3 Ways This Seminary Embeds Its Core Values in Daily Life

In the shifting landscape of higher education, where enrollment pressures, cultural changes, and technological disruptions press in, a school’s core values can function as a compass. For Christian institutions, they’re not just guiding principles. They’re expressions of identity and mission before God. But values only make a difference when they move from posters on the wall to habits of the heart.

At Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, President David Dockery has led a campus-wide effort to clarify and embed the seminary’s core values—not as slogans, but as daily practices. The result: a renewed sense of unity, missional clarity, and a shared language for decision-making.

Here are three key actions Southwestern’s leadership took to reset the seminary’s mission and identity, both internally and externally.

1. Re-establish core values

When Dockery became Southwestern’s president in 2022, the institution was emerging from a period of significant challenges. While a set of ten core values existed, few faculty or staff could name more than one: “Christ-centered.” “Central to institutions like Southwestern is honoring Christ—putting him at the center of everything,” Dockery said. “But beyond that, our people didn’t share a clear memory of the rest of the values.”

He knew the seminary needed a unifying framework that would honor its theological commitments and serve its diverse community. After months of collaborative conversations—including town halls, small-group discussions, and cross-department brainstorming—Southwestern adopted six core values, paired to reflect their complementary nature:

Grace-filled and Christ-centered: A community marked by the grace of Jesus and the centrality of Christ (Col 1:13–20).
Scripturally grounded and confessionally guided: A commitment to the truthfulness of God’s Word and to historic Baptist and Christian confessions.
Student-focused and globally engaged: Serving students at every level while preparing them for ministry in a global context.

Now, Dockery says, “You can walk across campus and almost every employee—and many students—can name these values. We bring them up in convocations, special events, and everyday conversations.”

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2. Build a strategic plan anchored on the mission

These values aren’t a separate initiative. They’re woven into Southwestern’s strategic vision, Advance Southwestern 2030. Every major decision, including budget allocations, is tested against the mission and values. This ensures that resources fuel priorities that strengthen Southwestern’s identity and long-term impact.

Every major decision is tested against the mission and values.

One part of Advance Southwestern 2030 included a new partnership with Logos to equip students, faculty, and staff with Bible study tools that facilitate not only deeper study during seminary, but also lifelong ministry to God’s people.

3. Make the values part of everyone’s daily life

Dockery and his leadership team knew that for the values to matter, they had to shape daily operations and accountability. That meant changes to core processes, including faculty and staff evaluations. “This year, we even revised faculty and staff evaluations to include questions about how their work reflects the values,” Dockery said. “People must give specific examples: How did you decide to do something—or not do something—based on these values? How did these values shape a project or decision?”

Symbolically, the values are also reinforced in community life. Each faculty meeting and trustee gathering begins with the group standing to affirm the mission statement and core values before turning to any agenda items. This simple act keeps the seminary’s theological and educational commitments front and center. The result is more than symbolic: Faculty, staff, and students can name and explain the values. They’ve become part of Southwestern’s shared vocabulary and culture.

Advancing a 120-year heritage

For Dockery, this process isn’t about turning Southwestern into something new. He said, “We’re not trying to reinvent Southwestern. We want to advance the best of its 120-year heritage.”

“From the start, Southwestern was contextualized for the American Southwest in the early twentieth century—not just a copy of another seminary,” he said. “Our aim is to hold fast to our mission, identity, and values, strengthening community for faculty, staff, and students alike.”

By rooting strategic plans, daily operations, and community rhythms in its core values, Southwestern is positioning itself to remain faithful for generations to come. In an era when many institutions are drifting from their founding mission, this intentionality stands as a model for others.

As Dockery put it, “Christian higher education is a high calling. If you have the opportunity to serve in this space, invest deeply for the long haul. Stay Christ-centered, scripturally grounded, and focused on enabling students to follow God’s call.”

Watch our entire interview with Dr. Dockery here to learn more about how he’s led Southwestern through myriad changes and challenges.