about truth found only in Christ, and his main point is that truth, faith, and freedom all intersect in the ministry of Christ (09:19-28:11). Ashcraft ends the service with a word of prayer (28:12-28:44).
Thomas Albert Bland was Professor of Christian Ethics and Sociology. The service begins with a liturgical reading, and the choir sings a song of worship (00:00-01:33). The speaker gives a word of prayer, and he reads Matthew 10:34-39 (01:34-04:53). The choir sings a song of worship (04:54-06:50). Bland sermon is about Christ as the one who comes to disturb our lives and uses the story of the grand inquisitor from The Brothers Karamazov as the illustration (06:51-24:27). Bland ends the service with a word of prayer (24:28-25:24).