“He Will Get You to the Finish Line”: Akin Encourages Nash Graduates Soon to Be Deployed

These men, having received fully accredited Bachelor of Arts in pastoral ministry, will be deployed throughout the North Carolina prison system in teams of two to serve as ministers of the gospel and to effect transformation from the inside out. This field minister program is one of three partnerships between Judson College and the states of North Carolina and Florida. Following the deployment of this new group of graduates, over 70 incarcerated individuals will have been equipped and sent out to serve as ministers of the gospel in their specific contexts.

“You have been equipped to be ambassadors for Christ,” said Joe Gibbs, founder of Game Plan for Life (GPFL), one of the original partners of Judson’s Prison Programs. “Think about that. You’ve got God with you. You’ve got an army praying for you.”

This army of supporters, partners, and sponsors includes GPFL, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, the Charles B. Kessee Foundation, Prison Seminaries Foundation, and the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections.

In his commencement address to the graduates, Southeastern President Danny Akin opened by saying, “I want you to know how proud I am to be your president at Southeastern Seminary. The fact of the matter is, you’ll be my last graduating class because I am stepping aside as president at the end of July. That makes this particular graduation all the more special to me.”

Akin encouraged and challenged the graduates from Hebrews 12:1-3, urging them to hold fast to two commitments:

• Stay in the race.
• Keep your eyes on Jesus.

“I’ve said this many times over the years, and I believe it more today than ever, had you or I been the only person to ever live, Jesus Christ would have still gone to the cross and died just for you, because he loves you that much,” Akin said.

He encouraged them to hold fast to this love in the midst of discouragement and hardship in ministry.

“Go back,” Akin said, “and just glue your eyes to the cross and reflect for a few moments on how much Jesus loves you and what he did for you. I’m telling you, it can sustain you and keep you running in the race.”

“He got you in the race. He’ll keep you in the race. And he will get you to the finish line.”

Before the conferring of degrees, Dean of Judson College Seth Bible offered a prayer of dedication over the graduates, bringing them before the Lord as they prepare to go into their respective mission fields. These Judson alumni bear a unique responsibility and skillset for their context as they pursue God’s call to give their lives for the cause of Christ in every aspect of society.

To learn more about Judson’s Prison Programs and the mission of its graduates, visit judsoncollege.com/prison.