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B. H. Carroll Theological Institute

. . .is a graduate-level community of faith and learning that equips men and women called to serve Christ in the diverse and global ministries of
His church.

A Word from the President

NEW THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT BHCTI:
New PLACE - New PROGRAM - New PROGRESS

With the opening of the Alpha Term this Fall, Carroll begins a seventh year of classes spurred on by the anticipation of new things. Along the way we have seen tyhe Lord's hand guiding our steps, and once more his abiding word comes true: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare." (Isaiah 42:9 ESV)

Our new facility address - 301 S. Center St., Suite 100, Arlington, TX 76010 - locates Carroll in the Charles R. Wade Building of the First Baptist Church. The move to the Wade Building is almost complete; our last day in our former offices was May 31. Thanks to the initiative and generosity of Don Buchholz, chairman of Southwest Securities FSB and one of Carroll's governors, we were given the remainder of the bank's expiring lease (four months rent free!) plus all the furnishings. The bank's officers expedited all the paperwork for a sublease document, and many others rendered invaluable assistance in getting us to our first floor home. Words of gratitude come from many faces upturned to the Lord every time we meet in our new place.

An upgrade in terms of painting, doorways, and overall arrangement has been ably directed by Dr. Terry Bertrand, the administrator at First Baptist Arlington, who secured all the necessary permits and certificate of occupancy to make us 'legal tenants.' The new facility has doubled our space in a much more attractive setting. In addition to fourteen offices with conference room and kitchen, we have a main entry with reception area, more than adequate parking, and space to house all our staff and possessions (books!) in one place. You are invited to visit us to see the library arrangement in the  central hallway and share a cup of coffee in the reading room! (See photos in the left column.)

We are excited to announce the development of a new degree, the Master of Arts in Counseling. This degree will allow students to pursue state counseling licensure and to work in church related settings as well as in agencies, hospitals, and counseling centers. By combining solid theology with an understanding of the human relations fields, students will have a thorough foundation for providing counseling to individuals, couples, and families in need. Master's students may enroll for classes in the upcoming Emmanuel Term, beginning September 30.

We also welcome a new colleague to the faculty, one bringing professional competence and wide-ranging experience. Heading up the counseling program is Dr. Scott Floyd, a licensed counselor and licensed marriage and family therapist, and a long-time counseling professor in a seminary setting. Floyd has also served as Minister of counseling at Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Ft. Worth, TX where he has counseled and supervised interns for the past 15 years. As Fellow of the Institute and Professor of Psychology and Counseling, he will also lead in Carroll's Ph.D. degree program in Counseling that has been in place since 2005.

We expect that the counseling program will experience rapid growth because of felt needs in the community of faith and the volume of inquiries we receive concerning such training and licensure. This initiative, an essential step forward for the Institute, is reason for celebration.  

We have made progress in the New Horizons strategic plan on two fronts. We are in a new stage in our long-standing plan for accreditation. We recently completed a two-day visit with Dr. Randall Bell, Director of the Commission on Accreditation for ABHE. In the evaluation of Carroll's application, he commended our preparation and gave us high marks of compliance with the standards. Dr. Bell expressed appreciation for the spirit and quality of our personnel, recognizing the unique nature of Carroll and the skills of the team we have gathered.

Based on the visit, we have been encouraged to compress the timeline for accredited status. The next step is preparation of a self study (three documents: assessment, compliance, and planning) to be submitted on November 1. That is our plan with the hope that we will receive a positive response from the Commission in the Spring.

One of the key standards for accreditation is financial stability. The challenge goal in our capital campaign, now within sight, is $3 million in pledges and gifts for a three-year period. We have been blessed with gifts from two long-term supporters of ventures like ours: First, a pledge of $750,000 spread over a three-year period from the Baugh Foundation with $225,000 given in 2009; second, a pledge of $750,000 spread over a three-year period from the CIOS Foundation (Paul and Shirley Piper) with $150,000 given in 2009. In addition, we have been gathering pledges for another $750,000 to match a third pledge of $750,000 from a faithful donor made for the Fall, with the first gift coming in October 2010. These matching pledges will then bring our New Horizons campaign total to $3 million for the next three years. What a great expectation - accreditation and financial stability! Please put these important matters on your prayer list. 

BHCTI Graduate Begins
New Bible Institute in Mexico 

Abraham Barberi, 2008 graduate from BHCTI with a Diploma in Christian Ministry, recently opened the Instituto Bíblico Sola Scripture in Matamoros, Mexico. Through the cooperation of missionary Paul Bellington, One Mission Ministries, and BHCTI, the Institute will provide theological training for pastors and church members. For more information about this ministry go to:

http://www.onemissionministries.org/

WINTER COLLOQUY 2010

November 29 - December 1

More details to follow