Southwestern honors Kinney, Hemphills with Carroll, Scarborough awards

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary recognized Glen C. Kinney and Kenneth and Paula Hemphill as faithful partners of the institution, presenting them, respectively, with the B. H. Carroll and L. R. Scarborough awards on March 13 during the Founder’s Day Luncheon.

Following the Founder’s Day chapel, featuring a panel discussion about Southern Baptist cooperation, including the roles of Carroll and Scarborough, Southwestern hosted an awards luncheon for the honorees and their family and friends, as well as other donors, friends of the seminary, trustees, faculty, and staff.

Founder’s Day is held annually at the Fort Worth institution closest to the date of the seminary’s charter on March 14, 1908.

“How thankful we are for each one of you,” Southwestern President David S. Dockery said. “Across this room, you have made a contribution to Southwestern Seminary. Not just a financial contribution, you encouraged us, you prayed for us, even invested in us. You made a remarkable difference in this place, and because of you and people like you, Southwestern Seminary celebrates 117 years today on Founder’s Day. And we look forward with God’s enablement and blessings to celebrating future days ahead.”

The Carroll Award, which recognizes an honoree actively engaged in the life and ministry of the seminary who has given sacrificially to the seminary, was presented to Glen Kinney, who was born Oct. 15, 1937, in Childress, Texas. Kinney grew up Methodist, but because of the Spirit’s leading through a revivalist and Southwestern alumnus James Draper, he became a follower of Christ and was baptized in the late 1970s.

Glen Kinney is honored as the 2025 B. H. Carroll Award recipient.

Kinney learned of Southwestern through Draper, and he and his late wife Linda became partners with the seminary, saying he benefited from the mentorship of men such as Draper and Jack Terry that helped him grow spiritually.

Dockery expressed gratitude for Kinney’s loyalty to Southwestern.

“It’s made such a difference in so many ways over the years,” Dockery said. “Your generosity has been an amazing gift to Southwestern. We thank God for that and we thank God for you.”

Kinney has served at First Baptist Euless as a deacon and for decades has participated in a prison ministry. He has three children, 12 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Kenneth and Paula Hemphill received the Scarborough Award, which is given to honorees engaged in the seminary ministry who have given or directed significant gifts to the seminary.

“We give thanks for every aspect of the way Ken and Paula have contributed,” Dockery said. “Through their writings, through their service, through their friendship, through their work here at Southwestern, through other things they’ve done for the good of the Southern Baptists in this country and literally around the world.”

Kenneth and Paula Hemphill are honored as the 2025 L. R. Scarborough Award recipients.

During their 55 years of marriage, the Hemphills have been partners in ministry through Kenneth’s years as a pastor and leader, including serving as the seventh president of Southwestern Seminary (1994-2003).

“It was a high honor when God called us to Southwestern,” Paula said of when they received the invitation to come to Southwestern, adding it had always been her dream to attend seminary and serve in missions. Those years at Southwestern gave her that opportunity as she graduated with a Master of Arts in Missiology in 2003, and she later served with the International Mission Board.

“I’m thankful to be here at Southwestern and have the history of the seminary in my DNA,” Paula said.

Kenneth said he was honored by the call to serve as president at Southwestern, when he considered himself a pastor more than an academic. As president, he said he served alongside faculty that had built a legacy at the seminary, and today he continues to partner with the seminary and tell others about the institution’s mission of equipping students.

“I thank God that He’s, over the years, given to Southwestern people like you that have had heart for the legacy of this institution,” Kenneth said to the donors and friends of Southwestern at the luncheon. “Because it was one of the great privileges of our life to be Southwesterners.”

The two have authored multiple books together and individually. Currently Kenneth is the special assistant to the president and distinguished professor of Christian studies at North Greenville University, South Carolina. They have three daughters and 12 grandchildren.

Dockery said every partner of Southwestern is themself a gift to the seminary as they continue to equip students for their calling around the country and the world.

“The sun never sets on Southwestern Seminary,” Dockery said, quoting Southwestern’s fifth president, Robert E. Naylor. “And God is so good to us and has blessed us immensely in this wonderful heritage, and you all are a part of it. And we thank you for making such a difference in the life of this place.”