by Marty Hughes
BBC Alumni Association Special Feature
“All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.”
The above quote by Anatole France, Nobel Prize-winning author explains the reason so many of us have difficulties accepting and embracing change. But change is a necessary part of life, both for individuals and for institutions.
In 1950, when Baptist Bible Col¬lege was founded, the population of America was just over 151 million. Our society was quickly changing from a predominantly agrarian economy, made up of large and strong families, raised mainly on the farm, to a more industrial economy where both parents found themselves in the workforce. BBC was born into the world of Ward and June Cleaver, with a worldview that more closely resembled Mayberry than Survivor.
The battle lines were clearly drawn, everyone knew the issues in question, and all understood the rules of engagement. It was Fundamentalism against Modernism, it was aggressive evangelism against social club ritualism, it was us against them, spirituality against worldliness.
A lot has changed in 60 years. Today, America’s population exceeds 300 million and it is more urban and suburban than rural. We live in the information age with technology increasing at a staggering rate. It is said that the amount of information generated worldwide is now doubling every two years. Postmodern America, for the most part, looks with disdain and condescension at the world of 1950. The battle lines are blurred and the fundamental question has changed from “What is true?” to “Is there such a thing as truth?”
The fundamental issues really haven’t changed. God is still alive and well and He has revealed Himself through His Word. Man is still lost in sin and in need of a Savior. The life-changing power of the gospel and the convicting and drawing influence of the Holy Spirit have not waned. The local, New Testament Church is still God’s instrument of grace for this age, and the only hope for a lost and dying world.
People say, “Wow, things have really changed at BBC.” Some say it appreciatively; others say it with a touch of concern in their voices. In truth, if BBC had not changed over its 60-year his tory, it would have become totally irrelevant and incapable of preparing this generation of soldiers of the cross to enter the battle of the ages.
Change is inevitable and necessary. Not all change is good, but as the world changes, God’s people have to adapt their methods so that their message can be heard. The things that are happening on the campus of Baptist Bible College right now bode well for the future efforts of the Baptist Bible Fellowship to continue its legacy of evangelism, church planting, and mission outreach around the globe.
Benjamin Franklin said, “When you are finished changing, you are finished.” It is exciting to see evidence that BBC is not finished yet.
The Alumni Association of Baptist Bible College is committed to supporting BBC and its students, faculty, and administration through the difficult waters of necessary change. It is time for the graduates, supporting pastors, and those who have been blessed by the school to embrace the vision for Tomorrow’s BBC that Jim Edge and his leadership team are putting into place.
If the Lord tarries, the world of 2020 will be a very different place than the world we live in today. The BBC Alumni Association is working to see that BBC is still preparing God’s choicest servants to meet the needs of the world around them through the life-changing power of the gospel.