As we approach the end of the calendar year, it is a joy to reflect on the goodness and faithfulness of our God. We have seen God at work through the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of Central Seminary. We are thankful for your prayers and support as we continue to assist New Testament churches in equipping spiritual leaders for Christ-exalting biblical ministry.
Our January started out with hundreds of worldwide deliveries of our Central Seminary Press publication of “Dispensationalism Revisited: A Twenty-First Century Restatement.”
Copies have now been distributed to Canada, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Spain, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Copies are available from Amazon (Print & Kindle).
In February, we held our annual MacDonald Lectures with Manfred Kober speaking on “Christians Living Under a Hostile Government.”
Dr. Kober’s lectures and notes are available on our website and Vimeo page.
Part of how we assist New Testament churches is with the pen.
Dr. Kevin Bauder, our research professor of systematic theology, edited the Jan/Feb edition of FrontLine Magazine. In this role, Dr. Bauder coordinated articles in answering the question of “Redeeming the Culture?” Several Central Seminary alumni and current and former professors contributed articles to this edition.
Assisting New Testament churches can also come through encouraging pastors in fellowship.
On Monday, March 4, Pastor Seth Brickley (MDiv ’16) and Eureka Baptist Church (St. Croix Falls, WI) hosted their 3rd Annual Pastors Gathering. Pastor Seth has served as pastor at Eureka since 2017.
Pastor Matt Morrell (President, Central Seminary) led discussions on the topic of preaching with conversations on:
- Priority of Preaching
- Preparation for Preaching
- Pitfalls & Problems in Preaching
March also brought us several alumni updates and a Missions Week opportunity to connect with missionaries to Ireland, Latin America, and Alaska.
As our classes progressed, several of our graduating students completed their defenses before the faculty.
[Above] The faculty reviewed and approved Mark Herbster’s D.Min. project on the Nature and Work of the Evangelist, culminating his coursework with a successful doctoral defense. Well done, Mark!
A few weeks later in April, two Master of Divinity students, Tim Bonebright and John Marshall, completed their Senior Doctrinal Defenses in preparation for commencement. Well done, gentlemen!
Blessings of Distance Education
With Central Seminary’s distance education, we are able to equip missionaries serving in countries where it would not be possible to receive solid theological training. Two Central students, Ellis and Jillian Narcisse, serve as missionaries planting churches in Bolivia. Their family was back in the States visiting supporting churches and joined us for classes and meals with the faculty and staff.
Central Seminary faculty and students were thrilled to have the Narcisse family join them on campus for classes. Their dedication to ministry and their commitment to continuing their education, even from afar, is an encouragement in our mission.
Graduation!
We held our 68th Commencement on the evening of Friday, May 10, in the auditorium of Fourth Baptist Church. Area pastor and long-time faculty and board member Dr. Lee Ormiston was our commencement speaker and shared a challenge to our graduates from Romans 8.
Diplomas were conferred for the Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling, Master of Arts in Theology, Master of Divinity, and Doctor of Ministry degrees.
Summer Highlights
Summer is an exciting time at Central Seminary! While we gear up for the fall semester, our faculty and staff travel to conferences and seminars around the country to share the ministry of Central. These conferences were fantastic opportunities to connect with our alumni, fellowship with area pastors, and meet future students.
Our summer concluded with our annual Golf Scramble at Wild Marsh Golf Course in Buffalo on August 12. Over 100 golfers joined us in helping make theological education affordable for students around the world.
Beginning the Fall Semester
Our fall semester started with faculty in-service in Wisconsin and a great group of incoming students. We’re thrilled to have 25 new students who joined us in the summer and fall to start pursuing their M.A., M.Div., Th.M., or D.Min. degrees.
Central Seminary held our Fall Conference on “Caring for the Soul: Understanding Moral Injury” on Tuesday, October 15, with over 150 in attendance in person and via livestream. Our speaker was Chaplain (Colonel) Christopher Melvin, D.Min., Army National Guard.
We explored the complex issues of moral injury and its impact on individuals and communities. Chaplain Melvin led sessions on definitions, theological frameworks, and practical interventions for addressing moral injury in the warrior’s soul.
The sessions and conference notebook are posted in our Resource Library. We hope they can be an encouragement in your ministry.
Torah Scroll on Permanent Display
Also at our Fall Conference was the completed Torah Scroll Display.
Following Central’s 2023 Fall Conference, the alumni association focused their annual project on gathering funds for a permanent display for the Torah Scroll. With gifts that came in through this effort, the case was built and shipped from Georgia.
Thanks to our Alumni Association for their continued investment in training students in appreciation for God’s Word.
November: Fall Modulars
& Dr. Pratt’s Trip to India
In November, our regular classes break for our two weeks of Fall Modular Courses. This year we had over 40 students participating in modular courses and the ThM and DMin Seminars.
During fall break, the Pratts completed their third trip to India to visit the ministry of Faith Baptist Bible College & Seminary in Kerala.
Read more about Dr. Pratt’s trip to India at Theology Central.
Closing Out the Year With The Professors’ Pancake Palace!
As the semester draws to a close, the professors don their red aprons and chef hats for our annual Professors’ Pancake Palace. This beloved tradition dates back to the days of Dr. Larry Pettegrew and his Aunt Hazel’s Secret Pancake Recipe. We have had countless wonderful moments sharing flapjacks and fellowship over the years.
More pictures from this year’s Pancake Palace are available over at our Facebook page.
Looking Ahead
Each semester and calendar year are a grace from God, and we are happy to share the abundance of His kindness to Central Seminary and WCTS Radio. As we look to the year ahead, we are thankful for your prayers and generosity in personally joining with us to fulfill our mission in training the next generation of spiritual leaders.
Thank you and God bless!
Year-End Giving
Many choose to make a year-end donation to help Central Seminary or WCTS Radio. If you would like to make a year-end gift, use the link below to support our ministries. Thank you!
