The first day of Bethlehem College & Seminary classes is Monday, August 25, so we’re gearing up for the 2014–2015 school year. I’m fired up.
Last year was my first one on faculty at Bethlehem College & Seminary, and I loved it. I had an opportunity to share why at the President’s Reception on May 16 just prior to commencement. I explained what, how, and why we teach.
- What do we teach?
We teach the Bible, and in the college we teach non-Bible classes with a biblical worldview. When we teach
the Bible, we focus on five disciplines: exegesis, biblical theology, historical theology, systematic theology, and practical theology. We study how these five disciplines interrelate and culminate in doxology. We treasure most dearly what is of “first importance,” and we also celebrate some precious truths that not all
Christians affirm. - How do we teach?
- The context of our instruction is the local church.
- We are intentionally small.
- We have cohorts.
- Our courses intentionally build on each other.
- Our professors are a team with a common goal.
- We teach by engaging the students with the Socratic method and rigorously developing their ability to think and communicate clearly and accurately.
- Why do we teach?
We are training future church leaders, and the bar for church leaders is high in Scripture (see Titus 1:9). We want to train the type of leaders whom we would want to be our church leaders. But the fundamental reason we teach is this: education exists because worship doesn’t. We intensely immerse students in a God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated school and local church so that they will joyfully live for the praise of God’s glorious grace.
Andy Naselli
Assistant Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology
Prayer Requests
- Please pray for the faculty as they begin the school year. May the Lord grant them grace as they lead and teach our students.
- Please also pray for the incoming new students. Bethlehem College & Seminary is a rigorous place to study, and our desire is that our students grow into healthy disciples of Christ. Pray that they would get off to a great start to their studies and their new friendships and fellowship with the church.
- Please pray for Chancellor Piper as he returns this year, and that he would be fruitful in this season of his life as a professor for Bethlehem College & Seminary.
- Please pray for the financial needs of both Bethlehem College & Seminary as an institution and for our students who are trusting the Lord for provision for education expenses. We believe the Lord has called both the institution and students to this work, and so we trust that he will also provide for both.
