BCF PRESIDENT SPEAKS TO SOUTHEASTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 25, 2006

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Nestled in the beautiful hills of Wake Forest, North Carolina is Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) one of the six institutions of higher education operated by the Southern Baptist Convention. On Thursday, Aug. 24, Dr. Thomas A. Kinchen, President of The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville was invited to speak in Chapel at SEBTS which sets the spiritual tone for the entire campus' life.

During the spirited praise and worship service, Dr. Kinchen used the beautiful love letter to the church found in the book of Philippians 2:1-11 to remind students, faculty, and staff that God's people should exhibit and pursue the very mind of Christ. Known for his boundless enthusiasm for the gospel and having a pastor's heart, Dr. Kinchen proclaimed to the theological students how the world views their call and how crucial it is for them to take the message of hope to those who are lost and dying in this temporal world.

"The vast majority of the world thinks you are out of your mind," stated Kinchen, "And if you're living in verses 1-4 of the second chapter of Philippians, then they're right!" Kinchen shared his personal testimony of faith and obedience by telling students that living within the mind of Christ requires having a mind of self denial, a mind of service, and a mind of suffering.

A frequently requested preacher and speaker throughout the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Kinchen never tires in telling the story of Jesus and sharing with others about The Baptist College of Florida, which is in the place he calls home, Graceville. His unending energy and love for men and women who have been called into ministry has been the driving force in major construction projects, curriculum redesigns, and new and innovative ways of providing educational opportunities.