Announcing the Mid-America Preaching Libraries
Noting that the world is suffering from a “crisis of lostness” and a “shortage of preachers,” Dr. Michael Spradlin announced a new development that further cements Mid-America as a premier school for equipping the next generation of biblical preachers. Mid-America’s President, Dr. Spradlin shared the news on June 14 that Mid-America is the recipient of two major collections of preaching resources: the 5,000-volume library of Dr. Adrian Rogers and the 25,000-volume library of Dr. David L. Allen.
Speaking to a packed room on hand at the Mid-America Alumni and Friends Luncheon during the SBC in New Orleans as well as to numerous online listeners, Dr. Spradlin said, “30,000 volumes dedicated to preaching, making it I believe the greatest collection of preaching materials in one place.”
Dr. Spradlin read a letter from the late Dr. Adrian Rogers, long-time pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church located across the street from the Mid-America campus in Memphis, in which Dr. Rogers wrote, “I love our Seminary…I am truly honored to be a Distinguished Professor of Biblical Preaching at Mid-America.” Calling Dr. Rogers a “once in a generation preacher,” Dr. Spradlin recalled a meeting with Dr. Rogers shortly before his death in 2005 in which they discussed a Center for Biblical Preaching and Dr. Rogers shared his “vision for preaching and for teaching preachers at Mid-America.”
“There’s something special that’s coming to Mid-America,” Dr. Spradlin remembered Dr. Rogers saying, and Dr. Spradlin added, “and this is the year it has arrived,” referring to the Adrian Rogers Preaching Library coming home to Memphis, “making Memphis, Tennessee, a hub for preaching ministry.”
The second half of the special announcement was that the 25,000-volume homiletic library of Dr. David L. Allen will be housed at Mid-America. Dr. Allen serves as Mid-America’s Distinguished Professor of Practical Theology and Dean of the Adrian Rogers Center for Biblical Preaching. “Dr. David Allen will be reviving the Adrian Rogers Center for Biblical Preaching,” said Dr. Spradlin, and it will be highlighted during the Adrian Rogers Preaching Conference held in conjunction with Mid-America’s annual Founders’ Days, August 14–17, 2023.
“The Lord has been doing a series of things in the life of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary,” said Dr. Spradlin. “God has brought us a great faculty. He has brought us a great facility. He has now brought us these great resources, and so we just need now to be faithful in what God is about to do.”
The two new preaching libraries will help Mid-America address the shortage of preachers, Dr. Spradlin said. “Empty pulpits can be filled if you have trained preachers,” he urged. The tools are in place and now enhanced for Mid-America to continue equipping biblical preachers and leaders for the next generation.