The 稳定的十大彩票网站 Global MissionCenter(GMC)has launched a newlecture series focused onthe topic ofmissiology.
The first ever“Freeman-Bigler Missions Lecture,”named after the first known稳定的十大彩票网站 studentsto serve asforeign missionaries,was held Oct.29 and featured the IMB’s Zane Prattspeaking about ecclesiology and its connection to the missionary task.
Prattservesas thetheologian-in-residence and senior ambassador for seminary partnerships for theInternational Mission Board.
The GMC is planning to hostpresentationsfrom notablemissionsexpertsas part of this regularlecture serieseither annually or bi-annuallyfromnow on.
Greg Mathias, director oftheGlobal Mission Center and associate professor of global missions,is excited about offering the lecture series to local ministry leaders.
“We wanted to have a venue where not onlyour students canbenefit from us, but we can be a resource to local churches and pastors as well as even our faculty,” Mathias said.
“The topic of missions is connected to rich theology.When it comes to missions, we need to exercise our minds in addition to our hearts and feet.I think this lecturehelps pull these things together.”
Mathiaswanted the lecture series toserve as a way for the GMC toshowcaseits offerings and resources as an academic Center.
In addition to Pratt’slecture, the GMC provided othermissionsmaterialsfor those that attended the event.
“One of the areas I think we can step up more isproviding resources that can be helpful and interesting to our faculty, localchurchesand pastors,” he said. “Hopefullyall ofthese resources are helpful to them as they continue to take next steps at their church in terms of missions.”
The name of the new lecture series connects back to the richmissionshistory of the seminary.
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary was originally founded in 1917 asthe Baptist Bible Institute (BBI) by direct action of the Southern Baptist Convention to reach the city and prepare missionary candidates for service in the Americas.
Paul Freeman and PearlAmeliaBigler were among the first students from the BBI toserveas missionariesoverseas.
Freemanbegan attending the BBI in 1920 after serving in various ministry rolesas a pastor and teacher. Freeman and his wife Clarawere appointed by the ForeignMission Board (now the IMB) in1921. Theyserved churches in southern Braziluntil Paul’s deathin 1953 after 32 years of service.
Biglerwas the first known graduate of the BBI to serve as an international missionary.Shegraduated from the BBI in 1921 with a Bachelor of Christian Training.
Bigler applied for service with the FMB but was denied due to lack of funding.She was later financially supported through her childhood church, Tabernacle Baptist Church in Macon, Ga., and left for missionary service in Brazil in 1926.
Shereturned to Georgia in 1965 after 40 years of service on thefield anddied four years later.
Mathias said naming the lecture series after the two missionariesis a sign of respect but is also meant to inspire future missionaries by lookingback to the past.
“We named the lecture series after these two people to celebrate our seminary’s richmissionshistory,”hesaid.
“They had a lifetime of going to be on the mission field. We want to continue the conversation about missions and hopefully inspire a new generation to go and serve as missionaries.
Pratt’s full lecture can be viewed here.
