A Praying and Prayed for School
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. –Acts 2:42
The Bethlehem College and Seminary Board of Trustees recently gathered for our winter meeting during which we reviewed the school’s mid-year financial position, established tuition rates for 2026–2027, interviewed prospective trustees (who must be approved by the governing church elders), and discussed our “Minneapolis Moment.”
Coming away from that meeting, I was reminded again that God is always doing more than one thing and most of his plans are hidden from our eyes. What follows is an inspirational sentence copied from the application of a prospective board member: “Since then, Bethlehem College and Seminary has been the principal object of my prayers.” I appeal to you to be like that prospective board member and faithfully make Bethlehem College and Seminary an object of your prayers. Please pray to our God who is always doing more than we know. Below are a few things to fuel your prayers on behalf of the school:
Pray over our circumstances as a school in this metropolitan area at this time in history. The board continues to be deeply convinced that God is calling us to cultivate a city campus. In President Tabb’s report he reminded us from 1 Cor. 15:58 to be steadfast.
- Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. –1 Cor. 15:58
In his President’s report to the board, he wrote: “Steadfast has already proved to be a fitting theme for this academic year. We have prayed and persevered in our work through the trouble and tensions in our city . . .”
We remain committed to secure affordable housing that is close to Bethlehem Baptist Church. We, together with Bethlehem Baptist Church, are eager to enliven a campus culture and to seek the good of our city. Please pray that our Father in Heaven would make it so.
We are eager to activate strategic partnerships. We want to deepen our existing relationships with like-minded churches, particularly our governing churches and our Treasuring Christ Together partnership. And we’re developing a new partnership with the Society for Classical Learning. God is doing it. God is at work, please pray that he will do more.
At our board meetings we have the privilege of being updated concerning our faculty’s scholarship and their service. God is powerfully at work in and among these servants. Please pray that God would use our faculty to bear even more fruit for the kingdom.
Concerning advancement, we learned that the number of new contributors increased in 2025. The number of retained contributors and the number of households contributing more than $10,000 also increased. Praise God! Pray for the school’s continued faithful stewardship and pray for more grace in the year ahead.
Concerning admissions, by God’s grace, an excellent staff has been assembled. Despite the negative press regarding Minneapolis, the team is making good progress in recruiting. Pray that God will establish the work of their hands.
Concerning our students, we approved a list of over 50 candidates to graduate in May. Thank God for their lives. Pray that they will continue to grow in their love for Jesus and the gospel and that they will use their education to bless the world.
God is always doing more than we know. Please be devoted with us to prayer. May we be a praying and prayed for school.
Tim Johnson
Chair, Board of Trustees