Louisville (BP)—Economic times might be difficult in the United States, but Albert Mohler told trustees that Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is not being shaken by the downturn.

The SBTS president, in his report at the board of trustees’ Oct. 14 meeting at the Louisville campus, said the seminary’s mission of producing pastors to lead local Southern Baptist churches will continue regardless of the economy.

“We ask if Southern Seminary can survive, I can tell you the answer is, ‘Yes,’” Mohler declared. “The task to which we are called is derivative of the great gospel whereby we have been saved and, because of that, (the seminary) can’t be shaken.”

“When we are in a time like this, it is important for us to remember that we really have an important assignment, and it’s not something this is economically dependent in terms of the needs of the church, he added.

Mohler pointed out that the seminary, founded in 1859, emerged on the eve of the Civil War, perhaps the most difficult time America has ever faced and the most costly war in the nation’s history. The economy was far worse then, he noted, but the seminary survived because of its unique gospel mission and will celebrate its sesquicentennial anniversary next spring.

With other seminaries in severe decline, Mohler said Southern will remain healthy as long as it continues to remember that it exists ultimately to serve the Kingdom of God and not the kingdom of man.

He added that the church must have preachers even if it cannot afford to have buildings.

“There is an economy on which we are absolutely dependent and it is a spiritual economy,” Mohler said. “It is a gospel economy, it is the economy of God’s way of saving sinners. It is God’s way of feeding His church and tending to His own, and the church has learned that you’ve got to preach when you can’t even eat.”

In addition, Mohler announced the appointment of Lawrence Smith, who has served as vice president of communications for the past seven years, as dean of students at Southern Seminary and Boyce College, and will serve as vice president of community relations. Smith’s wife, Garnetta, also was appointed associate dean for women.