The mission of God is to unite all things in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, he has redeemed a new humanity rescued from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, so that we might enjoy and praise the glory of God’s grace. This worship begins at our conversion, increases through the joys and sorrows of our earthly life, and is perfectly expressed in the new heavens and the new earth forever and ever.
At Bethlehem College & Seminary, our passion is to deepen this mindset and heart experience of worship, so that our students will leave with more knowledge and more commitment to the mission of God than when they began with us. This mission of God can be served in whatever occupation and location God places our graduates. Many of our graduates will serve the mission of God in what is mistakenly called secular occupations. More and more these vocations will give them multi-ethnic gospel opportunities. Some of our graduates will serve the mission of God as World Christian pastors. Some of our graduates will serve the mission of God as laborers among the unreached and unengaged peoples of the world. The Apostle John makes it very clear that both the go-ers and the senders are “fellow workers for the truth” (3 John 8). One of the advantages of our church-based college and seminary is that we have been birthed in and nourished by a church that has been gripped for over a century by the mission of God with world-wide partnerships and opportunities.
On May 9, our chancellor, John Piper, preached in chapel. His message was entitled, “Every Tribe and Tongue.” It was the final message in our semester long series on Disciple-Making: Near and Far. The passion and clarity of this sermon brought me back to November 13, 1983 when Pastor John preached his first missions sermon. I regard that message as the beginning of the missions renewal at Bethlehem Baptist Church—a renewal which has not subsided to this day. (Here is a link to a longer account of Bethlehem’s missions history focusing on the last three decades of her almost 150 years of missions involvement).
From the beginning of Bethlehem College & Seminary, we have prayerfully endeavored to make Jesus central in all we teach and do. When Jesus is central, His mission must be central as well.
Together with you for the Greatest Cause,
Pastor Tom
Your part in this shared mission is crucial. Please pray that:
- The passion for the mission of God in our current faculty, staff, and students will never wane but will keep maturing.
- Our graduates serving in the marketplace, the home, the church, and the mission field will bear fruit that remains.
- Our extension site in Yaoundé, Cameroon, will launch well as the first cohort begins their MDiv program in a few weeks.