“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:1-2 NKJV
As a young man of 19 years old with two semesters of Christian college already behind me, the Lord God Almighty used a summer ministry adventure at NGYC and an old woman whose husband was at the helm of a Bible college/ministry training school to beckon my heart to heed His call on my life into ministry. After meeting a host of different people at camp and having the school’s handbook thrust into my hands at a weekend Bible conference in Madison, Wisconsin, the message was getting through my thick skull as God’s call was sinking into the depths of my soul. Once my wife and I got married, we immediately moved to the frozen tundra of Wisconsin in the month of January to begin training for ministry at Berean Bible Institute. Nearly 25 years later, Lori and I are immensely grateful for our time of growing together at BBI alongside each other and a host of others who are still laboring in the harvest field of souls both here in the USA and on the foreign mission field to the praise of God’s glory in Christ Jesus.
Here’s my top 10 list for why BBI:
- Biblical Exposition: All 66 books of the Bible are studied in a comprehensive scope and sequence to lay down the foundational bedrock of biblical literacy needed for faithful ministry of the gospel of grace wherever the mighty hand of God leads, guides, and directs (Rom.15:4; 1 Cor.10:11; 2 Tim.3:16-17).
2. Biblical Doctrine: God’s Word is our first and final authority for what we believe and how we are to live according to the sound teaching of Holy Scripture. Sound doctrine properly applied results in godly living therefore basic Bible doctrines are thoroughly examined (2 Tim.3:16-17; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Pet.1:20-21).
3. Biblical Theology: The Bible is God’s revelation of who He is, what He has done, and what He will do to faithfully magnify His glory according to His redemptive plan for the ages. This revelation unfolded in Scripture is systematically studied according to the dispensational framework of God’s Word and the gospel of grace entrusted by Christ to and through Apostle Paul with a passion for its practical application (Rom.11:33-36; 16:25-27; Eph.1:7-12; 3:1-11).
4. Biblical Worldview: Secularization of the culture has wreaked havoc upon Western Civilization and generations of Christians have not possessed an intelligent understanding of the times in order to know how to respond or initiate decisive action. The comprehensive nature of the Christian worldview rooted in Holy Scripture is studied as God’s truth is the salt and light moral back pressure in every arena of life (Jn.18:37; 2 Cor.10:3-5; Col.2:8).
5. Biblical Apologetics: Evidences for the Christian faith are essential tools for ministry in a secular culture that is increasingly hostile to the exclusive truth claims of biblical Christianity. Understanding how to defend the truth like a soldier, advance it like an athlete, and cultivate it like a farmer is central to engaging this present evil age with the heart and mind of Christ (Acts 1:3; 2 Tim.2:3-7; 1 Pet.3:15).
6. Biblical Creation: Almighty God is the Eternal King who created all things in six literal 24 hour days about 6,000 years ago. Evolutionary naturalism is man’s philosophical and scientific attempt to explain life without God. Observational science is upheld as consistent with the biblical origin of all things, Adam’s rebellion, the global flood, and the Tower of Babel as recorded in the historical narratives of Genesis 1-11 (Ex.20:11; Acts 17:22-31; Col.1:15-18).
7. Biblical Manhood/Womanhood: God created mankind in His image as male and female with equal dignity and worth but with different roles and responsibilities. Despite the egalitarian assertions of radical feminism, God’s Word upholds the complementarian relationship of men and women according to His created design. Gender specific discipleship is emphasized according to the biblical virtues of masculinity and femininity as God calls men to initiate decisive action as leaders and women to embrace the spirit of Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 (Matt.19:4-6; Eph.5:22-33; 1 Pet.3:1-7).
8. Biblical Marriage & Family Life: Biblical principles of marriage and parenting are studied because God’s design for the Christian family is central to advancing the cause of Christ to the ends of the earth. Family discipleship is a generational vision that begins with pursuing oneness in marriage and intentionally raising children with godly character in contrast to the sirens of the age vying for the hearts and minds of the next generation (Deut.6:4-9; Ps.78:1-8; 1 Thes.2:11-12).
9. Biblical Counseling: The sufficiency of Scripture for everything that plagues the heart and mind in a fallen, broken, and sin-cursed world is affirmed with resolute conviction. Unrealistic expectations and misplaced dependencies are recognized as the root causes of most disappointing circumstances that plunge many into the depths of despair. In contrast to modern psychotherapy and psychiatric methodology, God’s Word and the healing balm of His grace in Christ Jesus is upheld as the providing the answers to the greatest challenges of our day (Ps.19:7-11; Mk.2:1-12; Rom.15:13-14).
10. Biblical Leadership: Proven life experience of laboring in the trenches of pastoral ministry is at the forefront of who BBI professors are as men, husbands, and fathers. Their testimonies of serving in the real world of local churches demonstrates the practical relevance of God’s Word to life and ministry. Instructors at BBI have been through the gauntlet and are drawing from a deep reservoir of ministry experience that shapes who they are and ignites a passion in their hearts to do all they do because of who God has forged them to be in Christ (Ps.78:72; Rom.5:1-5; Phil.2:20-22).
Looking back on my time at BBI, I’m grateful for this Top 10 List that has been used of God to forge my soul and maximize my continuing education at several other schools. The unparalleled impact of BBI goes even further though:
- Ministry-driven course work that is exclusively focused on training students to be pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders.
- 90+ credit hours that are cost-effective leaving graduates with $0 student loan debt.
- Academic rigor that is now delivered in real time online alongside others who are training for ministry in an environment steeped in a ministry-driven ethos for the glory of God. Dr. W. Edward Bedore, founding director of BBI, emphasized that “there are no short cuts to learning as it takes hard work.”
- Biblically conservative scholarship and application of truth that is dedicated to the preeminence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Regardless of your season of life (but especially if you are a younger man), I would strongly encourage you to make the investment of taking the five classes in BBI’s Certificate of Biblical Worldview in order to cultivate an intelligent understanding of this secular age and to therefore stand with resolute biblical conviction for the glory of our great God and Savior. The future trajectory of your life will be shaped by the formative influences that you engage or encounter by the grace of God.
Prayerfully consider a “Gap-Year Experience” before heading elsewhere or contact BBI about cost effective “dual enrollment” options (college credit while yet in high school) in the admissions process.
Listen to the words of the late Dr. Eddie Bedore that beckoned to my heart as a young man near the turn of the 21st century,
“In every generation the greatest need is for young men and women who will stand up and take the place of those Ambassadors of Christ who have been diligently laboring ‘to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery’ as they pass off the scene. And this is the purpose for the existence of Berean Bible Institute: to glorify our Lord by helping individual believers prepare themselves to effectively serve God.”
“There is a real need for faithful men; men called by God to serve Him in Grace ministries of all kinds, but especially in Grace churches. We need faithful men who will focus on establishing, edifying, and extending local Grace churches. The overriding burden of the hour is to equip godly men to enter the ministry and promote the understanding of the entire Bible in the light of the ‘revelation of the mystery’ [of God’s grace in Christ Jesus] as it was committed to the Apostle Paul.”
“To those who have a God-given desire to serve the Lord in the work of ministry, we invite you to join us here at BBI to begin preparing for the most noble of endeavors that a man or woman can engage in, that of making Jesus Christ known to a lost and dying world.”
Such soul-stirring words were used of God’s Spirit to beckon my heart to surrender to Christ and ignite a zeal for gospel ministry in service of the Savior. Wherever the mighty hand and outstretched arm of the Most High God leads, guides, and directs your pathway, may the testimony of your life echo throughout eternity to the praise of God’s glory in Christ Jesus. Soli Deo Gloria!
“Only one life, ‘twill soon be past. Only what’s done ‘in Christ’ will last.” https://bereanbibleinstitute.org/certificate-of-biblical-worldview
