"Seven Questions with Dr. Paige Patterson"

1. What were some of the key issues that led you to serve in a denominational position?

I never intended to work for the denomination. My call from God, as I understood it originally, was to be an evangelist. Later, I served with great happiness as a pastor. My concern was primarily with leading people to know Christ, and teaching them how to walk with the Lord once they were saved. When the call first came to go to the Criswell College as President, only an overwhelming sense that this was what I was supposed to do led me to accept the position. I continue to be amazed until now. When I was called to Southeastern Seminary, however, I could not shake the sense that it was what God wanted me to do, and therefore, I continued in that direction.

2. What is your greatest passion?

My greatest passion until this day is sharing Christ with lost people and seeing them come to the Lord. There is nothing that I will wake up at night about except the sense that there are 6.5 billion lost people in this world who are on their way to hell.

3. In your opinion what is the main thing that must happen in the SBC to build momentum for Kingdom growth over the next 5 years.

In my persuasion, special interest groups are going to have to step aside and allow us to focus all of our energies on a world-wide program of evangelism and missions if we are to see Kingdom growth over the next five years.

4. At the 2006 SBC Convention Southern Baptists made a renewed commitment to the Cooperative Program. Why should a church support the Cooperative Program and how does it impact your area of ministry?

About the only place that the Cooperative Program is not greatly envied is within the convention itself. I never cease to be amazed that the envy of the Protestant world, namely the cooperative effort of Southern Baptists, is so little appreciated among our own people. We must find a way to help our people understand again that we can do more together than we can do separately.

5. If you could give one word of encouragement to every Baptist minister what would it be?

My one word of encouragement to every Southern Baptist is that no matter what kind of mess we all make of things, God is still on His throne and will prevail in the end.

6. What has been the secret to your success as a denominational leader?

I do not allow myself to think of any “success” as a denominational leader. It has always seemed to me that the minute one thinks in those terms, he is a failure in the Lord’s work. Our motive and purpose as followers of Christ should be to be servants, and at most shepherds of the flocks.

7. Over the next year what are some things you hope to accomplish and how can my readers and I be praying for you?

In addition to giving whatever direction I can to the program at Southwestern Seminary, I hope during this coming year to be able to finish up several crucial writing projects that I have promised, and I hope to make a more extensive effort in personal evangelism.

Dr. Paige Patterson is the current President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. You can get to his latest sermons and information at The Paige Patterson Website