Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana

One-hundred-and-fifty years ago, in June 1851, Baylor University’s trustees adopted Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana as the institution’s motto. This phrase—“For Church, For Texas”—emphasized the role of the University as a Christian institution committed to higher education in service to both the church and the state.

“Many universities often have either in Latin or in Greek a succinct statement that is meant to capture the commitments that characterize and the spirit that animates their school,” Todd D. Still, PhD, Dean of Baylor’s Truett Seminary, said. “Of course, some schools have moved away from their original motto, but I would say that Baylor has stayed committed to its mission of being for the church and for Texas.” 

This commitment can be seen in Baylor’s strategic plan, Illuminate, which “seeks to bring light to the world as we accelerate our quest toward preeminence as a Christian research university, building on Baylor’s historic strengths and strategically investing in new areas of research and service.” 

The University’s motto is also visibly and notably embodied through George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Pro Ecclesia? Truett Seminary is of and by and for the church, equipping ministers who have been grasped by God for gospel witness in and alongside the church. Pro Texana? The Seminary now offers robust, faithful theological education in three cities—Waco, Houston, and San Antonio. Considering the state’s population density distribution, one can demonstrate that roughly 70 percent of Texans have access to an in person Truett education. 

“To speak of Baylor in general and Truett in particular as Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana is not only aspirational, but it is, in fact, truly missional. This is who we are and what we do.” 

TODD D. STILL, PHD,
DEAN OF BAYLOR’S TRUETT SEMINARY

“It is really in the church that we live and move and have our being,” Dean Still said. “To speak of Baylor in general and Truett in particular as Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana is not only aspirational, but it is, in fact, truly missional. This is who we are and what we do.”

Responsive Growth

As Baylor’s Truett Seminary seeks to serve the church, Texas, and beyond, purposeful, thoughtful growth becomes an important focus of conversation.

“We need to continue to ask, ‘What are the needs of the churches? What are the needs of those who seek to serve and support the church, and how can we partner with these persons and institutions for the preparation of ministers who will seek to serve them?’” Dean Still said. 

“A call to ministry is a call to prepare for ministry. Vocational ministry is a special and distinct calling for which one needs to prepare. We want to make our classes accessible and affordable, even as we want them to be of the highest academic quality, not only in Waco but in Houston and San Antonio, too.”

Throughout its history, Truett Seminary has been committed to residential theological education. That commitment persists. But as noted by Dean Still, not everyone is able to relocate to Waco for the distinct, quality education provided by Truett. Jobs, family, finances—all are barriers to pulling up tent pegs and moving to a new city to pursue a three-to-four-year degree.

Dean Still describes education as “a bridge between call and competence.” The establishment of the Houston and San Antonio extension campuses becomes the bridge for those who have been called to ministry to study Scripture, church history and theology, biblical languages, and more so that they may be better equipped to serve God’s people. 

Beyond geographic growth, Truett has also sought expansion through the formation of centers and programs. The Wesley House of Studies, the Black Church Studies Program, the Faith & Sports Institute, the Theology, Ecology, & Food Justice Program, the Program for the Future Church, and more are all initiatives aimed at creating a seminary that is susceptible to enlargement and development in response to the needs of the church. These various initiatives are bridges, pathways, and opportunities constructed to welcome and engage those who desire what Truett has to offer.

Upholding Identity

Just as “Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana” offers a foundational direction for Baylor and Truett, conversations of growth and expansion press the subject of identity, lest it be lost in transition. Taking Truett beyond the flagship Baugh-Reynolds Campus prompts the question, “What is Truett without Waco?”

Wherever a student may study, Truett Seminary holds fast to its mission—to equip God-called people for gospel ministry in and alongside Christ’s Church by the power of the Holy Spirit—and is steadfast in its vision—to be a leader in the training of thoughtful, faithful Christian ministers for a twenty-first century Church and world. Even as online classes are now available, the Seminary remains committed to residential education. 

But what is a Truett education without the Paul Powell Chapel, the opportunity to serve as a Resident Chaplain, or the proximity of resources and staff housed in Waco? 

Baylor’s Truett Seminary offers theological education that is academically rigorous and spiritually intentional. It is marked by an intellectual curiosity and, hopefully, humility. All of these characteristics are present in the context of community, with an emphasis on relationship within and beyond the classroom. 

Mahcoe Mikel graduated from Truett Seminary in May 2021 with his Master of Arts in Christian Ministry. A student from the Houston campus, Mikel identified the most impactful parts of his seminary journey—the faculty and the community. While the manifestation of these two distinctives may look different in Waco than in Houston, their significance to the Truett experience remains consistent.

“Truett offers community. Truett offers relationships. Truett offers some of the most wonderful professors," Mikel said. "The community offered at Truett will literally shape your life. It will shape your ministry, contribute to your vision. Lifelong lessons come out of Truett.” 

Mikel shared when asked what he would say to a student considering Truett in Houston. “You certainly come out better on the other side,” he said. 

A Leader for Houston

Growth for Truett Seminary is deliberate, with an eye to meet the needs of the church while remaining a good steward of available resources. In this spirit, the Houston campus was launched especially lean with Assistant Dean for Strategic Initiatives John Burk, PhD, serving as acting director. 

“As we have seen Truett in Houston begin to grow, we have every good reason to believe that it is not going to go away. But you get to a point where, in order to move the needle, in order to gain additional traction and momentum, you need someone who can give undivided attention to the promotion of the seminary and the pastoring of students who are going to be a part of it,” Dean Still said.

Enter Rev. Arbra Bailey. 

Bailey joined the Truett staff as Director of Houston in March 2021. A 2012 graduate of Truett Seminary, current Doctor of Ministry student, and native Houstonian, Bailey previously served as the National Director of African American Relations with Compassion International, where he directed the engagement, marketing, and fundraising activities for the African American Relations branch of the organization. 

“I am truly humbled and overjoyed for the opportunity to steward well the Director of Truett in Houston position,” Bailey said. “Houston—and its surrounding communities—is known for its diversity and vastness—borrowing a Dean-ism. The opportunity to lean into the possibilities of providing theological education that equips Houston’s God-called leaders for gospel ministry locally and globally via the Spirit is truly a blessing. I look forward to building on the foundation laid through dreaming big, engaging the community with intentionality, and expecting great things from God.”

As Director of Truett’s Houston campus, Bailey will take the lead in upholding the “Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana” motto in the nation’s fourth most populous city. For him, this motto means “a continued commitment to serving and resourcing the local church through transformative ecumenical, and contextual theological education in Houston.”

“Training leaders for a twenty-first century church and world empowered by the Spirit aligns with an emphasis on Church mobilization,” Bailey added. “As the body of Christ, sustaining a collegial disposition for Truett in Houston promotes a sense of belonging while building community. Moreover, offering relevant courses that engage the contextual problems of ministry today and tomorrow speaks to empowering and equipping leaders for their vocation.”

Just as Bailey leads Truett in Houston into the future, the Seminary recently announced that Keith D. Bruce, DMin, will serve as Acting Director in San Antonio. Regarding this exciting development, Bruce remarked, “I am most excited about the opportunity to assist in establishing Truett’s ministry in San Antonio. The response to Truett’s San Antonio campus has been so positive, and I look forward to helping further connect Truett with congregations, prospective students, and the broader faith community in this dynamic and diverse city. Not only does Truett have much to offer to San Antonio, but I believe that San Antonio offers a unique cultural and ministry setting for students preparing to have a meaningful gospel impact on our changing world.”

Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana

In Waco, Houston, San Antonio, online, and beyond, Baylor University’s Truett Seminary and those who undergird its mission seek to serve the church and to minister to its people. 

Jeremiah tells the exiled Israelites to “seek the welfare of the city...For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:7, 11-13).

Just so, Truett Seminary trusts in God’s promise and to sharing his promise as widely as we can reach. 

“Why not continue to be curious? Why not continue to be adventurous? It seems to me that this is in keeping with the God we serve who doesn’t like to be confined into a little box,” Dean Still said.

  “The beautiful thing about ‘Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana’ is that it gives us this wonderfully big and broad palette on which to paint. My sense is that we want to continue to look in to and lean into God’s good future. I don’t know that we can game all the ways that theological education will shift. Who could have ever imagined that COVID-19 would have done what it has done to us and required what it has required of us? But it has also taught us that we can be nimble, that we can be flexible, that we can be agile and serviceable. So, I think that we need to continue to ask the question, how can we continue to be true north to our mission, which is to equip those that God has called, while being altogether open to expansion and innovation?”