NEW ORLEANS (BP) — Clint Pressley, president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., explained how suffering prepares people for ministry during a chapel service Feb. 11 at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS).

Pressley, an NOBTS alum who graduated with a master of divinity degree, spoke to the chapel audience about how God prepares servants for ministry through “the school of suffering” and gave several things to keep in mind about suffering.

Before beginning his sermon, Pressley mentioned the valuable things he learned during his time as an NOBTS student.

“Just about 30 years ago I graduated from New Orleans, and this is where you learn how to actually do something with the Bible,” Pressley said.

“I loved Jesus, I loved people and I loved the Bible. I couldn’t get them all together until I came to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and they taught me ‘here’s what you do with the Bible when you go to church.’”

Pressley spent time mingling with students in the Luter Center before chapel began and expressed his gratitude to be serving the next generation of Southern Baptists in his role as SBC president.

“I’m thankful to be the president of the Southern Baptist Convention just for a little while,” Pressley said. “I love Southern Baptists. I love what we do, I believe in our mission and I believe in you. Thank the Lord for your call and for your willingness and your obedience to the Lord to get prepared to serve the Lord and to spread the gospel.”

Pressley preached from the end of Exodus 2, where the Israelites cried out to God while in slavery in Egypt.

He explained no matter what suffering believers may be going through, God is in control.

“Our God is the one who hears, the one who remembers, the one who sees and the one who knows,” Pressley said.

“Regardless of the situation you find yourself in or regardless of how long it might seem since you have felt close to God, when you read this passage it’s good to be reminded that God has not forgotten you.”

While in a season of suffering, Pressley outlined several things to keep in mind and things that can be learned by enduring suffering.

• Suffering has a distinct beginning and a distinct end.
• God will not let suffering continue without some good purpose or result.
• Suffering teaches us patience.
• Suffering teaches us humility.
• Suffering teaches us to pray and seek God.
• Suffering teaches us to be useful.
• Suffering teaches us to trust God.

Pressley closed by reiterating that God sees His people in their suffering and always sees the way forward.

“When you don’t see a way forward, God sees that,” Pressley said. “This has been helpful to me as Southern Baptist Convention president. The Israelites might think that God has forgotten them, the Egyptians might think they got away with a crime, Moses might think he can’t be used, but God sees.

“He sees every victim, every hurt, every depression, every bout with anxiety, and every cancer. He’s standing at every graveside and hovering over every hospital room. Every person that’s been mistreated, every broken heart, every lonely night, God sees.

“God has not forgotten you. In Christ, He loves you and will sustain you. For His glory He will use you. For His purpose He has called you.”

Pressley’s full chapel message can be seen here.

NOBTS chapel takes place every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Central Time and can be viewed live on YouTube and Facebook.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Timothy Cockes is news editor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.)