Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20
I find these verses both an encouragement and exhortation when thinking on the events happening around the world at this moment. Much of man’s depravity is on display in Gaza, Israel, and other surrounding nations. Jews may worship God, but not Christ. Hamas, other terrorist organizations and some neighboring nations have clearly communicated that their world—and the world at large—has no place for Jews. The conflict between God’s chosen people and other people begins in Genesis. But, God be praised, Christ came to reconcile us to God! And God gives us the ministry of reconciliation. There is no hope for man to be reconciled with man, apart from first being reconciled to God. All of this helps me ponder and pray for the world, knowing there is hope in God for true and lasting peace. With that truth in mind, please consider the following praises and petitions:
- The search for the next President of Bethlehem College and Seminary. Pray that the Lord would grant wisdom to the search committee and the trustees, and that he would clearly call the right man to this crucial role. There is much work to do here—but God is clearly working in the identification of potential candidates, the alignment of the search committee, and the like-mindedness of the board of trustees.
- The Board of Trustees reviewed and approved the brief document titled, “Living as Citizens of the Gospel: Citizenship, Religious Liberty, and Political Engagement – A Statement for Bethlehem College and Seminary.” Quoting from the document, “This statement clarifies the institution’s stance regarding (1) Christian Citizenship, the proper role and limits of government, (3) the necessity of religious liberty between Christ’s first and second comings, (4) wise political engagement, and (5) the mission of the church and the kingdom of Christ.”
- The admissions team is seeing an increase in new leads and accepted students relative to the past couple of years! Praise the Lord—and may He continue to bless these efforts.
- The generosity of givers that support Bethlehem College and Seminary—every gift counts, and God’s timing of these gifts often comes at unexpected moments.
- The functioning of the leadership of Bethlehem College and Seminary—both staff and the board of trustees. At our recent meeting, we successfully appointed various committees, elected officers, and trustees elected to lead the board.
- Wisdom regarding the finances of Bethlehem College and Seminary. Thoughtful planning and faithful stewardship are being exercised, but we are utterly dependent on God to do this well.
Thank you again for your continued prayers and generosity toward Bethlehem College and Seminary,
Tom Lutz
Chairman, Board of Trustees