Weekly Email: February 10, 2025
I hope you’re having a great start to the week! We kicked off the spring semester with Convocation, where Dr. Mohler announced the installation of Dr. Betts as the Donald L. Williams Professor of Old Testament Interpretation. If you’ve ever had Dr. Betts, you know his deep passion for the Lord and his heart for students.
Student Tip: Reflections from 4000 Weeks
Oliver Burkeman’s 4000 Weeks made its way onto my must-read-every-year list to help refocus my priorities. As I revisited it recently, I thought of you and a few things stood out to me:
1. You can’t do it all…and that’s okay
Life is busy. Yours and mine. We want to do it all, and many of the things we want to do, we’re good at–or at least competent. But time makes no concessions for anyone, no matter how productive you try to be. At some point this semester, you will have to make choices. Only you can determine what choices are worth making, but remember: you can’t do it all. Sometimes, something urgent and important will pop up–maybe at church or with family–and you’ll have to make a tough call between responsibilities at school and elsewhere. You can’t do it all.
2. Done is better than perfect
This connects to my first point: it’s better to get something done than to paralyze yourself striving for perfection. If you keep waiting for the “perfect” paper, budget plan, or email reply, you’ll always be behind. Do your best with the time you’ve allotted, turn it in, and move on to what’s next. You will never attain perfection. So don’t aim for that–set limits, do what you can, and remain faithful to what matters most.
3. Multitasking is a lie
Focus on one thing and do it well. When making choices about what to do, don’t try to do it all at once. School and emails don’t mix well. Netflix and writing a paper? Not a great combo. Texting and reading? That’ll drain more time than just focusing on the task itself.
So, remember: you can’t do it all, done is better than perfect, and focus on the one thing in front of you. Do it well.
Program News: Spring 2 Experiential Modulars
Spring 2 Experiential Modulars are just around the corner, and spots are filling up quickly!
Students from across the country will be coming to Louisville for an experience that’s unlike anything else we offer at Southern Seminary. Our Experiential Modulars blend the flexibility of online learning with the kind of deep, in-person connections that can only happen when you’re face-to-face with faculty and fellow students.
If you haven’t considered attending before, now’s the time. We’ve got an upcoming Spring 2 session, and we’re making it as accessible as possible as we cover your hotel and meals while you’re here.
So, what’s it actually like? Here’s what students will experience:
Six live class sessions with their professor
Shared meals with other students (the kind of conversations that turn into lifelong friendships)
Guest lectures from invited guests
Opportunities to connect with faculty and fellow students beyond the classroom
For Spring 2, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from one of the following Drs. Schreiner, Wellum, and Pierre, each bringing their expertise to the classroom.
This isn’t just about earning credit. It’s about stepping into the Southern Seminary community in a way that deepens your learning, strengthens your calling, and gives you a taste of what it’s like to be here in Louisville.
Spots are filling up fast so don’t miss your chance to be part of it.
Register for Spring 2 Experiential Modulars
Faculty Devotional: Dr. Bradley Green
This week’s faculty devotional is from Dr. Bradley Green, Visiting Professor of Philosophy and Theology.
“Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1–4, CSB).
When Christians are asked “what is the Gospel?” it is not uncommon for one to point to the first part of 1 Corinthians 15. This is understandable and appropriate, for here Paul gives a succinct summary of key components of the gospel message.
Paul summarizes the gospel in four “thats”.
The death of Christ: “that Jesus Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” (15:3)
The burial of Christ: “that he was buried” (15:4)
The resurrection of Christ: “that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (15:4)
The appearances of Christ: "that he appeared … " to many persons (15:4)
While this is not the only “shorthand” version of the gospel we find in the New Testament, it is a particularly helpful one. It gets to the point.
We can give thanks that in Paul’s four-point summary, we as Christians contribute nothing to “the gospel.” The gospel is first and foremost something outside of us which is for us. God has done what is necessary for our redemption, and we do not contribute to this beautiful reality.
The gospel is also a historical reality, bound up with a particular person–Jesus Christ, in a particular place–Jerusalem, at a particular time–the first century.
We can and should give thanks for all that has been done for us in the four “thats” of the gospel.
That’s all for this week! Thanks for reading and check in next Monday. You can find an archive of each week’s email here.
