The seminary has completed eight years and has launched its ninth as a degree-granting institution. The college is one year behind it.
Joshua has a word for such institutions:
Joshua 23:6 Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left…
About that text Sam Storms has written, “An unmistakable sign of impending abandonment of God is a diminishing respect for the authority of his word.” As chairman of the board of trustees, I thank God for trustees like Sam Storms who think and write that way.
The board of trustees met for six hours last Thursday, and among our deliberations and actions were the following:
- We granted approval to the creation of a new M.A. Degree.
- Dieudonne Tamfu, a graduate of Bethlehem College & Seminary, cast vision for a Cameroonian church-based theological education dream, potentially partnering with Bethlehem College & Seminary.
- President Tomlinson has appointed a Student Discipleship Task Force comprised of faculty, staff, and administration aimed at identifying and implementing strategies to better fulfill the mission of fostering Christlikeness in the student body.
- President Tomlinson reported that Ralph Enlow, President of the Association of Biblical Higher Education (the association that vetts us for accreditation), spent a day at the Bethlehem College & Seminary faculty/staff planning retreat, and liking what we’re doing with church-based theological education, he wants us to lead by example the more traditional schools in the association.
- We elected a slate of board officers for the year.
- We reaffirmed the populations of several committees, including the newly-formed Academic Affairs Committee.
- We thanked God for the years of service of departing Trustees – Garry Morgan and Sam Storms, whose terms expired.
- We elected Tim Johnson to the Board of Trustees, pending ratification by the Bethlehem Baptist Church elder council.
- Each trustee fulfilled the annual re-signing of the affirmation of faith, and signed a no conflict of interest document.
Sam Crabtree
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Prayer Requests
- Pray that each of the trustees, and the board as a whole, will not turn from the Scriptures to the right hand nor to the left.
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Please pray for the prospective students (and their families) who were here for our Fall Preview Day. Pray that the Lord would guide them in making this most important decision—about where to attend school. We would love it if many of them would choose Bethlehem College & Seminary, but we want them to go where the Lord wants them to go. Pray for wisdom, discernment, and courage for them.
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Pray for the results of the recent board meeting. The establishment of a new Master of Arts degree (in Exegesis and Theology) is significant. It represents a lot of work in development and potential, and a positive impact on the church that we pray will carry over for generations to come.
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Join me in giving thanks to the Lord for his goodness and mercy toward us as a school. We have so many things to be thankful for—including our current financial position. Pray with us now, that the Lord would begin to lay up for us a growing surplus that could function as an endowment. Pray that more and more people would choose to put us in their estate plans as well as continue giving to us currently.
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Give thanks to the Lord for the many years of service to the Bethlehem College & Seminary Board of Trustees that Garry Morgan and Sam Storms have given. We thank the Lord for these two men whose terms expired last week. The Lord has used them mightily in helping to get our school started and established. May the Lord bless them both!