James W. Fowler was a theologian and Professor of Theology and Human Development in the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. This chapel was the first part of the Spring Lectures in March 1983 and titled “Gifting the Imagination of Children.” Chapel opens in prayer (0:00-0:53). Dr. Fowler, the Spring Lecture speaker, is introduced (0:53-5:20). Dr. Fowler beings his lecture by reading Ephesians 4 (5:20-8:00). He states that he wishes to look at gifting the imagination and how to help awaken children’s faith using a developmental approach (8:00-10:55). Dr. Fowler discusses how he and his associates have studied the developmental process of faith and his focus during this lecture on stages of faith (10:55-13:33). Dr. Fowler uses a story to briefly transition to the next stage of the lecture (13:33-16:18). Dr. Fowler overviews the stages of development and how these stages provide different opportunities to help develop faith (16:18-50:23). Dr. Fowler gives the audience a few cautions regarding the stages he’s discussed in relation to faith (50:23-52:00). He concludes his lecture by revisiting the childhood stages and families’ gifts to children’s imagination (52:00-1:01:39). An announcement is made about further lectures by Dr. Fowler and chapel is dismissed with a benediction (1:01:39-1:02:41).
Andy Loving was Director of Organization for Seeds Magazine. The service begins with a word of prayer (00:00-00:50). The speaker gives some campus event announcements, and Andy Loving is introduced as the chapel speaker (00:51-04:37). The choir sings a song of worship (04:38-08:37). Loving begins his sermon by telling a story about his mom calling him when he was a child and how it relates to us hearing the call of God to obey his commands to care for the poor (08:38-12:45). Loving believes that care for the poor is a non-negotiable issue, and he appeals to the biblical prophets and Jesus’ words from the gospels to make this case (12:46-20:26). Loving gives the statistics of world hunger and Southern Baptists’ part in the case to end it, and he ask the audience to biblically respond by building structures in the church to help the hungry and act in small ways persistently (20:27-27:28). Loving concludes his sermon with a word of prayer (27:29-28:17).
Hugo H. Culpepper was Professor of Missions at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The service begins with organ music and a word of prayer (00:00-09:22). Hugo H. Culpepper is introduced as the Missionary Day chapel speaker (09:23-13:47). The choir sings a song of worship (13:48-17:12). Culpepper begins his sermon by stating his theme of the spiritual pilgrimage of a missionary (17:13-20:47). Culpepper gives the steps of the spiritual pilgrimage of a missionary which includes the church, the conversion experience, the Holy Spirit, the word of God, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and the character of God himself, and he uses his own life as the model for this pilgrimage (20:48-56:07). Culpepper concludes his sermon with a word of prayer (56:08-57:24). The service ends with organ music and a benediction (57:25-58:16).
Dr. Don Hammer was the Fletcher Visiting Professor of Mission and was part of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s faculty. The audience is led in a responsive reading from the hymnal (0:00-1:20). Service continues in prayer (1:20-3:26). The choir leads in song (3:26-5:40). Dr. Hammer begins by asking if the dreams of God’s people are big enough to be a part of God’s mission and call (5:40-16:04). He says that in addition to a big enough dream, it is also going to take bold enough dreams that require the power of God to be a part of God’s mission (16:04-22:48). Finally, Dr. Hammer concludes that the dream must be customized enough for each person’s personal involvement where God wants to use them (22:48-26:30). Chapel is closed with a benediction (26:30-28:00).
Clark McCrary was a student at SEBTS. McCrary speaks on the journey of living for Christ, and he warns of the danger of taking side roads (0:00-3:26). He closes his sermonette with the words of a song (3:27-5:45).
