A Dwelling Place for God by the Spirit
Beeson Divinity School Chapel Series
Fall 2024
Beeson Divinity School exists to prepare God-called persons to serve as ministers in the church of Jesus Christ. This is a high and holy mission, one that requires profound reflection on the nature and purpose of the church we seek to serve.
So, what is the church? How has God brought it to be? And what does He want its faithful members and their ministers to do?
In chapel this year, we will work through the canon of the Old and New Testaments, tracing the development of God’s grand design for the church and its people. We will start in the book of Genesis, where God calls and forms a people set apart from the world to be a light to the Gentiles, a community of priests, a holy nation marked by its commitment to the word, will and worship of God. We will move through the Bible, examining the ways in which the Lord has shaped and led His chosen people through history, gathering a bride for His Son. We will end in Revelation, where the Lord’s love for the bride of Christ is consummated forever in the New Jerusalem.
Throughout the year, we will focus on the manifold ways in which God has always dwelled with the people He has called, enabling them to manifest His presence and provision for a sin-sick world. Our prayer is that this focus will encourage our community to trust in the Lord, believing He is for us and operating through us to redeem the world He loves. We are part of the story we will preach about this year. We ourselves and those we serve “are no longer strangers and aliens,” but “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22).
- Douglas A. Sweeney, dean, Beeson Divinity School
The schedule is as follows:
August 27 - Opening Convocation
Doug Sweeney, Beeson Divinity School
Eph. 2:11-22
“A Dwelling Place for God by the Spirit”
September 3
Stefana Laing, Beeson Divinity School
Genesis 12
"The Journey Begins (but really continues...)"
September 10
Ed Stetzer, Dean, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University
John 20:19-21
“The Moment and the Mission”
September 17
Hannah King, Priest in Residence, The Vine Anglican Church, Clyde, NC
Exodus 24:9-18
“The Priestly Ministry of Presence”
September 24
Gordon Bals, Beeson Divinity School
Exodus 33
“Praying Beyond Ourselves”
October 1
Alex Kirk, Beeson Divinity School
1 Kings 6
“How to Build a House for God”
October 8 - Go Global Missions Emphasis Week
Jolene Erlacher, Founder, Leading TomorrowDaniel 1:1-6
"Daniel Generation: Remaining Faithful in Uncertain Times"
October 15
Frank Thielman, Beeson Divinity School
Psalm 84
“Longing for the Presence of God”
October 22
Timothy George, Beeson Divinity School
Jeremiah 31ff.
Title TBA
October 29-31: Reformation Heritage Lectures
Mickey Mattox, Flack Family Foundation Chair and Professor of Theology at Hillsdale College
Galatians 2:11-21
“Apostolic Discord? Paul vs. Peter”
November 5
Doug Webster, Beeson Divinity School
Ezra 3-6 and Nehemiah 8
“All the People Came Together as One”
November 12
Aaron Schnupp, James Earl Massey Student Preaching Award winner1 Corinthians 3
"The Danger of Good Teaching"
November 19 - ETS Nov. 20-22
Osvaldo Padilla, Beeson Divinity School
John 1:1-14, 2:13-22
“In the Beginning”
November 26 - Thanksgiving Break
No chapel service
December 6 - Commencement and Service of Consecration
Chris Morgan, California Baptist University
1 Cor. 13:1-7
“The Pinnacle of Spirituality”
Spring 2025
January 28 - Opening Convocation
Sydney Park, Beeson Divinity School
Acts 2
"The Eschatological Community of God"
February 4
Robert Smith, Jr., Beeson Divinity School
II Corinthians 5:11-21
"A Living Sanctuary"
February 11
Cameron Thomas, AVP & Dean of Chapel, Talladega College; Pastor, Hutchinson Missionary Baptist Church, Montgomery, AL
II Corinthians 6:14-7:1
Title TBA
February 18
Vince Bacote, Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics and Professor of Theology, Wheaton College
Galatians 5, with help from Romans 8:9-11, I Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19-20
"The Spirit of Opportunity"
February 25
Ronald Sterling, Beeson Divinity School
Ephesians 4:1-6
"Dwelling Together in Unity"
March 4
Mary Splawn, Minister of Connections, Mountain Brook Baptist Church
Ephesians 5:22-33
"What's Love Got to Do With It?"
March 10-14 - Spring Break
No classes or chapel
March 18
Mark DeVine, Beeson Divinity School
I Peter 2:1-12
Title TBA
March 25-27 - Conger Lectures in Preaching
Vaughan Roberts, Rector, St. Ebbe's Church, Oxford, England
Title and text TBA
April 1 - World Christianity Focus Week
Mohammad Sanavi
Title and text TBA
April 8-10 - Biblical Studies Lectures
Sandra Richter, Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies, Westmont College (Santa Barbara, CA)
Title and text TBA
April 15
David Parks, Beeson Divinity School
Revelation 7:9-12 and/or 21:23-27
"Step Into the Story"
April 22
Student Preacher
Title and text TBA
May 2 - Commencement and Service of Consecration
Phil Ryken, President of Wheaton College
Title and text TBA
All services take place at 11 a.m. in Andrew Gerow Hodges Chapel
Unable to join us in-person? Join us on our livestream!
To watch recorded chapel services, visit our website or our YouTube channel! You can also listen to sermon audio on Apple Podcasts. You can also copy the RSS feed here.
