Giving Days 2026

From Classrooms to Conversations: the Great Commission Call

Is every classroom at Southeastern really a Great Commission classroom? It is easy to see how some of the more “practical” classes in the curriculum may check this box, but I’ll admit that at times I have wondered if every class actually applies directly to the Great Commission. It took my mission trip to South Asia, working among Muslims in a hostile context in one of the world’s largest cities, to show me that even the most seemingly abstract classes are preparing students for practical ministry.

One of my favorite Southeastern classes was a week-long Christology intensive with Dr. Steve McKinion. This class changed the way I look at Jesus and even at the gospel itself.  However, while taking this upper-level theology elective, I was not sure that our final paper assignment — on the question “Is it appropriate to say that God died on the cross?” — was a Great Commission paper, or that it necessarily had to be! Then, the following January, I went on a Southeastern-led mission trip to South Asia, and the full picture came into focus.

The first day we went out to do street evangelism on the trip, I was struck by a serious lack of gospel boldness within me. I caught myself shying away from the gospel in my conversations, dragging out the “get-to-know-you” formalities, and by the time I would finally turn the conversation toward the gospel, the person would have to leave. I will never forget the feeling of watching the first man I talked to walk away without getting to hear the gospel because the call to prayer was sounding in the distance. As he walked away, I realized he may never meet another Christian or have another chance to hear the gospel.

I will never forget the feeling of watching the first man I talked to walk away without getting to hear the gospel because the call to prayer was sounding in the distance.

As the week went on, God graciously grew in me a commitment to share. I slowly grew more comfortable over the next few days and got to share the gospel with many Muslims (and occasional Hindus) who had likely never heard it before. This steady growth in gospel boldness culminated in my last day of evangelism, when I and a few others left the urban center where we had spent the week and drove several hours away to a small town that was home to a very conservative and orthodox Muslim seminary. A teammate and I walked onto the beautiful campus of the seminary in hopes of finding a couple people open to conversing with us, as we had done in the city the rest of the week. However, the atmosphere here was noticeably different. Within just a few minutes, a small crowd began to form around us, and the conversation — largely by their own initiation — focused exclusively on religion. So many people gathered that the two of us split up to form two crowds, with 20-30 Muslim students in each group.

Over the next two hours, we had the opportunity to publicly share the gospel and contend for the faith with these crowds of students. I was able to open the Scriptures and explain to them that Jesus is not just another great prophet but God in the flesh! I was able to answer their many questions and ask them questions of my own.

Incredibly, I was uniquely familiar with one of the questions that they asked and spent a significant portion of time on. They asked me, “Are you saying, then, that God died?” Because of my paper for my Christology class, I was able not only to be bold but also to be theologically sound as I answered their familiar question. More than that, I was able to take this question and explain why Jesus died — on our behalf to save us from our sins — and that he didn’t stay dead but rose again defeating death and offering life to all who would believe in him.

Because of my Christology class, I was able not only to be bold but also to be theologically sound as I answered their familiar question.

Here’s the thing: moments like this don’t happen by accident. When I was writing that research paper a couple years ago, I didn’t know I would one day revisit it while sharing the gospel with a crowd of devout and educated Muslims across the planet — but God did. Not only that, but Southeastern was intentionally and directly equipping me for moments like this. When they say every classroom is a Great Commission classroom — or that every assignment is a Great Commission assignment — they mean it! Southeastern sees theological education as a means to the gospel reaching the ends of the earth.

All of this is ultimately made possible because people like you believe in and support that mission and give generously to make these experiences possible for students like me. I am just one of around 100 students being sent on short-term mission trips through the school each year and one of thousands being trained for ministry. When you give to the Danny Akin Global Mission Endowment at Southeastern, you are partnering with us in the mission of going to the ends of the earth taking the news of the Savior who came to die for us to those who have never heard it.

Help us reach our goal of raising $10,000 for this fund as a part of Southeastern Giving Days!

Student Testimonies