Dear Parents and Guardians,
It’s incredible to think that we are a month into classes! Students have settled into the routine, made new friends, and are growing in their faith in incredible ways already.
I’m excited to share some WOLBI updates with you. Be sure to read the section on Homecoming Weekend–we would love to have you attend.
Academics
Freshmen
This week, the freshman will be focused on studying Systematic Theology with Dr. Tom Davis and Research & Writing with Mrs. Britney Sewall. Mrs. Sewall serves as a part of Word of Life’s resident faculty team as an assistant professor; she earned her M.Ed from Clarks Summit University, where she also serves as an adjunct professor.
Sophomores
For this week, our sophomore students will be studying early church history with Dr. John Adair. Dr. Adair serves as an associate professor of Theological Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary; he holds a Ph.D. and Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary as well as a BS from Criswell College.
Homecoming
You’re invited to join us for Homecoming 2021 on October 8-10.
The weekend will be packed with activities, including tons of reunions, women’s and men’s soccer games against Clinton Community College, campus tours, a cookout, activities for the family, and even a fantastic concert with Mike Donehey of Tenth Avenue North to wrap it all up!
The event is free, and even if you can’t make it for the whole weekend, you can join us on the 9th for a day packed with fun. We know your student would love to have you for a visit–and so would we!
Missions Reality
Missions Reality is both a class and a missions trip all in one! Throughout this year, we will train each second year student in the biblical foundation of support raising and teach them about effective cross-cultural ministry. Then, during the spring semester, we will send each of them out on one of seven different cross-cultural missions trips in the US or around the world. Missions Reality is an incredibly growing experience for our students, and they will also receive academic credit for it.
During Opening Weekend, the second year class had Missions Reality (MR) Orientation. During MR Orientation, each student was able to select their trip preferences, and in the next few weeks, we will place them on a trip so that they can begin to pray and prepare in more specific ways. The trip locations for 2022 include South Korea, South Africa, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Nicaragua, the Navajo peoples in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado, and Wayumi, which is a missions mobilization program run by Ethnos360 for the sake of introducing students to church planting and Bible translation amongst unreached people groups.
For all the international trips, students will join Word of Life missionaries who are already serving in these locations to see the reality of missions in that country and get a taste of ministering in their context. Students will have several classes about this throughout the fall and spring semesters, and we will be sharing much more information with them regarding the academics, financial, travel, medical, and logistical aspects of a cross-cultural missions trip. Please pray for them as they embark on this journey as a class!
Key Staff Introductions: Center for Biblical Counseling
One of the ministry resources that we offer at our New York campus is the Center for Biblical Counseling (CBC). The mission of the CBC is to provide a private and safe environment for our students and staff to sort out difficult life issues and help them make godly decisions that contribute to their spiritual growth (Ephesians 4:13).
The CBC offers free biblical counseling services that include one-on-one biblical counseling sessions and the opportunity to connect with others in a focused small group setting led by one of the Biblical Counseling interns. Under the supervision of the Director of Counseling, Joe Schenke, ten interns actively work with students. These Biblical Counseling Interns are mentored by Joe with the purpose of being trained in this field in preparation for future ministry. Although the CBC works mainly as a resource for the WOLBI New York campus staff and students, God has expanded this ministry’s outreach by allowing them to minister to students in other countries, such as Germany, South Korea, Hungary, and Canada.
Students can access this resource by contacting the CBC at mybiblicalcounseling@wordoflife.edu or by visiting the Center for Biblical Counseling on campus.
We hope to see you at Homecoming Weekend! Don’t forget to register if you would like to join us for this free event.