“At Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., an Oct. 9-10 conference focused on Spurgeon’s life and ministry, led by Thomas J. Nettles, who taught historical theology at Southern more than 17 years until his retirement in May. Nettles is the author of “Living By Revealed Truth: The Life and Pastoral Theology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon.”

His sermons are still circulated around the world through books, pamphlets and the Internet. He is quoted by thousands of pastors each Sunday. His books are read and re-read. Church historians often say Charles Haddon Spurgeon was the prince of preachers; perhaps he still is.

Spurgeon’s influence also is felt in a broad swath of Christian higher education, with two Southern Baptist seminaries giving special attention to the late British preacher this fall.

At Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., the construction of a facility to house its Spurgeon Library and the founding of the Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching were announced by President Jason Allen in chapel Oct. 21.

At Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., an Oct. 9-10 conference focused on Spurgeon’s life and ministry, led by Thomas J. Nettles, who taught historical theology at Southern more than 17 years until his retirement in May. Nettles is the author of “Living By Revealed Truth: The Life and Pastoral Theology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon.”

“The ministry of a man like Spurgeon is timeless,” said Nettles, who taught church history nearly 40 years at four schools. “His attentions and affections were focused on things that were not merely ephemeral, but were eternal. The longevity of interest in him is something that certainly commends him to all of us.”

Born in 1834, Spurgeon served as pastor of Metropolitan Tabernacle, a London megachurch, from 1854 until his death. When he died in 1892, the funeral procession snaked for five miles behind his casket.

For Midwestern, Allen said the new Spurgeon initiatives mark a “kairos moment,” with a major gift enabling the seminary to proceed with construction of a $2.5 million facility for the library and center.

The Spurgeon Library includes Spurgeon’s personal collection of more than 6,000 books and hundreds of artifacts, letters and assorted materials. Midwestern acquired the Spurgeon collection in 2006 from William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo.

“I feel like I would be under-dignifying the moment not to say with full conviction that I truly believe that God has worked in this, is working in this in a powerful way … to serve His church,” Allen said.

“When I was elected here two years ago, I immediately began to have plans, desires and prayers for what we could do with the Spurgeon Library,” he said. “Not only as a relic to the past, but as a living instrument to serve the church and to equip pastors and preachers of God’s Word.”

Christian George, curator of the Spurgeon Library, will head the Spurgeon Center. George, a Spurgeon scholar, holds a Ph.D. in theology from St. Andrews University in Scotland. Prior to arriving at Midwestern, George served at Oklahoma Baptist University for three years.

“I have been researching Spurgeon for a long time,” George said. “Without hesitation, I can tell you that this is the most significant development in Spurgeon studies in over 100 years. We believe that the Spurgeon Library and the Charles Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching will become a global destination — a steeple, if you will, under which scholars and students of the academy may gather but also pastors, missionaries and congregations.”

Noting that one of the center’s goals is furthering the cause of Christ as Spurgeon did, George said, “We at Midwestern believe that God is raising up future ‘Spurgeons’ who will impact this generation with the timeless truths of the Christian faith…. We at the Spurgeon Center are looking not only to Spurgeon, but through Spurgeon, to the Christ who is at the very center of our center.”

Through the center and library, Midwestern will continue its mission to be a seminary that “stands with the church and for the church,” George said.

The Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching will be constructed in the space that formerly served as the seminary’s chapel auditorium. The project is set to begin in late fall with the dedication slated for fall of 2015.

In an initiative called The Spurgeon Scholars, the center will offer a limited number of scholarships to full-time residential students called to pastoral ministry. They will study with George and receive writing, publishing and ministry opportunities.

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