Timothy+Barnabas hosts Exchange at Southeastern

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary students recently had the opportunity to attend the Exchange conference with Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Woodstock in Woodstock, Georgia. Southeastern’s Center for Pastoral Leadership and Preaching sponsored the event in partnership with Hunt’s organization, Timothy+Barnabas.

John Ewart, director of the Center for Pastoral Leadership and Preaching began planning the event with Hunt and Southeastern President Danny Akin around a year and a half ago. Hunt, who serves on the center’s advisory board, was excited about working with Southeastern. “Their ministry was interested in working with us as we helped them to see what this event could look like on other campuses as well,” said Ewart. 

Timothy+Barnabas is a ministry of Johnny Hunt and his wife Janet that seeks to instruct and encourage church leaders. In its more than 20 years, Timothy+Barnabas has hosted over 8,000 pastors in more than 50 events in the United States alone. They have also traveled internationally to equip and encourage ministry leaders in 29 countries. Everywhere they go the Hunts seek to invest in church leaders who will impact the world. 

The Exchange conference opened with a chapel service where Johnny encouraged students with his own testimony. “If God can use me, God can use anyone,” he said.

Johnny Hunt recounted how God called him, a 16-year-old dropout with alcohol problems, first to faith in Christ and then to be a pastor. “You never know what God is going to do with you,” Johnny Hunt encouraged. “I really want God to be glorified.”

He preached from Philippians 2:12-13 and reminded students of God’s power through them. “What you’re able to do is not what you bring to the table but what God can do with you,” he said. “God gives the person the will. He energizes us to do the work.”

After lunch, students attended break out sessions geared toward men and women. Johnny Hunt encouraged the men about their future church leadership roles. “Turn ministry over to your people and they will turn leadership over to you,” he said.

He also encouraged them to constantly pour into people and encourage their churches to equip its members. “A church will not continue to grow unless it produces new leaders,” he added.

Women students and student wives attended sessions facilitated by Janet Hunt. Speaker Kathy Litton challenged attendees to always be missional in their ministries. “When you do ministry make sure it’s mission-engaged,” Litton said. “As leaders you will set an example as someone who is oriented both to people inside the church and outside the church.”

Litton also encouraged ladies to own their own personal development in the areas of spiritual condition, mission, emotional growth, intellectual ability, cultural sensitivity, physical well-being and leadership. “Being passive and unintentional about our own development is not appropriate,” she warned. “The number one reason we should work on our own personal development is stewardship of what God has given us.” 

Watch the chapel service with Johnny Hunt here.

View photos from this event here. 

For more information about Southeastern’s Center for Pastoral Leadership and Preaching, click here. 

To learn more about Timothy+Barnabas, visit http://timothybarnabas.org/.