The 18th annual Heritage Classic Golf Tournament—held Monday, August 23 at Big Spring Country Club—raised $253,000 for SBTS and Boyce students. 
The tournament included 116 golfers, most of whom were SBTS donors, and the money was directly applied to the Southern Fund to underwrite tuition costs for students studying at Southern Seminary and Boyce College. SBTS President R. Albert Mohler Jr. said the day of golf will have a lasting effect in helping the gospel advance through theological education.
“It means a lot that we can have golf played to the glory of God,” Mohler said. “It will make a difference on the mission field and in the pulpits of our churches and places we will never go, places we’ll never see. That is absolutely glorious. What a great way to spend a day.”
The event culminated during the closing ceremony when Timothy Babatunde (SBTS) and Joel Warren, a Boyce College student who is also working toward an MDiv at SBTS through the school’s seminary track, each received the $5,000 Rick Bordas Memorial Scholarship.
Rick Bordas was a longtime friend of Southern Seminary who 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.
“You have no idea what this means to me,” Babatunde said, “I am a living testimony of the goodness of the Lord. I really wanted to study architecture and really didn’t want to go into ministry. The only reason I signed up at Boyce College was to obey my dad.”
After starting class, he soon learned, “I cannot get away from ministry as a believer in Jesus Christ. I realized how much Christianity in Nigeria is so nominal. There are a lot of people perishing because of that. The Lord has told me, ‘You have to speak to them.’ I want to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s all that matters.”
Babatunde is a Boyce College graduate who is expecting to graduate with his MDiv from SBTS in 2023. He plans to return to Nigeria as a minister.
Warren received the second $5,000 scholarship. On top of class, Joel works 30 hours a week. He noted experiencing financial trouble but gave the credit to God for his provision: “The Lord has provided again and again. I plan on devoting my life to the church.”
Edward Heinze, vice president of institutional advancement at SBTS noted that the tournament is a partnership between three parties.
“There are three parties at work in this gospel partnership. The Bordas Fund provides the scholarship, Southern Seminary provides the students and faculty, and the Lord develops pastors or missionaries to advance his kingdom. You cannot underestimate the blessing this scholarship is to the recipients each year. Today’s award marks $40,000 in scholarship awards since the fund’s inception.”