By MARILYN STEWART, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

NEW ORLEANS — Sporting denims and a tee-shirt studying “From the Parishes to All Individuals,” Jamie Dew, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary president, welcomed SBC president Bart Barber as speaker in chapel final week for the seminary’s Serve Day, when college students exit to serve and minister across the metropolis.

A minimum of three professions of religion resulted as 185 college students, employees, school members and trustees—joined by Barber, his spouse and daughter—shared the gospel and served in the neighborhood. The group represented the biggest variety of individuals up to now for the once-a-semester occasion.

Dew’s tee-shirt with the varsity’s International Mission Heart tagline reminded listeners that believers are referred to as to take the gospel out from Louisiana’s parishes (counties) to all nations.

“There’s nothing on the market [in the world] that may ever give us hope. There’s solely brokenness and there’s solely sorrow and there’s solely destruction,” Dew stated. “[But], Jesus is nice  …  As individuals who have tasted that redemption and have a burden for the brokenness on the market, we exit into that.”

Evangelism groups shared the gospel on the streets and door-to-door. Others prayer-walked, ministered to the homeless neighborhood, served at a nursing dwelling and on the Baptist Friendship Home, a house for girls in transition.

“I all the time get pleasure from Serve Day as a result of it truly is a mirrored image of our true tradition at NOBTS and Leavell Faculty,” stated Thomas Robust, vice chairman of non secular formation and scholar life. “We aren’t a gaggle of people who serve when now we have a special occasion. It is part of who we’re—we’re servants and we’re getting ready servants.”

In his chapel message, Barber drew from Luke 12:27-38 to point out that serving others is “each eschatological and theological.” Barber inspired college students to serve that day “with heaven in thoughts.”

Barber defined that as a result of believers can rely upon God for the ultimate closing of historical past, they’ll be at liberty to put money into others’ lives. He added that believers should be ready to serve others by taking on Christ’s angle, as proven in Philippians 2, and that serving others is the way in which to stay alert for Christ’s return.

Believers are referred to as to be servants to all, even these whose circumstances are of their very own making, Barber stated. He added, “Don’t simply maintain that in thoughts for right this moment. Allow us to resolve to cover it in our hearts.”

Alternatives to share the gospel got here as groups prayer-walked by way of neighborhoods.

“I noticed God use the NOBTS college students as His arms and toes,” stated Shannon Brown, a college trustee. “We went out to prayer stroll, however in addition they used the alternatives that God gave to wish with folks, share the gospel, and even assist an older lady that lives alone together with her yard work. God’s timing was excellent.”

Mar’krisseanna Span, an M.Div. scholar, shared the gospel with a pair on their porch. The person was an atheist and the girl recognized as a believer. The girl expressed shock that the seminary crew had come to the neighborhood. When Span adopted up with the girl later, the girl informed Span she had gone into her home and thanked God the crew had come, Span associated.  

Some potential college students who had arrived early for the Campus Preview Day additionally participated.

David-Lane Wilkinson, a senior on the College of Mississippi, arrived a day early for Preview Day and joined a Serve Day crew when he discovered the crew was going out to share the gospel. Wilkinson’s crew went into New Orleans’ French Quarter and was led by a scholar who commonly shares the gospel there.

“Individuals noticed [the student] and acknowledged him and referred to as out to him,” Wilkinson stated. “The concept college students are commonly doing this and that they’re constructing relationships and are in a position to share, that’s cool.”

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