Global Missions Week 2025 Calls Students to Consider the Nations

“Just looking at the world that God has created ought to remind us that there is a Creator. Creation shows the power of God without a word,” shared Lawless, who serves as senior professor of evangelism and missions at Southeastern. “Here’s the problem: recognizing that there is a Creator isn’t enough to fix our broken relationship with that Creator.”

Preaching from Psalm 19, Lawless challenged students, staff, and faculty to consider the nations as he highlighted the evident display of God’s glory in creation and the lack of access unreached people have to the revealed word of God.

“Pause with me to consider this fact,” Lawless urged attendees. “For 4 billion plus people in the world today who have little or no access to the gospel, this psalm stops here.”

His words expressed both Southeastern’s reason for Global Missions Week and the heart behind the institution’s continued Great Commission focus.

A Week of Engagement and Mobilization

At the start of each spring semester, the community of Southeastern Seminary and Judson College gather together around the institution’s shared mission: the Great Commission.

Before ascending into heaven, Jesus gave one last command to his disciples, telling them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:18-20 ESV).

At the heart of everything Southeastern does is a passion for this Great Commission, a desire that all would know and experience the salvation of Jesus Christ. In particular, Global Missions Week is a dedicated time for students, staff, faculty, and supporters of Southeastern to recenter around this mission and consider anew their role in God’s kingdom work.

This spring’s Global Missions Week, February 10-14, offered numerous opportunities for students to engage with missionaries and church planters serving all across the world. From a multi-day missions fair to one-on-one conversations over coffee, the events prioritized personal, thought-provoking interactions during which students could speak with and learn from those actively laboring on the mission field.

“Global Missions Week is Southeastern’s crown jewel of the student calendar,” said Keelan Cook, instructor of Christian missions and director of the CGCS. “For one week every year, we raise up the task of missions as a focus point for students, faculty, and staff. Global Missions Week gives Southeastern a chance to celebrate that which we hold at the very center of our purpose: equipping students to fulfill the Great Commission.”

Global Missions Week gives Southeastern a chance to celebrate that which we hold at the very center of our purpose: equipping students to fulfill the Great Commission.

“This year’s events,” he added, “became a highwater mark for on campus mobilization. Hundreds of students participated in the missions fair, with dozens scheduling time to meet with a missionary and discuss a potential calling to missions.”

While many of the events throughout the week reached students considering missions for the first time, others addressed the practicalities and challenges of the mission field, seeking to encourage those already preparing for that work.

On Monday night, the week began with a kickoff dinner in the Center for Great Commission Studies (CGCS) and continued the following morning, bright and early, with a campus-wide missions prayer walk at 6:30am.

Tuesday night featured a panel of missionaries who spoke on the topic of parenthood on the mission field. Hosted by the distance learning office, the event was held both in person and online for those who wanted to join from afar.

“It’s been such a blessing to see the campus-wide push for global missions this week,” commented current student Rodriguez Simpson. “As an expecting parent, it was especially helpful to hear from those currently on the field with young children, as well as from parents who have already raised children overseas. It was encouraging to hear how they navigated the unique challenges they faced, but it was also exciting to hear about the incredible opportunities that come with being raised on the field rather than in the U.S.”

The next day featured a Library Talk titled “Start Right: Navigating Year One on the Mission Field.” Panel speakers included Keelan Cook and personnel from the North American Mission Board as well as the International Mission Board.

Then, Thursday evening, following the second Global Missions Week chapel and the close of the missions fair, students gathered for one of the final events of the week: a night of international worship and prayer in multiple languages.

The Heart of the Mission

At its core, Global Missions Week represents Southeastern’s heart for the nations and for those without access to the gospel. Laboring around the world in local churches, closed countries, and secular workplaces, Southeastern alumni reflect this heart as they carry the hope of the gospel with them into their respective harvest fields.

Tony Merida, pastor for preaching and vision at Imago Dei Church, emphasized this hope and the hope of the resurrection during Global Mission Week’s second chapel message. The labors of God’s people, Merida reminded attendees, are not in vain.

Preaching from 1 Corinthians 15:50-58, Merida explained, “This chapter tells us the life-changing news that Jesus has conquered death. Therefore, we operate every day knowing that our greatest problem has already been solved, and we rejoice in this good news. And it’s this good news that we want to take to the nations. In fact, we go to the nations because there is an empty tomb.”

“Apart from the resurrection, our faith would be in vain; our preaching would be in vain; we would still be in our sins; and our labor would be in vain. But we have a sure foundation,” Merida declared. “We can say with unshakeable confidence, he has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. Our faith, our proclamations, our global missions endeavors are never in vain.”

Merida’s words powerfully bookended the challenge that Lawless gave at the beginning of the week, encouraging students to let the word of God speak into their lives and to seek “to be pure people doing God’s work.”

The mission of Southeastern Seminary is to equip students to serve the church and to fulfill the Great Commission. But most importantly, these endeavors — equipping students, serving local churches, and reaching the nations — exist for one sole purpose: “to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.” Apart from a true and genuine relationship with King Jesus and a love for the precious word of God, these labors are in vain.

To learn more about Southeastern’s heart for the nations, upcoming mission trips, and how you can join in our mission, visit thecgcs.org. To read more about Global Missions Week and its impact, check out this recent article by the CGCS.