Why We are Starting SureWord Baptist College - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
Why We are Starting SureWord Baptist College
2 Timothy 2
· 1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
· 2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
Intro: For over 20 years, I have had the wonderful privilege to train men and women for ministry.
There’s nothing like pouring yourself into another person and watching them grasp truths and concepts.
The Bible formula for discipleship and mentoring is found in 2 Timothy 2:2.
Here we find 4 levels of disciples.
1. Paul – the things which thou has heard OF ME…
2. Timothy – the same commit THOU…
3. Level 3 – commit thou to FAITHFUL MEN…
4. Level 4 – that they may teach OTHERS also.
We have tonight what we are enjoying as Christians because it was passed down to us. (Jude 3)
I want to go on record tonight with several key statements.
A. We are not trying to COMPETE with other Bible Colleges.
We are not in competition with other Bible Colleges.
There are many Bible colleges in this country.
I have a host of friends with Bible colleges and institutes all over America.
I have no desire to try and show them up or position myself as the one with the answers.
Not only do I not have all the answers, I don’t even know all the questions.
I am still learning and I have more to learn than I know.
I don’t profess to be the smartest or the best at knowing the Bible or preaching the Bible.
The older I get, the more of the Bible I don’t fully understand and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
My memory is not what it used to be.
My English is deplorable.
B. We are not trying to COMPARE to other Bible Colleges.
We will have a different kind of school because I have a different philosophy about this endeavor.
I will not try to imitate, duplicate, replicate or desecrate another Bible college.
· 2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Our college will be different in our approach to learning.
It will be different in our attitude toward Bible college degrees.
It will be different in our ambition.
C. We are not trying to CONTEND with other Bible Colleges.
What they do is their business.
They will stand before God and give account of their actions, their philosophy, their motives, their positions, their methods and their labor.
They don’t give account to me, and I’m not their judge.
· Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
So here are five reasons why we are starting SureWord Baptist College.
Because of my…
I. Duty to Fulfil the Command
· Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
We have a crop of new preachers and missionaries that need to be trained for ministry.
We have an imminent need to prepare them for ministry.
Many pastors either out of necessity or out of complacency choose to delegate that task.
I cannot with a clear conscience at this stage of the game send our preachers somewhere else.
It is my duty – our duty as a church to train our people for the ministry.
The duty is not to just run it by them; but to TEACH THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS.
That is a lifetime of work.
That is a serious command that requires enormous commitment and effort.
Because of my…
II. Determination to Finish my Course
· 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
I believe with all my heart that my course in life and ministry includes training the next generation.
I have been doing that for over 20 years.
There are many in ministry today that I have trained and taught.
But there is a new generation that has come along that needs to be taught.
I cannot finish my course until I have finished teaching this generation.
To neglect to teach them and train them would be the same as quitting my course.
I cannot sit down; back down or slow down.
A few months ago I preached a message entitled, Enlarge My Coast.
God has pushed me out of my recliner in the evenings and has literally thrust this upon me.
After thirty years of preaching and at the age of fifty, God is pulling what few feathers I have out of my nest and has compelled me to launch out into the deep.
My course has taken a turn.
My life has taken on a new challenge; a new task; a new hill to climb.
· This will be a tremendous effort physically for me.
· It will be a tremendous effort spiritually.
· New levels, new devils.
· The spiritual warfare will increase on me, my marriage, my family and our church.
But I am determined to finish my course!
Because of my…
III. Desire to Fortify the Company
· Psalm 68:11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.
The ranks are growing thin.
We desperately need to reinforce and company of those that are publishing God’s Word.
God gave the Word!!
We need more men and women publishing it!
Preachers are quitting.
Churches are closing.
Missionaries are coming home.
Because of my…
IV. Devotion to Fight for the Cause
· 1 Samuel 17:29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
We cannot stand by and watch the reproach.
The armies of Israel were educated, equipped and experienced, yet did nothing.
The cause is worth fighting for!
The cause is worth defending!
The cause was clear – deal with the reproach being put on God’s people.
For the past 15 years, I have fought a good fight.
I cannot stop fighting just because I have fought many battles.
I cannot stop teaching and training just because I have already taught and trained.
There is more to do.
There is many more that need to be taught.
Because of my…
V. Disgust with the Falling Away and Compromise
I’m tired of watching Bible college graduates walk away from Old Time religion.
I’m disgusted with the amount of compromise in this new generation of preachers.
They are dropping the name Baptist.
They are changing Bibles.
They have no standards.
They are leaving the old hymns and going to contemporary music.
Conclusion:
· 2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Here at Calvary Baptist Church, we believe we have a more sure word of prophecy.
In this Bible College, we have A MORE SURE WORD!!
We are not going to question it, or doubt it, or criticize it, or attack it, or deny it, or mock it, or refute it, or rewrite it, or update it, or modernize it, or retranslate it.
· We are going to teach it.
· We are going to preach it.
· We are going to explain it.
· We are going to study it.
· We are going to memorize it.
· We are going to exalt it.
· We are going to meditate on it.
· We are going to publish it.
· We are going to do our best to live it.
It is my heart’s desire to duplicate what we have here at Calvary.
Men that know how to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
Men and women that may not know Greek and Hebrew, but they understand personal holiness.
Men and women that know how to pray.
Men and women that know how to walk with God.
Men and women that want to have a godly, Christian home.
Men and women that want to change the world without letting the world change them.
Men and women that still believe in Old Time religion.