Southwestern recognizes distinguished alumni, celebrates God’s grace to school during SBC luncheon

More than 1,000 alumni and friends gathered at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Alumni and Friends Luncheon on June 11, held during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, recognizing the 2025 distinguished alumni and celebrating the grace of God shown to the institution over its 117-year history and specifically over the past 33 months.

“’The Lord has done great things for us, and it’s marvelous in our eyes,’” Chancellor O. S. Hawkins said, quoting Psalm 118:23 while speaking of the current culture at Southwestern. “We’re living in the middle literally of a miracle. … The state of the seminary is good, and it’s happy … and we’re thankful.”

President David S. Dockery expressed appreciation for those in attendance, the many who helped organize the luncheon, and for the musical performances provided by Southwestern A Cappella during the event.

“Your presence is so encouraging to each one of us,” Dockery said. “… We’re grateful to God for what He has done at Southwestern Seminary over the past 33 months.”

The Southwestern community surprised Dockery and his wife, Lanese, with a vase of flowers marking their 50^th wedding anniversary on June 14.

“We just want to honor you, love you, and thank you,” Hawkins said to the couple who have invested in Southwestern and many other institutions over the years.

Distinguished Alumni Awards

During the luncheon, Dockery recognized three recipients of the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards, who serve in various ministries.

“They come from different fields, different areas of service, different areas of influence” while representing the Southwestern tradition, Dockery said.

Ryan Lee

Ryan Lee received a Master of Divinity in 2012 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 2019 from Southwestern. He also holds degrees from Harvard University Divinity School, Columbia University, and Carleton College.

He is senior pastor of Semihan Church in Carrolton, Texas, one of the largest Korean American congregations in the United States, which has helped plant numerous churches in the United States and in Korea. Lee also currently serves as an adjunct faculty member at Dallas Baptist University (DBU) and Denver Seminary, and as a member of Southwestern’s Board of Reference.

Dockery said Lee’s church supports 40 current Southwestern students, while other dozens of students and alumni serve at Semihan Church.

“Ryan is a marvelous preacher, devoted pastor,” Dockery said. “His work is one characterized by global engagement, one of our core values, and we’re grateful for Dr Lee’s significant involvement in the life of Southwestern Seminary.”

Lee expressed gratitude to Dockery and other Southwestern faculty who had an impact on him such as Malcolm Yarnell, research professor of theology, saying theological education is important for planting churches.

“We need even more churches, more churches to plant successfully,” Lee said. “We need equipped pastors. And to train pastors, we need robust theological education. … That’s why we’re committed to making Southwestern stronger day by day, so that the body of Jesus Christ around the world grows together and stronger.”

Norma Hedin

Norma Hedin graduated from Southwestern with a Master of Arts in Religious Education in 1984 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1990. Upon graduating, she served as an assistant professor of foundations of education at Southwestern, becoming the associate dean of the Terry School of Educational Ministries.

In 2005, Hedin began teaching doctoral seminars at DBU when it began its PhD program, first as an adjunct before working full-time as vice president for executive affairs in 2016 and then as the provost starting in 2018.

“She is recognized as an outstanding leader of Christian higher education,” Dockery said, adding he has witnessed the current work she is accomplishing at DBU. “… The faculty members at the Terry School, almost to a person, point to Norma Hedin as a mentor, as a role model, and example of someone who invested in their lives. So, her work at Southwestern continues and is multiplied and magnified through our current faculty.”

Hedin reflected on her time as a student at Southwestern as one of hope and joyfully preparing for future ministry.

“This unexpected honor really caused me to reflect on those days at Southwestern and to think about all of those transformative experiences that we had, primarily because of the people who invested in us,” Hedin said, naming professors and later colleagues who impacted her. “… For me it was more transformative because of the wonderful students I had the privilege of walking alongside.”

“This honor is a tribute to our great God Who uses ordinary people,” Hedin said.

Steve Dighton

James “Steve” Dighton graduated from Southwestern in 1984 with an Associate of Divinity and with a Master of Arts in Religious Education in 1988 while pastoring a church in Oklahoma, studying under Southwestern professors who would travel to Oklahoma Baptist University each Monday.

He served as pastor at a second Oklahoma church before becoming the founding pastor of Lenexa Baptist Church in the Kansas City, Kansas, area in 1990, serving there for 26 years and seeing the church grow from less than 100 members, losing half the congregation after the first three years, to now about 6,000 members on different campuses.

Dighton served as president of the Kansas/Nebraska Convention, vice president of the SBC Pastors’ Conference, interim pastor for 10 congregations in the past 10 years, and currently remains the pastor emeritus of Lenexa Baptist Church.

“If you want to see … a pastor who has made a difference in the life of many, then look no further than Steve Dighton,” Dockery said, explaining he exemplifies the faithful, long-tenured, servant pastor Southwestern strives to send out. “And so, for that, we are grateful to God, for him, for his influence, for his ongoing love for Southwestern.”

Dighton said even before attending seminary, he learned under Hawkins, who was his pastor in Oklahoma in the 1970s. While that mentoring relationship continued, Dighton said Southwestern helped him prepare for his calling.

“I learned how to be a pastor at Southwestern Seminary,” Dighton said. “I learned what’s expected of the pastor: to walk in integrity, to love people, to shepherd the people of God.”

Faculty panel

The luncheon also included a panel of faculty members, including Mark Taylor, professor of New Testament; Lilly Park, associate professor of biblical counseling; Joshua Waggener, professor of church music and worship; Carl Bradford, dean of the Texas Baptist College; and Dean Sieberhagen, dean of the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions. Chandler Snyder, vice president for institutional relations, served as the moderator.

“What has made Southwestern special through the years is not the list of presidents,” Dockery said. “It is the faculty. Faculty members at Southwestern Seminary through the years have been exemplars of the Gospel, great teaching, scholarship, care for students. And I’m happy to tell you today that that tradition continues in marvelous ways through the current faculty.”

Bradford explained faculty equip and prepare students for ministry in the church or in the secular world by teaching a biblical worldview, emphasizing evangelism and discipleship, and challenging students to have a strong work ethic and ability to communicate.

“We do that mainly by our professors in the classroom modeling integrity and character for them inside the classroom and outside the classroom,” Bradford said, adding students should not feel pressured to get the perfect grade or graduate quickly.

Taylor recalled studying and grading under such iconic faculty members as Curtis Vaughn, Tommy Lea, and Jack MacGorman, whom he said the current faculty seek to emulate.

“These men had a tremendous impact upon me,” Taylor said. “And by God’s grace, I have wanted to plant my life in the seminary and to follow that and stay and to teach all these years. And so, I want to pour my life into my students the same way that they poured their lives into me.”

Waggener agreed that creating those mentorship relationships and friendships with students is what helps them prepare for ministry, just as much as the teaching aspect does.

“At Southwestern, we are student-focused, and we’re interested in more than the academics, because we’re seeking to shape people and form people to serve the local church,” Waggener said.

Through those relationships, Sieberhagen said the faculty members not only help students prepare for ministry, such as walking them through the International Mission Board application process, but also by asking them what areas of life they may be struggling in. Park agreed that discipleship aspect of seminary education is key.

“I’m not as so concerned about your GPA as much as your walk with the Lord and your ministry to people,” Park said.

President’s report

Dockery gave an update on the state of the seminary to those in attendance, expressing gratefulness for how far the seminary has come in improving the financial well-being of the institution as well as the culture on campus.

“By God’s grace, we are in a very different place than we were 33 months ago,” Dockery said, saying budget adjustments have been made to the sum of over $8 million, debt has been reduced, short-term debt eliminated, and net assets have increased by $20 million. “… That has come about by a commitment of the campus to faithful institutional stewardship.”

Dockery asked the Southwestern members, alumni, and friends to pray for the upcoming decision to be handed down by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools concerning the sanctions placed on the seminary. He also expressed gratitude to the trustees who helped guide the seminary through such a difficult time in recent years.

Dockery also mentioned other updates from the Southwestern, such as commending the newly released faculty-authored book, Shapers of the Southwestern Theological Tradition, the success from Crossover week and Southwestern’s involvement, the 20^th anniversary of partnering with the Bibelseminar in Bonn, Germany, and the centennial anniversaries celebrated for the Cooperative Program, the adoption of the Baptist Faith and Message, and the affiliation of Southwestern to the SBC.