The commencement exercises took place in Alumni Chapel, which was beautifully decorated for Christmas. The ninety-minute program was really a worship service that consisted of Scripture reading from both the Old and New Testaments, several Christmas hymns, meaningful prayers, and a timely commencement address from seminary president R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
But my favorite part of the ceremony was "The Graduation Pledge" that took place after the conferring of the degrees, the presentation of the diplomas, and the declaration of graduation. As the graduates recited the pledge in unison, we were reminded that our commencement came with a commitment. As I read the following words aloud, my eyes moistened with tears, and a lump formed in my throat.
As graduates of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, we hereby declare to the watching world that we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ who are called to ministry and service by the power of the Holy Spirit. By grace we have been saved, and by grace we have been called into the service of our Lord and of his Christ. On this day of graduation and commencement, with gladness we join that long line of faithful servants who have gone before us. With gratitude we have received the privilege of theological education.We are now stewards of a priceless inheritance and servants of a church that has been fed by generations of pastors and shepherds, planted by missionaries, served by those who labored in obscurity, and watered by the blood of martyrs. We now take up our charge and eagerly take our place. We stand on the truth of God's Word, on the power of the Gospel, and on the faith once for all delivered to the saints. We will minister in fidelity and in the purity of the Gospel, letting no harm come to the church by our hands, no injury by our tongues, and no hindrance to the Kingdom by our lives. We are unashamed of the Gospel, determined to serve wherever God may call us, knowing that by the power of the resurrected Christ, our labor is not in vain. We are heralds of the good news, stewards of the mysteries of God, and torchbearers to the nations. We are soldiers of Christ, arrayed in truth, and we commit the length of our days to the service of our Savior. We are graduates of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. By God's grace, we are the next in line.How can a pastor read those words and not feel overwhelmed by the solemnity of the call to ministry, the joy of serving Christ, and the weight of responsibility that comes with such a privilege? I find myself crying out with the apostle Paul, "Who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Cor. 2:16). Then I immediately respond, as Paul did, "Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.... But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Cor. 3:4-5; 4:7).
Yes, by God's grace, we are the next in line. As I think about the implications of such a standing, my hope is best expressed by Jon Mohr's hymn that Christian recording artist Steve Green sang years ago:
O may all who come behind us find us faithful;
May the fire of our devotion light their way!
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe,
And the lives we live
Inspire them to obey.
O may all who come behind us find us faithful!
