It is an awesome privilege to accept the trustees’ call to serve as the third president of Bethlehem College and Seminary. I am ready and eager to lead us forward with God’s help. Here are seven reasons why I love this school and am incredibly excited about its future.
1. Glorious Mission
I never grow weary of rehearsing our school’s mission:
Under the authority of God’s inerrant word, Bethlehem College and Seminary exists to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ by equipping men and women to treasure Christ above all things, to grow in wisdom and knowledge over a lifetime, and to glorify God in every sphere of life.
This statement clarifies our ambition to advance the fame of Jesus near and far, our foundational authority in the sacred Scriptures, and our particular approach to spreading: equipping students to be mature, joyful disciples of Jesus ready to glorify God for the rest of their lives.
2. God-Centered Theology:
At Bethlehem College and Seminary, we believe that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him, and our faculty and leaders gladly ascribe to the summary of biblical teaching found in the Affirmation of Faith that we share with our founding churches and the Treasuring Christ Together Network.
3. Cohesive Curriculum:
Our curriculum reflects our fundamental commitment to the coherence of all knowledge in Jesus Christ—“in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17). Each one of our programs follows an intentional and logical sequence of courses that intentionally and logically build on one another. For example, our college freshmen are currently studying the New Testament alongside Greek and Roman history, literature, and philosophy. Our professors guide students to make meaningful and powerful connections between their courses while also regularly showing why theology, history, literature, and philosophy matter for our world and our lives today.
4. Discipleship Focus:
The Bethlehem faculty teach not merely to inform our students but to form them as mature Christians ready to witness for Christ with wisdom and wonder for the rest of their lives. In our classes, we equip students with the habits of mind and heart that make them ready for every good endeavor. We know our students by name and take an interest in their personal and spiritual development, not just their academic performance.
5. First-Rate Faculty:
We’ve assembled a dynamic team of teachers with sterling credentials, sharp minds, and soft hearts. They are active scholars, faithful churchmen, and intentional mentors to our students.
6. Church Partnership:
Bethlehem College and Seminary was established by Bethlehem Baptist Church, carries out our work in local church facilities, eagerly engage with a growing movement of like-minded churches committed to God-centered theology and biblically faithful ecclesiology, and aims to equip our students for long-term faithful service to the church near and far. We love the local church because the Lord Jesus loves his church and has declared, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18).
7. Remarkable Students:
Bethlehem College and Seminary truly has a special group of students who are earnest for truth and eager to serve the Lord. These men and women of character and conviction will be godly fathers and mothers, faithful shepherds and church members, wise teachers and writers, passionate missionaries and productive business people.
For these reasons and many more, I love serving at Bethlehem College and Seminary in the strength that God supplies and for the fame of his name.
Brian J. Tabb, Ph.D.
President
Prayer Requests:
- Pray for Bethlehem as the Lord leads us into this next season.
- Pray for our students and faculty as they approach midterms.
- Pray for the full funding of the Serious Joy Scholarships needed to support this year’s students.