SBC seminaries report enrollment up 500

by   Matt Sanders                                                                                                                                           Vol. XII, No. 3, March 1999

[Editorial Introduction: It is a true saving that as the seminaries go, so eventually goes the convention. That is why it is a cause for real rejoicing among Bible-believing Southern Baptists that all six SBC seminaries now have conservative boards of trustees and conservative presidents. Consequent upon those changes there have been massive turnovers in faculties and staffs.

When this process was in its early and most uncomfortable stages, there were calls from liberal faculty and alumni to stop contributing to the schools and predictions that the seminaries would collapse from lack of financial support, lack of new students, and "laughable" academic standards. Quite the reverse has happened. Though many previous contributors stopped giving, many new givers have stepped forward. While there was a decrease in students in most of the schools, during the transition as liberal students did not apply because the school was becoming conservative, and conservative students did not vet apply because the faculties were still predominantly liberal, that phase has passed, and the seminaries are growing rapidly, setting new records, as reported in this article. Finally, it is noteworthy that it has been the new "fundamentalist” presidents and trustees who have considerably raised academic requirements at the schools by requiring Hebrew and Greek where previously they had been optional and by increasing the number of courses required for various degrees.

Praise God for His blessings upon our seminaries. This is an important article. I trust you will read it with great attention. TCP]

Equipping "the generation that could fulfill the Great Commission" has meant a continued increase in enrollment at the six Southern Baptist seminaries, with 10,599 students enrolled in the fall 1998 semester, up 4.8 percent from the previous year. "Having more than 10,000 students in the six Southern Baptist seminaries means that we are collectively training an incredible mission force, whether they stay here or go overseas," said Southwestern Seminary President Kenneth S. Hemphill.

"We've got the potential of training and equipping the force that can help fulfill the Great Commission in our generation," said Hemphill, who is also chairman of the SBC Council of Seminary Presidents. He added the increased enrollment "is a strong indicator that Southern Baptists trust their seminaries to train their young men and women with the integrity of God's Word, with an emphasis on the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible, and in practical ways that will equip them to function effectively wherever God may call them.

A big turnaround occurred at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary; Mill Valley, CA, which had a 12 percent increase after a 15 percent decline last year. Golden Gate enrolled 1,153 students in fall 1998. 125 more than the previous year. "God continues to bless Golden Gate and Southern Baptists with outstanding men and women who are consumed with passion for fulfilling the Great Commission through churches around the world," said William 0. Crews, president of Golden Gate. "We are grateful for the many students who choose the professors of Golden Gate as their mentors and models for lasting ministry."

Southeastern Seminary's enrollment increased 6.4% over last year's record enrollment at the Wake Forest, NC, seminary. With 1,590 students, Southeastern marked its third straight record-setting year. Paige Patterson, president of Southeastern and the Southern Baptist Convention, said he is especially grateful to God for the enrollment increase "even in a year when we did not have adequate housing."

"Now that housing isn't an issue, the sky is the limit," Patterson said. A 74-unit apartment complex opened last year and the seminary's four-year-old college program are credited by Southeastern officials for the increased enrollment. On-campus enrollment increased 13 percent, while the college program enrollment went from 257 to 345. Southeastern is constructing more than 300 family housing units, which are expected to be completed by August.

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY, reported 1,881 students enrolled in fall 1998, a 4.4 percent increase over the previous year. "Several successive semesters of enrollment growth are a sign of God's blessing upon Southern Seminary," said Southern President R. Albert Mohler Jr. "These new students are bright, deeply committed to the gospel, and called to serve the lord in ministry throughout the world. Southern Baptists can expect great things from these students - and the students should expect the very best of Southern Seminary."

Reporting an enrollment of 3,314 last fall, Southwestern Seminary experienced an increase in enrollment for the fourth straight semester. The number is a 4.4 percent increase over fall 1997 and includes 181 international students, the highest number in the Fort Worth, TX, seminary's history. Calling the increase " healthy, steady growth" for a school the size of Southwestern, Hemphill attributed the growth to the strong emphasis we've made on both good, sound, theological, biblical teaching and practical ministry skills," Hemphill also thanked Southern Baptists for their gifts to the Cooperative Program. "As we get additional students, the Cooperative Program dollar has to be divided among a greater number of students at Southwestern and all of our schools," Hemphill said. "So we appreciate the fact that our constituency is giving more sacrificially to provide for these young men and women who have been called out by God to service."

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary reported a fall 1992 enrollment of 1,956 students. a 2.7 percent increase over the previous year. "We are delighted to see the response of students to our efforts to transform our seminary for the 21st century, said Chuck Kelley, president of the New Orleans Seminary. Kelley said part of the growth is driven by "a fresh, pastor-friendly, church-centered" doctor of ministry program, a new program for students who graduate from Baptist colleges, the SBC's first four-year undergraduate program for ministers, and the accessibility of the seminary's extension centers.

Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO, reported a 1.29 percent increase, with 705 students enrolled in fall 1998, which, according to Midwestern President Mark Coppenger, was a pleasant surprise in light of some of the changes made at the school. "After two years of substantial growth, we thought it was time to bite the bullet and beef up our degree requirements,” Coppenger said. Midwestern eliminated the two-year master of divinity for college religion majors, added a year of Greet and Hebrew to the M.Div., and increased the hours for the M.Div. and the doctor of ministry. “A good deal of thanks [for the increase] goes to our new collegiate ministry M.Div.,” Coppenger said. “With the new curriculum in place, we have the base for the best kind of growth as the Lord calls folks our way.”  [BP]