KANSAS CITY – “The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made” (Psalm 145:9).
The end of each year provides yet another opportunity to reflect on the Lord’s kindness and providence in life. This remains true not only for individuals, but for institutions as well. As the year 2022 comes to a close, the community at Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., celebrates God’s faithfulness in all He has done over the past year.
This year, Midwestern Seminary celebrated 10 years for the Church under President Jason K. Allen’s leadership. The 10-year celebration was accompanied with a year of record numbers in enrollment, fall and spring graduates, and fall and spring Preview Day attendees.
The growth in the number of seminary students was matched by major announcements in both the institutional and academic life of Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College.
In academics this year, the seminary relaunched its Global Campus, announced For The Church Cohorts, launched a new undergraduate degree in Graphic Design, and expanded its Ph.D. program, including revisions to the Ph.D. in Systematic Theology.
The seminary also added several new full-time faculty members, including Thomas S. Kidd and Jared Bumpers. The entire faculty continues to publish an array of helpful resources and books for the church, including this year:
- Turnaround: The Remarkable Story of an Institutional Transformation and the 10 Essential Principles and Practices that Made It Happen by Jason K. Allen
- Political Gospel: Public Witness in a Politically Crazy World by Patrick Schreiner
- Five Views of Christ in the Old Testament: Genre, Authorial Intent, and the Nature of Scripture edited by Andrew M. King, with contributor Jason DeRouchie
- Gifts of Grace: 25 Advent Devotions by Jared Wilson
- Legal Issues in Biblical Counseling: Direction and Help for Churches and Counselors by Dale Johnson
- Spurgeon the Pastor: Recovering a Biblical and Theological Vision for Ministry by Geoff Chang
Several endowed chairs were also announced this year, including the Wayne and Berna Dean Lee Endowed Chair of Church Music and Worship Ministries, the John H. Powell Endowed Chair of Pastoral Ministry, the Steve and Mary Dighton Endowed Chair of Pastoral Ministry, the Rich and Judy Hastings Endowed Chair of Old Testament Studies, and the John and Sharon Yeats Endowed Chair of Baptist Studies.
Institutionally, Midwestern Seminary hosted conferences, speakers, and guests for the benefit of students and ministry leaders.
The annual FTC National Conference, focusing on the theme “For the Nations,” welcomed hundreds of pastors, ministry leaders, and students on the Kansas City campus. Also, the 9Marks Conference on campus focused on the important topic of conversion and its application in life and ministry.
The seminary welcomed a number of guests to campus for chapel and special events. This year’s visitors included SBC President Bart Barber, Historian David Bebbington, Scholar Derek Thomas, Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler, Jr., and Midwestern Seminary Alumnus of the Year Todd Fisher.
Additionally, several 2022 institutional initiatives sought to prioritize and bless students, seminary partners, and pastors across the country.
Renovations on the undergraduate dormitory near completion, as Spurgeon College students look forward to enjoying the new facility and its amenities.
Several members of the faculty visited partners in Seoul for mutual encouragement and to explore how to further expand partnerships to equip the next generation of pastors and ministry leaders.
During the month of October, the seminary expressed its gratitude to the many pastors who faithfully serve the local church by providing encouraging resources, daily prayer guides, and a $10,000 giveaway package to one pastor, half of which was dedicated to a family vacation and the other half to a church need.
In light of all of the news this year, we recognize God’s kindness and faithfulness to provide another banner year here in Kansas City and to bless this institution as we seek to remain faithful for the Church.
We also want to express our gratitude to all our supporters, students, alumni and friends. Wherever you may find yourself this season, we pray you would have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
(EDITOR’S NOTE – Brett Fredenberg writes for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.)
