The Vision

As more and more students come to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to receive training for their work in ministry, the seminary must prepare for the future care of those students and their families as well as of the faculty and staff of this campus.

The focal point of the Seminary campus will be the new chapel. We hope the chapel will be ...

• A world-class venue for training pastors in expository preaching
• A place where the entire seminary family can gather together in worship and celebration
• A beautifying enhancement to the campus facilities and the surrounding area
• An adequate and excellent facility for graduation and other ceremonies, and
• A premier auditorium to serve beyond our campus family the city of Fort Worth and surrounding communities

Excerpts from Precious Memories. An article written by Paige Patterson in the current issue of the Southwestern News. Click here to read the full article.

"The Truett Auditorium at Southwestern has certainly served well, but reaches its capacity at 1,000 people. There is no way for us to have all of our student body together in a single chapel session. We cannot open our doors to all the people in the community who want to come for the performance of great musical events such as the annual presentation of The Messiah. The number of tickets must be limited because there is no space. Neither can we hold graduation exercises on our own campus."

"But while those are spatial problems, the real issue revolves around student and faculty experiencing the worship of God together on campus. Long ago our seminaries made a decision that they would not be a substitute for the local church. We ask our professors and students to place their lives in membership in local churches across the city and state. Nevertheless, any community that seeks to honor Christ must learn to worship together."

"Furthermore, the chapel is for teaching just as important, and perhaps even more so, than any other single class meeting on campus. In the chapel we will model “how to do church.” We will teach students how to “lift an offering.” We will model for students how the Word of God is effectively expounded and applied. In the chapel, we will demonstrate how public prayer and Bible reading is done properly, and we will participate together in music honoring God and exalting the Savior. There our musicians will have the unique opportunity to use their talents for God."