My Equipping Through the Southern Baptist Convention

Like most pastors, I was in my 20s looking for a way to pay for seminary. It was clear that additional academic training in counseling, study of the Word, and church leadership was needed. Seminary would not teach me everything I needed to be a helpful pastor but would expose me to opportunities and resources that I would not even begin to understand. One of those things would be proficiency in biblical Greek and Hebrew to better understand the Word for personal study and preaching/teaching. But how would I ever scrape together the funds needed to cover the 90+ credit hours needed to graduate?

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Little did I know that being a member of a Southern Baptist Church would automatically reduce my education bill by 50% if I attended a Southern Baptist Seminary. Like any good student, I began the process of researching seminaries desiring one to be Baptist in nature and aligned with my understand of interpreting the Word literally. I narrowed it down to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southern Seminary (both SBC seminaries) because I knew what I believed at church would align with what those seminaries were teaching. I applied, and the cost of my degree went from $36,000 to $18,000.

Additionally, the Tennessee State Baptist Association (also part of the SBC) gave me a scholarship of $2,000 a year for 3 years. Only needing $12,000 dollars to tackle the work, God provided another scholarship (with a lengthy application and examination), which was approved because I decided to attend Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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Most of my class work was completed online, and my preaching professor would soon travel to fill the pulpit at the church where I served. This provided an opportunity to deepen our friendship and benefit from his mentorship in my preaching and pastoral care. A few of the local SBC churches made accommodations for my stay for weeklong classes when I was on campus. During my class time, I met with likeminded pastors and developed friendships that still continue till today.

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Why share all of these things?

Every helpful sermon, pastoral counseling session, and wise leadership decision has been impacted by the partnership I have with the Southern Baptist Convention. I would not be the pastor I am today without other Southern Baptists contributing to subsidize my education and equip me along the way.

When others ask why I promote the work and cooperation of SBC churches… it is because I am indebted to millions of Southern Baptists that have cared and given to equip me for the work of ministry.

To God be all the glory for such selfless generosity.

-Pastor John Richardson