Category Archives: Prayer Letter

Steddom Fund Re-Focused

We are writing to make you aware of an exciting reframing of the work of the Alex Steddom International Student Fund at Bethlehem College and Seminary. By the grace of God manifested as your personal generosity, we are now able to focus on delivering Bethlehem’s Bible-saturated, academically rigorous seminary education in-country among the theologically famished […]


The Inauguration of Dr. Brian J. Tabb

Bethlehem College and Seminary will inaugurate the school’s third president, Dr. Brian J. Tabb, in ceremonies to be held at 7:00 p.m. CDT, Friday, October 11, 2024, on the school’s main campus at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. Chancellor John Piper is scheduled to make remarks. President Tabb will also deliver an Inaugural Address. “We […]


Tolkien On Taking a Book as the Original Author Intended

In 1936 J. R. R. Tolkien gave a lecture to the British Academy on the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf. The primary point of this lecture, and its subsequent publication as “The Monsters and the Critics,” was to offer a defense of studying the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf as a poetic work. That proposition may sound obvious: we […]


The Privilege and Task of Theological Education

This summer I had the opportunity to train pastors in Southeast Asia. These pastors had very little formal theological education, and they were eager learners. Some of them traveled hours through the countryside to spend a week together with other pastors discussing 1 Thessalonians. During and after my lectures, they poured forth questions about the […]


A Call to Christian Faithfulness

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. -Colossians 3:23–24  Last October, while on my research sabbatical, conducting archival research in England, I encountered two inspiring examples of Christian faithfulness—one from the past and […]


A Receipt. For Good Things.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! — Matthew 7:11 ESV We asked. On every day of every week of the school year just passed, we asked the Lord to […]


Studying Scripture with the Global Church

Eddie D’Souza (4th-Year Seminarian), and I just returned from a week in Ambo, Ethiopia. We woke up each day heading into a training session on skills for interpreting New Testament epistles—focusing on Ephesians. And honestly, what could be better?  Teaching the Bible doesn’t get much better than (1) observing the spiritual blessings given to us […]


From Strength to Strength: Meditating on the Pearl of Psalms

Charles Spurgeon writes about Psalm 84, “This sacred ode is one of the choicest of the collection; it has a mild radiance about it, entitling it to be called The Pearl of Psalms.” This is a psalm for pilgrims who love the Lord, long for his presence, and live by faith in his precious promises. […]


Grace Upon Grace

These remarks were made at The President’s Reception during Commencement 2024. “God’s glory and brilliance is the principle of every nature” and thing. I will say it again: “God’s glory and brilliance is the principle of every nature” and thing. What glory is found in our God! That he is the principle, the sustainer, the […]


Bethlehem Cited as a Classical Christian School

Bethlehem College and the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS) jointly announced that the school is newly recognized as part of the ACCS Certified College Program. “This certification affirms that Bethlehem College adheres to high standards of classical Christian education, providing students with a robust and reliable educational experience,” said ACCS President David Goodwin. The […]