Students and special guests from Dr. Mark Tolbert’s special event class. Submitted photo
INDIANAPOLIS – The 2024 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference focused on what it means to be called, chosen and faithful.
Eleven preachers gave expository messages on various aspects of the topic. Attending all the sessions and listening closely to what the speakers had to say were eight New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary students in Dr. Mark Tolbert’s special event class offered in conjunction with the conference.
Tolbert, who in addition to teaching for the seminary serves part-time at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) as an evangelism and revitalization strategist, said the students are tasked with critiquing and giving a summary of each session and then preparing a series of sermons.
“The theme is fulfilling your mission. My assignment is to preach a sermon series on that – How to fulfill God’s mission in your life,” Tolbert said.
The class met prior to the conference on Sunday and briefly following the final session on Monday. Travis Cronan, who is currently earning his doctorate degree, elected to take this special event class because of his love of preaching.
“I love preaching God’s word, but I also love hearing God’s word being preached,” Cronan said. “I am a student of preaching … I love hearing good preaching and learning and watching it be practiced.”
Cronan said everyone who spoke at the pastors’ conference brought something to the table that was unique and that he values and was encouraged by. He was especially encouraged by the sermon of Dr. Robert Smith Jr., professor of preaching at Beeson Divinity School in Alabama.
“Robert Smith Jr. is one of the greatest preachers I have ever heard. I think he is one of the greatest preachers of our time. Watching him preach is like watching a symphony in real life. It’s just amazing how you can weave scripture together and have it bring you to the culmination of Jesus Christ. My faith was increased, and I am probably going to be thinking about this sermon for the next few weeks,” Cronan said.
Cronan, who pastors at Hebron Baptist Church in Denham Springs, Louisiana, said listening to all the conference speakers left an impression on him.
“I watch them, and I see how passionate they are and how much effort they put into crafting the ministry that God has given them, and it inspires me to be the best preacher that I can,” he said.
Of the eight students in the class, four are pursuing their master’s degree and four are working toward their doctorate.
Students have until July 15 to submit all their assignments for the course. For more coverage on the speakers of the pastors’ conference, check out this Baptist Press article.