Midwestern Seminary presidential search unanimously taps Phil Roberts, NAMB v.p.

by   Tammi Reed Ledbetter                                                                                                                     Vol. XIV, No. 1, January 2001

R. Philip Roberts is the unanimous choice of the presidential search committee of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, chairman Carl Weiser, pastor of Hyland Heights Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA, announced Nov. 28. Roberts currently serves as vice president of strategic cities for the North American Mission Board and as resident theologian for the Southern Baptist entity.

Roberts was featured in chapel Nov. 28 at the Kansas City, MO, campus and met with search committee representatives in the afternoon, having been interviewed by the committee on two previous occasions.

In a statement released late Tuesday, Weiser said, "The committee believes they are recommending God's man for Midwestern." Weiser has called for a full board meeting of trustees Jan. 8-9 in Kansas City in addition to meetings with faculty and staff. "It is with a definite sense of God's leading that I have accepted the nomination of the presidential search committee of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary," Roberts said Nov. 29. "I believe that the Lord has a wonderful and exciting future for this institution as it continues to contribute to ministerial training and thus the fulfillment of the Great Commission."

The 50-year-old Roberts and his wife, Anna, have two children, Naomi and Mark. He requested prayer for his family and Midwestern trustees "as they consider this crucial decision."

If elected, Roberts will become Midwestern's fourth president since its founding in 1957, succeeding Mark Coppenger, who led the seminary from 1995-99.

After the search committee was appointed in October 1999, members specified their desire to seek a nominee who can continue the vision for Midwestern as having "a heart for the Midwest," strong pastoral leanings, academically credentialed and supportive of the conservative direction of the Southern Baptist Convention as espoused by its leadership in recent decades.

Roberts fits the description on all counts, having been raised in the Midwest, having pastored international Baptist congregations in Belgium, England and Germany, receiving his doctorate from a prestigious university and theological training in Southern Baptist institutions. His defense of conservative theology has been well-known in a wide range of settings among Catholic, Mormon and secular audiences.

Most recently he coordinated a project in which several Southern Baptists and other evangelical leaders drafted a declaration on religious freedom. The June 2000 document presented a unified response to those who contend that sharing an evangelistic witness "undermine(s) a peaceful, pluralistic society and may lead to intolerance, bigotry and even violence." The statement affirmed: "Only a society that permits free discourse within the robust marketplace of ideas envisioned by America's founders can safeguard the true liberty, freedom and human dignity we all pursue."

Roberts led NAMB's partnership plan for reaching Strategic Focus Cities such as Chicago and Phoenix since his appointment in 1999. The megacities identified as first-priority evangelism and church planting sites benefit from thousands of volunteers, media blitzes and ministry activities. Roberts also directed NAMB's ministries at the United Nations in New York City and ministries to government leaders in Washington.

He served five years as director of interfaith evangelism for NAMB and the former Home Mission Board. Previously, Roberts served as missions and evangelism professor at both Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY.

From 1992-94, Roberts was the acting dean at the Emmanuel Baptist Seminary and University, Oradea, Romania, and he continues in academic roles there and with the Evangelical Theological Faculty, Leuven, Belgium. He was the co-editor of the first book published in Romania on religious liberty in 1995. At Southeastern Seminary, Roberts also served as co-director of the Lewis Adison Drummond Center for Great Commission Studies.  [BP]