Today I am a graduate of The College at Southeastern, a college at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. I graduated with a degree in English — which included courses in 17th Century British Literature, American Romanticism, Shakespeare, American Literature, British Literature, Literary Theory, among other subjects — as well as a degree in Biblical and Christian Studies — which included Theology, Church History, History of Ideas (i.e., History of Philosophy and World View), Greek, and Latin, among other subjects. I have applied for the M.Div. program at several seminaries for Fall 2011, but have not as yet made a decision where to attend.
I am very grateful to have earned two degrees from this college by the grace of God. I was not a model student in high school and therefore never sought a college degree. In the Spring of 2006 I was talking with my pastor about entering full-time ministry of some degree. That is when he encouraged me to look into attending Southeastern. I matriculated in the Fall semester of 2006 and thus began a journey for which I was not fully prepared.
The professors at Southeastern taught me more than mere theology and application: they taught me about the ways of God through Christ in the Holy Spirit. I was taught not necessarily what to think but how to think. I was stretched intellectually and spiritually. I was challenged emotionally, ethically, and evangelistically. I was warned about the dangers of sin, pride, and lust. I was encouraged to pursue Christ Jesus through devotion, Bible study, and prayer. I was taught how to live with others whose dispositions were not those of my own. I was shown patience by others and taught how to have patience — with the Lord and His timing, with the worldview of others, and with my own faults and failures.
I was also taught that I do not have to agree with everyone, nor do I always have to be right or have all the answers. I was taught to question what I do not understand in order to learn, not in order to prove another wrong. I was taught not to judge too quickly, but to extend grace where the Lord extends grace, knowing that as much grace as I give, I shall receive. I also learned that I have a lot yet to learn. In other words, I am far from living out perfectly all I have been taught.
If I was asked to tell people the most significant fact I learned in college, I would answer thus: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NRSV). My grade point average will not matter in eternity. Degrees from colleges and seminaries will not place me in a right relationship with God, nor will they impress Him in the least (I find that impressing an all-knowing God to be impossible). At the “end” or close of all things, what matters most is what pleases Jesus. No one in heaven will ever ask me what degrees I earned on earth. What truly matters is that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
I am thankful to the Lord for strengthening me through these college years. I pray for His grace to continue as I seek Master’s level work. I am grateful to my parents and brother who love and support me always. I thank my home church, Union Baptist Church, in Chincoteague, Virginia, for supporting me financially and prayerfully. Many others have also supported me both financially and prayerfully, and I am so very grateful. Included among such supporters were my grandparents Bob and Sally Birch, grandmother Sylvia Beebe, aunt Nina Colely, the Rainbow Sisters Sunday School class, Earnest and Bonnie Jones, Albert and Ella Straw, and others as well. I hesitated to mention names for fear of leaving any people out by mistake because there were so many others left to thank. I am so very grateful to everyone who has shown me the slightest bit of support to any degree whatsoever. You may not think so, but every single person played a part in this accomplishment. I praise the Lord for every act of kindness and grace shown to me.
I would also like to thank my Internet friends — brothers and sisters in Christ — who encourage me on this site, and in other places on the ‘net as well. Your friendship and prayers impact me more than you realize. I am grateful for my brothers and sisters at the Society of Evangelical Arminians, for their ministry and camaraderie. I look forward to many fruitful years of service with them, to learn from them, and to be challenged both spiritually and intellectually from their ministry. May the Lord be praised always and in all things. “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph. 3:20-21 NRSV). The Lord bless you all.
Filed under: UNCATEGORIZED Tagged: SOUTHEASTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, THE COLLEGE AT SOUTHEASTERN, WILLIAM BIRCH GRADUATED 
© 2011, Matt. All rights reserved.
