As 2013 has now come and gone, I want to reflect briefly on the year as God has done remarkable things among us here at BCS and, I pray, in your lives as well.
First, we give all praise and thanks to the Lord for using many of you to provide for our year-end finances. Nearly $400,000 came in during the last few weeks of 2013 (along with a few gifts that just missed the December 31st deadline). We are blessed that so many of you chose to include BCS in your year-end giving plans. This is the largest year-end giving result we’ve had in the five-year history of this school. We are also encouraged by many new, first-time givers who contributed during these final weeks of the year. Thank you dear friends!
Second, we’ve made much progress as a school this past year as well. We’ve added some excellent new faculty—professors Naselli , Collins, and Woyak—who are now about to start their second semesters of teaching with us. We have the highest enrollment in the history of the school at 184 students. We have submitted our first, complete Self-Study in pursuit of accreditation through the Association for Biblical Higher Education and will learn of our status toward the end of February 2014. We have occupied a new library facility just across the street from Bethlehem that has been a wonderful blessing to our students and faculty. These are among the many evidences we have seen of God’s mercies and blessings on us this past calendar year, and we are very thankful to Him.
There is always much more work to be done, but we approach 2014 with joy and gladness knowing that all things are in the Lord’s hands. We are merely obeying His call to be faithful, doing this ministry to the best of our abilities and all for His glory and honor.
We thank you for your part in all of this and we cherish your continued partnership in advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the ministry of Bethlehem College & Seminary.
Yours for the Kingdom,
Tim Tomlinson