Who Do We Associate For? - BMA Seminary

By Dr. Philip Attebery, President • BMA Theological Seminary

Executive Editor’s Note: As part of this year’s theme, Your Connection to the Mission, the Baptist Trumpet is excited to feature this series in the first few issues of the year. These stories will highlight how churches in the Baptist Missionary Association (BMA), working together, have impacted lives around the world for eternity. From pastors encouraged by BMA Financial to students transformed at Central Baptist College and individuals reached through missionary efforts from the state, national and international work of missions, these narratives celebrate the life-changing power of our shared mission. This series serves as a reminder of the incredible difference you and your church make when connected to the mission of advancing God’s kingdom. Together, we are making a global and eternal impact. Stay informed about what God is doing, be inspired by the lives changed through the ministries of the BMA and get involved as you stay connected to the mission through the Baptist Trumpet

Dr. John W. Gregson served as the first registrar and second president of what became known as the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary (BMATS). Upon the occasion of the seminary’s 50^th Anniversary, Gregson authored the book Earnestly Contending for the Faith. According to the book’s preface, documentation from as early as 1944 reflects the interest of associational Baptists in establishing an institution to provide a biblically based theological education.

An initial meeting of church messengers was held in 1947. A committee was formed that made several recommendations regarding establishing a seminary to serve as a “finishing school” for theological students. The recommendations were based on the principle of “Accepting the Bible as the perfect rule for our faith and practice and the basic principle of the equality of churches and brethren in cooperative activities and recognizing the need of more schools of Christian training among Missionary Baptists” (p. 21).

In response, Jacksonville College initiated a Seminary Division in 1948 that would later become BMATS. At the first meeting of the North American Baptist Association, held in 1950, an article regarding Christian Education was adopted by the association and included in the Principles of Cooperation. Interestingly, the preface to Gregson’s book repeatedly refers to various local associations and their combined interests in creating a seminary.

The seminary received a charter from the State of Texas in 1955 and held its first classes on the current seminary campus in 1957. Since then, BMATS has continued to provide a theological education focused upon the Bible as each church’s perfect rule for faith and practice. We continue to hold a view of church equality and associational practice as seen in the Scriptures. We also exist to meet the educational needs of churches and agencies of the BMA.

The greatest testimony of how BMATS has fulfilled its mission is from our students and graduates. Sidney Farmer, pastor of South Forrest Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Miss., is one of those students and he shared about how BMATS made an impact on him and his ministry:

“BMATS equipped me as a pastor by training me in evangelism and discipleship. This training properly equipped me to be able to plant a church using discipleship. BMATS continued to equip our new church plant with hands-on evangelism training. This hands-on training equipped us as a mission church to be effective in evangelism so that we may better equip others.

South Forrest Baptist Church is an organized church that equips missionaries and churches in the BMA of Mississippi with hands-on evangelism training. As a pastor, with the training I received at BMATS, I am now equipping several pastors and laymen in the BMA of Mississippi in personal, one-on-one discipleship.”

One of the joys of ministry at BMA Seminary is witnessing BMA pastors and laypeople enroll in classes to enhance their effectiveness in ministry, like Bro Farmer. BMATS has often visited churches and local associations to provide a weekend or week-long course of study in practical ministries such as evangelism and discipleship. Every professor at BMATS has also visited foreign mission fields to provide theological training, a practice that continues to this day.

In addition to positions within local churches, BMA graduates and alumni have served national and state associations as directors, missionaries, moderators, presidents and professors.

Remember that your support of BMATS will likely help prepare a future missionary, department leader or pastor at your church. A couple of years ago, a pastor shared with me how his church faithfully made financial donations to BMATS. He expressed gratitude and enthusiasm at how the Lord had blessed their church with a BMA Seminary graduate to fill a pastoral role. We hope the Lord continues to bless churches who invest in their future ministry leaders by supporting BMATS’s ongoing commitment to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints and essential for His people today.

Recent graduates have commented on the benefit of their BMA Seminary education: “I expect to lead a more effective, more fulfilling life in service to Christ in general.” Another said, “Speaking personally with the Dean each semester, having the ability to communicate and pray with your professor, and trusting that your call or email is welcomed by BMATS staff makes a profound difference in a student’s personal faith and in the productiveness of studying at the seminary.” Another student shared they attended the seminary because “I knew it was a solid seminary with sound doctrine and sound teachers, shared alignment with my positions on the Bible and theology, and is concerned with reaching the world for Christ.”

This is what the founding fathers envisioned ¾ churches supporting a seminary that teaches and equips church leaders to minister according to biblical rule and practice. Please obey the Lord’s command and pray for laborers for His harvest (Matt. 9:37-38) and encourage those you know to attend BMATS. Our purpose statement includes a commitment to meet the educational needs of BMA churches and agencies. Your support of all kinds helps us to help you! Thanks for giving us such an opportunity to contend earnestly for you!