by Dave Melton
I have heard the jokes as long as I’ve been associated with Boston Baptist College … “You guys are the red-headed stepchild of the BBF!” “We never hear anything about you, are you still there?” “Do you guys have a Fellowship Week?” I won’t deny that in 20 years in Boston, it has grown weary at times.
Then, there was this turning point. At a national meeting several years ago I grumbled to Keith Bassham about our lack of publicity and he metaphorically flipped the table on me. He said, “David, send me something and I’ll publish it!” When I asked him to clarify (I was so caught off guard!) he told me he would gladly run a monthly update from Boston just like he did for BBC. “The View from Boston” was born that day. And what a difference it makes.
I teased for a while saying probably only my mom and three of my friends read my Tribune articles! But everywhere I go, on campus and around the country, people talk to me about what they’ve read about us in the Tribune! Students tell me they “scan” my article to see if I mention them (like when Phil did well in Ecclesiology, or Angela wrote a good exam, or I “caught” Eric witnessing to a neighbor). Friends all across the Fellowship say nice things about my articles, but more than just those kind words, what I hear is, “Boston is in our ongoing discussions”… we are “in the news” of the BBFI.
Keith started it and Randy has continued to generously tell our story, as can be seen in this issue that gives significant coverage to our 40th anniversary. Thanks to the Tribune, so critical to the life of our Fellowship, Boston is on the map. No kidding.