16 • ADVERTISING FEATURE

THE BApTIST TImESThursday, October 25, 2007

Baptist Colleges

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

‘We’ve got to know what we are talking about’

Nigel Wright , principal of Spurgeon’s College, explains why education is a key part of credible witnessing

EVERY academic year in my role as a College Principal I seem to come up with a new mantra. I’m not sure where exactly these pop up from but somehow they do manage to leak from my unconscious into my conscious mind. This year I find I’m forever saying ‘we’ve got to know what we are talking about’. Applied to the training of Baptist ministers the meaning is fairly obvious: if we ministers don’t know

what we’re talking about why should anybody listen to us? That’s what education is about, helping people to know what they are talking about. What we happen to be talking about is, of course, God, the Bible, theology and the meaning of life, all from a Christian perspective. And it is not just ministers who are supposed to know what they are talking about (although if they don’t then we’re all sunk).

Faithful, truthful and honest witness is the task of the whole church, and that means that we need an educated church membership. The six Baptist Colleges of England, Scotland and Wales exist to serve this purpose, although they are not the only agencies that make it possible. First in priority comes the training of ministers undergirded by the belief that an educated society needs to be addressed by educated, able and Christ-like ministers if that society is not to hold the Christian faith in contempt. Training ministers is for us a core activity. It is expensive, demanding and time-consuming since ‘knowing what we are talking about’ does not come

easily in the area of theology (or anywhere else for that matter). In our understanding, ministers are teachers and preachers rather than priests and prelates, and the ability to indwell the Scriptures and the Christian faith is a fundamental competence required of them. But a second priority concerns the education of the whole church and its membership. A church which does not have a firm grasp on the content of its faith is a church which is being corroded from within. Yet the signs are that Christian believers are now less well acquainted with their scriptures and their essential convictions than for a long time.

This cannot be good. It cannot be good for the Baptist denomination. It’s good to have open minds, but not open at both ends at the same time. So there is a great challenge here, that of steady, un-dramatic, painstaking education in the content, coherence and credibility of Christian belief. All the colleges offer a variety of opportunities for study at basic and advanced levels and the advertisements on this page give indications of how you might begin to search these out. Education is available on a formal or informal basis, at the colleges or through delivery in congregations, and even through open learning and online.

This means there is something for everybody, and no part of the British Isles is unable to access the kind of high quality and informed material that would both inform and form Christian disciples. One hope I cherish for the Baptists of this country is that we might know what we are talking about. There is no virtue or merit in ignorance or misinformation. There is everything to be gained through wellinformed and truthful education.

Dr Nigel G Wright is principal of Spurgeon’s College and secretary of the Baptist Colleges’ Joint Consultative Committee

If you feel that God may be calling you to Baptist ministry . . . • Talk with your church • Consult your Regional Minister • Meet with your Association • Apply to a College

All the Colleges welcome enquiries from potential students at any time. Here’s how you contact them:

BRISTOL BAPTIST COLLEGE

NORTHERN BAPTIST COLLEGE

REGENT’S PARK COLLEGE

SCOTTISH BAPTIST COLLEGE

SOUTH WALES BAPTIST COLLEGE

SPURGEON’S COLLEGE

The Promenade Clifton Down, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3NJ Tel: (0117) 946 7050; Fax:(0117) 946 7787; E-mail: admin@bristolbaptist.ac.uk; Website: www.bristolbaptist.ac.uk

LutherKing House, Brighton Grove, Rusholme, Manchester, M14 5JP Tel:(0161) 224 6404; Fax:(0161) 248 9201; E-mail: richard.kidd@ northern.org.uk Website: www.northern. org.uk

Pusey Street, Oxford, OX1 2LB Tel: (01865) 288120; Fax:(01865) 288121; E-mail:postmaster@regents. ox.ac.uk

Block K202, University of Paisley, Paisley, PA1 2BE Tel:(0141) 848 3000; Fax: (0141) 848 3989; E-mail:sbc@ connectfree.co.uk

54-58 Richmond Road, Cardiff, CF24 3UR Tel:(029) 2025 6066; Fax:(029) 2041 1566 E-mail: admin@ swbc.org.uk Website: www.swbc.org.uk

189 South Norwood Hill, London, SE25 6DJ Tel: (020) 8653 0850; Fax:(020) 8771 0959; E-mail: enquiries@ spurgeons.ac.uk

If you want to advertise here, call Tim or Dave on: (01865) 407991
THE BAPTIST TIMES Thursday, October 25, 2007

Inspiring teaching

THE BIBLE COLLEGE OF WALES (BCW) is a unique place to study the Word of God and encounter the Spirit of God. Founded in 1924 by Rees Howells, BCW was established to provide a centre where men and women could be trained in readiness to go onto the mission field. Ten years later God gave Rees Howells the commission to ‘reach every person with the Gospel’. That vision still continues in the 21st century as students are trained in biblical principles and practical skills, equipping them to sow the truth of God’s word across all nations. Accredited by the University of Bangor, BCW offers a wide curriculum covering: Old Testament, New Testament, the

Doctrine of God, Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation), Prayer and Mission, Church History, Hermeneutics, Homiletics, Pastoral Ministry, Kingdom and Mission. Personal and Pastoral Development and disipleship are at the heart of the BCW experience. The relationships developed across nationalities and denominations is life changing. If you are prepared to step out in faith it will be a life changing experience. ‘They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour’ (Isaiah 61:3) Taster days: 1 December 07, 8 March 08, 7 June 08 E: office@biblecollegeofwales.org W: www.biblecollegeofwales.org T: 01792 203463

Study: Degree Courses, College Certificate & Diploma, Electives in: Worship, Arts, Youth work and Media. Part-time, and Distance Learnings options are also available Contact: E: office@biblecollegeofwales.org W: www.biblecollegeofwales.org TT: 01792 203463 Interested in visiting? Come to our Taster day on Saturday 1 December

Knowledge is the key

IMAGINE a treasure chest. But instead of gold and jewels, it is packed full of wisdom: words that will ‘teach you how to be wise and self-controlled and will teach you to do what is honest and fair and right’ (Proverbs 1:3). Packed full of wisdom that ‘cries out in the noisy street and shouts at the city gates’ (v.21). The transformative effect of biblical wisdom in and through the life of the believer is at the heart of new MA programme LST is proposing to run in 2008. The MA in Transforming Theology will focus on the transformational nature of the Bible, when clearly understood and put into practice in the lives of individuals and

communities. There will be three main routes through the programme, each focusing on preparation for: contemporary mission to the world in diverse forms; church-based ministry; further academic study. Choose to specialise in Biblical Texts, Church, and World, or apply biblical transformation to the specialist area of Music and Worship. Optional modules include biblical languages, Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts, Contemporary Apologetics, Pastoral Approaches, and many more. For further information please contact the Postgraduate Administrator on 01923 456160 or email l.diers@lst.ac.uk.

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