Bible College SA Newsletter: March 2023

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At Bible College SA, it is our usual pattern during our weekly staff devotions and student chapel services to read through a book of the Bible, and this semester we have been looking at Isaiah. Apart from a few famous passages, Isaiah is a largely unfamiliar book for many of us, and yet it is one of the most quoted Old Testament books in the Gospels.

In the opening chapters of the book, there is a lengthy section detailing the ways the whole people of Israel have sinned towards God and each other. Abandoning the commandments, ignoring their responsibility to care for one another, misusing the sacrificial system, are just a few examples. When we reach chapter three, the rebuke continues, but the focus narrows onto problems among Israel’s leaders. A major concern is the lack of leadership — this is so serious that anyone owning a cloak is being put forward for the job! And those leaders who are in place are seen as being responsible for the demise of the nation and the downfall of the people.

It can be sobering for us to ponder leadership issues in our churches too. Those who are leaders within our ministries have a great responsibility and accountability for the spiritual state of those whom they care for and shepherd. Good leaders will richly bless the people they serve. Poor leaders will cause damage.

We take all of this very seriously in our College as we work hard to train men and women not just in sound Bible and theology, but also in excellent and faithful pastoral ministry skills. We want to equip not just great theological thinkers but effective leaders for churches and ministries that care for, correct, lead, and shepherd others towards a life of righteousness and godliness, and steer them away from — not towards — spiritual dangers.

It is our vision and hope that South Australia will have a great cohort of upright and faithful leaders blessing and serving our people, churches, and ministries for decades to come. Isaiah shows us the importance of this, and we feel deeply honoured to be involved in the work of forming that next generation of gospel workers for the glory of Jesus.

Every May or June, organisations that depend on monetary gifts to fund their operations tend to start asking supporters if they are able to donate before the end of the financial year. Certainly, Bible College SA has done this for a long time, and we anticipate continuing to do so as many of our partners find the annual reminders helpful.

But, of course, money is something that we think about all of the time. Just as every adult person has to be conscious of their finances as they live from day to day and week to week, so too organisations that need to pay their staff and bills need to always manage their money actively and wisely.

These are practical realities, but beyond them are also deep spiritual matters. Jesus spoke about money a lot, and that was not only to help us think through the nuts and bolts of our household budgets. In fact, Jesus pushes us to see money not only as a resource we use to get by and to get things done, but additionally as a marker for what we most value, and even for who we are at our core.

How we use our money tells us a lot about what is important to us. And as sold-out Jesus people, we love to generously pour our resources into strategic gospel ministries. (We must, of course, remember that ‘generosity’ is a completely relative term; think of the poor widow in Luke 21:1–4 whom Jesus’ commends for giving more to the treasury than anyone else, even as she only gave two small coins.)

One exciting part of this is that when we sacrificially submit our finances to the Lord, we actually find ourselves freer and more joyful. Think of the amazing example of the Macedonian Christians whom Paul writes about in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. In part he says –

We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. (2 Cor 8:1–2)

Reframing this, we can say that money is not what makes us most safe or happy, but giving our all to Jesus is. We were made for him, and it is only in him that we find our true selves, and our deepest peace.

As we continue to build our ministry — and as we face unavoidable rises in our operational costs — Bible College SA continues to rely on the financial support of Jesus’ people. We are like other Bible colleges across the country in requiring donations to cover around one-third of the cost of educating our students. But what an exciting investment! The money that we each put into the College directly results in the next generations of well-formed Kingdom workers heading out to serve in churches and other ministries across our city and state, and even in the wider world.

We are still a couple of months away from kicking off our end of financial year appeal, but you can, of course, give at any time very easily right here, or by contacting our office on 08 82918188 or admin@biblecollege.sa.edu.au. Your partnership is a real blessing to us — and we trust it is also a blessing to you as you invest not only your money, but also yourself, in the great cause of Christ.

On Thursday 27 April, Bible College SA is hosting the inaugural Entrust Conference. This half-day meeting will be continuing the very important conversation about calling up and preparing the next generations of leaders within our churches and ministries. Our guest speaker is Guy Mason, the lead pastor of the City on a Hill network of churches, and he will provide biblical insights and practical reflections from his own ministry that, under God, has raised up many new leaders for the church. In addition, we will also hear from a number of Adelaide-based ministry workers who are serving in diverse contexts and who have different experiences of addressing the future leadership issue. And, of course, we will set time aside to pray as part of the morning together.

If you have any kind of leadership role within your local church or ministry organisation, we would encourage you to make this event a real priority as it addresses perhaps the most critical strategic issue of our day. Please also encourage any other ministry connections you have to come along too.

You can register quickly and simply here and if you’d like any further information, please contact Mandy Krueger, our Partnerships and Events Officer, on 8291 8188 or krueger@biblecollege.sa.edu.au.

Can you please tell us a little about yourself?
Hi! My name is Emily Little and I have just started here at Bible College SA. When I'm not studying, I am the primary school Chaplain at Cedar College – I love my job and am very grateful I get to serve there. I am involved in youth and women’s ministry at CityReach West and am very keen to see people come to know Jesus, and grow in love and knowledge of him through his Word. For me personally, learning to study the Bible over the last couple of years has been really exciting, so I'm always keen to see other people experience the same thing. Apart from this I am a big fan of the beach, schnitzel, and coffee!

What are you currently studying?
I am currently studying a Bachelor of Divinity.

What do you like most about studying at Bible College SA?
So far, I have thoroughly appreciated how approachable and kind the staff have been. No question is silly and they're always willing to help. I have been so impressed by their keenness to be around students and chat. I have really enjoyed my first couple of weeks and am looking forward to the next few years.

In what ministry do you hope to work when you finish at Bible College SA?
I'm not sure yet! Very willing to go where God leads and am grateful for His guidance. 

What is one thing you are learning at the moment that is particularly insightful?
I am enjoying learning about how scripture is one big story, and how the more I am in the Bible, the more I can make connections and links between the Old and New Testaments. The cohesiveness and intentionality of the Bible points to an intentional God who knows all things and works them together for his own good and glory.

• Please pray for our students as they settle into the rhythm of study. Pray that all that they are learning in the classroom will shape their godliness and build them to be effective leaders in their various ministry contexts.

• Please pray for our faculty as they continue to nurture good relationships with students, and that they will guide them in effective study methods, particularly those in their first year.

• Give thanks for our wonderful partners who faithfully uphold us in our ministry through their prayers and regular financial giving. We are ever thankful for the invaluable contribution they have in helping us fulfil our vision. Please pray that God would continue to grow this group of people and so that we would continue strongly for many more years to come.

• Pray for our sister schools who are raising up the next generations of gospel workers for Asia, both here and overseas. Please pray for the Chinese Theological College Australia and its principal Rev Dr Dennis Law, and the Evangelical Theological College Asia in Singapore and its principal Rev Dr Marty Foord.

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