LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – At their annual fall board meeting Monday (Oct. 16), the trustees of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary gathered on the seminary’s campus to conduct committee meetings and to express their support of President R. Albert Mohler, Jr. and the institution’s leadership.

During the plenary session, trustee board Chairman Joshua W. Powell led the trustees to formally adopt a “Resolution of Thanksgiving and Appreciation for R. Albert Mohler, Jr. on the Occasion of His Thirtieth Anniversary as President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.” The resolution thanks God for His sovereign kindness in calling Mohler as president and for keeping him rooted in the Word of God and committed to the mission of Southern Seminary in service to the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Lord Jesus Christ.

“This trustee meeting speaks to the quality of leadership that our seminary has enjoyed for the past 30 years,” Powell said. “The blessings of healthy schools, financial strength and steady growth has positioned Southern to not only thrive but also lead the way in theological education. While we are incredibly thankful for 30 years of faithful leadership, Dr. Mohler has put this school in position to be even stronger in the future. May the Lord continue to bless Southern Seminary!”

Mohler said he is “incredibly thankful” for the SBTS board.

“I’m very thankful that in all these years, there’s never been a year we had a deficit,” he said. “There’s never been a year that this board has not fulfilled its responsibility. And once again, they did so with both seriousness and joy, and it is a wonderful privilege to work together with this board.”

Regarding the current meeting, he said: “Significant actions were taken to ensure that we perpetuate faithfulness in the future, which is the real responsibility of a governing board. Again, I’m very thankful for the entire board as they approach their task with great seriousness and respond with faithfulness.”

In other business, Jon Austin, senior vice president for institutional administration, provided his regular treasurer’s report and updated the trustees that the institution finished the prior academic year with a significant surplus.

Trustees also approved sabbatical leave for Thomas R. Schreiner, who serves as the James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation and professor of biblical theology, and Tyler Flatt, associate professor of humanities at Boyce College.

Following the work sessions, trustees gathered with faculty and staff at a banquet in honor of Mohler. Since August 1, 1993, Mohler has restored the seminary to its confessional identity and overseen an unprecedented period of growth. During the banquet, the faculty presented Mohler with a Resolution of Appreciation and Thanksgiving, expressing their gratitude for and support of his presidency.