The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary hosts two Preview Days a year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Prospective students tour the campus, meet faculty, hear from President Albert Mohler, and try to discern where God is calling them in their ministry journey. For Austin Maddox, it was the key that unlocked the next step in his calling—a step that forever changed his life.
“Preview Day was the entire reason I ended up coming to Southern,” Maddox said. “Before attending Preview Day, I wasn’t sure which seminary was right for me, but I decided to attend SBTS Preview Day with a friend just for fun. As Preview Day went on, I was more and more impressed with the facilities, reputation, and mission of Southern Seminary.”
Maddox graduated with his MDiv. in May of 2024 and now serves in full-time ministry at Family Church Downtown in West Palm Beach, Florida. It all started with Preview Day and his encounter with the Southern Seminary faculty.
“The main thing that convinced me to attend Southern was the one-on-one attention and care I received from various faculty members,” Maddox said. “I had lunch with Drs. Keith McKinley and Paul Akin and they listened intently to my story and gave great advice about my next steps. I instantly felt a connection with them, which became a friendship throughout my seminary experience.”
Even Maddox’s time at seminary was shaped by the relationships formed at Preview Day. His lunch with McKinley and Akin opened doors for him to work at Southern Seminary and grow under their mentorship.
“Both were instrumental in shaping me as a Southern student,” Maddox said. “I learned essential leadership skills from Dr. McKinley, and he helped deepen my love for the lost. Dr. Akin was also helpful in that regard and coached me as I began to look for full-time ministry jobs the closer I got to graduation.”
Preview Day at Southern is designed to immerse prospective students in the seminary’s life. Maddox had the opportunity to sit in on classes, interact with faculty members, and speak directly with current students who shared their own testimonies about their time at the seminary. For him, it was more than just learning about academic programs; it was seeing a community deeply committed to the gospel.
“I was really impressed when one of the administrative staff members encouraged me and even sent me a handwritten note a week later thanking me for our conversation. He told me he was praying for me as I decided which seminary to attend. After that, I was convinced that God was leading me to Southern. If this was the kind of intentionality and care I received as a prospective student, how much more would I experience as an actual student? Throughout my time at Southern, that was the kind of care I continued to experience as I made relationships with the faculty, staff, and other students at SBTS.”
Maddox encourages anyone interested in seminary to attend Preview Day because there’s nothing like walking the historic grounds and meeting the faculty face to face. Maddox is just one of the many students whose lives were forever altered and callings forever clarified by registering for Preview Day.
“I always encourage anyone considering seminary to attend a Southern Seminary Preview Day,” Maddox said. “It was one of the best decisions I made regarding my theological education journey, and I am thankful to God that He led me to study at Southern Seminary.”
Come experience the trusted ministry training provided at Southern during Preview Day on October 11, 2024. For more details and to register, go to sets.edu/preview