Akin elected to helm of SEBTS by unanimous vote

BP photo

Daniel “Danny” Akin became the sixth president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., Jan. 15.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP)–Daniel L. Akin became the sixth president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Jan. 15 with a unanimous vote of the seminary’s board of trustees.

"This is a great day, a glorious day, a historic day," said Timothy Lewis, the board of trustees chairman who headed the presidential search committee that recommended Akin. "(Akin) is a man with a great passion for God. It’s with great excitement that we’re introducing him today. I thank the Lord for him and his family."

Former interim president Bart Neal also praised the choice.

"I am excited about the election of Dr. Akin as the sixth president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary for several reasons," Neal said. "He is a visionary leader, a wonderful expository preacher, a fine educator and astute theologian.

"Dr. Akin displays that rare combination of a brilliant mind and a passion for evangelism. I know that this is God’s will, and I also know that God will use Dr. Akin’s leadership to guide Southeastern to a bright future."

Akin, who previously served at Southeastern as assistant professor of theology and dean of students from 1992-1996, was vice president for academic administration and dean of the school of theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., a position he held until his return to Southeastern Seminary. During that time, in 1993, he served as interim pastor of Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon.

"I am extremely honored and genuinely humbled at this opportunity," said Akin, who was also elected professor of theology and preaching. "I do count it a great, great honor to come back home and be part of one of the greatest schools in the world."

Akin indicated in his address to seminary faculty members that he was firmly committed to maintaining Southeastern’s emphases on missions and evangelism, expository preaching and promoting Christ-centered marriages and families.

"I don’t have a renovation assignment," he said. "I have a glorious assignment of climbing on board a speeding train that’s gloriously going in the right direction.

"I would like to see Southeastern continue to be the premier school in terms of missions and evangelism. Second, I have always had a passion for expository preaching. If you want to be trained to be a faithful expositor of God’s Word, this school should be at the top of your list."

Before his election by the trustees, Southeastern’s faculty unanimously affirmed its support for his administration.

After earning a bachelor of arts in biblical studies from Criswell College in 1980, Akin went on to earn both a master of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Sem-inary in 1983 and a doctor of philosophy in humanities from the Univer-sity of Texas at Arlington in 1989.

Akin has served as pastor at chur-ches in Texas, Florida, Alabama and Virginia in both interim and full-time capacities. He has also auth-ored articles and several books, including God on Sex, published by Broadman & Holman, the New American Commentary on the Epistles of John and the Holman Old Testament Commentary on Song of Songs.

Akin is married to the former Charlotte Bourne. The Akins have four children: twins Daniel and Jonathan, 23; Paul, 20; and Timothy, 18.