Heart & Mind
Take a trip on the No. 7 subway train in New York City and you'll see the world. One minute you'll feel like you’re in India. Another minute and you’re in China or Japan. At times you'll be hard pressed to hear any English spoken. The 7 train, or “international express” as it’s also known, is the train that Douglas Fombelle, dean and executive officer of Bethel Seminary of the East, often takes to reach the seminary’s teaching center in Flushing, Queens, in New York City.
Close to half of the population of Queens was born outside of the United States, with nearly 150 countries represented among the myriad ethnic groups who call it home. It’s for this reason that Fombelle sees the location of Bethel Seminary of the East’s New York Center as providential. “The world has really moved to Queens,” Fombelle says. “I get very excited about the missional aspects of what God has called us to do.”
Remarkable ethnic diversity along
the route of New York City's No. 7
train symbolizes rich opportunity
for Bethel Seminary of the East to
reach the world for Christ right
in its own backyard.
Challenges of Urban Ministry
Bringing the gospel to this densely populated area with its divergent blend of cultures is a daunting challenge. With so many nationalities, there is a natural language barrier that is often hard to conquer. Queens residents are accustomed to having newspapers, television stations, and shopping choices directed to their cultures and languages, so a presentation of the gospel must be tailored to their cultural uniqueness as well.
The stereotypical New York skepticism also can be a roadblock for believers trying to share their faith. “People in New York City constantly have someone trying to sell them something,” Fombelle says. “Maybe one minute it’s a fake Rolex; the next minute it’s someone trying to sell them religion. There are strong barriers to sharing the gospel in this city.”
Though movies and media often depict New Yorkers as a harsh bunch, Fombelle actually sees quite the opposite, especially after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the city. “I find these people to be warm, loving, and kind,” he says. “People have been more open to prayer after 9/11, and I think that has made a huge impact on this city. I continually see how God is moving here in new and fresh ways.”
Fombelle observes breakthroughs being made as believers develop authentic relationships within this melting pot and then begin to plant churches here. With its sheer number of people, Queens is difficult to penetrate unless a network of Christian communities is established at strategic points along the way.
Northeast Roots
The concept of multiple locations is at the heart of the seminary’s approach on the East Coast. Seminary of the East opened its first teaching center in 1985 in Dresher, Pa., using the facilities of Chelten Baptist Church. The second teaching center opened in the second largest city in New England - Worcester, Mass. - in 1987. In 1990, the New York City teaching center was added. In April 1996, as an extension of the Philadelphia Center, classes were held for the first time in Baltimore, Md. Most recently, in fall 2003, the Metro Washington, D.C. Center opened in Landover, Md. These multiple locations make seminary education accessible to students throughout the Northeast and enable them to remain in their local churches and communities while they pursue their degrees. Using the existing facilities of partner churches permits the seminary to invest its resources in developing people rather than buildings.
To enhance its ability to provide high-quality education to the evangelical churches of the Northeast, Seminary of the East entered into a management agreement in 1995 with Bethel College & Seminary. This agreement encouraged Seminary of the East to continue its emphasis on equipping Christian leaders in the areas of “thinking, being, and doing” for the challenges of ministry in the Northeastern United States. In June 2000, Seminary of the East was approved by the Association of Theological Schools to operate as an extension of Bethel Seminary’s accredited programs, and in June 2002 Bethel Seminary of the East became a fully merged partner with Bethel College & Seminary, now Bethel University.
"Welcome" in four
Languages greets
attendees at First
Baptist Church of
Flushing, where alum
John Wang pastors
Chinese-speaking
members of the
church's multi-ethnic
congregation.
Most recently, in May 2006, the seminary’s New York location acquired state accreditation (see page 13). According to Fombelle, this demonstrates to New York City residents that the seminary is serious about remaining a long-term member of the community. “This accreditation shows that we've paid the price to be there,” he says. “We’re committed to serve the city. I anticipate this accreditation will open even more avenues for us.”
New York’s Home Base
First Baptist Church of Flushing (FBC), home to the seminary’s New York teaching center, is a prime example of urban ministry that has made a commitment to the diverse population of Queens. Here, the gospel is preached in three languages: English, Spanish, and Chinese. The English-speaking congregation comprises a diverse mix of races including Asian, African, Hispanic, and
“When you walk into the church, you immediately see the Great Commission posted in four languages,” exclaims Fombelle. “I think that speaks volumes about this church’s commitment to serve in an urban center.”
FBC is located in what may be the most religiously diverse neighborhood in the world. The church is on the corner of Sanford Avenue and Union Street in Flushing, within a 40-block radius of multiple mosques; synagogues; and Sikh, Buddhist, and Hindu temples. Not only does FBC house the seminary’s teaching center, it also employs some of its graduates, including John Wang, pastor of the Chinese congregation. Wang knows a thing or two about dealing with many cultures. Born in Taiwan and raised in Argentina, he worked for many years as a civil engineer before his call to become a pastor. He began attending Bethel Seminary of the East while still employed as an engineer. “It was a very positive experience,” Wang says. “The way the program was structured, I was still able to work and have time for my family.”
Wang received his M.Div. in 2001 and immediately joined FBC’s staff as a ministry intern. As part of his program, he was mentored by FBC’s senior pastor and a deacon. “Having the mentor and intern component made everything very interactive for me, which is the way I learn best,” Wang says.
Fombelle concurs, explaining that the mentoring element is a huge advantage for Bethel Seminary of the East students. “Students aren't just moving to a new job as a pastor and trying to figure out what it’s all about,” Fombelle says. “They've been exposed to what pastors go through spiritually and emotionally right from the get-go. This way, they’re learning more than just the theory of ministry; they’re learning about how to really do it.”
The Gospel is preached in
English, Spanish and
Chinese at First Baptist
Church of Flushing.
The Need for Leaders
Before Bethel Seminary of the East, those who desired seminary-based leadership training often left the Northeast to find it. Many times these individuals would then settle near the seminary they attended, creating a shortage of seminary-trained leaders in the Northeast. “The great cry in these urban centers is for trained leaders,” Fombelle emphasizes. “With Bethel Seminary of the East having locations throughout the eastern states, we’re able to keep people close to home so they don’t to uproot their lives to get their training and education.”
The seminary’s emphasis on ministry involvement and mentoring encourages students to practice their leadership skills in real ministry situations with the guidance and feedback of experienced ministry practitioners. “Because of our mentoring partnerships, the students really get a chance to do some practice work,” Fombelle notes. “It’s a huge advantage for them to do a practice ministry if they work under the watchful eye of someone who has already been there.”
A Heart for Ministry
Another key component of leadership training at Bethel Seminary of the East is spiritual formation. The seminary was founded at a time when many high-profile Christian leaders nationwide were suffering through embarrassing moral failures. Seminary administrators realized there had to be a different way to train leaders so that they developed an authentic heart for ministry.
In response, Bethel Seminary of the East designed a curriculum that promotes the acquisition of godly attitudes, spiritual disciplines, and character traits that are consistent with Christian ideals. “We've recaptured some of the classical spiritual formation disciplines,” Fombelle explains. “We don’t just assume a student knows how to pray or how to meditate.”
Also known as the "international
Express" New York City's No. 7
train often transports Dean and
Executive Officer Doug Fombelle
to
Bethel Seminary's New York
Center in Flushing, Queens.
As part of the seminary’s commitment to intentional spiritual development, students participate in spiritual formation with their peers and a designated faculty member, meeting in the context of a weekly discipleship group. The groups discuss mutual concerns, pray for each other, and engage in theological reflection, allowing for the integration of knowledge and practice. Spiritual formation fortifies students for the challenges and rigors of full-time ministry. “Pastors can feel abandoned and lost when they’re doing ministry on their own,” Fombelle says, “so we train them to have a plan for their own spirit.”
Tracking to the Future
Like the No. 7 train, Bethel Seminary of the East is moving rapidly through an urban landscape, traveling toward a future of increased influence and service in the cities of the Northeast. Staff and are quick to point out that prayer is the engine driving their efforts. Says Fombelle, “We need to pray that we continually seek God’s leading as to what role the seminary is playing in the inner cities.” As God calls more leaders aboard, Bethel Seminary of the East is determined to continue the journey forward, wherever it may lead.
Joe Cullen is a freelance writer and television producer at a cable station in White Bear Lake, Minn.