KANSAS CITY, Mo—Midwestern Seminary welcomed Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley to deliver the chapel sermon on November 5. During his visit, Pressley preached on real faith from Mark 7:1–13 and joined Midwestern Seminary President Jason Allen for a Q&A luncheon.
Allen expressed his appreciation for Pressley, saying, “To know Pastor Pressley is to know someone who loves the local church and loves pastoral ministry. As president of the Southern Baptist Convention, he has already emerged as a faithful leader and has given steady, wise, and proven leadership to Southern Baptists. We’re delighted to have him speak in chapel.”
Pressley’s chapel sermon addressed five markers of real faith, drawn from Jesus’ conversation with the Pharisees and scribes on traditions and commandments.
Pressley opened with a brief account of Adoniram Judson, the Baptist missionary to Burma who suffered intense sufferings and losses for the sake of Christ. Pressley asked, “What’s going to hold you up when you feel like you’re drowning?” Noting how the Lord used Mark 7:1–13 to help his own faith, Pressley said, “Real faith will always get you through.”
Addressing five markers of real faith in the passage, Pressley first pointed out that real faith withstands scrutiny. In contrast to the scribes’ focus on man-made traditions over God’s commands, Pressley encouraged listeners to be prepared to defend their actions in Christian life and worship on the basis of God’s Word. He added that rejoicing in the gospel while enduring suffering is “the greatest defense” of genuine faith.
Second, Pressley noted the fundamental opposition of real faith to legalism. “Legalism is the enemy of grace, because legalism tells you that you could do something to earn the favor of God,” he said. “That’s not Christianity.”
Addressing preachers, he emphasized the importance of including the gospel in every sermon, noting that real faith is recognizing one’s need for Christ’s righteousness and receiving His grace, which leads to good works. He said, “Put your faith in Christ, put your faith in the grace of God, and when you’re converted, you then live your life in obedience.”
Third, Pressley shared that real faith loves the Word of God. Noting the diversity in local churches as God brings people together from various cultural backgrounds and traditions, he reminded listeners to unite under Christ and His Word.
He said, “In order to be in a congregation where your culture is not the dominant culture, what happens is that you understand that the gospel is above all, that Christ is over all, that everything is subservient—that every church tradition, every family tradition, every cultural tradition, and every weekend tradition must all come under the authority of God’s Word.”
Fourth, Pressley encouraged listeners to see that real faith takes responsibility for obeying God’s commands. Using examples from the passage and from contemporary life, he warned against using good results or traditions as an excuse for disobedience. “That’s what sin does to us,” he said. “It makes us turn away from responsibility, it makes us have excuses, and it makes us find loopholes.”
Finally, Pressley warned that real faith hates hypocrisy, noting Jesus’ indication that acts of worship are empty apart from the heart. “It’s what you see in the whole Bible,” he said. “God looks at the heart.”
Pressley concluded, “That’s what I want for my own life, and it’s what I want for you. That your heart is surrendered to God, surrendered to Christ no matter the inconvenience—a heart and a life that is gripped by real faith—because real faith will always get you through.”
Real Faith for Southern Baptists
At a Q&A luncheon following chapel, Pressley shared insights and encouragement for pastoral ministry and Southern Baptist life.
Speaking from his experience in pastoral ministry, Pressley encouraged pastors to love their congregations and to invest in the daily work of building a healthy church with the next generation in view.
He also encouraged Southern Baptists to celebrate what they do well, unite around their common confession, continue embracing cooperation for gospel advance, and reflect godliness in the public sphere.
Reflecting on the sacrificial obedience of missionaries, church planters, and seminary students to pursue God’s call, he shared, “Those things are encouraging, to see the bravery that some of our students have or that missionaries have. Those are the things we do.”
To watch Pressley’s chapel sermon, click here.
