by Jim Edge
At Baptist Bible College we still believe the local church is the only hope for the world. Our students are challenged both inside and outside the classroom to spend the rest of their lives for the cause of the gospel. Additionally, they are taught that their lives are to be lived out in an authentic way through local Baptist churches, whether in the U.S. or abroad. In recent months, our students have ministered in the Philippines, Japan, Kenya, Colombia, and on the Navajo reservation in Arizona. Many other students are active this summer in churches and camps here in America. Upon returning from one of these trips, Hanna Vessels wrote, “At the beginning of our trip I asked God to change me, and he did. Not in a I-saw-a-lot-of-sad-things-so-I-feel-bad kind of way, but God confirmed what I will spend the rest of my life doing: sharing and showing the love of Jesus Christ to people that the rest of the world tosses aside. I am so thankful to be a part of a school that sees the importance for students to experience ministry on the mission field.”
This global strategy, inaugurated by our Savior and implemented by our Fellowship from the beginning, is the most effective way to change culture for the good. That is why at BBC the world is our classroom. Challenging every student to be globally relevant is a part of his or her education experience. Because we are training pastors, church planters, staff members, missionaries, and leaders in local churches, our curriculum must equip every student to:
- Apply the knowledge and skills of servant-leadership in a local Baptist church.
- Engage others in a biblical model of discipleship.
- Analyze complex societies in order to engage diverse people groups.
- Design and adapt appropriate strategies to evangelize the lost, equip believers, and build local Baptist churches in various contexts.
For the past two and a half years our faculty and administration have worked tirelessly to develop phase three of our turnaround strategy. It is called our Blueprint for Global Impact. It involves a comprehensive strategy based upon scriptural models and sound education practices that will strengthen our effectiveness and set us apart from other Bible colleges. Our goal is that by August 1 we will begin to meet with pastors in Presidential Forums around the country to share with them our strategy and answer questions.
Your support of Baptist Bible College is a tremendous investment in planting churches in America and around the world. It enables us to train preachers, staff members, and other leaders for those churches. I want to encourage you to attend one of the Forums in your area.