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Jackson, Tenn. – In a special missions service recognizing nearly
500 students who are participating in Global Outreach trips over spring
and as summer missionaries, Southern Baptist Convention President Paige
Patterson challenged students to be "spiritual midwives" to
their peers and people they come into contact with day after day.
Patterson, who is president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., told the story found in Exodus of the midwives who defied the Pharaoh's order and refused to kill the Hebrew boy babies. "We need to be spiritual midwives," Patterson said to the crowd of more than 800. "These ladies feared God more than they feared the ruler of the day. Will you fear the world and it's leadership or will you fear God? Emphasizing the role of midwives in bringing children into the world, Patterson encouraged Union students to act as "spiritual midwives" in bringing people to the kingdom of God. "Life and death are in your hands - but the fear of God is in your hearts, and that is what will help you," said Patterson, pointing out that one never knows when God will use them to share Christ. He then shared a story of witnessing to a young man from Australia who he sat by on a returning air flight. Patterson did not find out until later that the young man was going to visit his brother who happened to be a student at Southeastern. His entire family had been praying that someone might sit beside the young man on the plane and share the Gospel with him. Patterson stated that the next 50 years will be a hard period of time for Christians everywhere, as western culture increasingly rejects the exclusive truth claims of the Christian faith. "You as students are privileged to attend this university. What you are receiving here at Union will impact and strengthen your Christian worldview for years to come," Patterson said. While at Union, Patterson was inducted into the university's R.G. Lee Society of Fellows. The Society is a network of ministerial leaders whose purpose is to enhance and encourage the preaching of the gospel |
