Students encourage faculty and staff representing Southwestern at SBC annual meeting

With some faculty and staff members traveling to New Orleans, Louisiana, for the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting the week of June 12, a group of students wrote notes encouraging them that they have been praying for the staff as they represent Southwestern Seminary. The students wrote notes for each day of the convention.

Encouraged by President David S. Dockery’s prayer emphasis since last fall, the nine female students—who are part of a weekly prayer gathering—felt that prayer is a good way to help those who are representing the seminary, even if they are not able to go to New Orleans themselves. The students also felt that they could encourage those representing the seminary with notes that both show that they are being prayed for, but also that they are representing something larger than themselves.

Dockery expressed gratitude for the students’ prayers and encouragement.

“What a marvelous and joyful source of encouragement it has been to receive the meaningful prayer cards from Southwestern and Texas Baptist College students,” Dockery said. “As I have opened the cards, I have been blessed and strengthened by the gracious and heartening words, the scriptural promises, and the pledges of prayerful support. I and others who received these special messages are deeply grateful for the time, thought, and care that was invested in this effort.”

The students said they were grateful for the opportunity to pray.

“I had the privilege of praying for some men and women I know well, and some I do not know well,” said Kirsten Burns, project coordinator at the World Missions Center and Master of Divinity student in the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions from Apex, North Carolina. “I am ecstatic that they are representing Southwestern.”

Burns added that she has a deep love for Southwestern and she hopes that “great things are stirring at Southwestern because of how God is working through some of the leaders here at Southwestern.”

Through praying for the seminary leaders and representatives, Burns finds that this is encouraging beyond simply praying for the SBC annual meeting.

“I think it makes me feel closer to the movement at SWBTS when I have the privilege of praying for those leading the gospel culture that is really starting to show across the departments,” said Burns. “It has encouraged me to pray for them in general, not just this week.”

“I have been praying for a few specific things; for the staff to have wisdom in how they speak about the SBC and SWBTS, especially when questioned,” Burns continued. “I have been praying that they have joy that is a testimony to the spirit at SWBTS, and I have been praying that they have endurance when they hear things that are hard and when they were exhausted.”

Ashele Vero, Doctor of Philosophy student in the Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries from Nagaland, India, is also praying for Southwesterns in New Orleans.

“I believe that the prayer will assist them in stepping into God’s will for their lives and, eventually, the people they serve,” said Vero. “They would also understand how to carry out their duties with knowledge and confidence.”

For Vero, praying for the representatives is something that increases her drive to continually grow spiritually.

“Through this experience, I am reminded that we are God’s family and that we should support one another with God’s Word and through prayer,” said Vero. “It helps with my desire to grow spiritually.”

Though this is something that started out at the seminary, Vero is not remaining within the walls of the seminary when she is seeking for help in assisting the representatives and leaders from afar.

“I am asking my church and my friends to pray for the staff so that they would bear fruit and expand God’s Kingdom,” said Vero.

Southwestern’s representatives and leaders are currently at the SBC annual meeting, but faculty, staff, and students who are not there are continually praying for them.