More than 110 golfers raised $232,000 for Southern Seminary and Boyce students at the 19th Annual Heritage Golf Classic Tournament on August 22 at Big Spring Country Club.
Southern Seminary President Albert Mohler voiced his gratitude for the tournament and the excellent day for it. Temperatures were mild in the low-80s and weather the entire day was perfect for a golf tournament.
“What a spectacular day,” he said. “Golf is something I greatly admire, and I especially admire the fact that today you have transformed golf into a way of helping students at Southern Seminary prepare for ministry.
“We are living in times of incredible moral revolt and one of the glad tasks of Southern Seminary is to press back against that revolt with the faith once and for all delivered to the saints. People like you, who love what the Lord is doing at SBTS and Boyce College, make this task possible.”
Edward Heinze, vice president of Institutional Advancement, was thrilled with the number of participants—there were 112 golfers and numerous sponsors. The tournament raises money to help offset tuition for students at the seminary and Boyce College.
“Every year our donors turn out with big hearts and generous hands to help us keep our degree programs affordable for all of our students,” Heinze said. “Probably the most encouraging aspect of this tournament is the joy that accentuates the entire day—our donors are genuinely happy to participate.”
Heinze said the annual tournament is always a success because the participants support the vision and leadership of Southern.
“Throughout the day they expressed confidence in our leadership, love our faculty and students, and reverence the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. “Truly, the Heritage Classic Golf Tournament is one of the best days on the Southern Seminary calendar each academic year.”
Alongside the money raised, Trevor Barylske, an MDiv. student at SBTS, received the $5,000 Rick Bordas Scholarship.
A longtime friend of Southern Seminary, Bordas had a passion for seeing students trained to take the gospel to local churches and to international mission fields. Upon his death in 2013, his family and friends established a scholarship fund in his name.
Barylske graduated from the University of Alabama in Huntsville with a degree in civil engineering. He has completed 15 hours at SBTS and plans to minister to unreached people groups in the Middle East or East Asia. He has been married to Alyssa for 2 years.
In accepting the scholarship, Barylske shared the gospel concisely and joyfully. “Those who come to Christ, come to salvation by the grace and mercy of God. Their sins are forgiven, they will receive the gift of eternal life, and it will be a blast.”