After One Year

Reflections after the first year of teaching at Baylor's Truett Seminary (and living in Waco)

George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University, Waco, Texas. Photo: Jonathan Balmer.

Hey, friends. I haven’t had much time to write here since Easter. End of the semester, working on a journal article, etc. Glad to be back. Hoping to write more this Summer. This essay is a cheeky reference to an essay Bonhoeffer wrote entitled, “After Ten Years,” in which he spoke about his underground seminary experiment at Finkenwalde. Longtime readers are unsurprised. Enjoy.

It’s been quite a year.

A year ago, I stepped down from my role as Senior Pastor of Houston Northwest Church in Houston, Texas, and transitioned into my current role (it’s a bit of a mouthful) of Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Ministry at George W. Truett Theological Seminary. It was an unexpected decision prompted by a sobering cardiologist visit in November 2024 leading us to realize that I needed to make a job change. The Lord—as usual—surprised us with His graciousness (and timing). We still miss our church and the city of Houston deeply. It is difficult to describe to others just how special of a season we experienced at HNW. At the same time, we are beginning to experience the little joys that accompany a new beginning here in Waco.

Part of that new beginning centers on Truett Seminary. Truett is Baylor’s seminary, giving it a distinct flavor compared to a standalone, denominationally-affiliated seminary. As I hugged the necks of and took pictures with new graduates on Friday evening, I couldn’t help but recognize: Truett is a special place.

After a year (two semesters, technically) of teaching, I’d like to offer the following observations and reflections thus far about Truett Seminary:

1. The students are outstanding. Perhaps every teacher believes his or her students are outstanding. I could understand that being the case. At the same time, I am genuinely impressed by the quality of students that Truett attracts. They are academically impressive. They read deeply and thoughtfully. They write, think, and speak with precision and great thought. More impressively (and importantly, for our line of preparation): They love the Lord deeply. I have reached the point in my life where I could easily slip into cynicism or, at the very least, deep skepticism. These students refuse to let me go there. They are earnest in their faith, fervent in their prayer and worship, and active in their respective churches and ministries. Further: They come from all sorts of denominational backgrounds. The majority are Baptist, but so far I have had students from diverse backgrounds including Anglican (ACNA), Assemblies of God, Churches of Christ, Methodist (GMC), Presbyterian (PCA), and non-denominational. If you are thinking of training for ministry, I enthusiastically recommend Truett.

2. My colleagues are top-notch scholars. Baylor is an R1 university. I did not fully appreciate what that meant prior to my arrival. An R1 university is the top classification a university can receive regarding research, meaning that the university has “Very High Research Activity.” Since Truett is part of Baylor, that means that each of them is doing excellent research in their respective fields. Since I’ve been at Truett, one of my colleagues has released a new commentary on Job, another one has released a book on Old Testament theology, another one on becoming a friendlier church, another one on the history of preaching, another one on the intersection of theology and sports, another on the church and abolitionists, and another one on resilience in the Psalms. (I am certain I am forgetting several. Apologies.) The others are working on articles, projects, and books that will soon come out. These releases are shaping churches and seminaries around the world. In short, I am impressed by my faculty colleagues, because they each match a vibrant faith with brilliant minds in order to help the church. If you’re looking for resources, keep your eye on the Truett social media pages. Good things are coming all the time.

3. The community is rich. My office is located in the corner of the hallway. A seating area is just outside. Students gather to study and laugh. I see them eating together in the nearby dining hall. I see them at basketball games. I see them worshipping together. It’s clear that for the students who want it, community is to be found. Further, I’ve seen this evidenced in the relationships between the faculty, the staff, and the students on a number of levels. Communion each Monday or Chapel worship each Tuesday (and its following lunch) might be the best example. The students worship across styles and ethnicities and genuinely encourage one another in their pursuit of God and His ministry. It is a joy to behold the people of the seminary love one another so well.

4. The theology is thoughtfully orthodox, yet not boringly uniform. I grew up and served in churches associated with the Southern Baptist Convention. When Truett began in 1995, it was not well-received by some within the SBC. I have heard accusations (almost since its inception) of the seminary being “liberal.” (I suppose if Truett is liberal, then it is because we train both men and women for ministry and affirm the call God has on their lives. I imagine some would say that holding such a position is beyond the pale. Personally, I’ve found training men and women together has enriched the conversation and increased understanding in the classroom.) Having now worked, studied, and worshipped with this community for a year, I can say with great authority that my faculty colleagues love and respect the Scriptures and treat them with great care and authority and that they are all orthodox in their theology. I love the way our Dean, Dr. Todd Still, put it some time ago: “Baylor’s Truett Seminary has been, and remains, a centrist, orthodox, evangelical seminary within the Baptist tradition. Rejecting both a fundamentalism of the right, and its arid positivism, and a fundamentalism of the left and its vapid relativism, we continue to position ourselves in what may be thought of and spoken of as the ‘deep middle’ of the Christian Tradition. Someone, somewhere said, ‘Mere Christianity.’” I’ve found Dean Still’s description of Truett’s theology to be spot on.

Truett graduated her 2000th student on Friday, and I pray many more will follow so that her influence will only grow. If you’re considering seminary, or if you have a student who is considering seminary, I hope you will give Truett a close examination.

May 2026 graduates of Truett Seminary at FBC Waco. Photo Credit: Truett Seminary.

Bonus: What do we think about living in Waco?

Yes, Waco ain’t Houston. But we are learning and loving our new home city a little more each passing day. A couple of observations thus far:

1. Lots of hidden gems. Most every week I find out about something new in Waco that is delightful. Last week Joy and I discovered a new French bakery had opened downtown. Its sister shop is located in…Washington, D.C. No idea why they came to Waco, but I’m glad they did. It’s fantastic. Cameron Park is a surprise, filled with trails for hiking, biking, and running. The Waco Farmers Market is a fun community gathering spot each Saturday. Two weeks ago we found out about the Master Gardener plant sale. (I briefly looked into becoming a Master Gardener, but it appears that is a post-tenure project.) We love our church. Willie Nelson played in concert here on Thursday night. Pat Green was here recently. You get the picture. Waco isn’t a global city, but it has plenty of charm, if you’re willing to explore a little. And don’t get me started about Helberg BBQ.

2. Slower pace has been good for our health and souls. As mentioned at the beginning of this piece, we made this transition because of my health. It has paid enormous dividends. My blood pressure is down thirty points. My weight is down. My bloodwork is the best it has been in a decade. My cardiologist was…happy??…at my last visit. It’s a different pace of life, and it appears I needed it. When I sat on my back patio in Houston, I could hear a highway, a train, and an airport while speaking directly to both of my neighbors. From my Waco back patio? When we sit in our chairs we can hear…nothing. We can see the stars. I miss Houston. I miss HNW. And I miss pastoring. But this has been a welcome and needed shift.

The Lord is good.