Earl C. Davis was the pastor at First Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee and an alumnus of Southeastern Seminary. The service begins with organ music (0:00:00-0:07:13). There is a moment of prayer (0:07:14-0:09:26). There is a Scripture reading from Romans 1 (0:09:27-0:11:15). There is a moment of prayer (0:11:16-0:14:14). A welcome is given to all the guests (0:14:15-0:17:24). A gift is presented on behalf of the graduating class (0:17:25-0:17:55). Spencer presents awards to the graduates on behalf of the faculty of the seminary (0:17:56-0:29:52). Earl C. Davis is introduced as the speaker (0:29:53-0:33:45). The choir sings an anthem (0:33:46-0:36:49). Davis shares about not having the book he needed to preach and learning that adversity is a good teacher (0:36:50-0:41:48). Davis shares a portion of Scripture from the book of Judges (0:41:49-0:42:07). He uses the immorality of Dr. Ruth Westheimer’s separation of morality and sexuality and statistics of safety, alcoholic consumption, and Bible-believing confessions as a symbol and an example, respectively, of the sinful state of the culture (0:42:08-0:48:50). Davis speaks about how one never knows what is coming up next in life and that the culturally accepted mindset is “If you want to do it, do it” (0:48:51-0:54:52). He speaks about how God will judge those who live immorally and that it is the believers’ responsibility to share the truth (0:54:53-1:03:37). Davis shares about people he knows whose lives had been transformed by God (1:03:38-1:11:03). Davis closes his presentation with a moment of prayer (1:11:04-1:11:37). The service closes with a moment of prayer (1:11:38-1:13:03).
Fisher Humphries was Professor of Theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Fisher Humphries is announced as Chapel speaker (0:00-0:14). A hymn is played (0:15-3:07). A word of prayer is given, followed by another hymn (cut) (3:08-5:53). Humphries is introduced, and his message focuses on the Bible and spiritual formation as the second part to his previous message on the church (5:54-8:02). Humphries greets his audience and reads from Psalm 119 (8:03-9:24). He speaks of four ways Scripture forms our lives: it provides a Christian worldview, offers the experience of God’s reality, demonstrates how to live in ordinary life and in a community, and reveals our true identities (9:25-10:07). Scripture is effective in providing believers with a worldview that can be based on astronomy and geography, psychology, and history (10:08-13:08). Scripture impacts the Christian worldview: it assures us that the world is not shapeless, informs us that the world is not how God intended it to be, protects us against idolatry, teaches us to live in anticipation, and transforms the meaning of history (13:09-19:50). Humphries then speaks of how Scripture is a catalyst for experiencing God with a focus on conversion, prayer, guidance and strength, friendships, and Biblical stories (19:51-24:49). Reading from Proverbs, Humphries reinforces how Scripture gives practical guidance for living our lives (24:50-33:03). He also discusses how Scripture illustrates how to live in a community (34:00-35:49). Lastly, Humphries mentions how Scripture reveals our true identities and finally closes with a summary of the four main points of his lecture (35:50-41:19). A word of prayer is given followed by a hymn (41:20-43:43).
Jack Stearns was the Director of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. Stearns is announced as the Chapel speaker (0:00-0:14). A hymn is played (0:14-3:15). A word of prayer is given, followed by a hymn (3:16-6:40). Guest visitors for Clinical Pastoral Education Day are welcomed and Stearns is introduced (6:41-11:36). A hymn is played (cut) (11:37-11:42). Reading from Luke 10:25-37, Stearns focuses on the “good neighbor” image of ministry (11:43-16:28). He speaks of the internal difference of the three neighbors from the Scripture that caused the different responses to the injured man (16:29-17:30). Perhaps the priest and the Levite were preoccupied with their cultural duties or other matters (17:31-20:34). The Samaritan showed compassion, implying that he was a man willing to care and a man who had experienced brokenness (20:35-22:03). Stearns then mentions that we all have a little of the priest and Levite in us (22:04-23:37). He also suggests that maybe the Samaritan was fulfilling the law to love God and others by showing compassion (23:38-24:05). Believers have a common bond that causes us to come to together to answer God’s call to ministry (24:06-26:27). Stearns ends with a final word on the good neighbor image: we are one body that God calls on to minister to others (26:28-28:21). A word of prayer concludes the service (28:22-30:37).
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).
Francis M. DuBose was a Professor at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. The service begins with organ music (0:00-3:43). There is a moment of prayer (3:44-7:05). Francis DuBose is introduced as the chapel speaker (7:06-9:19). DuBose reads from Acts 4 (9:20-11:11). DuBose speaks about missionaries and their motivation to leave the comfort of home and go on mission into hardship (11:12-17:00). He gives reasons for their motivation: they go because of the cry of a world in need and because of the command from above (17:01-29:15). He closes the service in a moment of prayer (29:16-29:35).
