Posted: 3/30/07
2nd Opinion:
Program changes Texas, life by life
I have just returned from the first presentation service for Truett Theological Seminary’s Certificate Ministry Program on the seminary campus in Waco.
Ten students—men and women, black, white, Hispanics and people from all walks of life—were involved. One of our graduates is a police officer. Another one taught school for 30 years. All gave testimony of the wonderful benefits of this two-year home-study program. One week is spent in class on the Truett campus studying preaching. The other work is done at their own pace at their own home.
Carol Raulston of Whitney was the first person to complete the course. She is a mother of five children who paid for the course through a weekly deduction from her checking account. She ministers to women in crisis.
Tom Echols is a 60-year-old truck driver and bivocational pastor of Eagle’s Wing Baptist Church in Crowley. With tears in his eyes, he said: “This is the first time I’ve ever walked across the stage for anything. I quit school 40-plus years ago to go in the Army, so I never graduated from high school. Only eternity will tell how much this certificate ministry is going to do.” Tom was unable to pay for the course. He received a scholarship from Truett and the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
Raul Hernandez pastors Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida, a Hispanic church in Zapata. He is a former helicopter pilot in Vietnam. He does not have access to a computer, so he submitted all his work in hand-written form.
Graduates brought their spouses, their children and their grandchildren to be a part of the ceremonies. And I saw more tears than you would see in an old-fashioned brush-arbor revival.
I was encouraged beyond words with their sincere appreciation.
We challenged the class to find someone else who needs to be in this certificate ministry and serve as their mentor in getting the work done. These are the kind of people who will do that.
My thanks to Larry Givens, Grear Howard and Paul Stripling for giving leadership to this program. And my eternal gratitude to the Piper Foundation, the Baptist General Convention of Texas and to the late John Baugh for their financial support.
Paul Powell is dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.
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