The Role of a Denominational College

Several key points from our presentation on the work of the Scottish Baptist College at our Annual Baptist Assembly.

What the Scottish Baptist College is "For".

The College is a means to an end. But to a great
end – the training of those God calls to be builders of graced communities, to
be supporters and encouragers of communities of witness, to be Christ centred activists for the Kingdom of God.

Theological Education as Ministry Formation

Theological education and ministry formation are
nothing less than taking seriously Christ’s invitation, Come ….take my yoke
upon you….learn of me… Or Paul’s plea, ‘be transformed by the renewing of your
mind…and conformed to the image of Christ” 
The years in College can be hard years of self discovery, inner change,
growth through a process of sifting and searching that deepens mind and soul.
That’s why the focus of the College is on academic quality and spiritual formation, clearly centred on Christ and earthed in Scripture, evangelical in
purpose and Baptist in conviction.

Calling and Curriculum

Our calling under God as a College is to share the Gospel, to build graced communities
of witness to Jesus Christ, and towards this our College works, year in and year out, to
replenish and resource ministry in our churches. But we don’t just go on doing the same thing, working
to the same old models, indiscriminately  pumping information into heads like forcing
insulation foam into cavity walls.

A curriculum has to be shaped around our context, the time and place in history that we call contemporary – and ours is a time of cultural flux. So we need leaders and
servants, pastors and evangelists, imaginers of mission, gifted builders of graced community,
creative thinkers for God.

“Does God call the equipped or equip the called?”
someone asked. Daft question! God does both. The Church is caled to be culturally informed, culturally engaged, in order
to be counter cultural; so it must be Gospel informed and Gospel engaged in order to be
counter cultural. Because our counter-cultural lives are to be rooted in the reality of the Living Christ, the transformative power of a Gospel of reconciliation, peace and hope.