Description

• Fisher Humphries was Professor of Theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Humphries is announced as Chapel speaker (0:00-0:28). Two hymns are played (0:29-4:37). A word of prayer is given, followed by another hymn (cut) (4:38-6:44). Humphries is introduced (6:45-9:43). Humphries thanks the Seminary for allowing him to speak (9:44-13:27). Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Humphries’ message concerns sanctification and spiritual formation (13:28-15:51). He provides four examples of believers’ self transcending impulse towards God: freedom, the need to understand, a desire for happiness, and the impulse to love and be loved (15:52-17:44). All these impulses are fulfilled in God, as spiritual formation (17:45-18:33). Humphries states that the best analogy of spiritual formation is one’s influence over another without manipulation (18:34-20:53). He plans to speak on two means of spiritual formation, the church and the Bible; the lecture on the church is for this day’s message while the one on the Bible is for the following day’s message (20:54-23:25). The church is both an institution and a fellowship, but God is more concerned with the people not an organization (23:26-24:53). Humphries explains that the church as an organization consists of people who contribute to spiritual formation and asks whether this is true of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) where opposition exists (24:54-27:23). He discusses Liberal Protestantism, Fundamentalism as a response to the former movement, and finally Evangelicalism which resulted due to the problems of Fundamentalism (27:24-32:42). However, disagreements in the Evangelicalism movement have occurred because it did not plant strong roots (34:43-38:31). Humphries compares the SBC, with its unstable foundation, to this movement; it also needs to strengthen its roots (34:38-38:31). He does say that God has and is using the SBC for spiritual formation despite its flaws, as the church has never been perfect and the church’s mission continues to be performed (38:32-40:19). He reinforces that the church is the people of God and a place of spiritual formation (40:20-42:47). He concludes with a recitation of the scripture reading from 1 Thessalonians (42:48-43:51). A word of prayer is given, and a hymn ends the service (43:16-46:13).

Last modified

• April 17, 2025

Creator

• Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Humphries, Fisher

Subject

• Bible
• Liberalism (Religion)
• Fundamentalism
• Spiritual formation
• Church
• Sanctification
• Bible. Thessalonians, 1st
• Evangelicalism

Language

• English

Identifier

• SEBTS_Page_Lecture_Fisher_Humphries_1988-09-27

Date Created

• September 27, 1988

Location

• Wake Forest (N.C.)

Resource Type

• Audio

Preferred Citation

SEBTS Chapel and Special Event Recordings, SEBTS Chapel and Special Event Recordings - 1980s, Archives and Special Collections, Library at Southeastern, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC.

In Collection:

• SEBTS Chapel and Special Event Recordings
• SEBTS Chapel and Special Event Recordings - 1980s

Items

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	SEBTS_Page_Lecture_Fisher_Humphries_1988-09-27.wav	2019-08-19	Download