Since Midwestern Seminary’s founding in 1957, the desire for a student center has been at the forefront of the institution’s imagination. In fact, the seminary’s founding documents speak of the need to “construct a gymnasium for the wellbeing and formation of the students God calls here to study as soon as possible.” In God’s providence, what originally was envisioned as a multi-year process to realize, became a multi-decade one.
Beginning with Midwestern Seminary’s current season of renewed growth and expanded mission, and built upon its vision, for the church, the achievability of the new student center began to come into focus in 2015.
After completing the seminary’s chapel, renovating the founding administration building, and establishing the Spurgeon Library, the seminary’s administration turned its dreams toward a first-class student center that would meet the community’s present needs and position it for future growth and an expanded ministry footprint.
Those dreams, in God’s kind providence, intersected with the profound generosity of Harold and Patricia Mathena of Edmond, Oklahoma.
Rev. Harold Mathena, a bi-vocational minister and successful Christian businessman, and his wife, Patricia, were raised up by God to provide a $7 million lead gift to move this dream toward reality.
Their generosity, coupled with a collection of other key friends and supporters, positioned Midwestern Seminary to realize this dream on its dedication day of October 16, 2018.
By God’s grace, the Mathena Student Center will be used for generations to come to train legions of ministers for the church, through Midwestern Seminary, as well as generations of students for the kingdom, through Spurgeon College.
Also standing with Midwestern Seminary and Harold and Patricia Mathena are dear friends who, through generous acts, brought this project to realization. President and Mrs. Jason K. Allen, in addition to the entire Midwestern Seminary community, thank them for their profound generosity and pray God will use this facility for his greater glory.
Steve and Mary Dighton, Lenexa, KS
Gene and Joann Downing, Edmond, OK
Richard and Judy Hastings, Lee’s Summit, MO
Wendell and Tonia Hudson, Purvis, MS
William and Connie Jenkins, Paoli, IN
Wayne and Berna Dean Lee, Southlake, TX
Donald and Linda Pearce, Leawood, KS
Lee and Tammy Roberson, Hobbs, NM
Larry and Kristy Sheppard, Tulsa, OK
John and Elizabeth Mathena, Edmond, OK
Lenexa Baptist Church, Lenexa, KS
The Mabee Foundation, Tulsa, OK
Missouri Baptist Convention
Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
