Addie Davis was pastor of the Rich Patch Union Church in Covington, VA and the first woman ordained in the Southern Baptist Convention. The service begins with organ music (00:00-08:07). President Randall Lolley tells the students to stay after the service for an announcement, and a speaker gives a word of prayer (08:08-09:48). Addie Davis is introduced as the chapel speaker (09:49-10:26). The choir sings the anthem (10:27-13:25). Davis shares some things she has learned in years of ministry, and she encourages the audience to live out God’s calling and embody his love in the world (13:26-28:48). The service ends with organ music, and Lolley gives a word of praise to Addie Davis (28:49-30:43).
Ted Voorhees was vicar of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Wake Forest, NC. The service begins with organ music (00:00-03:25). The speaker gives a word of prayer (03:26-04:19). Ted Voorhees is introduced as the chapel speaker (04:20-08:51). Voorhees leads in a responsive reading, and he delivers a Scripture reading from Acts 9 (08:52-14:05). Voorhees delivers a sermon centered on the celebration of Paul’s conversion, and he ties Paul’s conversion to God’s power to transform the heart even in the ordinary believer (14:06-24:07). A song of worship is performed (24:08-30:16). Voorhees prays the Lord’s Prayer, and he ends the services by praying two collects from the Book of Common Prayer and delivering a benediction (30:17-32:43).
R. Quinn Pugh was the Executive Director of the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association and the Executive Treasure of the Baptist Convention of New York. The service begins with organ music (00:00-00:56). There is a responsive reading, and the speaker gives a word of prayer (00:57-02:45). R. Quinn Pugh is introduced as the Missionary Day chapel speaker (02:46-04:55). The choir sings the anthem (04:56-07:30). Pugh begins his sermon with a word of prayer (07:31-08:24). Pugh speaks about the rural-urban divide in American society, and he encourages the audience to listen to God’s call of potentially doing ministry in urban areas such as New York City (08:25-46:54). Pugh ends the service with a word of prayer (46:55-48:21).
Chevis F. Horne was Visiting Professor of Preaching. The service begins with a responsive reading (00:00-03:00). A word of prayer is given, and Psalm 121 and Matthew 9:35-38 are read (03:01-05:45). Horne states that his sermon be about vision, specifically a vision of the people that the pastor serves (05:46-10:14). Horne first asks the question of how many people can we see, and he argues that we can be too superficial (10:15-13:36). He asks another question of how far we can see people, and he speaks on the issue of world hunger (13:37-15:52). Horne concludes his sermon by stating that to have vision help must come from the Lord (15:53-24:00). The service ends with a benediction (24:01-24:17).
Felicia Stewart was a Master of Divinity student. The service begins with organ music (00:00-05:42). The speaker delivers the Scripture reading from Matthew 20:1-15, and he gives a word of prayer (05:43-11:15). A soloist sings a song of worship (11:16-14:52). Stewart delivers a message from the parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard, and she argues that the point of the parable is God has a generous nature which humans sometimes lack when working with each other (14:53-29:24). Stewart ends the service with a word of prayer (29:25-29:56).
Ben F. Philbeck was Professor of Old Testament Interpretation. The service opens with a word of prayer (00:00-02:00). Philbeck’s message is about suffering, and he picks out the themes in the book of Job of God’s sovereignty and the grace he provides to his people (2:01-25:00). He ends the service with a word of prayer (25:01-25:39).
Thomas H. Graves was the minister of St. John’s Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. The service begins with a moment of prayer (0:00-2:02). There is a congregational hymn (2:03-5:43). Dr. Morris Ashcraft mentions the changes with the order of service and recognizes the students and faculty members (5:44-11:00). Thomas Graves is introduced as the chapel speaker (11:01-11:59). Dr. Fred Grissom presents the Middler Theology Award (12:00-13:50). The ensemble sings “We glorify Thy name, O God” (13:51-16:29). Graves shares a story to illustrate the importance of integrity (16:30-18:12). Graves preaches that in a time of high emotions and transition that Southeastern should have pride in the seminary's integrity in all the seminary had been and stood for, in her faculty, her administration, and in her students (18:13-19:28). Graves sermon considers the loss of integrity and freedom in Baptist life. He mentions that Baptists lost their freedom to think (23:29), freedom to interpret Scripture through the agency of the Holy Spirit (26:43) and lost their freedom to minister (29:26). Graves states Baptists have lost these freedoms by falling into the temptation of telling people what they want to hear (32:37), the temptation of performance (33:25), and the temptation of power (36:05). Graves concludes his sermon indicating that Southeastern has been a place of integrity and will continue be a place where freedom lives (39:40). The congregation joins in singing a hymn (39:56-44:30). The service concludes in a moment of prayer (44:31-45:10).
Alan P. Neely was Professor of Missions. The service begins with a word of prayer (0:00:00-0:03:22). Two speakers deliver the Scripture readings from Isaiah 42:1-6 and 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:1 (0:03:23-0:06:48). President Randall Lolley welcomes all guests, he shares about the importance of commencement, and he gives a word of gratitude to two retiring faculty members, Elmo Scoggins and James Blackmore (0:06:49-0:13:37). Lolley invites friends and family members to stand when the graduates receive their diploma (0:13:38-0:14:24). The Associate of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:14:25-0:21:15). The Master of Religious Education degrees are conferred (0:21:16-0:23:20). The Master of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:23:21-0:41:33). The Doctor of Ministry degrees are conferred (0:41:34-0:46:11). C. Michael Hawn and John Steely are introduced as the worship leaders, and Alan P. Neely is introduced as the commencement speaker (0:46:12-0:46:52). Hawn and Steely play “Amazing Grace” on acoustic guitars (0:46:52-0:49:52). Neely delivers a sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:1, and he gives a charge to the graduates to preach the gospel at any opportunity for the purpose of reconciliation (0:49:53-1:13:46). Lolley leads in a round of applause for the graduates, and the service ends with a word of prayer (1:13:47-1:14:51).
Albert L. Meiburg was Professor of Pastoral Theology and Dean of the Faculty. The speaker reads from John 2:18-25 (00:00-01:19). The choir leads in a song of worship (01:20-03:47). Meiburg opens his sermon with the acknowledgement of Ash Wednesday and an explanation of the season of Lent (03:48-08:27). He speaks on Jesus’ understanding of personhood through the story of the Prodigal Son (08:28-13:04). He states that part of human nature is a need for communion with each other due to our easiness of falling into sin (13:05-18:20). Meiburg concludes his sermon by speaking on Jesus’ death on the cross as the true example of true understanding and love for humanity, and he give a benediction (18:21-23:12). The service ends with the choir leading the audience in a song of worship (23:13-24:15).
Robert H. Culpepper was Professor of Theology. The service begins with a moment of prayer (0:00-1:25). Robert Culpepper is introduced as the faculty lecturer (1:26-3:34). Culpepper speaks of the works he has studied for theology (1:26-5:56). He encourages each person to do research and to form their own opinions on theological topics from what they have learned rather than taking something at face value (5:57-6:15). Culpepper shares his opinion on the interpretation of Christ’s atonement (6:16-8:22). He shares that he is now more open to the view of substitution and shares why, then speaks about the various views of Jesus’s death (8:23-41:25). There is an announcement for the Dutch luncheon and a moment of prayer (41:26-42:01).
