Jamie Dew, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College, reminded more than 250 graduates of the essential elements of ministry service during the institution’s spring graduation ceremonies Friday, May 16.  

Drawing from 1 Thessalonians 2, Dew explained the three essentials for ministry are having the courage to proclaim the gospel, having purity of heart and loving people.  

“It’s our nature to obsess over the details about how we will go about all of our different ministries, but we can so obsess over these details that we lose sight of the bigger picture of what’s actually essential,” Dew said.  

“For something to be essential, it means it is not just preferable or really important but that we cannot live without it. No matter what form of ministry God’s calling you to, no matter where he leads you or takes you, these things are essential.”  

There were 171 NOBTS graduates and 80 Leavell College graduates honored during separate ceremonies on Friday. A majority of the degrees were officially conferred at the conclusion of the spring semester, while just under 40 of the degrees will be officially conferred during the summer semester.  

Out of the 251 total degrees conferred, 13 degrees came via graduates of the seminary’s prison education program.   

After brief remarks from NOBTS Provost Norris Grubbs, Dew began his address by welcoming campus guests and congratulating the graduates on their incredible achievement.  

“In the same way that we take pleasure and joy in watching a flower bloom, it is our joy to watch you become who God has called you to be and to see you achieve and accomplish the things that you have accomplished represented by these degrees,” Dew said.  

“In the grand scheme of human history, your achievements stand out as genuinely significant. We celebrate that, but don’t ever think that the degree by itself makes you something. We take great pleasure in seeing how God will use you in ministry, and as you cross the threshold from student to graduate, I want to turn your hearts and minds to what this is supposed to look like.” 

He then spoke to each of the three essentials for ministry outlined in the passage. 

“God calls us forward to go into the darkness and the hard places, and it is essential that you be faithful to the task of proclaiming Jesus Christ to broken and hurting people,” Dew said about the first essential element of ministry.  

“If you fail in that task, you fail period. You job is to go be faithful to proclaim Jesus Christ to people who desperately need His hope.” 

Speaking on having purity of heart, Dew outlined the motivations Paul had for ministry, as well as ungodly motivations he did not have, based upon the Scripture. 

“Paul is very clear that financial gain is not what ultimately motivated him,” Dew explained. “Paul then says he was not motivated by personal glory, and he was not motivated by entitlement.  

“Paul also speaks about what does motivate him. He speaks about stewarding the Gospel and passing it onto the next generation. And then ultimately, Paul makes it clear that what is motivating him is the pleasure of God. Brothers and sisters, that is what should motivate and drive us as well.” 

Thirdly, Dew highlighted the essential ministerial task of loving people.  

“Paul is quite literally pouring out his life for these people simply because he loves them,” Dew said. “Our world is desperate to encounter the love of Jesus Christ. This is an essential part of our task no matter what ministry assignment God may call you to.” 

Dew closed out with a final exhortation to the graduates.  

“Brothers and sisters, I’m not promising if you do these things that your life is always going to be peachy because it’s not, but I can promise you that your life will be an honor to the Lord and you will find joy beyond your wildest dreams,” he said.  

Graduation ceremonies for NOBTS and Leavell College can be viewed here.