CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Nov 28 - 30 2011
Colloquy XIV (Winter)
Dec 16, 2011 - Jan 1, 2012
Christmas Break
Jan 9 - Mar 2, 2012
Paschal Term
Jan 9 -Jun 6, 2012
Spring Term
Mar 12 - May 11, 2012
Omega Term
Apr 1 - 8, 2012
Holy Week Break
May 21 - 23, 2012
Colloquy XV (Summer)
May 22, 2012
Convocation/Graduation
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Winter Colloquy
NOV 28 - 30, 2011 |
"Generational Journeys
in Academy and Church"
B. H. Carroll Theological Institute invites you to hear six Carroll Distinguished Fellows as they share their varied experiences from a lifetime of service in the academic and church environment.
Colloquy Sessions will be held in the Wade Building, Ground Floor, West Wing - 301 S. Center Street, Arlington, Texas. The Carroll Fellowship Meal will take place in the Fellowship Hall of First Baptist Church, Arlington - 300 S. Center Street.
The sessions on Monday and Tuesday are open to the public according to the schedule below:
Monday, November 28
1:45 — 2:00 Worship
2:00 — 3:00 Session 1: Bill Tolar
3:00 — 3:30 Break (Carroll Bistro)
3:30 — 4:30 Session 2: Wynona
Elder
6:00 — 8:00
Carroll Fellowship
Meal - Speaker:
Bill O’Brien
Tuesday, November 29
8:30 — 9:00 Worship
9:00 — 10:00 Session 1: Jimmie
Nelson
10:00 — 10:30 Break (Carroll Bistro)
10:30 — 11:30 Session 2: Jim
Williams
11:30 — 1:00 Lunch break
(on your own)
1:00 — 1:15 Worship
1:15 — 2:15 Session 3: Scotty
Gray
2:15 — 2:45
Break
2:45 — 4:00 Panel Discussion
with all six speakers
Doctoral students have additional
scheduled meetings.
FEES AND REGISTRATION
Colloquy Fees include Monday
evening meal and all sessions.
Guest—$25;Guest and Spouse—$40
BHCTI Faculty (no charge)
BHCTI PhD/DMin Student (no charge)
BHCTI Student—$10; Spouse—$10
Register online at www.bhcti.org
or call:
(817) 274-4284 (office);
(866) 942-4284 (toll free)
For additional information
click here
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BHCTI Represented at
BGCT Annual Meeting
and Seminary Days
Carroll Institute was represented at the recent BGCT Annual Meeting in Amarillo, October 24-26. Stan & Mary Moore and Bruce & Nancy Muskrat were stationed at the BHCTI booth in the exhibition hall and shared about the Institute with a steady flow of interested persons. For some convention participants it is the gimmick, the "freebies," or the candy that draws them to the exhibits, but the majority who stopped by the Carroll booth had been sent "on a mission" to find out more about BHCTI because its reputation for high quality theological education that is affordable and accessible is spreading across the state. The Carroll staff heard stories about church ministers who moved to new church fields and were unable to finish their degrees at a residential seminary. Some were still trying to commute miles away to finish their degrees and their situations were growing more complicated with the demands of full-time ministry. Ministers not present at the convention sent some of their church delegates to find out about Carroll's online programs. The Carroll staff enjoyed sharing new options and possibilities to meet the needs of ministers struggling to complete their degrees.
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Drs. Moore and Muskrat
at BHCTI Booth in Amarillo
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Stan Moore and Scott Floyd traveled to Arkansas on November 3-4 to represent BHCTI with a booth for "Graduate School Day" at Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge and "Seminary Day" at Ouachita Baptist University. Both were excellent opportunities to meet and visit with several colleagues who are already teaching for us, or who might teach for us in the future. Drs. Moore and Floyd talked with students from both colleges as well as recruiters from other graduate schools who were very
interested in learning more about BHCTI and how the Institute could facilitate some of their courses to feed into Carroll's master's and doctoral programs. In spite of many miles on the road, it was a very worthwhile trip for both Carroll teaching fellows who experienced the warm fellowship and strong support for BHCTI on behalf of both Arkansas baptist schools.
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PASCHAL TERM 2012
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Registration for Paschal Term 2012 opens on December 9.
Click here to see the online class schedule.
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Report from the President
Bruce Corley
Cuba Once Again
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It’s not an easy journey, but the reward—what my colleague ‘Justo’ called an “unforgettable experience”—of ministry in Cuba is a never-failing joy. During the week 22-29 October, our Carroll team—Dr. Justice Anderson, Dr. Adlin Cotto, Robert Cotto, and myself—once again joined our students in Cuba. From eleven cities scattered across the island (it’s as long as Texas is wide) twenty four pastors, teachers, and leaders came to our teaching church in Camagüey for a week of instruction in the master’s program, two courses in Baptist Heritage and Romans.
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| Dr. Corley with translator, Alicia |
Our stay coincided with Reformation week and brought a unique opportunity. The church, Primera Iglesia Bautista de la Camagüey, secured permission from the authorities to celebrate the week as a public event for the entire city—an unusual privilege owing to the Reformation’s far reaching impact on social, cultural, and political life. The week’s program,
Jornada Mundial de la Reforma, featured art, sculpture, film, music, and dialog, bringing together various church groups and community leaders. The church’s witness “outside the walls” was very impressive, reflecting as it does the ongoing spiritual awakening in Cuba.
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| Dr. Anderson and student, Freddy Legra |
The Cubans still astound me. We who go there always come away with more than we give. Now, after five years of working and praying with them and visiting their homes, churches, and schools, I have made a short list of what the Cubans don’t need from us. In fact, they excel in these matters:
• Strategic church starting—100s of new churches in all provinces
• Urgent witness to the lost—with the Gospel door-to-door, decisions every Sunday
• Discipling and baptizing converts—new believers in fellowship groups
• Sacrificial service—cheerfully, where 3 cups of Starbuck’s is a month’s salary
• Care of the needy—food, clothing, medicine, distributed with love
• Integrity of conscience—no submission to hostile threats of life and limb
• Dynamic prayer life—my, oh, my! how they lift their voices to God
• Spirit-filled worship—heart-stirring singing, powerful preaching, transformational!
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Dr. Adlin Cotto, Coordinator of the
master's study program in Cuba |
As you well know, there is an embargo imposed on goods from Cuba to the USA, but I wish that I could carry back to our churches a large shipment of items on my short list.
My prayer is that we who know freedom may stand worthy of the Gospel as do these Cuban believers who amidst daily troubles rejoice in God’s salvation: “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7 ESV)
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BHCTI Spotlight
on
Bill Bryan
PhD Graduate and
Resident Fellow
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The “spotlight” article is a little different this time in that the person being interviewed is a recent PhD graduate from Carroll Institute who also serves on the faculty. Bill Bryan, pastor of Old Greenbrier Baptist Church in Alderson, West Virginia, received his PhD in Scripture and Witness /Old Testament on May 31, 2011. Dr. Bryan has had a relationship with BHCTI both as a student and as a professor that has spanned a period of more than six years. Bill first heard about Carroll Institute in 2004 during its initial formation when he met with Dr. Budd Smith to hear about plans for starting a new online seminary. He recalls, “I was fascinated with the concept and knew that the four Senior Fellows (Drs. Corley, Spivey, Smith, and Moore) were the ones who could make it happen. I wanted to be a part of the cutting edge of theological education. Also, I had a desire to work toward an Old Testament PhD so that I could teach Old Testament at the master’s level. However, I was unable to pursue it due to residency requirements in other programs. I saw in BHCTI a unique opportunity for me both to teach and to pursue my academic goal of a PhD.”
Bill Bryan felt a call to full-time ministry as a sixteen-year-old, but he pursued interests in science and engineering when he entered college. For twelve years he worked in the aerospace industry on Space Shuttle computer systems for IBM at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. During that time, Bill was active as a layman, deacon, Sunday School teacher and coordinated mission trips at First Baptist Friendswood. His call was revisited at age thirty-three when he accepted his first pastorate (1994 – 98) at Old Greenbrier Baptist Church where he is currently serving as pastor for the second time. “My initial call to full time ministry came just as I was completing my MDiv degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I had traveled home from Texas to my native West Virginia to preach my father’s funeral service in October 1993. It was through this tough experience that Old Greenbrier became aware of me as a potential pastoral candidate. The day of my ordination to the pastorate at Old Greenbrier was an affirmation of God’s Spirit at work in me and is one of the proudest moments of my life.”
Dr. Bryan’s call to the pastorate also included a call to teaching. At Old Greenbrier, he taught non-seminary bi-vocational pastors and lay persons through the West Virginia Baptist Convention School of Christian Studies. When he returned to Texas in 1998 to serve as Minister of Administration and Pastoral Care at South Main Baptist Pasadena, Bill was invited to teach adjunctively for SWBTS's Diploma program at the Houston extension center. He also taught master’s level practicums after he had completed a DMin from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1999. Dr. Bryan was asked to join the Carroll Institute staff as a Resident Fellow in 2005 where he has taught Christian Disciplines, History of Baptist Missions, The Functioning Church, the Gateway Course, and several courses in the area of Old Testament. As a professor, Bill discovered that he often learned more through teaching than he did as a student. “During my time of teaching the Christian Disciplines course, my own experience of the disciplines was truly enriched. It is hard to teach something to others, if it is not also vital and growing in one’s own life. I truly appreciated this opportunity to learn and grow with my students.”
When asked about his philosophy of teaching, Bill responds, “In regard to my role as a teacher, my goal is to challenge students to pursue academic excellence in our studies together. We achieve this goal by inquiring freely and openly; contemplating deeply; and drawing conclusions as God guides us. I endeavor to create an open and collegial environment in which students are free to dialogue with me and with each other. I believe it is through this interchange that some of our best and certainly most memorable learning takes place. Also, in order to be a more effective teacher, I believe that I must continue to grow intellectually through reading, research, writing, participation in professional development/guild activities, and spiritually through Christian service in the local church and community. I believe a teacher must continue to be both a student and a servant in order to be a more effective teacher.” Dr. Bryan understands the importance of being a mentor to his students, just as he experienced while studying at Carroll Institute. “I could not have asked for better or more eminently qualified supervisors or instructors. Dr. Ron Lyles, pastor of South Main Baptist Pasadena, fueled my passion for study of the Old Testament. My interaction with him as part of my directed reading and study at BHCTI was enlightening and intellectually stimulating. He served as a mentor at the start of my dissertation while at the same time modeling pastoral ministry for me. I completed my dissertation with Dr. Paul Redditt due to his expertise with my chosen dissertation topic. Dr. Redditt is a world-class scholar and author in my area of study (post-exilic prophets). His ability to provide me with high-quality resources and personal guidance in my study were ultimately invaluable in completing my dissertation in an excellent and timely manner.”
Bill Bryan’s highest satisfaction as a student at BHCTI was, of course, receiving his doctoral hood. He comments, “I had the feeling of having completed a long, hard, but most satisfying journey. With each passing class, colloquy, paper, and learning milestone there was not only a sense of progress but also of increasing competency and movement toward an important life goal. While the work was both demanding and challenging, the satisfaction of learning, of being equipped, of excitement about sharing what I have learned with others, made the whole journey highly satisfying.” When asked if he would recommend Carroll Institute to other students, Bill responds, “BHCTI truly provides an affordable, accessible, high-quality theological education. The cost of a degree from Carroll is very small in comparison to that of a degree from other similar institutions. I have completed the PhD degree in six years without taking out any loans or incurring any debt. In a time when many students leave college or seminary saddled with large education debts, one can truly graduate from Carroll debt-free. Due to Carroll’s distributed learning approach, I was able to continue to work and did not have to move my family in order to pursue my academic goals. A BHCTI degree can be done from anywhere in the world that there is an Internet connection. Finally, the quality of the theological education is world-class. I have degrees from two other Baptist seminaries. The quality of the professors and curricula at BHCTI has not only equaled but has exceeded those of the other seminaries I have attended. The Institute truly and consistently delivers a high-quality theological education that is definitely affordable and easily accessible.
Dr. Bryan sees himself as an integral part of the mission and vision of Carroll Institute. While being well-equipped as both a teacher and student at BHCTI, he intends to be a part of the BHCTI graduate-level community of faith for the rest of his life. “As a Resident Fellow who has taught both in a Teaching Church and online for BHCTI, I have joined with the Institute in seeking to mobilize the priesthood of believers for service in society. My association with Carroll has been an important component in my development as a Christ-centered leader who is committed to academic excellence, life-long learning, and transformational ministry.” Dr. Bryan’s goal is to someday supervise other BHCTI PhD students in their studies, especially in the area of Old Testament. Although he currently lives in West Virginia, the BHCTI Hub is in Texas, and students reside in places that are far apart across the globe, through Carroll’s concept of being the nexus in ministry training, that goal is achievable. In 2010, Bill was invited to go to Cuba with a team from BHCTI. “While there I led over fifty Cuban pastors in a week long intensive study of Old Testament theology. I had hoped to someday teach in an overseas setting such as this, but Carroll opened the way for me to have this once-in-a-lifetime teaching experience.” As a student in the PhD program, Bill also had the opportunity to participate in the Oxford Study Program. “The experience was transformational. As we toured various historic Baptist sites around the English countryside, I was reminded of the depth and longevity of the faith entrusted to me. I was challenged not only to appreciate the faith that has been passed down and entrusted to me but also to be a part of passing on that faith to coming generations of believers.”
Bill Bryan’s experiences as a student and professor at BHCTI have been invaluable to him in his ministry as a pastor. He believes that shepherding and teaching is a gift combination given by the Holy Spirit to enable a leader to shepherd effectively either a flock of parishioners or students. He seeks to use and grow those gifts to the glory of God through his Christian ministry in both church and classroom. “In the classroom, students are my flock. I am interested not just in their academic matriculation but also in their growth as the whole person God has created them to be – intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual.” Dr. Bryan believes that what students learn in the classroom should be applied in service to God and to the community. His congregation at Old Greenbrier is also his classroom. “In our Wednesday night Bible studies, I often use the same materials that I have developed for my courses at BHCTI. My folks love the depth of study but are glad they don’t have to take the tests!” Through BHCTI, Dr. Bryan’s interaction with students and peers keeps him sharp and thinking theologically in order to better administer the Word and lead his congregation.
Bill has shared the journey of life and ministry over the past twenty-six years with Elisa, his wife. The shared journey has made burdens lighter and joys brighter. They have two successful adult children-Joseph and Hannah. When Dr. Bryan is not teaching, preaching, or coordinating the ministries of the church, he enjoys running along mountain trails or in marathons, working on his small farm, and reading historical fiction or action-adventure novels.
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