When it comes to teaching student pastors, we at SEBTS do not have a long list of awesome faculty members teaching student ministry, a variety of degree programs with a litany of particular directions of study, or many of the kinds of things some seek in student ministry training. Truth is, we do not have a lot of things others have. Maybe we will one day, but not now.

But at Southeastern, both in the college and in the Seminary (both via Masters and Doctoral programs) we have created a missional, gospel-driven, global culture–a theologically enriched, biblically grounded, and evangelistically and culturally aware environment where student pastors in training can gain a holistic understanding of ministry out of which to lead students and families. We get the gospel and twitter, missions and facebook, faith and culture, biblical teaching and social media.

We do not teach our student pastors that student ministry means a group focused inward on the churched youth, a social planning organization to keep students busy doing stuff so parents can do their own thing, or a place where what Christian Smith of UNC Chapel Hill calls a therapeutic moral deism is taught.  Instead, we challenge student pastors in training to be centered on the gospel and to give themselves to bringing the biological home and the local church home together to equip students to think and live like missionaries in the international mission field we call the United States.

I am excited to be involved in training this generation of student pastors at SEBTS. I know I am not the best at this, but I love the challenge.  I am glad Dr. Jimmy Scroggins will be helping us in a January course as he has probably forgotten more about student ministry than I know.

We do not want to train every student pastor. Just send us the best 10%, those who want to give themselves to changing the world for the gospel. Okay, I am sure the recruiting team does not like me saying that so I am speaking unilaterally . Come visit. Look me up. I would love to meet you.  In fact, I am preaching in chapel October 28 as part of a Preview Day before our Leadership Rocks Conference that weekend. Come see us. Let’s unleash an army of missionaries from this millennial generation.

Here is a little ecard my webmaster Micah Fries produced to give you a little summary of what we are about.  Maybe you can pass it on to others.

About Alvin Reid

Hi and welcome! I am Alvin Reid, a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to Michelle, father of Josh and Hannah, and minister of the gospel. I teach at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southeastern College at Wake Forest in NC. I love people and have been blessed to meet a lot. I live to equip a generation of young men and women to change the world, to advance the great movement of God in our time.For the Christ follower, life is a mission trip-take it!