Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) and the Timothy+Barnabas ministry led by Johnny Hunt partnered to offer SEBTS students an Exchange leadership conference Oct. 29 led by the pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., and former Southern Baptist Convention president.
John Ewart, director of Southeastern’s Center for Pastoral Leadership and Preaching, said, “Their ministry was interested in working with us as we helped them to see what this event could look like on other campuses as well.”
Ewart and Southeastern President Danny Akin began working with the Timothy+Barnabas ministry of Hunt and his wife Janet in planning the event about a year and a half ago.
Timothy+Barnabas, on the Web at timothybarnabas.org, is a ministry to instruct and encourage church leaders to impact the world. In its 20-plus years, Timothy+Barnabas has hosted more than 8,000 pastors in 50-plus events in the United States. Internationally, the ministry has worked in 29 countries.
The Exchange conference opened with a chapel service during which Hunt, a member of the advisory board for the SEBTS Center for Pastoral Leadership and Preaching, encouraged students with his own testimony. “If God can use me, God can use anyone,” he said.
Hunt recounted how God called him, a 16-year-old dropout with alcohol problems, first to faith in Christ and then to be a pastor. “You never know what God is going to do with you,” he said. “I really want God to be glorified.”
Preaching from Philippians 2:12-13, Hunt reminded students of God’s power through them. “What you’re able to do is not what you bring to the table but what God can do with you,” he said. “God gives the person the will. He energizes us to do the work.”
After lunch, students attended breakout sessions geared toward men and women. Hunt encouraged the men about their future church leadership roles. “Turn ministry over to your people,” he counseled, “and they will turn leadership over to you.”
Hunt also encouraged the men to constantly pour into people and encourage their churches to equip its members. “A church will not continue to grow unless it produces new leaders,” he said.
Women students and student wives attended sessions facilitated by Janet Hunt. Speaker Kathy Litton, challenged attendees to always be missional in their ministries. “When you do ministry make sure it’s mission-engaged,” said Litton, the North American Mission Board’s national consultant for ministry to pastors’ wives. “As leaders you will set an example as someone who is oriented both to people inside the church and outside the church.”
Litton also encouraged the women to own their own personal development in the areas of spiritual condition, mission, emotional growth, intellectual ability, cultural sensitivity, physical well-being and leadership. “Being passive and unintentional about our own development is not appropriate,” Litton warned. “The number one reason we should work on our own personal development is stewardship of what God has given us.”