by Ron Sears
The month of May is filled with celebrations at 628 E. Kearney. In the next few days there will be groups of alumni gathering at class reunions and wondering why everyone looks so much older (of course they will also realize how thankful to God they are for not marrying “that” person). A large group of missionaries will be celebrated as they are approved by the BBFI to carry the Gospel to the field God gave them to labor. The graduates will cheer as they walk and receive their diplomas — something they have dreamed of since childhood. A few parents will celebrate the end of accruing costs for another year of school for their child.
We will celebrate:
- The campus ready with full foliage and beautiful flowers …
- The staff making sure everything is ready for the big event…
- Those coming for the first time in many years while others wondering how quickly time has passed since last May…
- New friendships being formed and lost relationships renewed…
- Some who follow the message on an electronic device as others open their well-worn Bibles that have stood the test of time.
Yes, we will celebrate. But there is something that will cause us to celebrate even more. Our focus this year is all about the Gospel. This is a common denominator between the young and old, the electronically savvy and the one preferring the tried and true hard copy. The Gospel is our common thread. From the unreached northern regions to the Bible belt section of America. From the Dark Continent to the land of the rising sun — it’s all about the Gospel and we celebrate.
The Gospel is God’s gift through His Son. It gives us hope for our fallen nature and an eternity with the risen Savior. We are focused on the freeness, the fullness, and the depth of the Gospel. The graduate and the newly approved missionary are connected because of the Gospel. And they are both joined to the oldest person coming to campus. The traditionalist and others are also related through the Gospel. That’s something to celebrate!
The Gospel divides us from all others. It is the death, burial, and the resurrection of God’s only Son. It says there is only one way and that is through Jesus. Our very purpose for existence is to prepare a generation to carry the Gospel from here to the world. Our original statement by our founders has always been, “Enter to learn. Go forth to serve.” It remains the same today as it did in the hearts of those men and women. They sacrificed so much to entrust to the BBFI and BBC their hopes of eternal souls being introduced to our risen Savior.
The work continues. The cloud of witnesses (Romans 12) watches. The angels stoop to understand the Gospel. They all celebrate as the work of God continues. Come and join the celebration with us. This year it’s all about the Gospel!