It's that time again...

Only a few more days and CTS students will be returning for another year of training for ministry. Although it's been a good summer, it's been extremely busy and for the most part, extremely quiet without our students here. I'm ready for the life to be back on campus.

In June we had 40 graduates. Our prayer has been to enroll 40 new students to replace those graduates! We have not quite met our goal so pray for God to open the doors for young men and women who are called to full-time ministry to join us for training.

Thank you for praying for the next generation of European ministers of the Gospel. Pray for church planters. Pray for worship leaders. Pray for committed pastors and evangelists. Pray for youth leaders. Pray for children's workers. Pray for missionaries. Pray for those called to compassion ministries. Pray that all of these disciples of Christ develop the heart of servant. My prayer is that they develop hearts that can look beyond the surface of a society hardened to Jesus and see individuals for who they were made to be - God followers. I pray they have hearts of compassion first, not judgement. I pray they create loving communities that draw the hopeless, not just another church for the sake of having a church.

Classes resume on 16 September. I'll be teaching Youth Ministries and Spiritual Leadership development, as well as continuing my service to the seminary as Director of Student Life. Thanks for your prayers for wisdom and direction through this year. Only 10 months and I'll be returning to the US for my scheduled furlough. I pray that God give me wisdom, patience, strength, and financial support to do my very best for Him during this year.

May God bless you for your prayers and partnership!

Summer Newsletter

The summer has been great so far with CTS hosting several conferences, 4 weeks of intensive courses in Hebrew, summer student workers, and preparation for the new school year that begins in less than 8 weeks!

To see what happened during the last several months at Continental Theological Seminary, click on the picture to the right to read my Summer 2009 Newsletter. Thank you so much for your prayers for me and for the seminary. God is using us to train men and women for full-time ministry in Europe and the world. You are a part of that process! THANK YOU!

2009 WAS A MONUMENTAL YEAR AT CTS AS WE CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF TRAINING.

You can help CTS Celebrate our 50th Anniversary - Our Year of Jubilee! Read the second page of the newsletter for information about donating to special scholarships.

Thank you for your prayers and partnership!

The Idea Factory

Here's an interesting site with a bit of insight into the young European mind: The Idea Factory. The site says it is "an exclusive place for young, bright thinkers to come and discuss the issues that burn deep in their hearts, but flicker weakly in the European public debate." Enjoy!

Graduation and Vacation

We completed another great year at Continental Theological Seminary and graduation was a beautiful occasion, with many guests, former students, staff and presidents joining in the festivities. Here are some photos of our students as they complete their studies:

The day after graduation my parents arrived for a 2-week holiday in Europe. I put them to work for a day at CTS and then we set off on our trip to Normandy and London. We made some memories, finally did the WWII tour, and I was able to drive in England as we crossed on the ferry. Good times. Enjoy some of our memories!

Now it's back to work, preparing for another school year at CTS, but also hosting various conferences and groups that stay on campus during the summer. Schools don't stop just because it's summer time, unfortunately. I'm excited to make preparations for the coming school year. Only one more year and I'll return to the US for my scheduled year furlough. Many exciting things planned for the future and I'll keep you filled in along the way.

George Bernard Shaw said, "We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future." Thanks for your prayers as I seek for wisdom, learn from the past, but hold tightly my responsibility for the future. Have a great week!

It's Graduation Day!

Today is the big day!  After a wonderful Baccalaureate on Thursday morning, banquet Thursday night, and amazing 50th Anniversary Celebration last night, we are finally to the highlight of festivities at Continental Theological Seminary:  GRADUATION 2009!

Thanks for praying for our administration, faculty, staff, students and most of all, GRADUATES, as we celebrate this day of conferring degrees. The 40 graduates will receive Masters or Bachelors Degrees in Bible and Theology and will "go into all the world to preach the Gospel!" The reason that CTS exists is to train labourers for the harvest field.  This fact alone makes graduation a very special occasion.  

Pray for these graduates as they are obedient to God and His calling on their lives to reach a lost world with the Love of Christ!

CTS truly is CHANGING LIVES TO CHANGE THE WORLD!

50th Anniversary & Graduation - ONE WEEK AWAY!

CONTINENTAL 

THEOLOGICAL 

SEMINARY

Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium

50th ANNIVERSARY & GRADUATION

4 - 6 JUNE 2009

Come and join us!

Events include 2009 Graduation, with guest speaker George Wood, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, and visits by previous presidents, students, professors.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
THURSDAY, 5 JUNE
09:00 - Baccalaureate & Awards Assembly - in the chapel. A special service to highlight our graduates, hear the student speaker, and giving of awards and scholarships.

19:00 - Graduation Banquet - in the chapel. A fun evening of food & fellowship to honor the 2009 Graduating Class - Tickets 15 EUR - Limited seating. Final day to purchase tickets Friday 29 May.

FRIDAY, 5 JUNE
14:00 - Alumni & friends gathering - visit with former students, faculty & staff, tour the campus, look at photos from your days at CTS/CBC.

19:00 - 50th Anniversary Celebration in the chapel. Featuring former presidents, vision for the future, movie of photos.

SATURDAY, 6 JUNE
14:30 - GRADUATION COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
40 Students graduating with BA or MTH in Bible & Theology.
Guest speaker: Rev. George O. Wood, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God World Fellowship.

Promotional Items on Sale to celebrate the 50th Anniversary! T-Shirts - Mugs - USB Stick with History of Photos & Song by Alumnus Barto & Gaelle Di Pasquale - Photo & History Book to Commemorate 50 Years of Ministry. Items will be available for purchase on Friday, 5 June and will help to raise funds for the seminary to prepare for another 50 years!

Write to Director of Enrollment Management & Alumni Emmanuelle Rouffet - erouffet@ctsem.edu - for more information and lists of hotels & restaurants in the area. Or call +32 2 334 85 55.

JOIN US IN THE CELEBRATION!

A new use for the church in Belgium

"This church hadn't seen a visitor in 20 years."  

Just ran across this news item regarding a hotel that opened in a former Catholic church in Mechelen, Belgium.  Click here to watch the video.  This happens far too often.  

Thanks for praying that the kingdom of God advance in Belgium.  Pray for some of our students who feel called to be church "planters" - starting relevant and missional churches throughout Europe.  The church doesn't need big, beautiful buildings, but does need people who want to truly know God, and make Him known.