ETCW goes WEST!

From the beginning of April, the Evangelical Theological College of Wales becomes Wales Evangelical School of Theology. The new Principal, Jonathan Stephen, puts EN in the picture…

EN: Can you explain the reasoning behind the name change?

JS: I meet people who know there’s a good training institution somewhere in South Wales, but they don’t know exactly where it is — nor what it’s called! So, if we wanted to attract attention to our renewed vision, it made sense to change the name at the same time. WEST is an easily remembered acronym with interesting overtones. We’re on the western fringe of the greatest landmass on earth, and I like to think of us as a gateway into the rest of the UK, Europe and beyond. All four components of the original name are retained. We decided to lose the word ‘college’ because, in the United States and elsewhere, it rather misleadingly conveys the impression of ‘secondary’ level education.

EN: You’ve spoken of a renewed vision. So there’s more to it than just a change of name?

JS: I wouldn’t have come here if I hadn’t felt both a tremendous need and opportunity. Frankly, the provision of training for pastoral ministry in the UK is very poor. Where does the pastor of a Bible-centred, Reformed, nonconformist church, recommend to the man who clearly seems gifted and called? I always struggled to mention more than three valid options: London Theological Seminary, ETCW and Oak Hill. Apart from the seminaries belonging to our Presbyterian Partners, these are the only ones officially linked to Affinity.

I was talking about Affinity to Peter Jensen, the worthy Archbishop of Sydney, while he was over here last year, and the first thing he asked was, ‘Where is your training institution?’ I found it interesting that he wasn’t urging ‘free-church’ men all to pile into Oak Hill. He felt strongly about the loss of the ‘nonconformist conscience’ in the UK, and that the establishment of a top-flight seminary was key to its restoration under God. That’s very much how I see things and it’s what we are seeking to build at WEST. I certainly want to do what I can to stop the theological ‘brain drain’ to America and Australia!

New ethos

EN: Can you characterise the kind of college you want to see WEST become?

JS: We need a balance when it comes to Word and Spirit. No one should doubt we are Bible-centred, but there is a reaction to charismatic extremism in some Reformed circles today which runs the risk of virtually eliminating the experiential side of Christian living. I am grateful for the Calvinistic Methodist roots of Welsh evangelicalism. It’s a healthy antidote to arid intellectualism.

Second, we need a healthy balance between the academic and the practical. There is no dichotomy between the two. We make no apology for the fact that more PhDs in theology are supervised here than in any other institution in the UK. Anyone who imagines that academic research is a distraction or an irrelevance simply doesn’t understand the threat that postmodernist deconstruction of the Bible now poses. The recent attack on the doctrine of penal substitution is just the beginning. Not since the Reformation has there been such a need for faithful pastors who are theologically prepared and alert. At the same time, we are determined to prepare men who will not be taken by surprise by all the practical demands of pastoral ministry. What we really need is a return to the pre-19th century pastor-theologian model — think of Calvin, Luther and Edwards — where theology is both the queen of the sciences and the servant of the churches.

Third, we need to create the right balance between the conservative and the contemporary. I want all our students to understand the difference between what must never be changed and what must always be changed. Recognising the interplay between doctrine and culture is crucial to the successful preservation and proclamation of the gospel in our generation.

Producing preachers

EN: You have spoken elsewhere of ‘producing preachers’. How do you do that? And where does that come in your order of priorities?

JS: God alone calls and gifts men to preach the gospel. But that’s just the starting point. They must be taught how to understand and handle the Bible correctly. They must gain some insight into the countless influences that can shape a preacher for good or ill. They must learn how to adapt their preaching style to suit the vastly different situations in which today’s preacher has to minister the Word. And all this must happen in a context where they can grow in their knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. I often hear the complaint that there is little good preaching around today. I tend to agree. I am amazed at what many congregations put up with week by week. It’s hardly surprising that so few aspire to be preachers. But I’m also sure that many preachers could have been far better had they received the right help. It’s my longing that WEST will produce a godly, passionate band of brothers whose preaching will be used to help transform the situation wherever they are sent. So, yes, you could say ‘producing preachers’ is a priority of mine and, apart from the first year doctrinal overview, that is where my personal teaching load lies.

EN: What is your answer to those who dismiss theological colleges like your own as para-church organisations which are largely unresponsive to the wishes of the churches?

JS: WEST wouldn’t be here today if it hadn’t been for the active support of many churches over many years, and our Council has always been made up mainly of church pastors. We have just appointed a Churches Co-ordinator to ensure the closest possible partnership between the School, the students and the churches. Moreover, we are investigating the possibility of a radically new form of training programme which would involve the direct input of churches at every level, from the planning stage onwards. But, in any case, this ought to be a two-way street. In order to be truly responsive to the churches, we need to know not just their wishes but also of their support — prayerfully and practically. By practical support I mean that churches need to take seriously the implications of the Affinity-sponsored Generation Next report published in last month’s EN. Preachers are God’s gift to his churches — and he doesn’t short-change us! If there is a perceived lack of young men coming forward for ministry, the fault must lie with us. Churches must learn to identify, encourage and sponsor the training of those whom God has called and gifted.

EN: We’ve concentrated rather on the training of pastors and teachers in the UK. What about the international dimension? And does WEST have anything to offer women?

JS: We have always trained men and women from and for every part of the world. The international mix of our student body is a glorious reflection of the true Church of Jesus Christ, and a constant education in itself. As far as women are concerned, I am particularly excited about the track of Women’s Studies we intend to begin in September, and which will flow through each semester of the three-year BA course. Sheila and I have long been associated with the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and it was one of my top priorities to establish an academic and practical course for women in ministry based on complementarian principles. What we are hoping to do is probably unique in the UK, where Bible colleges tend either not to differentiate between the ministries of men and women at all or, more commonly in Reformed circles, ignore the ministry training of women altogether. I hope this track will prove immensely popular.

Encouragement

EN: What in particular has encouraged you over these early months to believe that WEST will be able to meet the needs you’ve outlined and fulfil the vision you have for it?

JS: I’ve come to appreciate more fully the enormous natural advantages we enjoy by virtue of our location: many local evangelical churches, spacious grounds for projected new buildings, beautiful countryside and beaches, excellent road and rail access, and a comparatively cheap cost of living. In fact, if I were going to build a theological college from scratch, I think I’d build it here!

But I suppose the greatest encouragement has been in the people who have already joined us and those who have said they will support us. We have an excellent full-time faculty, and were particularly encouraged when Bob Letham, a theologian of international stature, joined us at the beginning of the year. Several other ‘household names’ have promised to come and help us, and we expect to benefit from distinguished visitors on a regular basis. These are among the many tokens we’ve received of God’s favour so far. I hope that many churches will trust us to prepare some of their best men and women for the Lord’s service. I would be delighted to speak with anyone who is excited by this project and would like to learn more. We covet the prayers of all God’s people.

An interview with Affinity chief and college principal, Jonathan Stephen