Oslund is New Library Director

Sandra Oslund has been promoted to director of the Bethel Seminary St. Paul library after receiving unanimous affirmation by the search advisory committee, the faculty, President Brushaber, and the Board of Trustees. She has worked in the St. Paul library since her days as a Bethel Seminary student and has since been a reliable and capable member of the seminary library team in serving as reference librarian. In her new role, Oslund will function as the head librarian for the St. Paul seminary library; collaborate with St. Paul teaching faculty; lead the library staff in fulfilling the seminary’s educational mission; and supervise all library personnel. She also will convene the Bethel Seminary library staff from all locations to facilitate discussion of transregional issues and develop

Harden Teaches Urban Ministries Elective

Mark Harden, director of outreach and community development, is teaching a new elective course, Compassionate Urban Ministries, in St. Paul this summer. The course is designed to introduce students to the many factors that influence the quality of life in a community. Participants are studying the circumstances surrounding individual children, youth, and families in order to formulate a compassionate pastoral response. Issues addressed include: Who are the most vulnerable among us? What contributes to their dire situations? What can we as Christians do to empower them? This course emphasizes the search for the root causes of these complex problems in an attempt to prevent problems rather than bandaging them after they occur. Models for ministries that address homelessness, violence, substance abuse, and unemployment are examined as possible intervention strategies. •

Bethel Welcomes Dallas Willard

Bethel University was honored to host Dallas Willard, May 19-23, for a week-long series of well-attended presentations on the topic of spiritual formation. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, Willard delivered daily addresses in the seminary chapel concerning “The Place of Spiritual Formation in the Preparation for Ministry.” He also presented a public lecture on Tuesday, May 20, in the Benson Great Hall entitled “Understanding Spiritual Transformation.” All sessions were open to the public.

Willard is a professor in the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he also was director of the School of Philosophy from 1982-1985. He is a nationally known teacher in the field of spiritual formation and author of Renovation of the Heart; Christianity Today’s “Book of the Year” for 1999, The Divine Conspiracy; and Hearing God. For further information about Dallas Willard, visit his Web site at www.dwillard.org.

Bethel San Diego Participates in Church Leadership Institute

Bethel Seminary San Diego participated in the Crystal Cathedral’s Institute for Successful Church Leadership in Garden Grove, Calif., in January. Among the distinguished speakers were Bill Hybels, Bruce Wilkenson, H.B. London, and Erwin McManus, with Ken Medema providing musical inspiration. Various workshops helped to equip and encourage church leaders, and Dan Denton, Bethel Seminary San Diego’s director of development, taught seminars on “Servant Leadership” and “Building a Dream.” Admissions and financial aid officer Theola Campbell also was on hand to represent Bethel at the concurrent ministry expo. •

Provost Welcomes New Executive Assistant

Kim Olstad joined the St. Paul seminary’s Office of the Provost in January 2003 in a newly created position as a second executive assistant to the provost. She will provide support to the provost in the area of off-campus functions, while Meg Thorson, executive assistant to the provost since 1998, will continue her role assisting the provost with on-campus functions. Olstad received a B.A. in history and secondary education from Valparaiso University and a master of nonprofit administration from the University of San Francisco. She has had extensive experience working in development, and has most recently worked with Youth Leadership, youth ministry partner with Bethel. •

A Bit of (Revised) Bethel History

In our fall/winter issue, we announced that Bethel University’s official archives are part of the newly named Baptist General Conference History Center, located on the upper floor of the St. Paul seminary library. This is still true. However, researchers should not contact the library for further information, as we stated then. Instead, they should call the History Center at 651-638-6282 or submit requests via the Web site.•

Who Ministers to Ministers?

Pastors give of themselves almost endlessly, but who ministers to ministers? North Central Ministry Development Center, for one. Located in the Twin Cities, the center has worked with people in ministry for more than 30 years. Bethel Seminary St. Paul alumni may remember the organization as North Central Career Development Center, but it has since changed its name to more clearly reflect its call—to help people in ministry develop their gifts.

As a “ministry development center,” the organization employs counselors who have served in local church ministry and who have dedicated their careers to helping ministers be as effective as possible. Counselors meet with individuals and couples about issues like work/life balance, family relationships, stress management, conflict management, and career possibilities both in and out of ministry. They also work with church and denominational staffs to build more effective teams. For more information about this ongoing ministry resource, visit the center’s Web site at www.ncmdc.org.

Leadership Enrichment Concludes Successful Series

Seminars sponsored by Bethel’s Leadership Enrichment program continue to draw pastors and alumni from the Twin Cities, outstate Minnesota, and surrounding states, as a variety of speakers address topics of interest to people serving in ministry. The final seminar in this year’s series featured Dan Lambrides discussing “Sexuality and Spirituality: A Systems Perspective.” For more information, check the Leadership Enrichment Web site at www.leadershipenrichment.net or contact Leadership Enrichment at 651-635-2459. The Leadership Enrichment program provides opportunities for Bethel Seminary to intentionally interact with and respond to alumni ministry needs and concerns. •

Student Senators Host Prayer Gatherings

As our country has encountered increasing instability in the face of international conflict, and as the seminary has experienced the ongoing spiritual warfare inherent in ministry, a concerned group of Bethel St. Paul student senators organized a time of daily student prayer through the school year. Students met to intercede for each other, for seminary concerns, and for our nation. The prayers were facilitated by a student senator and were open to all students, who were encouraged to submit their own prayer requests. •

New Leadership Guides Bethel Foundation

The Bethel Foundation announced the promotions of Angella Hjelle to executive director and Charles (Chuck) Stroud to controller. Hjelle, former controller for the foundation for 12 years, earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Bethel College and a Juris Doctorate from William Mitchell College of Law in 2002. As executive director, she will oversee the activities of the Bethel Foundation and also will serve as a member of President Brushaber’s leadership team.

Stroud holds a bachelor of arts degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Ohio, and is a certified public accountant. He worked with trusts for many years at Moody Bible Institute and has served at the Bethel Foundation for two years. As controller, he will maintain all financial and accounting records; prepare reports for auditors, trustors, and the IRS; and work with trustors, investment consultants, and attorneys.

The Bethel Foundation serves friends of Bethel through effective and prudent asset management, assists Bethel’s supporters in planning charitable gifts, and works to increase the financial strength of Bethel University. For more than 30 years, the foundation has helped hundreds of individuals and families by investing and managing all or portions of their assets. For more information about the Bethel Foundation, visit Bethel’s Web site or call 651-638-6235 or 800-255-8706. •

MacDonalds Challenge M.Div. Students

Nationally known spiritual formation consultants Gordon and Gail MacDonald spent a week in December with first-year M.Div. students at the St. Paul campus. The spiritual intensive week featured all-day meetings and challenged the students to concentrate on spiritual and personal formation, as well as intellectual growth and development, as they begin their journey into seminary studies. •

Former Seminary Prof Called Home

Clarence (C.J.) Sahlin, professor of Christian education at Bethel Seminary St. Paul from 1969-1978, died on Feb. 1 at the age of 80. He had been hospitalized for three months prior to his death. Services were held on Feb. 8 in Denton, Texas. •

Holy Land Photos on the Web

Carl Rasmussen, Bethel College professor of biblical and theological studies, has received a $20,000 grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion for further development of his Holy Land photos Web site (www.HolyLandPhotos.org). The site is an outstanding resource for pastors and students, both for sermon preparation and for personal study. “I get a lot of positive feedback regarding the site and am excited about its kingdom potential,” Rasmussen said. Recently, the Free Methodist Church Web site recommended Rasmussen’s site to pastors, stating that “HolyLandPhotos.org is an excellent resource for bringing a sermon to life or even for illuminating your daily Scripture reading.” Rasmussen is assisted by Bethel alumnus Jesse Gavin ’01, who developed and helps maintain the site on a volunteer basis. “His creative and technical abilities have made this site a joy to use,” said Rasmussen. •

Profs Present Anti-Racism Papers

David Clark, professor of theology and lead faculty for the Master of Arts in Christian Thought program, and Jeannine Brown, assistant professor of New Testament, presented papers at a St. Paul campus anti-racism gathering on March 18. Sponsored by Bethel’s Anti-Racism and Reconciliation Commission, the forum encouraged common understanding, purpose, and action regarding racism. College and seminary students, faculty, and staff heard Clark present “A Sociological Theory” and Brown discuss “Shalom: A Biblical/Theological Vision for God’s People.” A time of discussion followed. •

Planning Biblical Worship

“Worship and Culture,” a graduate course that can be taken for credit or audit, examines how worship can become the foundation for building interdependent relationships among persons and between those individuals and God. The course explores how scriptural principles regarding worship can be applied to an individual’s life and to that person’s responsibility in corporate worship.

“This course was a fantastic learning experience for me,” said David Hoehl, Bethel College ’75, Bethel Seminary ’81, director of traditional music at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minn. “Not only did I discover the biblical perspective of worship, but I also learned to apply what I was learning to actual worship writing.”

This summer the course met June 2-13. To find out when it will again be offered, see www.bethel.edu/cgcs, contact John Benham at j-benham@bethel.edu, or call 651-635-8015. •

TI:ME for Music Educators

In summer 2003 Bethel will be the first Minnesota school to host the Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME). TI:ME is a nationally recognized program to help music educators and directors apply the most current music technology strategies to enhance teaching, learning, and participation in music. Church musicians will learn to enhance contemporary or traditional worship with a variety of technologies.

Bethel will offer level one certification during a two-week sequence of courses from July 14-26, excluding Sundays and evenings, that covers basic skills in music technology. Participants can earn six graduate credits or audit the sessions.

Douglas Reader, an experienced clinician with Coda (makemusic!, Inc.), is the instructor. Reader has worked with music educators and church musicians nationwide and taught at Twin Cities colleges and universities. He holds a Ph.D. in theory and composition from the University of Minnesota.

To learn more, go to www.bethel.edu/cgcs/electives/musictechnology.htm, call John Benham at 651-635-8015, email him at j-benham@bethel.edu, or contact Douglas Reader at mdread51@usfamily.net or 612-269-4224. •

Leadership Is Another World

“The Dynamics of Leadership in a Global Era” was a summer course that reminded us that we live on a shrinking planet, and leadership won’t look the same tomorrow as it does today. The course explored how survival depends on knowledge of various cultures, mutual understanding, a reverence for the earth, and a commitment to human rights. Students discovered new dynamics for leadership with an emphasis on cross-cultural styles, as well as new principles for operating across continental boundaries and national borders as a Christian leader.

The course can be taken for graduate credit or audit. To find out when the course will be offered again visit www.bethel.edu/cgcs. •

Remembering Cherished Seminary Faculty

Endowed seminary scholarships have been established in recent years to honor Bethel Seminary faculty members who have served long and well. Some of these faculty members are now with the Lord. Others are in retirement. In most cases, family and friends have given gifts to establish the scholarship. The gifts listed below that are marked with an asterisk are still building toward full endowment. Family and friends may add to all seminary scholarships at any time.

• The Clifford and Alice M. Anderson Bethel West Scholarship
• The Jeannette and Stan Bakke Women in Ministry Scholarship
• The Doris and Clarence Bass Scholarship for Women in Theology
• The Evelyn and Harold Christenson Scholarship in Evangelism
• The Alphin C. Conrad Memorial Scholarships in Evangelism and Missions
• The Millard Erickson Minority Student Leadership Scholarship
• *The Robert A. Featherstone Memorial Scholarship
• The Nils and Audrey Friburg Pastoral Care Scholarship
• The Gordon and Alta Johnson Expository Preaching Scholarships (San Diego/St.Paul)
• *The Norris Magnuson Scholarship in Church History
• The Berkeley Mickelsen Memorial Scholarship
• The Gordon Nymann Memorial Scholarship
• The Edwin and Marie Omark Memorial Scholarship
• The Reuben and Lillian Omark Memorial Scholarship
• *The Edna Schultz Scholarship in Urban Ministries
• The Ron and Carolyn Youngblood Scholarship

If you would like to make a gift to one of these scholarships, or if you wish to set up a new scholarship to honor someone not listed here, please send the gift and its designation to James Spickelmier, Bethel Seminary, 3900 Bethel Dr., St. Paul, MN 55112. We will notify family members that you have made a gift. What a great way to honor men and women who have enriched our lives and made an invaluable contribution to God’s kingdom! •

Apply Online!

Bethel Seminary invites you to apply online! Now you can apply over the Internet for any degree program Bethel Seminary offers at any of its bicoastal or virtual (distance or “distributed” learning) teaching locations. Do you want to attend Bethel Seminary in St. Paul? Apply online. How about San Diego? Apply online. Perhaps you’d prefer the East Coast (Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York, or Boston). Apply online. Bethel Seminary’s new online application is quick, easy, and secure. You can even create your own account with a password so that you can complete your application over multiple sessions. Complete your online application today, and we’ll get it today. It’s as simple as that. See www.bethel.edu/seminary/admissions. •

Faculty Explores Hmong Contextualization

Bethel Seminary St. Paul faculty and staff ventured off campus for three “Hmong Immersion Excursions” in recent months to kick off Provost Leland Eliason’s Hmong Contextualization initiative. “The goal has been to gain experience in dialogue with Hmong-American leaders in the community so we can better understand how we might contextualize the theological education we offer at Bethel Seminary,” says Steven Sandage, associate professor of marriage and family studies and project facilitator. “These leaders engaged us in conversations about a variety of topics including theological, psychotherapeutic, social, economic, and political issues.”

T. Cher Moua hosted the Bethel group in February at the Family & Youth Advancement Services, Inc. (FYASI) headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he is executive director. FYASI is a faith-based, non-profit organization serving the Hmong community in and around the Twin Cities. Other guests were Nha Long Yang, senior pastor of St. Paul Hmong Alliance Church, and Lantzia Thao, senior pastor of Twin Cities Hmong Alliance Church. Discussion focused on the challenges of making the gospel message relevant to a culture in flux as the older generation clings to ancient beliefs and the younger generation eagerly embraces Western culture.

In March the seminary crew visited Lao Family Health in St. Paul where they heard from Zha Blong Xiong, Ph.D., faculty member at the University of Minnesota; Leng Xiong, clinical social worker at Hmong American Partnership; and Zoua Chang, Ph.D. student at the University of Minnesota working at the Center for Victims of Torture. Topics included family, mental health, and social issues of concern to the Hmong-American community.

In April, the Bethel contingent discussed social and political issues of relevance to Hmong communities in the Twin Cities with Minnesota State Senator Mee Moua (DFL), the first Hmong-American in the nation ever elected to a state legislature.

“We are excited about this venture as one more step in an ongoing process of cultivating Christian multicultural formation at Bethel Seminary,” Sandage says. “And we are giving further in-house dialogue to some next steps as we continue to explore ways that we can pursue contextualization.” •

Commencement 2003

“One Body, One Heart” was the theme Bethel Seminary’s graduating students of 2003 chose to express their unity in Christ and to distinguish commencement exercises at all three seminary locations this spring and summer. The theme is based on the class verse, Romans 15:5-6: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

During the ceremony in St. Paul on May 31, 90 graduating students (and four who earned certificates) were encouraged to “Affirm Your Future” by James Earl Massey, D.Div., D.D., Hum.D., Litt.D., dean emeritus at Anderson University. On June 14, 31 graduating students in San Diego received a message from Timothy George, M.Div., Th.D., dean at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University. And Seminary of the East students will hear from Gordon MacDonald, M.Div., D.Min., chair of the World Relief Commission, editor at large for Leadership Journal, and pastor emeritus, Grace Chapel, Lexington, Mass., regarding “In Pursuit of Christian Resilience” in exercises to take place July 12 in Dresher, Pa. Bethel Seminary of the East expects to see nine students receive diplomas and four to receive certificates. •

Still Ministering After 50 Years

Bethel Seminary’s class of 1953 celebrated 50 years of post-seminary ministry at a reunion on the St. Paul campus as special guests during commencement exercises held May 31. Ten of the group’s original 51 members returned to take part in the day’s activities and to receive certificates commemorating their half-century of Christian service. Participants included Joseph Brygger of Lake Nebagamon, Wis.; Robert Daley of Palatine, Ill.; John Dischinger of Downers Grove, Ill.; L. Marwin Lindstedt of Coon Rapids, Minn.; James Mason of Santa Rosa, Calif.; Norman Nideng of New Brighton, Minn.; David Rathjen of Sun City, Ariz.; E. James Schubring of Arlington Heights, Ill.; Harm Weber of Bradenton, Fla.; and William Wright of De Bary, Fla.

Mason, former professor and chair of Bethel College’s communication department from 1968 to 1979, greeted his colleagues and the Bethel Seminary community with an exuberant, “You are wonderful friends! I thank God for each one and for the saintly, scholarly professors we had.” •

’50s Fun Honors Bethel Faculty and Staff

Complete with live music, poodle skirts, and chocolate malts, the annual Bethel Community Celebration recognized the work of Bethel faculty and staff with ’50s-style fun on May 6. Among the evening’s special honorees were Lori Jass, associate academic dean and registrar at Bethel Seminary St. Paul, and Sherry Stockton, senior administrative assistant and accounts payable manager at Bethel Seminary San Diego, both winners of distinguished service awards; Jeannine Brown, assistant professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary St. Paul, who received the Seminary Faculty Excellence Award; and Morris Anderson, director emeritus of admissions and financial aid at Bethel Seminary St. Paul, on the occasion of his retirement after serving Bethel Seminary for more than 25 years. •