Campus News

Transregional Communities Celebrate Commencement 2007

Bethel Seminary campuses coast to coast completed another academic year and celebrated the achievements of their graduating classes.

Bethel Seminary St. Paul graduated nearly 150 students at its commencement ceremony on June 2. Author and speaker Gordon MacDonald was the keynote presenter.

More than 20 Bethel Seminary San Diego students graduated in a commencement ceremony held on June 16. Marvin A. McMickle, D.Min., D.D., Ph.D., professor of homiletics at Ashland Theological Seminary, spoke at the event.

Bethel Seminary of the East commencement took place on June 23 at Grace Point Church in Newtown, Pa. Bethel Seminary Provost and Executive Vice President Leland Eliason gave the address, and the charge to the graduates was presented by Professor of Theology Wayne Hansen.

Festival of Christmas Broadcast Wins Emmy

Bethel University and Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) were the recipients of a regional Emmy Award, which honored the 2006 50th Festival of Christmas broadcast.    It was awarded to Mitch Griffin of TPT, specifically, for the spectacular quality of the audio. The 50th Festival of Christmas, "Gloria in excelsis Deo," drew more than 7,500 to five sold-out performances. Thanks to the partnership with TPT, last year's event was not only a success, but also served as a partnership and service to the community.

With premier sponsorship by Target, TPT filmed the performances in high definition and aired an edited concert five times leading up to Christmas Day 2007. The program was also picked up by 42 public television affiliates across the country — a practice that is expected to occur again over the next several years as TV stations seek quality, high-definition programming (watch your local listings). The broadcast is introducing an unprecedented audience to Bethel University, its excellence in music and academics, and its faith-based mission.

Ridder is New St. Paul Dean

David Ridder has been selected as Dean of the Center for Transformational Leadership and began his new duties in August. Ridder received a B.A. from Wheaton College and M.Div. and D.Min. degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He served for three years as an assistant pastor in Michigan and for the past 23 years as the senior pastor of Grace Point Church in Newtown, Pa. Under his leadership, Grace Point moved from a landlocked downtown site into new facilities near a major highway intersection. The church's new strategic location and increasingly missional focus is creating a major impact in the region.

Ridder served for three years as half-time dean and executive officer of Conservative Baptist Seminary of the East before it completed the merger with Bethel to become Bethel Seminary of the East. Ridder provided strong leadership during this pivotal transition time in the seminary's growth. Afterward, he returned full time to the pastorate, providing oversight for the relocation of the church and the building of new facilities.

"David fully embraces the commitment of Bethel Seminary to 'advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ in culturally sensitive ways,'" says Provost Leland Eliason, "and he has a strong record of cross-cultural effectiveness. He demonstrates excellent mentoring skills and can point to nine former interns who are now pastors or missionaries."

Ridder's passion to teach includes a twofold focus: developing effective preachers and enhancing leadership. Both areas are high priorities for the seminary curriculum and provide avenues to implement his vision and call to prepare the next generation of kingdom leaders for churches and ministry agencies.

St. Paul Library Observes Theological Libraries Month

The Carl H. Lundquist Library at Bethel Seminary St. Paul celebrated Theological Libraries Month in October. "It's a common belief that any day now, online resources will replace the library," says Dennis A. Norlin, executive director of the American Theological Library Association (ATLA). "It's not happening. That's why the ATLA is launching this special month to highlight the vital role libraries play at the institutions they serve."

According to Norlin, theological libraries play a pivotal role in today's expensive balancing act of preserving and making accessible valuable resources. "The decisions theological library directors make about allocating budgets, about formats, technology, and preservation all have a direct impact on the teaching and research that takes place at their institutions," says Norlin. "If anything, theological libraries are becoming more rather than less important to their institutions."

Theological librarians also increasingly serve as information brokers for their patrons. Whether onsite in the library building or remotely, via email and instant messaging, theological librarians save their patrons — faculty, staff, students, administrators, and even alumni — frustration and time. By collaborating with each other as they have digitized their collections, theological libraries have multiplied exponentially the information resources they offer while continuing to provide expert guidance on how to navigate the newly available sources.

"Far from being obsolete, theological libraries are at their patrons' service, offering more than they imagine," says Barbara Kemmis, ATLA director of member services.

As part of Theological Libraries Month, the Lundquist Library sponsored an open house, scavenger hunt, and library history display.

Alumni can take advantage of the many resources available from the library, including free access to ATLASerials® Religion Database, the premier online journal index for theology and religion. To register to use this service at no cost, email Sandra Oslund at s-oslund@bethel.edu with your name and seminary graduation year or enrollment period. Upon verification, you'll receive the login/passwords for ATLAS® and more details about the service.

Three longtime employees of Bethel Seminary of the East were recognized this summer in an anniversary celebration. Tyrone Perkins, Philadelphia Center director and director of admissions and placement (10 years); Jeanette Shaw, alumni coordinator (18 years); and Joanne Porter, associate registrar and administrative assistant to the dean (15 years) were part of Seminary of the East before its merger with Bethel in June 2002.

Presidential Search Progresses

A Presidential Search Committee, appointed by the Board of Trustees after Bethel President George K. Brushaber announced that he will retire at the end of his current term in June 2008, is continuing the process of seeking a replacement.

The search committee comprises nine trustees, three faculty members, and a representative at large. Since fall, the search has surfaced about a dozen serious candidates, including internal and external candidates, and candidates of both genders.

The committee is placing a high priority on a leader who is a consensus builder, as well as someone who can build bridges to other cultures and races. The president position has been advertised in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Economist Online, Black Issues in Higher Education, and Hispanic Outlook. The executive search firm People Management International, Inc. has also been retained to advise the search process, but trustee Pat Mazorol emphasizes that the search is being conducted very actively by the Bethel committee itself.

"We are committed to a process in which we take the time to listen to Bethel's constituencies to ensure we find the right leader to guide Bethel's continued growth and have a smooth transition from one leader to the next," explains Dan Lindh, CEO of Presbyterian Homes and chair of Bethel's Presidential Search Committee.

If you have any questions or comments during the search process, please contact the search committee directly at presidential-search@bethel.edu.

New Programs

East Coast

Doctor of Ministry in Urban Ministry Leadership
Bethel Seminary of the East continues to grow and expand its diverse program offerings. The latest new programs include the Doctor of Ministry in Urban Ministry Leadership in collaboration with Bethel Seminary St. Paul. The program trains senior pastors of urban churches, missions pastors, denominational leaders, non-profit heads, and others who desire to exercise effective transformational leadership in an urban context. Participants study in urban contexts including Philadelphia, metro New York City region, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, and take part in residential intensives at Bethel Seminary's St. Paul campus and the various East Coast teaching sites of Bethel Seminary of the East. For more information, call toll-free 800.255.8706, ext. 6288, or visit www.bethel.edu.

Ministry Leadership Advanced Certificate
Two new certificate programs are also available on the East Coast. The first is the Ministry Leadership Advanced Certificate, available at the metro Washington, D.C., teaching center. The program, a partnership with Bethel Seminary St. Paul, is led by Mark Harden, dean of intercultural relations and lead faculty for the Master of Arts in Community Ministry Leadership program in St. Paul. Harden will teach four courses in a "blended" format, living in D.C. for a weekend seminar and then teaching the rest of the course online. Four additional courses will be taught by Bethel Seminary of the East professors at the metro D.C. teaching center. This trans-regional cooperation allows East Coast students to fully benefit from program innovations taking place in St. Paul.

Certificate in Ministry Leadership A second new certificate program, the Certificate in Ministry Leadership, is based at the New England teaching center and is designed for church leaders who do not have a bachelor's degree. The 12-course program offers well-rounded training for ministry practitioners who do not otherwise have access to traditional seminary training, providing an in-depth foundation in Biblical studies, theology, and practical ministry skills. "Fully one-third of the prospective students I talk to about theological training do not possess a bachelor's degree," says New England Center Director Noel Sherry. "This program meets a real need in the New England area."

Mark Harden

San Diego

Master of Arts in Children's and Family Ministry
Bethel's San Diego campus began its first cohort in the Master of Arts in Children's and Family Ministry (M.A.C.F.M.). The program is already one of the most well-received among St. Paul InMinistry offerings. InMinistry is a flexible delivery system that combines on-campus intensives with distance education via the internet, allowing students to further their educational and ministry goals without moving from their home and ministry location (see article on page 12). Students can remain active in their current ministries and complete their degree work in approximately 40 months. To learn more about InMinistry or the M.A.C.F.M., go to http://seminary.bethel.edu/.

St. Paul

The face of seminaries today is changing — seminary education is no longer just for people who want to become pastors. Bethel Seminary St. Paul recently announced the launch of several new certificate programs designed to meet the needs of a changing world, including programs in chaplaincy and crisis response, ministering to people with special needs, and serving an aging population. "These certificate programs are designed to prepare pastors, counselors, chaplains, lay leaders, and others to respond to some of the most pressing needs of 21st century culture," says Joseph Dworak, transregional director of admissions and recruitment.

Certificate in Adult Development and Generativity
Aging has changed. The increased longevity and vitality of aging adults now compel society to view elders not as recipients of ministry only, but as partners in and initiators of ministry. For many, retirement is the beginning of new ways of engaging with the world. This certificate is designed to incorporate the most recent spiritual and scientific findings about aging so that students will be equipped to become catalysts for effective ministry with and to persons in later life.

Certificate in Special Needs and Faith Communities

Sometimes individuals and families with special needs — physiological, psychological, and developmental — seem invisible in their faith communities. This certificate is designed to explore ways in which congregations and ministry agencies can remove obstacles to, receive ministry from, and partner with other resources on behalf of persons and families with special needs.

Certificate in Chaplaincy and Crisis Response

Chaplains offer pastoral care in an amazing range of places: military bases, disaster sites, care facilities, Fortune 500 companies, state fairs, and even rodeos. They enter situations where care needs are chronic and long-term, and where acute, shocking events require spiritual and emotional "triage." This certificate is designed to prepare persons to respond effectively in situations of both ongoing and acute stress.

Other new certificate programs include: Certificate in Spiritual Formation; Certificate in Pastoral Counseling; and Certificate in Sexuality, Wholeness, and Community. Each certificate includes a six-course sequence over an 18-month period. The certificates are offered in a distance-mediated, hybrid format that combines online and in-person learning. To learn more, go to http://seminary.bethel.edu/programs/bssp/cert-programs.

The 2007 Scholarship Awarding Ceremony, held in St. Paul on October 10, celebrated the many students who received scholarships and honored the numerous seminary scholarship donors.

St. Paul Faculty Changing Roles

Several St. Paul faculty members will change roles during 2008. David Howard, professor of Old Testament, will return to classroom teaching full time in fall 2008 after a four-year tenure as dean of the Center for Biblical and Theological Studies. As dean, Howard was responsible for the recruitment, hiring, and mentoring of key faculty members, and continued his teaching and scholarship as author and editor of a new book series titled Interpreting the Historical Books. He is recognized as a leading scholar on the Psalms and has been invited to present his work at prestigious gatherings in the U.S. and abroad. "I'm deeply grateful to David for his dedicated service," says Provost Leland Eliason. "I'm very thankful that he will continue with us as professor of Old Testament, where he will exercise his passion and giftedness in teaching and continue to pursue scholarship and writing that will serve Bethel, the larger evangelical community, and beyond."

David Howard

Don Mortenson, associate professor of pastoral care, continues serving Bethel Seminary from a new venue — California — after moving this winter with his wife Sherry, former associate dean of campus ministries and pastor of spiritual formation in the College of Arts & Sciences at Bethel University. Don teaches in Bethel's InMinistry system and as an adjunct at Bethel Seminary San Diego, as well as serving in a new position as lead pastor of congregational care at Whittier Area Community Church in the Los Angeles area. Sherry is lead pastor of spiritual formation at the same church. "Don's humor, warmth, compassion, and wisdom have greatly enriched both faculty and students," says Provost Leland Eliason. "No one teaches and models empathy better than Don…He powerfully fulfills the admonition to 'rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.'"

Don Mortenson

Carla Dahl, professor of marriage and family studies; director of the marriage and family therapy program; and dean of the Center for Spiritual and Personal Formation, will continue to serve Bethel Seminary's marriage and family program as needed, but will formally transition in summer 2008 to expanding her clinical practice and developing a network of formation professionals. Dahl has served Bethel for 13 years, in particular working to create, nurture, and develop the seminary's distinctive marriage and family therapy (MFT) program. The program has been widely recognized for its excellence, with six of the last seven Minnesota MFT Students of the Year coming from Bethel Seminary. In her capacity as dean, Dahl has shaped a developmental model of formation that combines social sciences with the rich history of biblically grounded formation practices and theological insights. "Carla combines her exercise of three extraordinary gifts — teaching, research, and therapy," says Provost Leland Eliason. "There are just a few people who are excellent in all three. Carla is one of that select group."

Carla Dahl

Bethel Off Campus

Nils Friberg, former professor of pastoral care (St. Paul), was actively involved in ministry to victims of the 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis in August (see story on page 24). As a police chaplain, he was called into service during and following the tragedy. Friberg also traveled in Brazil during fall 2007, teaching classes at seven seminaries and meeting with pastors about issues of pastoral counseling, grief, and sexual misconduct.

Ben Lim, associate professor of marital and family therapy (San Diego), taught summer courses on marriage and family counseling in Maylasia and Singapore at the Theological Center for Asia and Singapore Bible College. "There is a great need for marriage and family therapy training in Malaysia and Singapore," Lim said, "but I am continually impressed at the spiritual vitality and the sense of mission of the churches in these two countries. The rise of militant Islam there has strengthened the faith of the churches."

Kyle Roberts, assistant professor of systematic theology (St. Paul), participated in a forum titled "Can We Talk? An Evangelical/Liberal Dialogue" at United Theological Seminary, St. Paul, in November. The dialogue also featured Eleazar Fernandez, professor of constructive theology at United. Roberts characterized the presentation as "a theological discussion that aims to help each side come closer to truth and therefore closer to each other…We believe that meaningful conversation with persons different from us can help clear up an otherwise murky view."

Mark Strauss, professor of New Testament (San Diego), released his new book Four Portraits, One Jesus, published by Zondervan, in April. The book is a study of the content of the four gospels, offering a close look at how each documents the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In addition, Strauss spent a week in Thailand in June, where he lectured to 36 translation consultants for the Asia-Pacific group of the United Bible Societies. Later that month, he visited Tacoma, Wash., with the 12-member Committee on Bible Translation for the TNIV, for their annual week of revision sponsored by the International Bible Society.

Mark Strauss (third from left) rubs shoulders with Asia-Pacific consultants of the United Bible Societies.

Bernard Walker, adjunct instructor (St. Paul), teaches martial arts in the seminary gymnasium twice a week. Classes are offered in Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do, and Brazilian Jiujitsu. Walker is a member of the United States Korean Martial Arts Federation.

Going Home Again

For Howard, the trip held deep meaning on many levels. It was a return to his "home" after 40 years of absence. He noted that his Spanish returned easily, and the sights, sounds, and smells of his former homeland brought back almost-forgotten memories. He was also able to introduce his wife and two daughters to his past, to a place they had heard about but never seen. And the time with his father and siblings, as well as the dedication service itself, was significant as they shared memories of their wife and mother and the influence she and her ministry had there.

Howard also noted the maturing church in Colombia, fueled by the work of pioneer missionaries in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s: "The church is healthy (despite some very real problems), the Gospel is advancing, people are being reached and touched for Christ and His kingdom, and their lives are being improved. The Colombian church has built on the work of missionaries who came and gave their lives in service of the Gospel — sometimes literally, often in the face of adversity, always sacrificially."

The Church in China: Past, Present, and Future

Glen Scorgie, professor of theology (San Diego), traveled to Hong Kong and China in June. At China Graduate School of Theology in Hong Kong, he taught a summer intensive course on "Dynamics of Christian Spirituality" to 34 students from Australia, New Zealand, North America, Indonesia, China, and Hong Kong.

Afterward he traveled to five cities in the People's Republic of China, speaking on occasion and visiting Bethel alumni along the way. In the inland city of Xi'an, an ancient capital of China, Scorgie viewed the Nestorian Tablet, a 10-12 foot stone monument in Chinese script, with some supplementary characters in a Syriac script. Monuments like this form the official record of China's ancient history.

The Nestorian Tablet was written in the 8th century A.D. and chronicles the arrival of the Nestorian Christians in 635 A.D., led by their Bishop Alopen. According to Scorgie, the "version of the Christian faith it records is highly contextualized — so much so, in fact, that it contains no reference to the atoning death of Christ. But it is conclusive proof that China (or at least the command center of China, the emperor's court) was exposed to a brand of Christianity far earlier than the 16th century efforts of Ricci or the 19th century ventures of Robert Morrison and Hudson Taylor."

Scorgie also had opportunity to visit the historic Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, the flagship school of the official church in China, and currently the only registered Chinese seminary offering studies at the graduate level. He reports that "the atheistic Communist regime that came to power in 1949 has effectively ripped the soul out of Chinese society. But many today, dissatisfied with the materialist dream being offered to them as a consolation, are finding their personal spiritual longings satisfied in Jesus Christ. The church in China — its official and unregistered sectors alike — is growing despite considerable restrictions, occasional harassment, and a recent escalation of deportations of foreign believers. Our Bethel alumni are contributing to this encouraging movement of the Spirit. One of our graduates is strategically placed at the highest levels to advance the Christian call for 'creation care' in a society already engulfed in pollution and facing an ecological crisis."

Extreme Service

For Denise Muir Kjesbo, director and lead faculty of the children's and family ministry degree program in St. Paul, the point of one's faith is to serve others. Kjesbo and her husband, Allen, have taken a step of faith in planting a new church in Sioux Falls, S.D., in March. Their point? Simply to serve, reflected clearly and effectively in the new church's name: The Point is to Serve.

The church doesn't serve in name alone. In July, they undertook an ambitious service project to perform an extreme home makeover for Mike and Sue McComber and their two children. The McCombers have served the downtown Sioux Falls community for five years working with Firehouse Underground, a ministry-based coffee shop and concert venue. According to Kjesbo, "The Point believed it was time to encourage the McCombers so that this vital ministry can continue for years to come." The church sent the family to Disney World while church members rolled up their sleeves and refurbished the McComber home. Improvements included new carpeting and ceramic tile, a new fireplace, new plumbing, two new bathrooms, central air and a high efficiency furnace, a four-season sunroom, new kitchen cabinets and granite countertops, fresh paint in every room, a dishwasher, landscaping, and new home décor, bedding, and towels.

And since the point is to serve, they didn't stop there, adding personal touches such as reconditioning the family's treadmill, servicing and repairing their van, and taking a professional family portrait, which was then hung in the "new" house. Numerous other local churches joined in the process, and vendors donated and discounted thousands of dollars worth of supplies. As the work progressed, neighbors, workers, and vendors gathered for picnics and fellowship to enjoy food that yet others donated. Why this profusion of giving? Says Kjesbo, "We know that serving accomplishes transformation. We believed that by committing to this project we would encourage the McCombers and transform their home. But we also knew that as we served, we ourselves would experience the joy of serving and be transformed in this process."

Capital Campaign Moves Ahead

Bethel University's comprehensive resource campaign, Taking the Next Step, is on pace to meet its $105 million goal. So far, generous friends have given more than $89 million toward facilities, endowment, program support, and the Annual Fund — gifts that will improve the quality of a Bethel education today and ensure its future. The campaign is also active on the West Coast, where Bethel Seminary San Diego plans to remodel and expand to better serve current students and prepare for continuing ministry and growth. A $5.3 million campaign is slated to transform the seminary's capacity for enrollment growth and outreach in three ways:

• Expansion of facilities to include a 380-seat chapel/conference center, three new classrooms, a lounge and kitchen, and room for media technology and specialized instruction.
• Retrofitting the existing building to increase classroom, office, and library space.
• Increasing scholarships, program support, and ministry outreach.

The San Diego expansion project is currently in the fundraising stage. According to Bruce Kunkel, vice president for campus services, the city of San Diego is considering zoning approval. "The expansion of the seminary will offer facility improvement in several areas," he says. "The main entrance from Arosa Street will provide a welcoming and gracious entry into the newly expanded seminary complex. This new 'front door,' along with the sweeping architecture of the chapel roof, will identify Bethel Seminary San Diego as a place of faith and scholarship."

Construction in San Diego is scheduled to begin in spring 2008. As Taking the Next Step concludes May 31, 2008, a gift to the Annual Fund qualifies toward program support and is a great way for everyone to take part. Gifts of all sizes make a difference. To contribute, contact the Office of Development at 651.635.8050 or toll-free at 800.255.8706.

Construction continues on University Commons, the 110,000-square foot student center that is the largest project of Bethel's six-year comprehensive resource campaign. Ground was broken on May 19 and the facility is scheduled for occupancy in February 2009.

InMinistry Student Recognized by Society of Biblical Literature

InMinistry student Tim Buhler, executive pastor of Homewood Evangelical Free Church in Moline, Ill., was recognized in spring 2007 by the Society of Biblical Literature, receiving an honorary mention for his paper "The Great Invitation to the Great Commandment and Great Commission (Matthew 9:9-13)." The award program was created in 2006 by Logos Bible Software and the Society of Bible Literature to foster creative biblical scholarship in the use of technology and to expand the understanding of the grammar and syntax of the biblical Hebrew and Greek texts. Buhler, an M.Div. student who graduates in May 2008, says that he "was very pleased as a pastor that I could interact within this competition, or at least not be afraid to try! I think that speaks volumes to my language training at Bethel, especially in Greek, under the direction and teaching of Dr. Jeannine Brown." Brown is associate professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary St. Paul.

Seminary Cited in Mid-Life Ministry Article

Bethel Seminary was cited in an article in the Faith and Values section of the Minneapolis Star Tribune on October 6. The article, by religion reporter Jeff Strickler, examined the growing phenomenon of baby boomers changing careers mid-life to prepare for full-time service in ministry. Executive director and provost of the seminary Leland Eliason was interviewed, as well as alumna Laura Crosby, who is on staff at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina, Minn. For the full story, visit the Star Tribune at http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/11328616.html

NYC Center Welcomes New Director

Michael Herbert joined Bethel Seminary as director of the New York City Teaching Center and recruiter in summer 2007. Born in London of Barbadian and Trinidadian parents, Herbert later moved to Barbados, where he lived for 12 years before returning to England in 1981. He came to the U.S. in 1986 to study at Texas A&M University. While there, Herbert came to faith in Jesus Christ, and also met and married his wife Sonja, a native Texan. They have been married for 17 years and have two children.

Herbert was ordained as a minister in 1990 by Rehoboth Baptist Church five months after graduating from Texas A&M with a B.B.A. in accounting. He received an M.Div. from Bethel Seminary of the East and plans to pursue a D.Min. in transformational leadership in the next two years. He has had extensive ministry and marketplace work experience as an assistant pastor and grant auditor in Texas; pastoral staff at New Song Community Church, Harlem; assistant director of an afterschool program at Nassau Community College in Long Island, N.Y.; a life skills and career trainer/director at Vehicles, Inc., in Manhattan; community relations liaison for a public charter school in Harlem; and most recently as director of compliance with the Princeton Review SES department in Manhattan.

Herbert's desire is that Bethel Seminary of the East would become known as "the premier seminary that graduates transformational leaders who are well equipped for the rigors and challenges of ministry in the city." He is concentrating his recruiting efforts toward the major parachurch organizations, churches, and colleges in New York City. At the same time, along with the other New York team members Iris Holder and Henry Kwan, it is his hope to increase student retention by 25 percent through intimate relationships and interaction with every student. Doug Fombelle, dean and executive officer of Bethel Seminary of the East, calls Herbert "a good man and newly minted graduate of Bethel Seminary's New York Center. I am extremely glad he joined our efforts in New York City."

D.Min. Student Publishes Book

Doctor of ministry student Eric Bryant has published Peppermint-Filled Pinatas: Breaking through Tolerance and Embracing Love, about loving each other regardless of our differences. Bryant serves with Erwin McManus on the lead team of Mosaic, a uniquely innovative, international congregation in Los Angeles. McManus is a pastor, futurist, and distinguished lecturer at Bethel Seminary.

Bryant began his ministry as a volunteer in the parking lot at Mosaic, later working with students and then helping to catalyze new Mosaic venues across Los Angeles. He teaches at the Southern California campus of Golden Gate Seminary and is a sought-after speaker. He co-authored The Uprising Experience, a workbook developed for Promise Keepers based on McManus' book Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul, and has written articles for Group and Relevant Leader magazines. "Eric calls us to a heroic mission and at the same time exposes our flawed humanity," says McManus of Bryant's new book. "He tackles one of the most critical and complex issues of our time and brings it down to earth, keeping us grounded in reality. It's quite a gift to force us to face such uncomfortable and serious issues and at the same time keep us laughing."

For more information about Bryant, or to order his book, visit www.ericbryant.org.

St. Paul Campus Welcomes New Staff

The St. Paul campus welcomed many new faces to its staff ranks over the last few months. They include:

Jessica Daniels, coordinator of hybrid course development, InMinistry program. Daniels assists in the development of effective online and hybrid InMinistry courses.

Nathan Davis, registration coordinator/advisor, InMinistry program. Davis supports InMinistry students in their course selection and registration.

Rebekah Eller, program coordinator for marriage and family therapy, formation, and certificate programs, Center for Spiritual and Personal Formation.

Andy Garbers, research assistant and database coordinator, Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Garbers serves as the information technology contact/liaison for the office, managing the admissions/recruitment portion of the seminary website and working to ensure data integrity in seminary recruitment efforts.

Marta Gillner, office assistant, Office of the Provost. Gillner welcomes seminary guests and students and performs general office duties.

Molly Leverty, recruiter, Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Leverty assists the office in specializing its recruitment efforts.

Martha Thomsen, program coordinator for Mark Harden, dean of intercultural relations. Thomsen assists in organizing and implementing activities that create, promote, and build community within and around the St. Paul campus.

Christy Vanada, senior administrative assistant to the provost, Office of the Provost. Vanada manages the provost's schedule and correspondence; handles faculty issues; and manages institutional reporting and communication with the Board of Trustees.

Bethel University Receives Major Grant to Prepare Pastors

by Sandy Clark

You're a bright Bethel student with leadership skills and a heart for serving God. You wonder sometimes whether He might be calling you to full-time pastoral ministry — but you've got more questions than answers: "What would leading a congregation be like? Are my gifts a good fit for the role? How can I best prepare for seminary?"

Thanks to a $689,000 grant from Wisconsin's Kern Family Foundation, Bethel undergraduates will now have an exceptional opportunity to address those questions as participants in a newly created "Kern Pre-Seminary Initiative."

Bethel was one of only three colleges selected nationally by the Foundation to design and pilot programs aimed at increasing the quantity and strengthening the quality of pastoral candidates in terms of their fitness for ministry. Azusa Pacific University in California and Ashland University in Ohio also submitted successful proposals.

Rich Sherry, Ph.D., dean of faculty growth and assessment, led an institutional task force of a dozen faculty and staff in the development of a program that will focus on building the fitness of students for ministry, strengthening the probability of their long-term ministry success, and contributing to their spiritual vitality, leadership skills, and critical thinking ability.

According to Sherry, the plan connects and integrates the resources of academics, campus ministry, and student life. Dubbed "Antioch Way," the plan offers opportunities for personalized guidance and support through on-campus mentors as well as year-long apprenticeship experiences under the direction of local pastors. "Faculty designed the Bethel initiative to encourage students in all undergraduate programs to listen to what the Holy Spirit might be saying about a call to the pastorate," he notes.

In the past decade Christian colleges have outstripped enrollment gains in any other sector of higher education since 1990. At the same time, seminary enrollment — a natural next step for students called to pastoral ministry — has generally declined. In contrast to the national trend, Bethel Seminary has shown substantial growth in preparing students at the Master of Divinity level.

The Pre-Seminary Initiative extends the Kern Family Foundation's important partnership with Bethel in strengthening the evangelical church of tomorrow. Since 2002, the Foundation has awarded annually at least five competitive, full-tuition scholarships to qualified Bethel Seminary Master of Divinity students through the Kern Scholars Initiative in an effort to support the preparation of exceptional pastoral candidates.

St. Paul Student Featured in Twin Cities News

Bethel Seminary student Andy LaBree was featured in an August 1 Minneapolis Star Tribune article about a veterans hotline set up by the state of Minnesota. LaBree is an Iraq war veteran currently studying at Bethel to become a chaplain. In July, he joined Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, state Veterans Affairs Commissioner Clark Dyrud, and others to unveil the "Veterans Linkage Line," a 24-hour hotline designed to connect veterans with help for everything from crisis counseling to health and education benefits. LaBree understands the need for a resource like this, as he himself struggled with organizing the many details of his life after his return from a year of perimeter patrols and security missions in Baghdad. "Military life is simple, ordered, disciplined," he said. "You get so used to a disciplined lifestyle. In the absence of orders…it's a challenge, at first, to motivate yourself, to make regular decisions."

New England Alumni Gathering Welcomes Graduates

Bethel Seminary of the East hosted the 2007 New England Alumni Gathering on October 15 at Faith Baptist Church in Auburn, Mass. Graduates from the New England Center were invited, along with seminary alumni currently serving in the area. Alumni from the classes of 1997 to 2007 enjoyed fellowship with former classmates, professors, and staff. Speakers included Noel Sherry, New England Center director; Ralph Gustafson, vice president of constituent relations at Bethel University; and several professors. A similar event for alumni of the New York Center is scheduled for spring 2008.

Admissions and Recruitment Restructured

An organizational restructuring in June launched a major advance in the crucial areas of recruitment, admissions, and retention at all Bethel Seminary locations coast to coast. Joseph Dworak, former director of admissions and recruitment in St. Paul, was named transregional director of admissions and recruitment. He provides direction and supervision for recruitment, enrollment, and retention functions in St. Paul, San Diego, and at Bethel Seminary of the East. Sara Wilhelm is the new associate director of admissions and recruitment for St. Paul, and assists Dworak in coordinating the day-to-day operations of that office. Admissions personnel remain onsite at each of the seminary's locations and continue their high level of service to prospective and continuing students. The restructuring is intended to increase efficiency by streamlining operations and consolidating resources where appropriate, with a larger goal of making Bethel Seminary more visible, accessible, and attractive to prospective students from all regions who are seeking to obey the call of God in their lives for further ministry preparation.

"One of the great things about this restructuring is how it allows us to specialize and optimize our recruitment efforts," says Wilhelm. "We now have the heightened capacity to focus on the specific needs of prospective students."

"As an enrollment-driven institution," adds Dworak, "we need to continue to do what it takes to have future ministry leaders join our seminary. With an extremely competitive market for new students, we have to be highly proactive with all our recruitment efforts. I look forward to the challenge of working to improve all our admissions and recruiting efforts across our multiple locations and delivery systems."

One area of recruitment efforts has focused on networking with a strong alumni base. In the InMinistry distance learning program, for example, 40 to 50 percent of new students come through alumni referrals. "This speaks to the fact that we are the leader in seminary distance education," says Dworak, "and our students believe strongly in the program as well."

  The seminary sponsored two regional information sessions, in Bozeman, Mont., and Des Moines, Iowa, to invite prospective students to hear about Bethel Seminary and its unique program options, and current InMinistry students were on hand to share their experiences. The admissions staff is using a similar model in San Diego and at Bethel Seminary of the East, and future regional information sites include Denver, Kansas City, Chicago, Phoenix, and San Diego.

For more information about regional information sessions, the InMinistry program, or Bethel Seminary, contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment at 651.638.6288 or 800.255.8706, ext. 6288, or email bsem-admit@bethel.edu.

Community Life Gatherings Explore Middle East Crisis

Fall Community Life Gatherings in St. Paul focused on the crisis in the Middle East, as seminary students committed themselves to understanding the conflict between Israel and Palestine with the goal of determining an appropriate response. Presentations included a history of the region, a student story, a Palestinian perspective from Omar Tesdell of Campuses for Justice in Palestine, and an Israeli perspective from visiting scholar Michael Eppel. The overall goal for Community Life Gatherings is to "create space for relaxed, interactive assemblies that are informative, worshipful, welcoming, and conversational," according to the seminary's Office of Student Life.