The Midwestern - Fall 2010

Newsmagazine for Alumni and Friends of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and College, SBC

Fall 2010

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Volunteers at theheart of MBTSchapel projectpage 10

Fall 2010

CONTENTS The MidwesternFall 2010

FEATURES

3 President’s Editorial

8 Miracle Growth: Midwestern’s new Korean D.Min. program flourishes

14 SBC President Bryant Wright pays first visit to MBTS

16 Evangelism team hits the road to share Jesus at Sturgis Rally

MW NEWS

4 SBC wrap-up

5 Roberts named ISCA president

6 SBC alumni luncheon/awards

15 MATS program underway

18 $200,000 gift completes academic chair

19 Sudanese ambassador shares insights during chapel service

CHAPEL UPDATES

10 Chapel Volunteer: John Humphrey

12 Chapel Progress Pictures

ALUMNI

20 Keeping in Touch

21 Institutional Advancement Editorial

PROFILES

22 Faculty Profile: Dr. John Lee

23 Student Profile: Erik Odegard

mbts.edu

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10The Midwestern Fall 2010

Newsmagazine for Alumni and Friends ofMidwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

PRESIDENT: R. Philip RobertsEDITOR: T. Patrick HudsonCOMMUNICATIONSASSISTANTS &PHOTOGRAPHY: D.J. Castilleja Austin MayfieldDESIGNER: Jenny BuehlerPUBLISHER: The Covington Group

The Midwestern is published quarterly and is distributed free for alumni and friends of MBTS by the Office of Insti-tutional Advancement, 5001 N. Oak Trafficway, Kansas City, MO 64118. Postage paid in Kansas City, Mo.

The Midwestern816.414.3700, ext. 709 (Ph)816.414.3797 (Fax)[email protected]

The Midwestern highlights the Semi-nary’s mission: Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary serves the church by biblically educating God-called men and women to be and to make disciples of Jesus Christ. MBTS is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Send address changes to:Communications Office5001 N. Oak TrafficwayKansas City, MO 64118

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2 The Midwestern Fall 2010

Fall 2010 The Midwestern 3

My family and I have never been wealthypeople; however, the Lord has alwaysprovided for us, and we’ve always had

our needs met. We’ve lived relatively comfortablyeven though, growing up, my father was a SouthernBaptist preacher and denominational leader. Thissummer, all that changed. A remarkablecircumstance happened to us that put anextraordinary amount of wealth into our hands. Letme tell you about it.

In August, I was preaching for an InternationalPastor’s Conference involving African pastors fromseveral nations. In using an illustration aboutcounterfeiting and inflation, a gentlemanapproached me afterward and handed me onebillion dollars. Can you imagine that? One billiondollars! For the first time in my life, I was inpossession of an extraordinary amount of moneyand a sense of tremendous wealth and power. Nowthat’s part of the story, but as Paul Harvey wouldsay, “Let me tell you the rest of the story.” The onebillion dollars I was given was one billionZimbabwean dollars. If you know anything aboutthe inflation rate in Zimbabwe, and the value ofZimbabwean money, you would realize that thisrepresented absolutely no worth at all. In fact, Iwas told by the man who gave it to me that a friendof his has a box full of billion dollar notes which henow uses to start fires. Can you imagine a countrywhere the inflation rate has been over a millionpercent in one year? That was the situation there.Inflation was so horrific that people would go intogrocery stores to buy food, and before they couldget to the counter to pay for it, the price hadincreased from the time they had taken it off theshelf. Now that’s inflation!

This story reminds me of what Jesus has toldus: “Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, wheremoth and rust cannot corrupt them and wherethieves cannot break in and steal,” and we mightadd where inflation won’t destroy the value of it.Right now we are being warned that hyper-inflationis on the horizon for the United States and perhapsfor much of the rest of Western culture. Where areyou, therefore, laying up your treasures? Are youputting them where they will count eternally?

A pastor friend of mine told me the story of achurch member who came to him toward the end ofone of their building programs. The memberoffered to pay for the rest of the cost of the project.The total amount was almost one million dollars.

She took out her checkbook and wrote him theamount for the final cost of this important venture.Some months later, the company she had workedfor, and in which she had invested all of herretirement assets, went completely and totallybankrupt. Billions of dollars were lost including allof her well-managed and accumulated wealth. Shewas virtually down to zero. As soon as the pastorheard about this experience, he approached the ladyand expressed his concern and sympathies. He alsoasked her about the gift she had made some timebefore to the church. His particular question waswhether she regretted having given the money. Herresponse was, “No.” She said, “In fact, it’s all that Ihave left.” That’s the point. She had put hertreasures in heaven and had invested them in areaswhere they would count for God’s service andkingdom for years to come.

Right now we are on the cusp of importantdevelopments at Midwestern Seminary. We stillneed additional funds for the finishing of our chapelproject, including the conference center furnishingsand audio equipment for the entire structure. Webegan the chapel project in faith and have movedforward, trusting God to provide for our needsalong the way. “Pay as you go,” as it’s said. Itwould take the rest of this magazine to fill in theimportant details – large and small – of how Godhas met our needs. But we could use your helpright now. With the tremendous growth atMidwestern and over 1,000 students in our fallclasses – and still growing – our library will soonface the need for expansion as we vacate the oldchapel for the new. Student housing, lounge anddining spaces are all desperately needed. Rightnow, in rooms basically designed for one student,we have two. While it’s a desperate time financiallyfor many people, we believe it will honor the Lordfor us to continue to strive to be all that He wouldhave us to be. Would you consider investing ineternity for the cause of Christ at MBTS? Additionalinformation in the magazine will assist you in thisimportant venture. Thank you for your help andconsideration. We love you and thank God for allthat you mean to the cause of his Kingdom.

Sincerely yours and His,

PRESIDENT’S EDITORIAL

R. Philip RobertsPresident

Lay up for yourselftreasures in heaven

MIDWESTERN NEWS

During his annual President’s Report, R. Philip Robertsupdated messengers on the progress of MidwesternBaptist Theological Seminary’s chapel construction

project, unveiled the new fully-accredited online master’s degreeprogram, provided insight into the school’s FUSION programand shared about plans for the C.H. Spurgeon collection in theschool’s library.

The seminary is in the midst of building a 40,000 square-foot chapel complex on its Kansas City, Mo., campus that willenhance learning opportunities for students, create room forlarger events and ultimately free room to consolidate andupgrade the present library.

Roberts said the endeavor is being largely completed withvolunteer labor. “This project is largely driven by volunteer help.We’re so delighted to have the assistance of Builders for Christ inBirmingham, Ala. They are involving, enlisting and bringing tous, at their expense, over 1,500 workers for the cause of

building this chapel during the course of this summer,” Robertssaid.

The seminary president added that this summer thevolunteers will freely invest over 70,000 work hours equating toaround $2 million in labor costs toward the project.

Roberts shared a story about an added benefit theconstruction project has afforded Midwestern’s people. Asconstruction has progressed, he met a worker from the generalcontractor, J.E. Dunn. Darwin Gardner, a Lull driver, said thatafter spending time with the volunteers he noticed a differencebetween working with them and regular constructionprofessionals. Roberts expressed to Gardner that the differencewas their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He shared theGospel with Gardner, and two days later Gardner accepted JesusChrist as his Lord and Savior.

“This process isn’t about building buildings. It’s aboutinvesting in lives and making a difference for the cause of the

Gospel,” Roberts said.Another major development taking place at

Midwestern Baptist College, SBC, according toRoberts, is the addition of a new online master’sdegree the seminary launched on July 1 called theMaster of Arts in Theological Studies.

The online program consists of the core coursesnecessary to rececive a Master’s of Divinity and takes45 credit hours to attain. Classes are available everyeight weeks, and if a student chooses to take onecourse each term, the degree could be earned in justover two years.

“If you’re interested in, need and want thisassistance anywhere in the world, you can studywith us at Midwestern,” Roberts said. He addedthat people can roll the hours taken for MATS into aM.Div. at a later time if desired.

Roberts said the MATS online program is a firstfor Southern Baptist seminaries, and the courseworkis fully accredited by the North Central Associationof the Higher Learning Commission and has beensigned off and approved by the Association ofTheological Schools.

The MBTS president continued his report byspeaking about the school’s FUSION program. Hedescribed the opportunity afforded to incomingcollege freshmen as a time of training in evangelismand disaster relief, which gives them a semester ofcredit hours for theological studies as they launchinto God’s call in their life.

He said that in the FUSION trainees’ secondsemester, they deploy overseas to places like Sudan,Haiti, Peru, Kosovo and India to be witnesses for

Roberts delivers Midwestern Seminary’sPresident’s Report at SBC

by T. Patrick Hudson


Dr. Phil Roberts delivers anupdate on the Seminary’s chapelconstruction project during hisPresident’s Report to messengersat the 2010 Southern BaptistConvention with LawrenceCorley (right), leader of thevolunteer group Builders forChrist, standing by.

story continued on page 5Photo by Brian Koonce

Midwestern Baptist Theological President R. PhilipRoberts believes there are clear answers to thechallenges to the Christian faith, but unless those

responses are communicated, they serve little purpose at all. As the newly elected president of the International Society

for Christian Apologetics (ISCA), Roberts believes apologetics ismore important than ever in the life of the church, “particularlyin an era of pluralism, syncretism and relativism.”

Although he grew up in Southern Baptist churches, Robertsdoesn’t recall ever hearing the word apologetics or knowinganything about it until he went to college. “In today’s world wecannot allow that to happen. It’s important to raise the level ofunderstanding and challenge the academy and the church aliketo do our fair share of work in making sure questions areanswered and people are affirmed in their faith,” he said.

Founded in 2006, ISCA brings together conservativeChristian scholars from a variety of fields engaged in the task ofapologetics. Their bylaws state the society’s purpose “to fosterscholarly discussion of ideas among evangelical scholars relevantto the defense of the historic Christian faith” in accordance withtheir doctrinal statement.

Roberts described the founders of the society as people whoare known for their commitment to Scripture. “These are menwho, above everything else, understand that without ourChristian faith, all we’d be doing is building a house on afoundation of sand,” he said.

“There is no question that in terms of primary issues, theInternational Society of Christian Apologetics is right where itneeds to be,” Roberts said. “We’re not involved in matters ofecclesiology or some of the more refined points of Christianthinking, particularly views of eschatology, but when it comes tocore doctrines of faith, such as the reliability of Scripture,” hesaid, “ICSA is solidly rooted.”

Norm Geisler served as founding president of ISCA. Thelongtime ethics professor of Dallas Theological Seminarycurrently serves as distinguished professor of apologetics atVeritas Evangelical Seminary in Murrieta, Calif.

Roberts said Southern Baptist seminaries have played animportant role in the development of the organization. The 2010meeting held at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in

Fort Worth addressed the meaning and implications of creationand next year’s conference, set for April 29-30 at SoutheasternBaptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., will feature adiscussion on the problem of evil. Southern Baptists often speakat the conferences and contribute to ISCA journal articles.

Papers presented at previous conferences are posted onlineat www.isca-apologetics.org and often address differences ofother religions and cults, including Hinduism, Judaism, Islam,Mormonism and Wicca, issues involving evolution, atheism,biomedical ethics, and many of the heresies that arise inChristian circles.

Full membership requires a minimum of a Master of Artsdegree in a field related to apologetics, with student membershipsavailable at a reduced cost. However, subscriptions to the annualpeer-reviewed journal are available to anyone interested in a widevariety of apologetically relevant fields, including philosophy,ethics, theology, biblical studies, history, and missions.

Prior to coming to Midwestern Seminary in 2001, Robertsspent seven years at the North American Mission Board of theSouthern Baptist Convention. Part of that time he directed theInterfaith Evangelism Department. Throughout his ministry, hehas encouraged seminary students to understand the perspectiveof other religious groups in order to witness more effectively.

“I think it’s up to every church, every pastor to equipbelievers to understand the faith and to evangelize in anintelligent fashion,” he insisted. “There’s a world of material outthere from Christian publishers like Broadman & Holman tomany resource ministries.” Borrowing an expression fromenvironmentalists, Roberts said, “Think globally and act locally,”to stress the need to understand the world in which we live andthe responsibility to witness to those around us.

Roberts received his Ph.D. from the Free University ofAmsterdam, conducted post-graduate research at OxfordUniversity, received his M.Div. from Southern BaptistTheological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and his B.A. fromGeorgetown College in Georgetown, Ky. He is the author ofseveral books, including Mormonism Unmasked and TheCounterfeit Gospel of Mormonism, as well as having served asexecutive director of the “Mormonism Unmasked” and “TheCross and the Crescent” interfaith videos. MW

Roberts promotes importance of Christianapologetics in serving as ISCA president


MIDWESTERN NEWSby Tammi Ledbetter

Jesus Christ. Roberts added that, while overseas, these studentsserve with IMB missionaries in fields such as teaching, disasterrelief and other ministry areas.

“Pray for these students, and if you have high school seniorsgetting ready to graduate, think about FUSION for them,” Robertssaid. “We want them to come back with missionary DNA instilledin their lives, hearts and minds for the cause of Christ.”

The annual report wrapped up with discussion of the

6,500-volume C.H. Spurgeon collection housed at the MBTSlibrary. Roberts noted that once the new chapel was completed,there are plans to convert the existing chapel into expandedlibrary space.

“One of the areas for expansion is to provide housing and areconstructed library for Spurgeon’s personal collection. Wehave the privilege of using this resource as a historical archiveand as an inspiration for students in years ahead to live a lifelike Spurgeon lived and to be the kind of person that he was forthe cause of Christ and the cause of the Gospel.” MW

story continued from page 4

An overview of the chapel construction project by thedirector of Builders for Christ and the presenting of theAlumni of the Year awards highlighted the Midwestern

Seminary Alumni Luncheon on June 16. Lawrence Corley, the leader of BFC since 1982, provided

insight to attendees about the volunteer construction projecttaking place throughout the summer at MBTS. He explainedthat the partnership between Midwestern and BFC began theprevious year, while the volunteer group was working on aproject in Eudora, Kan. Since then, the group decided to takeon the Midwestern chapel project, held planning meetings, andbegan construction on May 26.

Corley also expounded upon a proposed library expansiononce the new chapel was in use. “We have a vision of whatwould happen once the chapel ‘tenant’ would vacate the spacethat it’s occupied since the early ‘60s that was supposed to havebeen the library,” Corley said. “The current library is justpacked. There are even boxes of books that can’t be unpacked.Part of the Spurgeon collection is in the basement of the Koehn-Myers Center. So, with this proposed concept, the currentchapel would become the library as its original destiny wasintended.”

Corley added that another benefit of the expansion is thatthe Spurgeon collection would be properly displayed and moreavailable for research use.

R. Philip Roberts, MBTS president, expressed his

appreciation for the sacrifice BFC volunteers have made duringthe construction process.

“What a fabulous ministry this is with the teams of laypeople – builders, contractors, professional or nonprofessionalpeople – who say, ‘we want to give of our time every year tobuild churches for the cause of the Gospel,’” Roberts said. “Theydon’t just go and build a church anywhere. They’ll go and buildthem in the parts of our nation where the needs are the greatestin the terms of a Gospel witness – where the lostness is mostprevalent. They’ll go to churches in the situations that they feelare making an impact for the cause of the Gospel that needthose facilities to reach more people for Jesus Christ.”

Following the presentation, three people were namedAlumni of the Year. Don Combs, an International Mission Boardmissionary to Central Asia, received his award via cell phone.Combs was honorably protrayed as, “leading a group ofdedicated, hard-working and deeply committed colleagues whoare seeking to reach people who live in five countries of CentralAsia with the Gospel message.”

Lora Jones, Christian Education Director at First BaptistChurch in Liberal, Kan., and a leader of “Peace HouseMinistries,” endured the loss of her family in a 2004 automobileaccident. In the wake of the tragedy, she was assured of God’sstrength, presence and healing. She was described as “sharingthe message of hope from a living God to those in the midst offear, tragedy and loneliness.”

MIDWESTERN NEWS

Midwestern Alumni of the Year, chapelupdate highlight SBC Alumni Luncheon



Dr. Jim AkinsAlumnus of the Year

Wendell HudsonHonorary Alumnus of

the Year

Don CombsAlumnus of the Year


Dr. Jim Akins, former pastor and strategycoordinator for the North American MissionBoard, was honored posthumously. Accepting theaward on his behalf was his widow, Penny. Inbeing honored, Akins was noted for his 47 yearsof serving the Lord. Even as his life was endingdue to cancer, he and Penny “ministered to fellowcancer patients and medical personnel.”

Three key supporters of Midwestern whohave sought to share the message of Christ increative ways were named Honorary Alumni ofthe Year. Dr. Johnny Hunt, outgoing SouthernBaptist Convention president and senior pastor ofFBC Woodstock, Ga., was honored for his“exceptional leadership” in support of Midwesternas leader of the SBC, for his ministry at FBCWoodstock and for “what he has done for theKingdom of the Lord.”

Wayne Lee, a real estate developer and co-founder of several banks in the Dallas-Fort Wortharea, received the honor for his efforts as a MBTSTrustee, a Board of Regents member, and aBuilding for the Future! Capital CampaignCouncil member. In the certificate, it was notedthat “he has been involved with and supportive ofthe mission of Midwestern” in a great way.

Wendell Hudson, a businessman in the woodproducts industry from Purvis, Miss., waspresented the award in absentia for his service onthe MBTS Board of Trustees, the Board of Regentsand for “sacrificially serving and supporting theseminary.” MW

T. Patrick Hudson is the Director ofCommunications at MBTS.

MIDWESTERN NEWS

Top: Johnny and Janet Hunt receive the Honorary Alumni of theYear award.Middle: Laura Jones is honored as Alumni of the Year.Bottom: Wayne and Berna Dean Lee accept the HonoraryAlumni of the Year award at the Alumni Luncheon.Left: Penny Akins, Dr. Jim Akins’ widow, receives the Alumni ofthe Year award on behalf of her late husband.


After years of prayer, planning and behind-the-sceneseffort, enrollment numbers for the Korean Doctor ofMinistry program at Midwestern surpassed

expectations during its debut semester. “The Korean program,in just six months, has grown from zero to almost 125students,” said Dr. Rodney Harrison, director of doctoral studiesat Midwestern. “I would call it the overnight success that wasfour years in the making.”

Though the budding program swelled Midwestern’s overalldoctoral enrollment in a matter of months, its germinationbegan four years ago with a phone call from a Ph.D. student inChicago.

At the time, the student, Rock Choi, was ministering toKorean immigrant communities across the Midwest. Hepinpointed what he described as “dysfunctional” characteristicsin Christian Korean-American families and was searching forthe proper prescription.

“They work hard—like 60 to 70 hours weekly,” Choiexplained. “When they do that, the children are left behindwithout proper care… Sometimes they misunderstand (Christ’swords) and think, ‘We are taking our crosses.’” Choi haddreamed about developing a doctor of ministry program basedon a “medical model” that produces “church doctors” who candiagnose and treat these issues within Korean immigrantchurches. But in 2006, Choi’s training in counseling was haltedby the sudden death of his academic advisor.

With a heart still burning for Korean immigrant churches,Choi contacted Harrison regarding the increasing need for aKorean language Doctor of Ministry program. Harrison, in turn,convinced Choi to finish his education at Midwestern.

This past May, a week after finishing his degree, Dr. RockChoi became the director of Korean doctoral studies atMidwestern. Together, Choi and Harrison cast the preexistingD.Min. curriculum at Midwestern into a mold that would meetthe needs of Korean ministers and their communities.

“Today, in just six months from its launch—but four yearsfrom its initial planning—Dr. Choi has put together what isnow the largest Korean doctoral program in Southern Baptistlife,” Harrison said. “It’s really a miracle.”

Doctoral enrollment at MBTS rose from last year’s figure ofabout 180 to roughly 325 students since the establishment ofthe Korean tract. Koreans seeking a D.Min. degree travel toMidwestern from just about everywhere: Los Angeles, NewYork, Washington, D.C., Chicago, France, Ukraine and, ofcourse, South Korea.

For many other Korean programs in the U.S., however,enrollment numbers continue to taper. “While other schools aredropping their Korean programs because of low enrollment,”Harrison said, “Midwestern has developed a program thatresponds to the needs of the pastors and of those in theministry, and if it’s not a program of relevancy that is affordableand accessible, then it’s going to be hard to attract muchinterest.”

So why is Midwestern’s Korean D.Min. program flourishingwhile others wilt? Flexibility and commitment, according toChoi. Rather than using set extension sites, the professorscongregate in the locale of ministry, using different facilities foreach session. “We have a system where pastors can come to theseminary for two classes out of a total of six, and they cancomplete the rest of their studies through a combination of

Miracle Growth

by Austin Mayfield

Midwestern’s new KoreanD.Min. program flourishes

directed study courses and “occasional courses” offered in theirlocal areas,” Choi said. “The faculty go to the gateway cities toteach, so pastors minimally interrupt their ministries.” In thisway, Choi and Harrison tailor the program to the students, butthe academic rigor remains uncompromised.

The program also flexes for the students’ dissertations—asource of great anxiety for Korean pastors. Ministers of Koreanimmigrant communities often provide social services such asemployment scouting, hospital visits and legal translations.These tasks complicate the already daunting undertaking ofwriting a dissertation.

“The graduation rate is about 10- to 20-percent for mostKorean doctoral students,” Choi lamented. “At the end, on thedissertation, it’s like a monster for them.” When they comehome to so many needs, Choi explained, a lot of Koreandoctoral students forego completing their dissertations. For thisreason, Choi has faculty members tutor students on anindividual basis, enabling them to tackle their dissertationssegment-by-segment. Choi and Harrison are grateful for theeffort put forth by the whole department, affirming theprogram’s dependence on the heartfelt commitment of theirfaculty and staff.

The language of the dissertations contributes to retentionrates as well. The majority of institutions offering similarKorean language degrees require dissertations to be written inEnglish, and their retention rates show it, according toHarrison. Consequently, he and Choi designed Midwestern’sKorean D.Min. dissertations to be written in Korean with anEnglish abstract. The policy allows students to write in theirfirst language, empowering them to communicate their findingsto their communities. “Oftentimes the Korean church has beenlimited to material that has been translated,” Harrison said. “Wewant to have students who make contributions that are able tobe researched, read and studied by their peers and by theircongregations.”

Harrison and Choi both look forward to the program’s

continued growth. Acknowledging the phenomenalChristianization of Asian countries in recent decades, bothprofessors affirm the magnitude of developing a program thatequips the leaders of those communities. “Many believe thebaton of missions has been passed to the Asian church,”Harrison said. “How are we responding to that change? This isone of the ways.”

For more information on the Korean D.Min. program atMidwestern, visit www.mbts.edu or call 1-800-944-MBTS(6287). MW


Above, Dr. Rock Choi (left) instructs Charles Kim, a KoreanD.Min. student. Below, students of the Korean D.Min. programparticipate in discussion groups on campus at MBTS.

FEATURE STORY

In late 2009, John Humphrey was searching and praying for adirection from the Lord. He had retired from a career in theconstruction industry in 2005 and enjoyed the subsequent

years by spending time with his family, golfing, and working onhousehold and church-related projects. Humphrey said that hestill felt a bit unsettled about where he was in life.

“I needed to be working and doing something productive,”Humphrey said. “I knew I would’ve liked to be doing some sort ofservice, and at the time I didn’t feel like I was doing much. Whenyou pray for the Lord to give you something to do, though, youbetter be careful because He may fill your cup to overflowing!”

In saying this, the former construction superintendent wasreferring to a phone call he received from MBTS President Dr. PhilRoberts and the ensuing five-month journey of working in aunique volunteer position on the chapel construction project.

“I knew John when we attended First Baptist Church,Woodstock, back in the 1990s,” Roberts said. “With hisbackground in construction and his willingness to come and helpus, the expertise John has brought to the chapel constructionprocess has been invaluable.”

In the scheme of the project, Humphrey has served as thevolunteer coordinator, the site representative between MBTS andgeneral contractor, J.E. Dunn Construction, and the key point ofcontact with the architect.

“From my past experience in construction, there’s no suchthing as a description of what I’ve been doing here,” Humphreysaid. “As far as I know, there’s never been anyone working avolunteer job on this kind of scale in conjunction with a really bigunion contractor like we’ve had here. The Lord has really shownus the way and guided us through this process. We’ve hadexcellent working relationships with all the workmen on the job.”The fact that Humphrey had worked his last eight years in Georgiafor a subsidiary company of J.E. Dunn contributes to much of thesuccess in the relationship between the volunteers and generalcontractor.

Humphrey’s other responsibilities throughout the course of theproject have included seeking solutions to the daily problems and“surprises” that popped up on a job of this magnitude, gettingmaterials that the volunteers needed to keep things runningsmoothly, and coordinating with incoming groups of constructionmissionaries to ensure that their skills would be most efficientlyemployed on the site.

“John has been integral in keeping things flowing smoothlythroughout the project,” Roberts noted. “His problem-solvingskills have helped significantly, and his ability to interact with a

variety of people in a kind, but business-like manner has kept theproject moving in the right direction. It’s amazing to see what theLord has accomplished through our volunteers in just over fivemonths.”

Humphrey mentioned that the best part about being involvedin the project is the great people he’s worked with so far. “Mygreatest blessing in having worked in this position is the differentpeople I’ve met,” he said. “Working with the people here at theseminary, who are wonderful, God-fearing, Christian people, andwith all the volunteers, I’ve made hundreds of new friends. I’vebeen absolutely blessed by all the great folks who have comethrough here to work.”

The site representative volunteer said that despite somesetbacks, which are natural to any large building project, overallthe construction of the chapel is in a great spot. With a bit moreroof work and door framing, the building will be “dried in.”Humphrey also said that the stone work on the exterior is comingalong well and is beautifully done. The interior framing is nearingcompletion, and the drywall work has begun. He added that theheating system will be running by late October.

“We cannot begin to voice how grateful we are to the Lord forall the wonderful people He’s sent our way to assist with the newchapel complex,” Roberts said. “Their personal sacrifice in time,labor and finances has been instrumental in getting us to thispoint. I must note, however, that we’ve not yet accomplished ourmission. As we head into the home stretch, we still needvolunteers to help – both skilled and unskilled – for any amount oftime they can sacrifice.”

The MBTS President added that the Seminary needs furtherfinancial support to help meet the goal of completing the projectdebt-free. He asked for prayerful consideration of how individualsor churches might become involved by supporting this God-calledmission. MW


Volunteer dedicateshis summer to uniquechapel constructionposition

Volunteer dedicateshis summer to uniquechapel constructionposition

CHAPEL UPDATE

by T. Patrick Hudson John Humphrey, left,discusses a plumbingissue on the chapelconstruction projectwith Carl Bachner, aJ.E. Dunn plumber.


May 25 May 29 June 1

June 1 June 7 June 8

June 9 June 11 June 11

June 24 June 24 July 9

CHAPEL CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS

To financially support this or other MBTS projects, contact the IA office at (816) 414-3720.

July 19 Aug. 17 Aug. 26

Aug. 31 Sept. 1 Sept. 17

Sept. 23 Sept. 30 Oct. 4

Oct. 4 Oct. 5 Oct. 15

CHAPEL C

ONSTRUCTION PROGRESS

Fall 2010 The Midwestern 13To financially support this or other MBTS projects, contact the IA office at (816) 414-3720.

Students, faculty and staff at Midwestern Baptist Seminarygathered Wednesday, Sept. 1, to hear from the SouthernBaptist Convention’s newly elected president, Bryant

Wright. On his first stop at a Southern Baptist seminary aspresident, Wright delivered a chapel message on the gloriousresurrection of Christ and the joy that should consequently fillthe Christian life. Afterward, Wright made it a priority to hold acasual Q&A forum and address his hopes for the SBC.

The Georgia native has been the senior pastor at JohnsonFerry Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., since 1981, and Wrightsaid that to his surprise, he was elected SBC president in June.“This was not something on my radar,” Wright said as heexplained the two months he and his wife spent praying over thenomination. As he prepared for the chance to be elected, Wrightsaid he asked God what He would have him do in the position.

“For some reason God, in His sovereignty, has brought thisabout … What He’s put on my heart is the greatest need in all ofour lives, our churches and our convention… to return to thatfirst love of Jesus Christ,” Wright said. The pastor expounded onthat thought by noting how Christians have allowed worldlydistractions to cause them to lose sight of the importance oftheir relationships with Christ. “We need a radical re-prioritization of the Great Commission in our lives, in ourchurches and in our convention,” he said.

As Wright opened the floor to questions, he revisited hisdefinition of “radical re-prioritization” to audience members,who wanted a clear sense of the president’s vision for SBCorganizations such as the Cooperative Program. In regards totheological education, Wright expressed his disapproval of thebulk of CP funds staying in the states because then the funds

aren’t released to seminaries. “The seminaries are where theleadership of the global mission that God’s given the church istaking place. I think it’s a huge shortcoming that we have now.”

Another concern voiced about the CP stemmed fromWright’s testimony about his church shifting five-percent of theirCP funds to the international mission field. The SBC Presidentexplained that his church recognized that even with over 3,000churches statewide, not many funds were actually reachingmissionaries overseas. He also said part of the re-prioritizationneeds to be in the methodologies used by the CP to spread theGospel.

“We’re dealing with a culture now where partnerships andpersonalization in missions is absolutely crucial because peopleget passionate when they can see a face out there on the missionfield,” Wright explained. “If the Cooperative Program is going tocontinue to be the effective tool of Southern Baptists, there reallyneeds to be a radical re-prioritization of the funding so peopleare genuinely excited about giving.”

Given the current election year, one audience member askedif Christians should expend their time and energy to be involvedin the Democratic process. Wright responded by saying, “We arecalled to be citizens of two kingdoms, and we’re citizens of theKingdom of God first. We have responsibilities as citizens to beinvolved in the voting process and the campaign process.” Hewent on to caution those who overwhelm themselves in politicalnews and battles, reminding them that there is only oneeverlasting Kingdom.

Wright also gave examples of the direction he would like tosee churches expand their influence. One of his goals is to seeevery church go on at least one mission trip. This would give

church members the opportunity toserve and would also teach them toshare their faith. He also encouragesevery pastor of a Southern Baptistchurch to pray for the largestcollection of a Lottie Moon offering intheir church’s history. To keep pastorsupdated and encouraged during thiseffort, Wright points them topray4sbc.com, which offers dailydevotionals and motivational videos.

In closing, the Johnson Ferrysenior pastor expressed hisexcitement about the local churches’involvement in their communitiesand the surprising number of youngpeople who are passionately investingin the SBC. Wright ended the hour ofconversation with a prayer request forhis two-year term ahead. “Pray for meto stay close to the Lord and to mywife,” he said. MW

SBC president shares vision,answers questions at MBTS forum

FEATURE STORYby Katie Brosseau


Bryant Wright, the newly elected SBC president,brings the chapel message at MBTS on Sept. 1.Following the service, Wright held an hour-longQ & A session to share his vision for the SBC.


In July, Midwestern Baptist College, SBC, offered “Intro toApologetics,” the pilot course of its 100-percent onlineMaster of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS) degree

program. The first full term for the program launched in August.According to Dr. Rodney Harrison, dean of Online Studies,

the MATS degree program was designed to make graduate-leveleducation more attainable for vocational ministers and otherswho already serve the church. The program was alsoestablished in consideration of those who, for logistical reasons,don’t have access to the main seminary campus.

After taking the summer apologetics course, students voicedtheir reactions to the online experience.

Autumn Wall, a missionary and a MATS student, has servedoverseas in recent years and is currently serving in Indiana. “Ialways wanted to go to seminary, but moving to a campus hasproved to be impossible for me!” Wall said. “When I heardabout the online program at Midwestern, I couldn’t have beenmore excited to get to further my education from where I amcurrently serving.”

Wall said that she has enjoyed every minute of her classesso far, noting the convenience that an online education offersthose who are already involved in ministry. “My husband is nowlooking into the program, and others like it, since he has seenme enjoy it so much,” Wall said. “This program is a great way tofurther your education while not having to take time off of your

ministry or move your family to another city.”Malachi O’Brien, teacher of a Wednesday-night collegiate

class at Lenexa Baptist in Kansas, signed up for the onlineapologetics course because he lived too far away from the city tomake the daily commute to Midwestern.

He appreciates the flexibility that online education affords.“It allowed me to fit the class around my daily life and not mydaily life around the class,” O’Brien said. “Having the option towork on my assignments and quizzes any hour of the day wasnice.”

O’Brien also noted that the course wasted little time, delvinginto substantial studies from its outset. “I felt like we cut to thechase and dove into the heart of the material,” he said. “Iimmediately found myself using some of the apologeticalarguments I was learning in my daily evangelistic endeavors.”

At this point in the semester, the first two of the seven-weekonline terms have transpired with positive results. Enrollmentnumbers have exceeded expectations, and the MATS team isbusy working with students and faculty to further enhance theprogram’s effectiveness. New terms start Jan. 10, 2011, March 7,2011, and May 9, 2011. Students may enroll at any time eitheronline or through the MBTS Registrar’s Office.

Courses are offered at a flat rate of $250 per credit hour.Students interested in applying to the program can go towww.mbts.edu. For more information, e-mail [email protected]. MW

MIDWESTERN NEWSby Austin Mayfield

MATS on the mapStudents voice their reactions to Midwestern’s online degree program

Every year during the first full week of August, a tiny townin the Black Hills of South Dakota hosts more than700,000 motorcycle enthusiasts at the Sturgis Motorcycle

Rally. People from all walks of life ride or transport their “bikes”into the Hills for a week of rowdiness.

However, what some folks see as a week of wild partying,others view as an anointed opportunity to share the Good News ofJesus Christ. Since 2006, The Dakota Baptist Convention and theNorth American Mission Board have sponsored an evangelismbooth on Main Street at the Sturgis Rally to “share the Gospel withanyone who will listen.” One of the workers was MidwesternProfessor Dr. Rodney Harrison.

Around the same time, F.A.I.T.H. Riders, a Southern Baptistmotorcycle ministry started in 2002 by the First Baptist Church atthe Mall, Lakeland, Fla., was establishing chapters nationally.Harrison, with the encouragement of Dr. Phil Roberts, MBTSpresident, helped Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminaryestablish a F.A.I.T.H. Riders chapter for students and staff.Harrison has taken teams up to the Rally since 2008.

“I’ve always enjoyed motorcycles and grew up riding them,”

said Harrison, who is also a founding member of the localF.A.I.T.H. Riders group. “It’s one thing to ride a motorcycle,however, and another to make it meaningful. Motorcycles aregreat magnets for conversation, and they can also be a great wayfor unbelievers to see that Christianity can be interesting and fun.”

This past August, the Midwestern F.A.I.T.H. Riders joined 140volunteers from around the U.S., churches in South Dakota, andthe staffs of LifeWay, the North American Mission Board and theDakota Baptist Convention to man an evangelism tent at theSturgis Motorcycle Rally. The draw for attendees to visit thetent was a ticket that read, “Win a Harley. Three minutesof your time for a chance to WIN a Harley!”

“The three minutes of their time was forus to share our Three-Minute Story,”Harrison said. “This is an evangelismtool where our goal is to sharethe Gospel twice and ourtestimony in threeminutes or less.What’s exciting




FEATURE STORY

about using this format is that you can share the Gospel in anyenvironment. We use our testimony as a vehicle to share theGospel. The focus then becomes the Gospel, not our story.”

Of the 14 people on the trip, five were Midwestern students.Greg and Carla Ballowe were among them and told of theincredible work being done by the Lord through this ministry.Greg shared of a witnessing experience with a stereotypical,hardened biker who visited the tent to sign-up for a chance at thefree bike.

“As I was giving him my story, I didn’t really know what hisreaction would be,” Greg said. “He had his arms folded, and Icouldn’t see his eyes for the sunglasses. As I offered an invitationto say the ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ with me, a tear came out fromunderneath his glasses. He went along and said the ‘Sinner’sPrayer’ with me. This was just one of many times that peoplehave come to Christ and shown that it was a drastic change forthem.”

Carla shared that the evangelism tent wasn’t there just toshare with unbelievers but to encourage believers who had fallenaway from the Lord to turn back toward Him. “A lot of the peopleI witnessed to had similar stories to mine,” she said. “God hadsuch a way of bringing people into the tent and putting them inmy path so I could specifically have a connection and witnessingtime with them.” She also mentioned the great need for womenvolunteers to assist at these events because there is “an amazingnumber of women we can share with at Sturgis.”

According to Harrison, the Midwestern team worked40 hours in four days at the Rally, and in all the Gospel wasshared 7,231 times with 1,123 people accepting Christ asLord and Savior. As a side note, he said, for the first time thewinner of the Harley was one who had prayed to receiveChrist earlier in the week.

With all these decisions for Christ, follow-up with thenew believers was conducted using two methods. “In the past,we’ve used the Evangelism Response Center, which helps putpeople in touch with local churches to encourage and disciplethe person,” Harrison said. “In addition to the ERC, everyperson who worked the booth was given a number. When a

person marked on a response card that they had accepted Christ,the volunteer who shared with them put their number on theresponse card. So, the very first person to contact the new believeris the one who led them to the Lord. They are then put in touchwith a local church body.” As a result of the Rally events, Gregmade 72 calls, Carla made five calls, and Harrison made six calls.

Harrison said that often people will ask if decisions in suchenvironments are real. “This year a guy came up to me in thebooth wanting to share his Three-Minute Story with me,” he said.“The man said, ‘Four years ago I was a drunk, high on drugs,didn’t have a job and came to this booth because I needed a newmotorcycle. Instead, I got a new life when I gave my heart toJesus. I don’t drink, smoke or do drugs today.’”

The man went on to say his family life had changed as well.The man’s son was there with him, and because of his father’stestimony, Harrison led the young man to Christ on the spot. “Weare seeing generations of believers coming out of this ministry, andthat’s exciting,” Harrison added.

MBTS offers this mission opportunity to Sturgis as a two-hourcourse for credit as well. Anyone interested in joining theMidwestern F.A.I.T.H. Riders on next year’s trip beginning on Aug.4, 2011, should contact Harrison [email protected]. MW

MBTS F.A.I.T.H. Riders membersshare their Three-Minute Story

with Sturgis MotorcycleRally attendees. In all,

1,123 people prayed toreceive Christ as a

result of theevangelism

efforts duringthe Rally.

Carla Ballowe, from MBTS, tries out the Harley thatwas given away at the booth during the Rally.

During a meeting at the Midwestern campus on Aug.16, Dr. David Tolliver, Executive Director of theMissouri Baptist Convention, presented Dr. Phil

Roberts, MBTS president, a generous gift to assist with theendowment of an academic chair.

The $200,000 contribution completed the funding of theMissouri Baptist Chair of Partnership Missions and is the firstcompletely endowed chair at MBTS.

“The generosity of the gift from the people of the MissouriBaptist Convention is a most welcome and fabulous contributionto Midwestern,” Roberts said. “It is very fitting that SouthernBaptists in Missouri provide the avenue to accomplish the firstendowed chair in MBTS history. I believe it shows a trueunderstanding of the direction MBTS is headed in providingBible and Christ-centered education.”

The MBC Executive Board voted July 13 to award the gift toMidwestern from their reserve funds and enabled the chair toexceed the $1 million needed for completion.

“I am absolutely thrilled with the decision of the MissouriBaptist Convention to vote this support for the Chair ofPartnership Missions,” Roberts said. “It is absolutely essentialthat we are strong cooperative partners together impacting theheartland of America as well as the world for the cause of Christ.My thanks and appreciation go to David Tolliver and all the

Executive Board for their willingness to help us in this strategicand important manner.”

According to MBTS leaders, endowed chairs enable anacademic institution to focus on a discipline of study inperpetuity. Using only the annual earned interest of the fund, thechair will support the salary and benefits of the professorcommitted to teach that academic subject.

In the case of the Chair of Partnership Missions, theendowment means that MBTS will be teaching the concept ofPartnership Missions until Jesus returns. The leaders added thatan additional benefit of endowed chairs is that monies whichwould have been spent from the general fund for the professor’ssalary can now be passed on as savings, which will keep tuitionlow for students and fund other needed programs of study. MW

by Staff

by Katie Brosseau

$200,000 giftcompletes academicchair at Midwestern


Dr. David Tolliver, (left) executive director of the MBC, presents acheck for $200,000 to MBTS President Dr. Phil Roberts. The giftcompleted the first academic chair at MBTS.

Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Director Dr.David Tolliver spoke at the MBTS chapel service onSept. 7. Tolliver, who has been in his current

position since February 2009, is a two-time graduate ofMidwestern Seminary and a former pastor of three Missourichurches.

Tolliver began the service by singing the familiar hymn“Onward Christian Soldiers.” As the audience joined in, curiousabout his seemingly spontaneous song choice, they soon learnedthat Tolliver was using the song as a reminder of a Christian’sduty in God’s army.

The executive director used his fond memories of bootcamp in the United States Army and Scripture from Judges 7 tooutline the standards for a Christian in God’s service. “If you’re aChristian, you’re in the army of God,” Tolliver said. “He (Jesus)has taken the place of Commander and Chief in your life, andlike it or not, you’re in the battle; you’re a soldier of the cross.”

The MBC leader said the Word of God is the source of dailytraining for those who make it a priority, but theological trainingcan also be found in seminaries like Midwestern. He assertedthat teachers are “essential to the health of individual Christians,

which are essential to the health of our churches.” Tolliver encouraged the audience to be obedient in the tasks

God gives them. “All of the equipment and training in the worldis useless unless you’re obedient to the task,” he added.

The former soldier went on to preach that Christian soldiersare disciplined and unified. During his time as the NuclearWeapons Assembly chief, he interviewed every candidate whowanted to serve in the NWA. He said that, although he fell inlove with the “Rambo” movie series, he would never hire a real-life Rambo for his NWA team. “Rambo was an amazing,incredible soldier…but he wasn’t a good soldier,” Tolliver said. “Ipromise you there would have been no place on my NuclearWeapons Assembly team for a Rambo, because there’s no placein a victorious army for a loner—not in America’s Army, not inGideon’s army, not in the Lord’s.”

Tolliver closed his message by reminding the audience thatGod’s army isn’t formed by a draft board; rather, it’s formed withvolunteers. Therefore, Christians must march together until theirservice in God’s army ends. “Fight the good fight of faith,” hesaid, in reference to 1 Timothy 6:10. “In other words, onwardChristian soldiers.” MW

MBC Director urges chapel audience to ‘fight the good fight’

MIDWESTERN NEWS

Sudanese Ambasador shares his country’sstruggles and petitions prayer

by Katie Brosseau


During MBTS chapel on Aug. 31, students, faculty andothers sat in on a rare opportunity to learn moreabout a foreign diplomat from the perspective of a

Christian worldview. Though it’s proper in political circles to refer to him as

“Excellency,” in more informal settings, Sudanese Ambassador,Dr. Akec Khoc, prefers simply “Brother Akec” (pronounced A-keesh). He has been an ambassador to the U.S. since 2008.

Brother Akec, a southern Sudanese physician-turned-ambassador, used the chapel service as an opportunity to sharesome of the harsh realities the southern Sudanese people face, aswell as some of their God-given victories. The ambassadorrelayed his testimony by describing the desperate livingconditions he witnessed among Sudanese refugees and prisonersof war during the 20-year civil war between the mostly Muslimnorth and the predominantly Christian south. Feeling he mustdo something, he gave his life to Christ in 1985 and now says,“I’m in the Lord, and the Lord is in me.”

Khoc shared in a Q&A forum moderated by MBTSPresident Dr. Phil Roberts, with Ken Welborn, the ExecutiveDirector of the Foreign Service Fellowship (formerly, ChristianMinistries to the United Nations). “The vision of the FSF is toestablish a strategic network of diplomatic fellowships aroundthe world, focused on the love, spirit and teachings of Jesus,”Welborn said.

Christian Ministries to the U.N. was started 38 years ago bySouthern Baptists, making it the oldest evangelical Christianorganization in the U.N. “The purpose of our ministry is to comealongside ambassadors and diplomats that come to the UnitedNations, build mutual friendships and reach them with theGospel of Christ,” Welborn said. “I tell people it’s the GreatCommission in reverse. We’ve been commanded by our Lord togo and make disciples of all nations. But, in the providence ofGod, He has brought all the nations of the world together underone umbrella…and He lets us meet them there.”

Roberts welcomed Ambassador Khoc and asked him to sharesome of the struggles Sudan has endured through the years. Khocspoke of the civil wars that have been ravaging the country sincethe 1980s due to the different religions. The Ambassador saidbecause the North is composed of Muslims and the South ispredominantly Christian, religious tensions are especially high.Mixing religious conflicts with the North’s desires for the South’soil-rich land creates an ongoing, volatile war.

However, Khoc said hope is on the horizon as a result of the2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). In January 2011,the 8 million people in Southern Sudan will have theopportunity to vote in a referendum whether to stay united withthe North or declare their independence. With conflictsurrounding either side of this decision, the Ambassadorpetitioned the prayers of the Midwestern audience. “Should theSouth choose with its heart to secede, or should it decide…toremain in unity and avoid conflict?” Khoc asked.

Due to the unknown outcomes of either withdrawal orunity, Khoc said the Southern Sudanese people have asked for“40 Days of Prayer and Fasting”—a time for the nation to cryout to the Lord for His Divine protection, direction anddeliverance. The prayer period is Dec. 1, 2010-Jan. 9, 2011,which ends on the date of the proposed referendum. In thepromise of 2 Chronicles 7:14, Khoc remains hopeful that theLord will answer the prayers of His people.

“They (South Sudanese leaders) cannot do everythingthrough politics,” he said. “They have prayed to God in the pastand their prayers have been answered. Pray for guidance to votefor what is good.”

Although Brother Akec has served as an ambassador fornearly five years, he still holds onto his physician’s license andholds degrees in medicine and surgery from Khartoum MedicalSchool, one of the largest universities in Sudan.

One event where he and Welborn interact is at the annualInternational Prayer Breakfast at the U.N. Welborn was also

excited to report the establishment of theannual African Union Heads of State PrayerBreakfast on the African continent, which hasbeen hosted for five consecutive years.

Welborn also added prayer requests forthe new FSF, which is planning to establishadditional offices in Washington, D.C.;Ottawa, Canada; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;Brussels, Belgium; and Singapore over thenext several years.

Roberts concluded the chapel service bypresenting The President’s Medallion to theAmbassador for his “significant work for thecause of Christ.” A humbled Khoc acceptedthe award, saying “I’ve not been honored inthis way before, and I don’t deserve it.Together in the Lord we’ll be strong.” MW

Dr. Akec Khoc, SudaneseAmbassador to the U.S.,discusses issues with MBTSstudents following the chapelservice on Aug. 31.

Don Hargis (M.Div. ‘82) has traveled allover the world assisting with disasterrelief, including places like Japan,Mexico, El Salvador, Indonesia, AmericanSamoa and Haiti. He has also workedwith disaster relief initiatives in morethan a dozen states. In addition, Hargistravels across California to train andequip others in disaster relief support. Hehas been honored for his training andparticipation in upwards of 50 disaster

recovery efforts over the past 18 years. In his current role, hisresponsibilities include disaster relief ministries, organizingmultiple camps and ministering to California Baptist men.

Don and his wife, Shirley, have been married for 35 years.Shirley taught English for several years and is now a literacyconsultant for the Fresno County Office of Education. Theirthree children, Daniella, Dustin and Shane, have provided themwith the blessing of nine grandchildren, with one on the way.

The Midwestern graduate has also completed work toward adoctor of ministry degree at Golden Gate Baptist TheologicalSeminary in Mill Valley, Calif.(excerpts from an article by Mackenzie Dilbeck, courtesy of JulieMcGowan, Oklahoma Baptist University)

Daniel Foreman (M.Div. ‘03) is an accountant for the IMB inthe office of overseas finance in Johannesburg, South Africa. Heand his wife, Allison, have three children: Lucas, Alexis andJoshua. The Foreman family has lived in Johannesburg for overa year. Prior to their one-year stint in South Africa, they lived inSenegal, West Africa.

The Foremans are in their second year of a three yearcommitment with the IMB as short term missionaries. Danieland Allison were previously on staff at the Maywood BaptistChurch in Independence, Mo.

Obituary

John Goodwin (M.Div. ‘71, D.Min. ‘74 ) died on Sept. 20 inBaton Rouge, La. He had served as pastor of the BroadmoorBaptist Church in Baton Rouge for just under 28 years. WhileJohn was a student at Midwestern, he and his wife, JohnnieFaye, had twin girls.

Please keep his daughter Jackie in your prayers as she ishaving treatment for cancer. In order for John to participate inhis daughter Jodie’s wedding, the date of the celebration wasmoved up and held in the hospice chapel where John was beingcared for by hospice staff. The memorial service was held in thechurch on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010.

ALUMNI NEWS

Keeping in Touch

Don Hargis

Let us hear from you! Send updated information on your family and current ministry [email protected], or go online to mbts.edu and click on Alumni and Friends, Keeping in Touch.


T he whole building is being fitted together inHim and is growing into a holy sanctuary inthe Lord, in whom you also are being built

together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:21(HCSB)

When the apostle Paul penned his prison epistleto the Ephesians, no doubt he had in his mind theamazing edifices that dotted the landscape atEphesus. One ancient monument in particular, theTemple of Diana (Artemis), was considered one ofthe Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Using aconstruction metaphor, Paul describes the church asGod’s household built upon the apostles andprophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as thecornerstone. Jesus is not the cornerstone at the baseof a building’s foundation – He is the capstone at thetop that holds everything together. This organicholy temple, the body of Christ, is growing togetherinto a holy sanctuary in the Lord as His Spirit dwellsin and among us. What a beautiful picture of God’swork in growing and inhabiting His church.

As I think about God’s work here atMidwestern, I am continually amazed at the way Heis building up this campus that is first and foremosta place that exists for His glory and a place wheremen and women, called of God, can receive thenecessary training to more effectively serve inministry assignments both here and around theworld. God has continued to bless our school witha record number of students enrolling for classes atMBTS. This increase, coupled with the many recentconstruction projects and renovations, has created asense of excitement and awe.

The campus is alive with enthusiasm! Everyday, students are scurrying from class to chapel andoff to their respective responsibilities. In the midstof all that’s taking place on a day-to-day basis, there’srising from the foundation a most magnificentchapel and classroom complex that is quickly takingshape. In March, we broke ground on our chapel

project, and Builders for Christ began in earnestraising the walls of this facility in May. Over 1,200volunteers have already contributed to this greatwork.

As you know, it is our goal to complete thischapel without incurring any indebtedness for ourinstitution. We have raised over 80-percent of thefunds needed to complete this project, but muchremains to be done to cover the cost. Through yourgenerous financial support and sacrificial service, weare making tremendous progress. It’s not too late tobe a part of this project. We are still needingvolunteers throughout the fall, and your gift at thistime would be such an encouragement. Now, weare asking all our alumni and friends to redoubletheir efforts. I know that this has been one of themost difficult financial times since the GreatDepression, but this economic strain has notdeterred God’s people from continuing to give. Iwish I could tell of the many ways God’s peoplehave sacrificed to give to our project. It is inspiringand should motivate each of us to find a way to giveeven more. Now is the time to send your gift! It iscritical to the success of our project.

Please continue to pray for our administration,faculty, staff and students. We have an incredibleopportunity to impact the world for Christ andadvance the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Thankyou for your partnership with us and for yourinvestment. Only eternity will reveal how yourgenerosity and sacrificial service has made adifference in the lives of so many people who willone day be a part of the enumerable hostworshipping around the throne of God.

In His Name,

Anthony W. AllenSenior Vice President

for InstitutionalAdvancement

(816) [email protected]

“


INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

To financially supportprojects at MBTS,

contact Anthony Allenvia the information

above.

Dr. John Lee

T his past August, Dr. John Lee became the newestmember of the Midwestern Baptist TheologicalSeminary faculty. Lee completed his doctoral

research at Edinburgh University in Scotland shortly beforearriving at Midwestern. In an interview with The Midwestern,Lee shared his first impressions of the seminary, his previousministry opportunities and his advice to aspiring Christianleaders and educators.

MW: You’re new to MBTS. What are your thoughts aboutthe Seminary so far?

JL: Midwestern has a really warm and friendly community,and I believe that’s a good reflection of Whom we serve.Moreover, I see a healthy balance between academics andministry. I’m privileged to serve at MBTS.

MW: You’re a Korean citizen and came to Kansas Cityfrom Scotland. How did that come about?

JL: Toward the end of my time in Scotland, I prayed andthought about the next step, and I reached a conclusion thatthe best place I could be is a SBC seminary. I contacted MBTSand was then asked to send my resume and references. Later,I was interviewed by Dr. Jerry Johnson and subsequently byDr. Phil Roberts. I guess my interviews went well!

MW: What’s your title at Midwestern, and what are yourresponsibilities?

JL: I’m an assistant professor of New Testament. I mainlyteach New Testament and Greek courses, but also someKorean D.Min. seminars.

MW: How have some of your past ministry opportunitiesprepared you for what you’re doing now at MBTS?

JL: My Sunday school teaching experiences and musictutoring experiences, both of which began during myfreshman year in college, gave me some foundation to becomea teacher, I think.

Moreover, my pastoral ministry in three Koreancongregations developed the sense that I am not only servingGod but also his people (cf. Mark 10:45); one important wayto serve God is to serve his people.

Finally, my teaching at King’s Evangelical Divinity School(England) provided me with some useful experiences that aredirectly relevant to my teaching at MBTS.

On an additional note, I don’t think teaching at aseminary or Bible college is essentially different from servingat a local church. When I meet with my students, I see themas students, of course, and also as friends in the Lord. At thesame time, however, I meet them as their “pastor” in a way.My ministry at MBTS is different from what a pastor wouldnormally do at a church. But, in regard to my heart to servemy brothers and sisters, there doesn’t seem to be anydifference.

MW: Congratulations on recently completing your Ph.D.What advice would you give to someone who’s consideringbecoming a Christian leader or educator?

JL: My answer would be two-fold: First, for thoseconsidering becoming Christian leaders, a servant’s heartseems to be a key (though there are other mandatoryqualities). I simply want to remind them of Mark 10:45, oneof my favorite Bible verses: “The Son of Man came not to beserved but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(ESV)

Second, for those considering becoming Christianeducators, usually this group of people is well-preparedacademically, and there’s no need to emphasize theimportance of academic excellence for them. I would ratherhighlight that teaching at a seminary or Bible college requiresexactly the same quality of passion for and dedication toChrist and his Church (that is, people) as serving as a pastorat a local church.

MW: Tell us about your family.

JL: I have a wonderful, angelic wife, Sunny, and a 5-year old,bright and considerate son, Joshua. Both Sunny and I wereraised in Christian homes. Thank God for that!

MW: What goals do you have for the future?

JL: My goals may appear a bit too general, but these arewhat I have in my heart: To know God more, to be faithful toHim more and to become a person useful to where I serve.Ultimately, my one goal is to become a follower of Christ whopleases God’s heart! MW

FACULTY PROFILE


As a teenager growing up in Platte City, Mo., Erik Odegarddidn’t give much thought to church matters, much lessto foreign missions. It wasn’t until his sophomore year in

high school, when he was invited to a church’s youth group andmet a new friend, that all of those thoughts began to change.

After he had accepted Christ as his Savior, his friend began totell him about a program at Midwestern Baptist College, SBC,called FUSION. At first, Odegard opted to try out for collegesoccer teams, where he desired to witness and minister throughthat opportunity.

Upon realizing the soccer idea was his and not God’s,Odegard prayed and felt God’s leading toward the FUSIONprogram. “The Lord told me, ‘You need to listen to Me,’” he said.“As I realized that I really didn’t know what I was doing, myfriend, Russell Savage, told me he would be directing FUSIONthat fall. He really wanted me to do FUSION.”

In fall 2008, Odegard enrolled in FUSION and endured theboot camp-like atmosphere. He said he entered the experiencequite prideful and soon learned a valuable lesson. “The groundschool experience in FUSION was difficult because it reallystripped me of my comfort and justice. I realized quickly that Idon’t deserve anything at all,” he said. “What I really deservedwas to be in hell. But through this time, the Lord began to teachme about His mercy and what justice really is.”

In FUSION, the students are broken down into groups calledcohorts – three-to-seven person teams that train, live, study, prayand eventually head into the mission field together during the

second semester. He said his cohort also teamed up with a localmulti-cultural church to gain valuable experience sharing theirfaith and pouring their lives into the homeless community.

“Through that experience, we truly learned what it means toshare the Gospel with ‘the least of these,’” he said. “We wouldfeed them sometimes, but mostly we wanted to just share the lovethat Christ has for them. We even got to struggle with themabout how they could pull themselves out of this situation.”

After finishing Phase 1, Odegard’s cohort headed tonortheastern India for their missions experience. Workingalongside missionaries there, he learned church-planting skills,shared his faith with the nationals and discipled young Christiansand those who accepted Christ. However, that wasn’t the end.

“Once we have a group of disciples is that the end goal?” heasked. “No, they need a church. It’s a natural thing to formdisciples into churches. It’s only natural they be together as acommunity of faith.”

Odegard was in India for three months before returning toMissouri. Upon returning, he still had the option of playingsoccer. Again, he rejected this idea as he felt led to go back to theFUSION program as an advocate. In this role, he went throughthe whole process again as a team leader.

He said he enjoyed seeing his group’s transformation in theirtime together. He described one young man who came intoFUSION as a “nominal” Christian – who could have been swayedeither way due to his environment. However, after the FUSIONexperience, the young man went home and started a community

Bible study group in his hometown.Odegard plans to finish his undergraduate

degree at MBC and currently works on theFUSION staff. Of his experience, he said,“FUSION is so important because people want togo to hard places, and they want to speak topeople who have never heard of Jesus. However,there’s a reason that those people have neverheard of Jesus. There’s a reason why there’s noone there among them. It’s hard to be there andlive among them. That’s why we train so hard atFUSION. It really prepared me well to not seekmy sense of comfort and justice while I wasamidst those people. Literally, I was there to doeverything for the sake of the Gospel.” MW



STUDENT PROFILE

FUSION provides student/leadervaluable missions experience

Erik Odegard and Nathan Smith, both formerMBC FUSION students, visit a Buddhist lamastatue site during their mission to India.

Erik Odegard worshipswith Nepali peoples innortheastern India.The FUSION studentassisted local “workers”in church planting anddiscipleship activitiesfrom January throughMay.

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The Midwestern - Fall 2010

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