Values and guiding principles

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The following biblical values and the principles that flow from them undergird our international theological education endeavors:

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Biblical priority

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The defining character of our Baptist faith is the supremacy of God’s Word in all matters of belief and practice. God’s Word is the only source of immutable truth and is authoritative and trustworthy. As such, the Bible alone is the foundation for personal and corporate study, worship, preaching, and ministry (Ps. 119; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 1:3-4). 

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• This renders human speculation as inadequate and inconsistent. What does not rest on a clear biblical foundation must be rejected. 

• This demands a focus on biblical exposition and exegesis. Theological educators must allow God to speak through His Word and model submission to His teaching.

• The primary focus of theological institutions is to produce preachers and teachers who can correctly understand and apply truth to man’s situation. 

• A love for God’s Word must be the absolute priority behind all teaching and ministry. Curriculum should be designed toignite a passion for God’s Word, not simply augment a knowledge of such truth.

 

Gospel 

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Christ’s command to take the Gospel to the end of the earth forms the basis of Great Commission ministries. The good news of the incarnation, substitutionary death, and victorious resurrection marks the central truth for salvation, Christian growth, and local-church ministry. Theological education must guard this Gospel center (Acts 1:8; Rom. 1:16; Col. 2:6,7; 1 Cor. 2:2).

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• Theological educators must live out the Gospel in ways that are applicable to each culture. 

• Each course should conscientiously be tied to Gospel truth, that is, theological educators should demonstrate how the truths of each course support, unpack, flow from, or flow into the Gospel message. 

• Creating a love for the Gospel in each student and a passion to proclaim it should be at the heart of theological education.   

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Local church 

 

Scripture demonstrates that the local church is the primary agency through which God has chosen to work in this age (Mt. 16:18; Eph. 3:21; 1 Ti. 3:15; Rev. 2-3).

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• Theological institutions should promote, work with, and be accountable to national local churches. 

• Theological institutions should have national local church involvement from their inception, providing direction, oversight, accountability, financial support, teachers, students, ministry opportunities for students, and facilities. 

• Individual missionaries working in theological institutions should be encouraged to join in the ministries of national local churches.  

• Theological institutions should refuse to take on the necessary roles of the local church, such as church planting (sending out, overseeing, and financially supporting local pastors/missionaries), corporate worship services, celebration of the ordinances, and other church ministries.

 

Nationalization

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Theological institutions should aim for national autonomy from their inception. After transitioning the work, missionaries can be profitably involved, but the work no longer depends on them to continue (Acts 14:19-23; 2 Tim. 2:2; compare 4:6). 

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• Therefore, cost structures and revenue-generating practices lead to self-support. Certain ministries might continuously need partial support from international sources. They can be considered nationalized if the nationals are directly connected to the funding sources. 

• National involvement in administration and teaching, and the facilitation of nationals’ necessary advanced degrees, fosters self-governance. 

• Teaching imparted within the theological institution, and advanced faculty degrees sought in different institutions, encourage self-theologizing. 

• The timing and manner in which ministries are handed over to nationals accounts for self-perpetuation. 

• Strategic planning is practiced to help attain nationalization.

 

Contextualization

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It is necessary that ministries fit into and work within the boundaries, expectations, and methods of the culture in which they operate without violating Biblical principles so that they do not create unnecessary stumbling blocks (Acts 15:10,19-21; 17:22-31; 1 Cor. 9:19-22; compare Acts 16:3 w/ Gal. 2:3).

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• Theological institutions should properly contextualize the ministry to their local context in areas such as pedagogy (the method in which classes are taught and student progress is evaluated), curriculum (the selection of both courses and material taught in those courses) and academic structures (such as the system used for grading, the use of academic credits, etc.)

• They should work together with local churches to determine appropriate degrees to offer, and the competency and spiritual formation goals they set for their ideal graduates.

• Theological institutions should set up administrative structures for the running of the institution that conform and are familiar to the culture in which it operates.

 

Academic excellence

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God’s servants are called to excellence in every area of life and ministry (1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:23). Excellence in theological education is reflected in the pursuit of the highest educational goals and practices (Ezra 7:10; 1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:23; 2 Tim. 2:2). 

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• This demands an academically robust and contextually relevant program of theological education. 

• The goal is to ensure that graduates are well prepared for the broad range of ministry needs in their culture. 

• Theological institutions should develop their programs pursuant to accreditation standards, including the standardization of curriculum, quality assessment, and peer review.  

• As finances will allow, they should employ up-to-date technology, providing the highest-quality educational experience possible within culture and context. They should use all methods of educational excellence at their disposal.

 

Humility

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Humans have finite knowledge. While pride sinfully distorts self-knowledge, humility fights against pride. Humility recognizes we are dispensable frail vessels. Humility seeks transparent fellowship and counsel. Humility lovingly puts others’ interests first (Prov. 15:22; Eccles. 8:16-17; 1 Cor. 8:1-3; 2 Cor. 4:7; Phil. 3:2-4; 1 Thess. 5:11). 

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• As such, theological institutions’ personnel (regardless of intellect, education, or experience, though they have the responsibility and authority to lead in their ministry capacities) humbly receive wise counsel. 

• They do not operate with a god-complex but with a teachable spirit that learns from nationals and peers. 

• They display humility in teaching and encouraging questions, and not in presenting their words as absolute and all-knowing.

• Theological educators also listen to others’ preferences, not trying to control everything.

 

Collaboration

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Throughout Scripture, God’s people are called to unity, teamwork, and mutual service. The broad nature of theological education and the mounting cultural expectations of higher education require interaction with other educators and institutions. Educational ministries should vigorously pursue such relationships (John 17:21; Acts 15; 1 Cor. 12:12-27).

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• Theological institutions should freely share resources and personnel to satisfy specific theological, academic, and administrative needs. 

• They should foster a spirit of fraternity with other conservative theological education institutions for dialogue and mutual encouragement.

• Periodic meetings should be planned to address needs within theological educational ministries. 

 

Holistic

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Holistic ministry training must flow out of a Bible-driven desire to influence the mind, capture the heart, and affect the activity of the person. A renewed mind (thoughts) coupled with a changed heart (desires) should lead to fervent and faithful ministry (actions) (Ezra 7:10; Mic. 6:8; Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 3:18-19; Phil. 4:8-9).

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• Theological educators must engage the head, the heart, and the hands. This is the essence of discipleship and mentoring.  

• A holistic Bible education is one that produces a commitment to truth, a focused passion for God and His work, and faithful service. This is more than memorization; it is life application. 

• Ministry training involves many competencies and diverse methodologies. Specially designed ministry practicums and learning assignments in each class will engage these three aspects – head, heart, and hands. 

 

Financial

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Educational institutions should seek financial sustainability. Financial undertakings are founded on trust in God for provision, integrity, and wise planning. They also take into account that missionaries will someday leave (Prov. 11:3-4; 21:5; Phil. 4:19; 1 Tim. 6:10; 2 Tim. 2:2; compare 4:6). As such, these institutions put into effect revenue-generating practices that dynamically move toward nationalization, particularly considering the international versus national donors’ ratio. 

 

• Theological institutions establish contextually sustainable cost structures throughout the institution, from human resources to physical establishments. 

• They wisely include nationals in financial decisions and teach them a biblical and sustainable financial philosophy in a culturally appropriate way.

They also carefully account and report finances.