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Bible colleges are closing and I think this is why...

Bible colleges are closing and I think this is why...
Jake Owen
Jake Owen

The last few years have seen many of Britain’s Bible colleges – from specialist schools like the Nexus Institute of Creative Arts to historic Church of England institutions like St. John’s College – shut their doors for good, with the latest and arguably biggest to fall being Spurgeon’s College last July.

And those which are still accepting students at the time of writing continue to record a progressively widening gap between income and expenditure in their reports filed with the Charity Commission.

A new movement to multiply gospel workers

A new movement to multiply gospel workers
Robin Sydserff
Robin Sydserff

In May 2024, an important event was held at Yarnton Manor in Oxford. Organised and hosted by 9:38 (which exists to resource and train up church leaders), it brought together training stakeholders – networks, churches, training providers – to reflect on the crisis in ministry recruitment. This was reported in en (July 24) under the headline “Major consultation event addresses ‘recruitment crisis’.”

As training stakeholders, we left convinced that ministry is a noble task, convicted to pray to the Lord for workers, and committed to working together. Lydia Houghton’s en feature article “Is there really a ministry recruitment crisis?” – is an encouraging read. There are hopeful signs.

Is there really a ministry recruitment crisis?

Is there really a ministry recruitment crisis?
Lydia Houghton
Lydia Houghton

“Ministry recruitment crisis.” How do those words make you feel? Do they fill you with dread? Panic? Are you tempted to let out a sigh as you mutter that you aren’t surprised?

Back in September, Carrie Sandom, of the Proclamation Trust, told us that there is a fall in the number of men and women coming forward for ministry training. What are we to think? en spoke to key players in the evangelical world, including principals and directors of some of the UK's leading seminaries and colleges.

Busy? Try ‘Bible College in a Box’

Busy? Try ‘Bible College in a Box’
Emily Pollok
Emily Pollok

Lansdowne Church’s School for Discipleship in Bournemouth is launching a new resource to provide a flexible, accessible theology course to those who might not be able to commit to formal, in-person study.

The ‘Bible College in a Box’ contains core textbooks and relevant study material from the School for Discipleship’s existing training programme, but is a self-led programme that can be completed at the individual’s own pace – whether over a year or longer.

Letter

How to make training available for all church members
Date posted: 23 May 2025

Dear Editor,

An en reader wrote recently: “I’m interested to know why there is very little training of Christians in general,” (en letters, March 2025). Great question! It hasn’t always been thus; in the church’s history there have been times when intensive training for all believers – not just for pastors and leaders – has been a high priority. Knowing God is an eternal and joyful task, and being learners and lovers of God is core to our identity as His people.

50 years of training – and a bold new vision

50 years of training – and a bold new vision
Eliot Kern

As London Seminary’s 50th anniversary approaches, it looks to the future with an ambitious aim.

The college was founded as London Theological Seminary in 1977 to train preachers and pastors, with Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones as its first chairman. From the start, the focus was on pastoral training. The requirement for entry was a genuine call to ministry, regardless of any student’s educational background, and while some went on to further study, the aim was to provide a comprehensive foundation for ministry.

Trailblazing initiative brings gospel to disadvantaged

Trailblazing initiative brings gospel to disadvantaged
Emily Pollok
Emily Pollok

Four years since its inception, a pioneering initiative to bring the gospel to economically disadvantaged and ethnic minority areas is bringing transformation across the UK.

The Sychar Gospel Fund was established in 2021 with a vision to support local churches in the poorest areas of Britain – it has distributed more than £1.4 million in grants to 125 men and women from 40 different churches to date.

Letter

Why isn't there more training for church members?
Date posted: 22 Apr 2025

Dear Editor,

I was particularly grateful for the letter in your April edition raising the question of training for ordinary Christians and church members. The concern raised was an entirely valid one that churches must take seriously. Failure to offer such training raises the spectre of creating a two-tiered religion with a caste of super-believers that require special training that is simply beyond the ken of the ordinary Christian. Or, to put it another way, runs the risk of a return to the errant clergy-laity divide of Roman Catholicism that fundamentally denied the existence of a priesthood of all believers.

Letter

Why is there such little training of Christians?
Date posted: 23 Mar 2025

Dear Editor,

I’m interested to know why there is very little training of Christians in general. What do I mean? I cannot remember ever seeing a course on how to read the Bible well, that is open to everyone. There are many courses out there and they all seem to have the mantra – for ministry leaders and teachers. Why is there this unspoken belief that those who are going to teach are the only ones worth teaching? I, personally, would welcome a course on different methods of tackling the study of the Bible. I am never going to teach anyone, I'm not gifted that way. But I still wish to get as much from my Bible study as I can, so I can grow in my faith.

'Submarines surfacing' at the Crosslands conference

'Submarines surfacing' at the Crosslands conference
John Woods
John Woods

Crosslands Training recently held their winter conference in Newcastle, three days in which all the parts of Crosslands come together for a brief moment.

John Woods was there and writes: I was staying with the family of a 3rd Year Crosslands Seminary student. The light was on in his office at 5am; that is when he does his course work and assignments. This exciting programme brings out that kind of commitment in people.

Are seminaries failing in the teaching of New Testament Greek?

Are seminaries failing in the teaching of New Testament Greek?
Paul Karageorgi
Paul Karageorgi

In 1453, Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, fell to the Ottoman Turks. This was a disaster for the Greeks but it became a blessing for Western Europe. It was inevitable that those who had the means, that is, the educated elite, sought refuge in the West and they took with them valuable manuscripts.

The spark that ignited the Reformation

For the first time there was significant interaction between Western scholars educated in Latin and Eastern scholars educated in Greek. Direct access to classical Greek works and the Greek New Testament was now possible. There was a keen interest in classical literature, art, drama and philosophy.

Robin Sydserff shares hopes for Proclamation Trust

Robin Sydserff shares hopes for Proclamation Trust
Proclamation Trust

New Proclamation Trust (PT) director Robin Sydserff has been sharing his hopes for the future.

In an open letter, he says: ‘My first stint at PT from 2004–2008, working with Dick Lucas, David Jackman and Christopher Ash, was life-changing. Their confidence in the ministry of the word as God’s means of transformation, and their commitment to serve the church, multiplying expository word ministry through training, equipping and encouraging preachers and Bible teachers, was used of the Lord to build a genuinely centrist renewal movement that united evangelicals. We live in the present, not the past, but can rightly take inspiration from those who have gone before us.

Letter

Training men for ministry: Talking past each other?
Date posted: 25 Nov 2024

Dear Editor,

As a pastor of a relatively small church I have read with interest the discussion about pastoral priorities in the last few months.

Bible colleges and training in a digital age

Bible colleges and training in a digital age
James Robson
James Robson

‘The health of the church depends on the health of its colleges.’ I heard John Stott say this more than 25 years ago and it has influenced the path that recently brought me to Oak Hill College as Principal.

Stott quickly added that this was not a dogmatic conviction, but an empirical observation. As he had travelled around the world, he had noticed the organic connection between the life of the church and its training. That makes sense to me. Just as the source of our culture is the university, so the source of the church is the theological college and seminary.

He earned money fighting - now he is a ministry assistant

He earned money fighting - now he is a ministry assistant
Jonathan Winch
Jonathan Winch

‘If you ever lose a fight, you’ll have me to reckon with.’

Lucian Dumitrescu’s father was a man’s man, and he had no time for losers. Lucian only knew he had to do whatever it took to be stronger, faster and better trained than the other men he encountered in the back streets of his notorious Romanian neighbourhood. It wasn’t long before he was earning good money fighting – mostly illegally.

‘Refresh yourself constantly in knowledge of the glory of God...’

‘Refresh yourself constantly in knowledge of the glory of God...’
John Woods
John Woods

en reviews editor John Woods speaks to Michael Reeves. Reeves oversees the work of Union School of Theology, and teaches in the areas of systematic and historical theology and also on preaching and spiritual formation. He is a local church minister, Director of the European Theologians Network, and speaks and teaches regularly worldwide. Previously he has been Head of Theology for student organisation UCCF and an Associate Minster at All Souls, Langham Place. He is married to Bethan and they have two daughters.

JW: What do you do when you are not preaching, teaching or writing?

The training challenge
defending our faith

The training challenge
Chris Sinkinson
Chris Sinkinson

One of the great challenges facing the church is how we train the next generation of apologists, pastors, evangelists and other workers.

The needs are great. I know many churches who are looking to recruit pastors but struggling to find someone appropriate. Likewise, how do we train apologists? Many online apologists using YouTube and other forms of social media are self-taught, mean well, but sometimes mislead.

Letter

Training men for ministry: encouraging 'one man ministry'
Date posted: 22 Aug 2024

Dear Editor,

I am encouraged by the response to my Open Letter which you recently published [en June]. I have received considerable feedback personally, all of which has been entirely in agreement and supportive, and which comes from across the spectrum of the generations. This is not an issue on which older men are criticising the younger generation, as has been presented. I am also encouraged because it has, at least, stirred up a discussion, something which can only be good.

Letter

Training men for ministry: in a post-Christian nation
Date posted: 22 Aug 2024

Dear Editor,

I read John Brand’s letter June (en 2024) concerning training men for pastoral ministry with interest. The Church of England have recently reported that those seeking ‘vocations’ are 40% down on the 650 they had hoped for – I suspect en’s regular readers will have a good idea why that is, but I doubt that the CofE will publicly recognise the reasons! I only foresee that shortfall increasing as they continue in their apostasy.

Letter

Training men for ministry: more correspondence
Date posted: 18 Jul 2024

Dear Editor,

Evangelicals Now recently published an open letter from John Brand, principal of Edinburgh Bible College. It’s addressed to 'church leaders training men for ministry.' Well, that kind of sounds like me, so I hope that John and en will accept an open letter in response from those of us seeking to train future pastors.

Letter

Training men for ministry: learning from mistakes
Date posted: 17 Jul 2024

Dear Editor,

We've been concerned by the recent correspondence from John Brand and David J. Randall, lamenting the lack of young ministers willing to preach three times every week.

New Chair of Trustees for Trinity College, Bristol

New Chair of Trustees for Trinity College, Bristol
Luke Randall
Luke Randall

Esther Prior has been named as the new Chair of Trustees at Trinity College, Bristol.

She replaces Richard Jackson, Bishop of Hereford, who stood down following his appointment to the House of Lords and Clerk of the Closet to King Charles III.

Robin Sydserff is new Director for Proclamation Trust

Robin Sydserff is new Director for Proclamation Trust
Proclamation Trust

The Trustees of the Proclamation Trust (PT) are delighted to announce the appointment of Robin Sydserff as the new Director. Robin is currently senior pastor of Chalmers Church, Edinburgh and is also chair of the Bonar Trust which seeks to develop, fund and train gospel workers.

Robin has been appointed after a rigorous recruitment process that was run for us by the recruitment specialists, Carnelian, alongside the PT Trustees. This process involved 150 candidates being considered from across a wide range of denominational and independent church backgrounds. Robin and his wife Sally are excited about the potential of this new role and are hoping to move to London to start at PT in the autumn. Robin is committed to engaging with our many friends and partners as we seek to serve local churches by training men and women in Word ministry.

Letter

Training men for ministry
Date posted: 1 Jul 2024

Dear Editor,

John Brand’s ‘open letter’ in the June issue of en raises significant issues about the need for healthy training of committed men for the preaching and pastoral ministry.

Letter

An open letter to church leaders training men for pastoral ministry
Date posted: 1 Jun 2024

Dear fellow labourer, in the work of the gospel.

I have been turning over the content of this letter for several weeks because I want to make sure I get the tone and wording as right as I possibly can, but this is a burden that has been weighing on my heart for some time and I need to share it with you.

Lack of trainee pastors to replace those retiring is ‘elephant in the room’

Lack of trainee pastors to replace those retiring is ‘elephant in the room’
en staff
en staff

The lack of trainee pastors to replace those who are retiring is an ‘elephant in the room’ which evangelicals are neglecting, a former en editor is warning.

Writing on the London Seminary website, John Benton says: ‘The stark truth is that far fewer men are coming forward to train for the ministry than there are pastors coming up to retirement.

Fifty go out from Union as labourers for the harvest

Fifty go out from Union as labourers for the harvest
en staff
en staff

Union Theology has celebrated its student graduations.

President and Professor of Theology, Mike Reeves, wrote on Twitter: ‘The … graduation is always a highlight of my year. Today we said “Well done” to 50 students, but more importantly commissioned them as workers serving in the Lord’s harvest field. Please pray for them!’

A missed opportunity ?

A missed opportunity ?
Tom Clarke
Tom Clarke

Statistical evidence would suggest that the commitment of the church in the UK to overseas mission has been on a downward path for some time, whether measured in terms of personnel volunteering to go and serve or in terms of financial support.

Anecdotally, I was asked recently if it was still the case that some Christians offer to leave home to serve the Lord in cross-cultural situations. This was a genuine question from a godly pastor who just had no experience of this happening either in his own church or others which he knew of.

‘Coalface ministry’ brings gospel to Welsh valleys

‘Coalface ministry’ brings gospel to Welsh valleys
Nicola Laver
Nicola Laver

A new theology school for Christian ministers at the ‘coalface’ has been launched in the Welsh valleys.

‘You may be able to exegete Scripture, you might even be a Hebrew Scholar, you could even be the most charismatic preacher on the planet, but if you can’t handle 2.00am phone calls from social services or late-night knocks on the door from the police… you are no good in the Valleys!’ says the Valleys School of Theology website.

Seminary graduations

Seminary graduations
Milla Ling-Davies
Milla Ling-Davies

Seven students graduated from London Seminary this June. Having finished lectures just the day before, they ended the year by attending the college’s Annual Thanksgiving service on Saturday 24 June.

At the event, speaker Rev. Dr. Jonny Gibson, Professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, delivered a message from 1 Timothy 4. He emphasised particularly the need for consistency of lifestyle and doctrine in Christian ministry.

Healthy training colleges vital – new Oak Hill Principal

Healthy training colleges vital – new Oak Hill Principal
en staff
en staff

Reformed evangelical training college Oak Hill is looking forward to the arrival of a new Principal in the autumn.

James Robson, an experienced leader and theologian, is taking up the role and will be leaving his current post as Ministry Director at Keswick Ministries in September.

Seven ways to spot a ‘BWW’ and why it matters

Seven ways to spot a ‘BWW’ and why it matters
Nay Dawson
Nay Dawson

I’ll never be one of the ‘Blokes Worth Watching’ (BWW) nor will many of my friends that don’t fit.

I love leadership and evangelism. I want to invest precious years into mission and the future of the church, so I’m wondering how do I become one of the BWWs [as described in this article in last month's EN] ? How do I get mentored? How do I get invested in so that I can make a significant difference? The problem is, I can’t. I’m a woman. I’ll never be a ‘Bloke Worth Watching’ and neither will half of those made in the image of God.

Evangelical crisis? I don’t think so

Evangelical crisis? I don’t think so
Andy Mason
Andy Mason

What is the state of conservative evangelicalism? Glen Scrivener has given us a challenging answer in his article in the July 2022 issue of en, ‘BWWs: the “Blokes Worth Watching” conveyor belt…’

His article is a strong critique, essentially arguing that we evangelicals are in something of a spiritual crisis. The strength of its criticisms invites a rejoinder. As a fellow pastor, I know Glen and have worked with him. He is a wonderful evangelist, a man of integrity and a very gifted preacher. Most importantly, he loves Jesus and cares for the abused. I think, though, there are some real problems with Glen’s take on our churches.

Is there an undiscovered Dragon in your church?

Is there an undiscovered Dragon in your church?
Karen Todd

Church is not a business, right?

In recent months many of us have come to question the businesslike approaches of many megachurches and church plants, particularly as scandals have revealed the thin ice on which some have been built. But, before we overreact and discredit this businesslike approach, we should not lose the valuable insights that those with a good business head have brought to our churches.

Bible training brings growth

Bible training brings growth
Nelson Salviano

The number of churchgoers in Brazil has increased 20 times in the last 15 years.

To support this great rise in demand, many churches were founded by leaders without any training in handling the word of God. The School for Training Evangelical Leaders (known by its Portugese abbreviation ESCALE) has provided Biblical training for grassroots pastors in Brazil for years.

90% of pastors lack proper theological training, major conference is told

90% of pastors lack proper theological training, major conference is told
Chris Sugden
Chris Sugden

90% of pastors have no formal theological education, a specialist in theological education in the Global South has told an international consultation.

Dr Manfred Kohl, who has experience in supporting and financing ministry training, explained that for this reason he funds only people – and not buildings. He also challenges institutions and their funders to think radical thoughts about theological education.

Training women around the world in word ministry

Training women around the world in word ministry
Langham Partnership

In the Autumn, Langham Preaching held its first-ever Global Women’s Forum in Cyprus. This encouraging report comes from attendee Jill McGilvray, a Langham Partnership Australia committee member.

‘There were about 50 women of varying ages from 38 countries: Africa, Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific. It was led by Ruth Slater, Associate Director of Langham Preaching, with the help of a committee of women from all around the world.

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