KANSAS CITY, Mo—Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College welcomed more than 150 prospective students and their guests to campus on November 8 for the highest-attended Fall Preview Day in the institution’s history.
At Preview Day, guests considering degrees toured campus and connected with members of the campus community to learn more about training for ministry at Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College.
“Preview Day is one of the best opportunities for prospective students to get an up close and personal view of who we are and how they can be equipped at Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College,” said President Jason Allen. “I am grateful for all the students and family who attended, and I am greatly encouraged by the conversations I had with them. The Lord is raising up a generation of leaders, and we are eager to train them so that they can fulfill their calling.”
The day began with musical worship by the North Oak Collective band and a word of welcome from Allen. Allen noted God’s kind providence on the seminary and college over the past 12 years leading to a strong faculty, a flourishing campus community, and a focus on serving the local church.
Highlighting the influence of the community in students’ preparation for ministry, Allen shared, “You want to be able to learn from professors who will invest in you the enduring truth of God’s Word. You want to be part of a community that champions and celebrates those truths, and where there is a cheerful conviction about what they do and why they do it.”
He went on to say, “You also want to be at a place where mentorship and formation take place, where you not only find your head being filled, but your heart enflamed as well. You want to be at a place where the community is warm and Christ-centered, and where there’s a gospel fervor and a spirit of worship on the campus. This is such a place.”
Guests glimpsed such faculty investment firsthand as they explored academic programs during morning breakout sessions.
Professors from the Biblical Counseling and Worship Ministries departments led sessions overviewing how these key areas of ministry study equip students to serve God’s people. Each attendee also had the option to experience the classroom setting with a lecture by Patrick Schreiner, associate professor of New Testament and biblical theology, on the ascension of Christ.
Parents of prospective college students learned more about how Spurgeon College equips students for holistic success at a panel featuring Dean of Students and Director of Student Success Zachary Salsbury and representatives from Financial Aid and Student Life & Events.
During a second breakout, faculty and leaders shared more about the institution’s focused communities for theological training. Sessions on Doctoral Studies, Global Campus, Spurgeon College Cohorts, and For the Church Cohorts offered guests an opportunity to dialogue with professors and hear how each learning community deepens students’ equipping for ministry in their chosen degree path.
Hayden Summerhill, vice president of enrollment management at Midwestern Seminary, reflected on the value of Preview Day for forming connections between professors and prospective students.
“These in-person conversations and experiences cannot be replicated online or away from campus,” Summerhill said. “Preview Day is a unique opportunity where each prospective student and his or her family gets to get to know the people they will be learning from.”
Following the morning sessions, attendees gathered in the banquet hall to enjoy a complimentary lunch from Kansas City favorite, Slap’s BBQ, and hear a panel of current students share about their experiences living and learning on campus.
Guests then received guided tours, visiting the President’s Office, Mathena Student Center, Spurgeon Library, and other key locations for campus life.
As participants arrived in the Welcome Center at the end of the tour, student leaders treated them to ice cream from another local favorite, Betty Rae’s, and welcomed them to an Opportunities Fair.
The Opportunities Fair featured representatives from Advising, Financial Aid, Student Life, Midwestern Women’s Institute, and other academic and student services, affording one more opportunity for faculty and staff to serve guests and answer their questions before the day concluded.
Summerhill shared his hopes for Preview Day to serve prospective students in discerning and following God’s lead for their education. He said, “First, there are questions of calling—what prospective students hope to do with their lives and ministries and how we can help equip them to pursue those goals. Second, there are questions about practicalities—what school is like, how much it costs, where students can work, and where students will live.”
He continued, “We want to help answer all these practical questions so that prospective students do not feel like they are alone in handling those burdens.”
Summerhill added his encouragement at introducing guests to the campus community at Preview Day. “I am always excited for visitors to experience the joy on campus at Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College. This place has a gospel culture and a happy culture,” he said.
“At Preview Day, prospective students get to experience our campus community’s vibrancy and hopefulness, which I believe make this the best place to be trained and equipped for the Church and for the Kingdom.”
Following the event, an attendee shared, “I was unsure about Spurgeon College before Preview Day. During Preview Day, I was able to get all my questions answered as well as a good idea of what a day at Spurgeon College would be like. I applied when I got home and am eager to hear back from the Admissions office!”
To register for Spring Preview Day at Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College on April 11, 2025, click here.
