Southern Seminary Magazine (Vol. 91.2) Pastoral Ministry in a Changing World


THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
From the Editor
JACOB PERCY
Fall 2023. vol. 91, no. 2.
Copyright © 2023
The Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary
From its inception in 1859,
The Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary has existed primarily
to educate, train, and prepare
pastors for a lifetime of ministry
faithfulness. Over the past 160
years, the commitment of Southern
Seminary to train pastors, under
the Lordship of Jesus Christ,
has not changed. However, the
context in which pastors are
called to minister continues to
change rapidly. Today, pastors
face challenges such as the rise of
secularism, the decline of religious
participation, and the increasing
complexity of social issues.
Hebrews 13:8 reminds us, "Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday and
today and forever” (ESV). The
immutability of God gives comfort
that amid a rapidly changing world,
God remains constant. Throughout
Scripture, there are many
examples of the people of God
experiencing significant change
as leaders came and went, and
nation after nation rose to become
the dominant power of the day.
During this change, the prophets
faithfully urged God's people to
remember Him. To remember
the covenant He had made. To
remember the relationship He
had invited them into. In periods
of economic success and periods
of exile, God did not change.
This reminder is of great
comfort as we remind ourselves
that no matter how much the world
changes, God does not change.
Similarly, God’s call to pastors
has not changed. Paul instructs
Timothy to “preach the word; be
ready in season and out of season;
reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with
complete patience and teaching”
(2 Tim. 4:2). The pastoral task
set before Timothy remains the
same one set before pastors today:
preach God's word faithfully, and
lead God's people patiently. While
aspects of this task will look unique
to each pastor called by God, it
is a comforting reminder of how
unchanged and unchanging the
task given to pastors remains.
The Fall 2023 issue of the
Southern Seminary Magazine has
Pastoral Leadership in a Changing
World as its theme to encourage
pastors and ministry leaders as
they seek to minister where God
has called them. Those who have
pastored for any time have faced
unanticipated challenges and
unexpected questions from those
they lead. Our goal is to provide you
with a magazine that is a resource
and encouragement as you seek
to navigate challenges and pursue
your calling with faithfulness.
Vice President of
Communications and Managing
Editor: Jacob Percy
Creative Director: Samantha Rice
Chief Style and Copy Editor:
Torey Teer
Assistant Copy Editor:
Hannah Miller
Designers: John Zurowski and
Anna Vanden Brink
Production Manager:
Drew Watson
Photographers: Caroline Rook
and Kelsie Marques
Contributing Writers: R. Albert
Mohler, Jr., Hershael York,
Timothy Paul Jones, Jeremy
Pierre, Mitch Chase, and
Travis Hearne
Subscription Information:
Southern Seminary Magazine
is published by the Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary,
2825 Lexington Road, Louisville,
KY 40280. The magazine is
distributed digitally at
equip.sbts.edu/magazine. If you
would like to request a hard copy,
please reach out by emailing
communications@sbts.edu
Mail:
The Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary, 2825 Lexington Road,
Louisville, KY 40280
Online: sbts.edu
Email: communications@sbts.edu
Telephone: (502) 897-4000
2 THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY