Sunday links Samford students, churches

As a religion major at Samford University in Birmingham, Jim Barnette preached and participated in H-Day, a program that matched Alabama Baptist churches with ministerial students who visited those churches to preach.
   
Twenty years later, as minister to the university, Barnette helps run the 55-year-old program, now called Samford Sunday.
   
“I see it as a wonderful and vital link between ministerial students and Alabama Baptist churches,” he said. “I could tell countless stories about guys whose call to the pastorate was confirmed through their experience in this program.”
   
Samford Sunday is a student-led program that began as H-Day (named for Samford’s original name — Howard College) in 1948. Ministerial students sign up during the fall and spring semesters to participate.
   
Churches also volunteer to be hosts for the students through the associations.
   
Sundays during the fall and spring semesters are dedicated to specific associations. And the participating students preach and lead music in the churches that have agreed to host them.
   
A student director and student committee attempt to match the gifts and characteristics of a student with the setting and style of worship of the host church.
   
Along with the experience of leading local congregations, the students also receive honoraria from the churches, as well as possibilities of future ministry opportunities.
   
During the program’s 50-plus year history, it has had only one hiccup in its many years of success.
  
In the spring of 1999, Samford canceled the program temporarily after three African-American students were not allowed to preach in a few churches in the state as part of the program because they were black.
   
Barnette said the university revamped the program and put a policy in place to prevent it from occurring again.
   
“It impressed me how quickly the program and churches got over it,” he said. “It was a small bump in the road. It’s a non-issue now.”
   
The program started again under its new name, Samford Sunday, and a few years later — July 2002 — Sigurd Bryan was named the director.
   
Bryan, a retired religion professor at Samford, taught at the university for 46 years.
   
“This is the finest preaching laboratory for students,” Bryan said. “For many, it’s their first time to practice preaching. You learn by doing it.”
   
Bob Thornton, director of missions for Etowah Baptist Association, said his association has been involved in the preaching program every year since its inception.
   
“It’s a win-win situation,” Thornton said. “It’s a great opportunity for churches to have young students come to see the kind of leadership God is raising for the future. It’s also good for students to have pastors mentor them.”
   
One reason Barnette said he thinks the Samford Sunday program is so important is because he sees a decline in the number of students going into the pastorate.
   
“I have a great concern about the number of Alabama Baptist pastors in the next generation,” Barnette said.
   
“I’m very grateful to directors of missions and associations who create positions for people who want to be pastors,” he continued. “I think this program is the greatest contribution you can offer people who are considering being pastors.”
   
Barnette also said the program is a way of celebrating the history and relationship between Samford and Alabama Baptist churches.
   
“Any time I get a chance, I tell ministerial students that if it weren’t for those grass roots churches, they wouldn’t be here,” he said. “It’s remarkable for these kids from large suburban mega churches to preach in smaller, rural settings.
   
“They realize how these churches’ contributions help Samford exist,” Barnette continued. “It instills a newfound appreciation and respect for churches in these students.”