As the heat aimed at Christians becomes more intense in the coming months and years, what should we do to prepare ourselves for this new reality? To ignore it or to pretend that it doesn’t really exist will be deadly. To overreact and become morbid or defeatist in our attitude will also be deadly. Therefore, what should our posture be as we assess the stunning shifts in our culture’s morals and values?
The Bible is chock full of admonitions to “gird your loins” or to “be strong and courageous” or to be fully prepared for what is to come (see Matt. 25:1-13, the parable of the ten virgins). In light of recent cultural developments, the question we have to ask is: “What are we doing to prepare ourselves for the new reality of our time and our culture?”
Although that question can be answered in a good number of ways, one of the most important responses should be to “gird your loins” with the truth of the Word of God. Those who don’t know it well enough are those who will be vulnerable to false teaching (there’s plenty of that around!), easily frightened by the seeming strength of the pagan culture, or worse, will cave in to the cultural demands for conformity to its values rather than those of the Bible.
The primary reason Bethlehem College & Seminary exists is to help people to “gird their loins” with the Scriptures. All of our students, whether in the college or the seminary, are equipped with the skills and knowledge to know the Word of God and to be able to study it and handle it accurately for their benefit and for the benefit of the church. In our postmodern world, these skills are increasingly rare.
I say all of this to invite you to consider furthering your own skills and knowledge in the Word of God through Bethlehem’s Degree Completion Program. This key program aims to assist working adults and those who have already accumulated at least 40 college credits over the years to complete a Bachelor of Theology. This degree is designed for those who already have made a start toward earning a college degree but weren’t able to finish it. Now you can. In just two years, while attending our classes one evening each week, you can earn a Bachelor of Theology degree from us. It’s a program that has had a powerful impact on those who’ve completed it as alumni launch into missions work, ministry in their workplace, and local church leadership and ministry.
We’ve extended the deadline for applications to August 1st, so if you’ve been considering how to best prepare yourself for the future, contact our admissions office and see if our Degree Completion Program might be for you (admissions@bcsmn.edu).
May the Lord bless you as you seek to serve him, both now and until he returns in glory at the consummation of the age.
Hoping in God,
Tim Tomlinson
President
Bethlehem College & Seminary
Prayer Requests …
- Please pray for our students, faculty, and staff as the summer break continues. This is an important time for rest and relaxation as well as preparation for the coming school year. Our students are all working and many are on mission trips as part of their ministry preparation experience.
- Please pray for our incoming classes of students. Our seminary class is full, but we’re still accepting applications for the college (both traditional and degree completion applicants). We desire for the Lord to assemble just the right number and mix of students for the coming year.
- Please pray for the Lord’s continued blessings and for strength, wisdom, and courage as we prepare ourselves to face the increasing pressure from outside sources to compromise our biblical stands on the important issues of the day.
- Please continue to pray for our finances. God has been gracious and merciful to us in recent months and we are encouraged about the future. Pray that the Lord would continue to provide in miraculous ways for us so that we can continue to build this institution in such a way that it will remain rock solid until the Lord returns.
