Southeastern and Judson College Celebrate Great Commission Growth of 2024

During the May and December graduations, a total of 539 students graduated as Southeastern or Judson alumni. Full-time enrollment, as of July 31, reached 5,053 students, and charitable giving far surpassed the year before, with over $8.5 million raised in support of the institution, its students, and the mission.

As we look back on the many ways that God has been at work, here are several highlights from this previous year:

The Akin’s 20-Year Anniversary at Southeastern

In January Southeastern celebrated the 20-year anniversary of President Danny and Mrs. Charlotte Akin, honoring their faithful Great Commission service to the school. At events throughout the year, the Southeastern family expressed their deep appreciation for the Akins; their commitment to the mission; to the students of Southeastern; and to the authoritative, inerrant word of God.

During the trustees’ spring meeting, the Charlotte Akin Student Aid Fund was established in Mrs. Akin’s honor, supplying financial assistance to full-time students who have received care from the Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH) of North Carolina, South Carolina, or Georgia — a cause that is dear to Mrs. Akin as a former resident of a Baptist Children’s Home.

During Southeastern’s alumni and friends luncheon at the SBC annual meeting, students and faculty shared testimonies of the impact that Dr. Akin has had not only on the culture and mission of the institution but also on the individual lives of so many students and faculty.

“I feel honored,” Akin shared at the banquet, “that God, in his kindness, has allowed Charlotte and me to have 20 years here at the most wonderful school, I believe, in the world.”

The Year in Mission Trips; Global Missions Week

As an expression of the Great Commission vision that the Akins have championed over the past 20 years, Global Missions Week in February was one of the highlights of the year for the Southeastern community. Each year, this week is a clear reminder of why ministry preparation, theological equipping, and church engagement are so vital. During the week, students learned about opportunities to serve with the International Mission Board (IMB) and North American Mission Board, connecting with missionaries, hearing testimonies from the field, and dedicating time to pray for the unreached and those sent to reach them.

So that the lost may know the good news and salvation found in Jesus Christ, Southeastern students seek to go. This past calendar year the Center for Great Commission Studies facilitated a total of 10 mission trips, taking students and faculty to locations around the world where they shared the gospel, served IMB missionaries on the field, and worked alongside Southeastern alumni who have dedicated years of their lives to the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Announcing Judson College

This fall Southeastern celebrated the renaming of its undergraduate program to Judson College, an announcement made in October following a unanimous vote by the Southeastern board of trustees. The name Judson College honors Adoniram Judson, pioneer Baptist missionary in the early 1800’s to Burma (modern-day Myanmar), whose life, ministry, and mission perfectly reflect the college’s mission to equip students to give their lives for the cause of Christ in the church, among the nations, and in every aspect of society.

Following the announcement, Southeastern and Judson students, family, faculty, and staff gathered on the quad for a celebration lunch and the unveiling of the official Judson sign outside Appleby Hall, the primary building for undergraduate studies. This renaming coincided with the college’s 30-year anniversary, which was also celebrated as the second consecutive year of unprecedented enrollment growth for the college.

Ledford Student Center Renovations

As God calls increasing numbers of students to study at Southeastern Seminary and Judson College, Southeastern continues to update and expand its campus buildings. Due to the overwhelming generosity of Southeastern donors, this year Southeastern began a major renovation project on the Ledford Student Center, a central hub for student activity and community. These renovations were announced in April during the trustees’ spring visit and set into motion with an official groundbreaking ceremony behind Ledford.

Construction work began during the summer term, and by the fall semester the first half of the expansions were completed with a renovated kitchen and cafeteria as well as an expanded dining space. The second phase of renovations are scheduled for completion in 2025 with newly updated work-out facilities, an event space, and outdoor seating.

Women’s Prison Programs Established

This year Southeastern also significantly expanded its prison programs, celebrating the launch of two new programs to equip incarcerated women as ambassadors for Christ in the prison system.

In February, these newly enrolled students attended their first convocation at North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women — less than 20 miles from Southeastern’s Wake Forest campus. Later in August, Southeastern launched a sister program in Florida at Lowell Correctional Institute in Marion County, the largest women’s prison in the state of Florida, the only Florida prison with inmates on death row. The Marion County Extension Center welcomed its first incoming class of 20 new students, eager to pursue training for ministry and gospel proclamation in their context.

Faculty Updates

This year the Southeastern family celebrated these blessings, it also grieved and honored the memory and homegoing of one of its beloved college professors Adrianne Miles, professor of English and linguistics. Miles passed away after a faith-filled battle with cancer, leaving a deep impact on the lives of countless individuals, including many students, staff, and coworkers.

Southeastern is deeply grateful for its faculty and the many ways in which they serve and support the institution, as teachers, mentors, and department heads. This year the following changes occurred:

• Keith Harper, senior professor of church history, retired after 28 years of teaching.
• Kelly D. King was hired as visiting professor of Christian ministry.
• Deanna Rogers was hired as assistant professor of English.
• Craig Williams was hired as professor of business and coordinator for business programs.
• Steven McKinion, professor of theology and patristic studies and John Leadley Dagg chair of systematic theology, was named director of PhD and ThM studies at Southeastern.
• Benjamin Quinn, associate professor of theology and history of ideas, was named director of the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture.
• Kristin Kellen, associate professor of biblical counseling, was named director of EdD studies.
• Scott Pace, professor of preaching and pastoral ministry, provost, and dean of graduate studies, was installed in the Jim Shaddix Chair of Expository Preaching which was established in honor of the ministry and impact of senior professor of preaching, Jim Shaddix.

New Year, Same Mission

The turn of a new year is an opportunity to reflect on God’s faithfulness and kind provision. It also presents a time of anticipation for the things to come in 2025. Southeastern remains committed to God’s word, his church, and to the final marching orders of King Jesus to “go and make disciples of all nations.” This mission shapes every student’s journey at Southeastern Seminary and Judson College — from the start of ministry preparation in the classroom to gospel proclamation on the mission field. As we move into this next year, would you keep Southeastern in your prayers?

• Pray that our students would remain faithful as they seek to honor God in their studies and their involvement in the local church.
• Pray that our faculty would be strengthened and encouraged in their work as they equip students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission.
• Pray for our alumni, that they would continually seek the Kingdom first as they make disciples in their individual contexts.
• Pray for Southeastern’s partnerships with local churches, that through them God would strengthen and prepare the bride of Christ till he comes again.
• Pray for God’s hand to be over the many mission trips our students are going on this coming year, that the gospel would be proclaimed, and that many would come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

To learn more about Southeastern and its heart for the Great Commission, visit sebts.edu/about. For more about Judson College and its mission to equips students to give their lives for the cause of Christ, visit judsoncollege.com/about.