One of the great privileges and joys in my role as president of Bethlehem College & Seminary is the many opportunities I have to interact with so many like-minded, God-honoring people—students, faculty and staff, alumni, and donors among them. In all of these interactions, my aim is to encourage them in their walk with the Lord, inspire them to live boldly for the glory of God, and exhort them to pursue living out their faith to the fullest degree possible. I pray that has been happening!
What I know for sure, however, is that my faith has been strengthened and encouraged by these same people in so many ways. I’m encouraged and inspired by their commitment to make much of God in the ways that they are best equipped to do so. In particular, as one who is quickly approaching retirement myself, I have been inspired by so many of my retired friends who have continued to invest their lives into spreading the gospel around the world, discipling younger men and women toward deeper faith, evangelizing the lost, and seeing their resources as fuel for advancing the work of God-glorifying ministries and initiatives that do what they themselves can no longer do by themselves. Many of these dear friends are financial supporters of Bethlehem College & Seminary; they see the mission of our school as worthy of supporting and they love its profile—one that is wholly committed to the Word of God, the glory of Christ, and the pursuit of the lost.
My wife and I had breakfast with such a couple this morning. We have known them for many years now, and at 90 years of age they are still pouring out their remaining energy to glorify God and build up the church worldwide by continuing to utilize their gifts in fruitful, productive ways. They are the living embodiment of the psalmist’s words in Psalm 71:
O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
I want to be like that until my dying breath. I want all of our students to become that kind of person. I pray that for all of you as well. Let us use our lives—our entire time on earth—to proclaim the glory of God to every generation.
Tim
Tim Tomlinson
President
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for our students and faculty/staff as we have just started Spring Semester. Pray that we would remain able to offer all of our courses and programs “in-person” for the entire semester.
- Please pray for our board of trustees which meets this coming Thursday. These individuals graciously give of their time, their wisdom, and their resources to guide and direct this school as it seeks to fulfill its God-given mission. Please pray for them individually also. Their information is available on our website.
- Please continue to pray for our school during these extraordinary times. Pray for wisdom and strength as we continue to deal with the challenges brought about by the pandemic.
- And, as always, please keep praying for our school’s finances. The Lord has been so gracious to us through many of you who have contributed both last year and already this year. We praise the Lord for you and ask that He raise up more generous supporters in the months and years to come.