This message was part of the Ministry with the Small Rural Church Workshop. Robert E. Wiley was Associates Director of the Rural Missions Department in the Associational Missions Division of the Home Mission Board. Wiley begins his lecture by sharing some book resources for the audience, and he lays out the topics that he will be lecturing on over the next few days (00:00-08:12). Wiley’s lecture is about the changes in society bringing the rural and urban worlds closer together, and he walks through how one brings change to small rural churches where change is a difficult process (08:13-50:35). Wiley concludes his lecture by once again bringing attention to the book resources on cultural church change (50:36-51:12).
Thomas H. Graves was Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion. Thomas H. Graves was Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion. Service is opened with a special reading (0:00-0:51). The choir leads in song (0:51-3:45). Scripture is read aloud from John 5:1-18 (3:45-5:55). The services is continued in prayer (5:55-7:00). The choir leads in another song (7:00-9:15). Dr. Graves tells the story of the man healed at the pool in John 5 and emphasizes the importance of concern for others above religious debates (9:15-24:05). Dr. Graves closes chapel in prayer (24:05-24:42).
Clint Hopkins was Administrative Associate to the President at Averett College (now Averett University). The service begins with a word of prayer (00:00-01:20). Clint Hopkins is introduced as the chapel speaker (01:21-06:02). The choir sings a song of worship (06:03-10:08). Hopkins reads from Genesis 41:33-45, and he urges the audience to be like Joseph and be the person of interprets dreams and make them a reality (10:09-23:00). Hopkins concludes his sermon with a word of prayer (23:01-23:39).
Audio quality is poor. Findley Bartow Edge was the Basil Manley Jr. Professor of Christian Education at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The service begins with a word of prayer (00:00-01:10). The speaker gives a few announcements, and Findley Bartow Edge is introduced as the Spring Conference lecturer (01:11-06:09). Edge begins his sermon by speaking about the warm relationships he has had with many of the faculty and staff at Southeastern, and he says that the big problem for Southern Baptist is that they have lost the essence and dynamic of their doctrine (06:10-18:51). Edge centers his focus on the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, defines it as all Christians being ministers, and he explains how the Southern Baptists laity have wrongly given all their priestly responsibilities to their paid ministers (18:52-43:00). Edge concludes his sermon with a football illustration of a coach playing and the team standing on the side lines to show how Southern Baptist have been operating while still advocating for the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers (43:01-50:01). Edge ends the service with a word of prayer (50:02-51:10).
Robert D. Dale was Associate Professor of Pastoral Leadership and Church Ministries. Dale opens the service with a word on the importance of building altars through memories (00:00-06:38). M.Div graduate Keith Taylor speaks on the memories he has made at Southeastern and the importance of bringing sacrifices to the Lord (06:39-11:09). M.Div graduate Paul Joseph sings “To God be the Glory” as a way of showing gratitude to God for his guidance through seminary (11:10-16:07). Dale closes the service with a final word on meeting God at altars and a word of prayer (16:08-19:21).
The beginning part of the audio recording is poor quality. Charles Ward was the senior minister at the First Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC. The service begins with organ music (00:00-05:00). The speaker gives a word of prayer (05:00-07:19). Charles Ward is introduced as the chapel speaker (07:20-07:56). The choir sings the anthem (07:57-10:30). Ward exegetes Jesus’ response to Peter’s confession in Matthew 15, and he states that the people of God are being built up into the holy body of Christ (10:31-30:35). Ward ends the service with a word of prayer and a benediction (30:36-31:26).