Where Do We Go from Here: The Future of Seminary Education

Michael R. Spradlin, Ph.D.

Michael R. Spradlin, PhD, President of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, received a BA from Ouachita Baptist University, and an MDIV and PhD from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. He has a versatile ministry background that includes preaching, teaching, church planting, military chaplaincy, and many international and North American mission trips. In addition to serving as the president, Dr. Spradlin is also professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, church history, practical theology, and missions and chairman of the evangelism department. He is the author of many scholarly articles and books, including The Sons of the 43rd: The Story of Delmar Dotson, Gray Allison, and the Men of the 43rd Bombardment Group in the Southwest Pacific. Dr. Spradlin served as editor of Studies in Genesis 1-11: A Creation Commentary, Beaman’s Commentary on the Gospel of John, and Personal Evangelism. His newest edited book, That One Face: The Doctrine of Christ in the First Six Centuries of Christianity, by Lawrence R. Barnard, will be available in 2023. Dr. Spradlin and his wife Lee Ann live in Memphis and have three children (David, Thomas, and Laura) and two daughters-in-law (Laurel and Madelyn).

Pastor training has been occurring for two thousand years. Whatever the future may hold, it can be assured that this practice will continue until the Lord returns for His followers to take them home to Heaven. The early churches fought internal divisions, external opposition, outbreaks of heresy, and persecution to the death. And yet, with all that, churches have continued through it all. Indeed, the Scripture has been proven true, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18 NASB, 1995 ed.)

Polycarp (c. 69–c. 155) lived a life mostly of obscurity but served as the bishop (pastor) in the important city of Smyrna. Though Smyrna is only mentioned in the Book of Revelation, the history of the city was ancient and prominent. In ancient times Greek colonists settled on the coast of what, in modern times, is the nation of Turkey. The long-lived city was revitalized by Alexander the Great and boasted a large Jewish population by the New Testament era. The city had been considered one of the most important cities of the entire region. One of the earliest churches outside of Jerusalem existed there. The city would remain prominent until a devastating earthquake destroyed the city in 178 AD.

In the church of this prominent city served faithful pastor Polycarp. He lived for an extremely long time of about eighty-six years, and while little is known of his life, much is known of his influence. Tertullian stated that Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John. Irenaeus recounted that he had heard Polycarp preach when he was a young boy. Even though he ministered in a pagan city, Polycarp spent much energy fighting the early heresies of the Marcionites and the Valentinians. Ancient sources report that, after concluding a long trip to the city of Rome, Polycarp returned to Smyrna during a pagan festival wherein he was arrested. Faced with a death sentence, Polycarp announced that he had served Christ for eighty-six years and would not renounce his faith in Christ. Polycarp was brutally burned at the stake in the very city where he had so long served as a pastor.1

Irenaeus (c. 130–c. 200), assumed to be a native of Smyrna, left to become a missionary bishop to the city of Lyons in Roman Gaul. His pastoral ministry on the mission field involved a long-term battle with the philosophy of Gnosticism, which was infiltrating many Christian churches of that era. Irenaeus masterfully used both the Old Testament and the now available books of the New Testament to build a biblical case against heresy. He further began the development of an understanding of Christian doctrine for the new disciples of the Christian churches. The pain of much conflict with heretical groups developed doctrinal clarity and became a blessing to believers throughout the ancient world. The writings of Irenaeus were passed from pastor to pastor, and this probably contributed to why many of his writings are extant today.2

This was the age of personal connections and influence in the training of people for ministry. Though the church fathers are known today, most local church pastors of this era are forever unknown. They learned how to fulfill their calling to the ministry and pass the faith along to the next generation.

Martin Luther (1483–1546), key figure in the Protestant Reformation, benefited from the development of the medieval education system and the expansion of print media. Among many of Luther’s contributions were the translation of the Bible into German, the language of the common people of his area, and his many Bible Commentaries. This spiritual revival involved the change of a minister, or priest, from leading a sacramental ritual to the delivery of a Bible message to a congregation. The need for sermon preparation meant that local church ministers needed to be able to read the Bible and then develop and deliver a biblical message.3

This was an age when the concept of ministry training became conflated with a formal education experience. Of course, this model was not prominent among the radical reformers such as the anabaptists. These underground groups were largely excluded from the opportunities afforded to ministers in the mainline denominations begun in the Protestant Reformation. These anabaptist groups had been persecuted by the Roman Catholic church and the new protestant denominations often joined in persecuting them.

One of the most underrated figures in modern theological education is James Petigru Boyce (1827–1888). Born in the United States in South Carolina, he excelled at formal education and eventually attended Brown University from 1845–1847. Though originally desiring a career in the legal profession, he came to Christ under the preaching of Richard Fuller. Eventually Boyce sensed a call to ministry and became the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Columbia, South Carolina. After his studies at Brown College, Boyce attended Princeton Seminary, where he was influenced by the theologian Charles Hodge. From Hodge, Boyce not only learned systematic theology, but also the importance of theological education.

In an address at Furman University in 1856, Boyce outlined his views in the address, “Three Changes in Theological Institutions.”

The first change was that every minister of the Gospel should have access to theological instruction. Second, Baptist students with special abilities to think and write need opportunities to develop their gifts. Third, every professor at a theological school should commit to teaching according to a common doctrinal statement. Perhaps the key aspect of Boyce’s views was that the theological schools should be governed by the needs of New Testament churches and not the needs of the academy. Boyce went on to serve as a founding father for the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, which today is located in Louisville, Kentucky.4

Schools for preachers were not an American phenomenon. Charles Haddon Spurgeon started his Pastor’s College in London in 1856. Nor was this a Baptist emphasis. Many of the earliest colleges in the American colonies included the purpose of ministry training in their charters. Unfortunately, one unintended consequence of this consolidation of ministry training meant that when abhorrent theological ideas infiltrated the faculties and then the students, it would eventually make its way into the churches.

Dr. B. Gray Allison, founder of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, was a two-time graduate of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS), another Southern Baptist seminary along with the aforementioned school in Kentucky. Dr. Allison believed that one of the pivotal figures in his life was the president of New Orleans seminary during his student days, Roland Q. Leavell. The Leavell family was one of the most remarkable families in Southern Baptist life in terms of ministry and theological education. Several members of the family served in the office of president of this school.

In the 1950s, Dr. Roland Leavell instituted a program that required students to share the Gospel on a regular basis and to hold these students accountable for their evangelistic activities. This addition of an evangelism and missions requirement may not have been original with Dr. Leavell, but his approach sparked a spirit of revival on the campus. Many who were there during those years looked back with fondness on the soulwinning stories and deep work of the Lord among the student body.

When Dr. Gray Allison sensed the call to start Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary (MABTS), he looked back to this time to find a model for the new school. The Practical Missions program, as it was originally called, was instituted at the founding of the new seminary, Mid-America.

After serving as a seminary president for twenty-five years and being in theological education for twenty-nine years, I can say with absolute assurance that I never saw most of the contemporary trends coming. I am not surprised or disconcerted at many of the trends; it is just that predicting the future is a complex endeavor. Some movements that had seemed like a major crisis in evangelicalism or Southern Baptist life quickly faded and were forgotten. The greatest enemies of the Lord’s work are often not some new, fashionable philosophy but the old human problems of sin, apathy, and pragmatism.

In the 1990s, distance education was somewhat looked down upon. It was thought of as an inferior alternative for those who could not accommodate themselves to the daytime residential model of education. One common idea was that if a person would not pack up and move to go to seminary then they would not make a very good pastor anyway. The thinking behind this was that a call to ministry was a call to surrender all and to be prepared to go wherever in the world the Lord may lead. For a variety of reasons, the educational landscape has changed to the point that if a school does not have an online presence, its very existence is threatened. Distance education may not be the best way to train people for ministry, but it is here to stay.

The doctrines of grace, as they are sometimes called, have been present in the modern Baptist movement. Some would contend that these doctrinal tenets were the foundation of the modern Baptist movement. By the arrival of the twentieth century, there seemed to be a decrease in the popularity of this system of theology. However, inspired by certain key ministry leaders, educational institutions, and conferences/ networks a resurgence of these views happened. This resurgence was especially noted among the younger generation of ministers.

While the demise of the Sunday School movement was not a surprise, many churches struggled to find a viable alternative for Bible study. The loss of this ministry, or at least the loss of vitality in this ministry, also brought about a loss of discipleship in many Southern Baptist churches. This parallels, in this writer’s opinion, with the demise of the Woman’s Missionary Union and the resultant loss of missions education in many churches which has resulted in a loss of emphasis on the Great Commission.

The field of biblical counseling has increased in popularity exponentially. While numerous labels are used to describe the various approaches to counseling, it may be that the rise of biblical counseling is a result of a lack of discipleship in many churches. Some in the biblical counseling field believe that their focus is more on discipleship than in merely helping people to solve the problems in their lives. This change can best be seen in the changes in the degree offerings of many schools. Student interest in counseling is high even though few churches have full-time positions for counseling.

While some may bemoan the lack of people responding to a call from God to enter the ministry, a greater problem may be a lack of biblical understanding of the role of the pastor/elder/bishop in the local church context. The reasons for confusion on this issue are myriad and intertwined. However, the biblical instructions on this matter are very clear. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:38 NASB 1995) Prayer is the key. Also, pastors need to preach and teach God’s ministry and encourage people to explore that possible call in their own lives.

Since the future is largely unknowable from a human point of view, what direction can be given for the future purpose of theological institutions like MidAmerica Baptist Theological Seminary? Properly understood, theological education is merely an extension of the work of local New Testament churches. Churches need to theologically train their leadership and their next generations, and seminaries can serve as an efficient extension of that work.

The phrase “biblically-based” has sometimes become a euphemism for taking generalized biblical ideas, mixing them with worldly philosophies and methods, and them passing them on. We need to stop talking about the Bible and just use the Bible. Many theological curricula assume that the students already know the Scriptures, thereby allowing the instructional time to be spent talking about philosophies and methodologies. We need to spend more time teaching the Bible.

The key word here is “train.” The New Testament churches do not need leaders who are broadly informed of many ideas and philosophies (there can be a place for this elsewhere), but they need leaders who know the power of the Word of God in their own lives and how the Word of God can impact the lives of those whom they disciple. Passing on the faith is a biblical command and must be done intentionally in each local church.

Popular perception has made, in some minds, the Great Commission into one- or two-week trips to an exotic locale for the purpose of ministry. We need to relearn the fact that missions is living amidst lostness and sharing the Gospel as a part of everyday life. Wherever we live, we are cross-cultural missionaries on a mission to win the lost to Christ. In addition to this, all believers are committed to take the Gospel to the peoples of the world who have no access to the good news of Jesus Christ.

Rapid multiplication of the Gospel does not require a large, well-funded infrastructure. Southern Baptists, with their Cooperative Program system for financial support, have the greatest tool for missions and evangelism in the history of Christianity (no hyperbole here!). Yet, the ultimate need is not a program but the power of God and a people willing to submit to Him, follow Him, and give Him all of the glory.

From the Apostle John to Polycarp to Irenaus to your local church pastor today, the gospel has been passed on for two thousand years, and it will continue until the end of the age. The gates of Hell will not prevail against the Lord’s churches. Theological education is called to serve the local church by fighting the good fight of training local church pastors to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth and to the next generation of believers.

1. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, s.v. “Polycarp, St.”

2. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, s.v. “Irenaeus, St.”

3. Roland Bainton, Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther (1950; repr., New York: Pierce and Smith, 1978).

4. Encyclopedia of Southern Baptists, vol. 1, s.v. “Boyce, James Petigru.”