ONTARIO, Calif. (BP) — The inauguration of Adam Groza as the eighth president of Gateway Seminary conveyed a sense of joy and hope for the future.

Groza reflected on the promise made 80 years ago by seminary’s founders to serve churches in the West and asked Gateway faculty, students and staff as well as ministry partners to renew a collective commitment to that original vision.

“We renew our commitment to always connect the Great Commission with the Great Commandment to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves,” he said.

Walter Price, pastor emeritus of Fellowship Church in Beaumont, Calif., preached a sermon on Colossians 1:9-14. His charge to Groza was based on Paul’s prayer for the Colossian believers; his charge to those in attendance was to pray for Groza. 

“God had Paul write this to the church at Colossae, because that’s what they needed, and through divine preservation of the Scripture this comes down to us today, because this prayer is what all Christians need,” Price said.

“And if this is something that all Christians need, then obviously the new president of Gateway Seminary needs this prayer.”

Following the order of Paul’s description of the prayer for the Colossians, Price said he would pray for Groza to be “filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”

“You are now in the unique position where the primary burden for knowing God’s will for Gateway Seminary rests squarely on your shoulders. It has been transferred from Dr. Iorg to you,” he said, referring to the immediate past president, Jeff Iorg, who was in attendance.

Price asked Groza to lead the Seminary in such a way as to produce students who can rightly divide God’s Word “so as to walk worthy of the Lord,” as Paul states in verse 10.

“Our prayer for you, Adam, as the president of this seminary, is that you will measure up to the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will walk worthy of Him,” he said.

Continuing through the passage into verse 11, Price described the necessity of endurance for adverse circumstances and patience for difficult people.

“I cannot hear the term endurance without thinking of Hebrews 10:36: ‘For you have need of endurance,’” he said.

“That is what we need.”

“So I just have one thing to say to you, Adam: run with endurance the race that is set before you.”

Price then pointed out the word “joy” qualifies the calls for endurance and patience.

“I believe God has you here to do a joyful work, but I also believe that in that work, he wants you to bring joy to this seminary family. Don’t let the joy stop,” he said.

Price concluded by describing Paul’s thankfulness for the Colossians as rooted in the gospel.

“The gospel is the basis for all you’ll do as president and, as in Colossians, false teachers are never far away,” he said.

“Adam, you must stand firm. You must hold fast and contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.”

In response to this charge, Groza thanked the many people who have supported him throughout his ministry, particularly his family. He also thanked God for calling him to faith and into ministry. Then he invited attendees to celebrate the sustained commitment of the seminary to serve churches in Western United States for the past 80 years.

“Today, we renew our commitment to that promise,” he said.

“We renew our commitment to Christ-centered theological education and to the fullness of the Great Commission.”

Groza recognized the representatives of academic institutions, ministry partners and pastors who gathered from across the country, as well as the faculty, staff and students of Gateway Seminary.

“This is God’s seminary. We are led by God’s Word. We serve God’s churches, and we are, every single one of us, servants to an almighty God for His glory,” Groza said.

“We have great joy and hope in the reign of King Jesus and in His coming return on that great and glorious day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

“So until then, brothers and sisters, let us together be found faithful,” said Groza.

The ceremony closed with a prayer led by Pete Ramirez, executive director of the California Southern Baptist Convention. He invited a small group of leaders on stage to surround Groza and his wife Holly: Chris Morgan of California Baptist University, current trustee and alumnae Kelly Womack, pastor of The View Church Greg Perkins, Woman’s Missionary Union Executive Director Sandra Wisdom-Martin, Inland Empire Southern Baptist Association director Deryl Lackey and the Grozas’ pastor, Josh Howeth.

Board chairman Phil Kell thanked Iorg, former Gateway president and current president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee, for 20 years of leadership at the Seminary.