One Gateway initiative which often remains behind-the-scenes is our partnerships with international seminaries. Some of these relationships are formal (with written agreements to support one another) while others are fraternal (more intermittent and relational). We have several of these with schools around the world – mainly focused on the Pacific Rim but also including schools in Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
There are several reasons we assist other seminaries. We believe in the global mission of theological education and leadership development. We believe God honors generosity, and sharing our expertise is one way of giving ourselves away to serve others. We are humbled by the results other schools are achieving with limited resources and want to encourage other leaders by our support. We want to extend our mission globally, not just by franchising Gateway in other places, but by supporting contextualized, indigenous leadership training in many locations.
These international relationships do not include sending money to partners or telling partners how to do their job. We try to model effective missiology by coming alongside international partners and joining them in their work, not imposing our methods on them or negatively impacting their economic models.
Last week, it was my privilege to support the work of the Philippines Baptist Theological Seminary by speaking at their 53rd annual Lide Walker Bible Conference. It was my second time to preach at this three-day event with almost 700 registered attendees. PBTS is making a significant impact in training leaders through their primary campus program and certificate-level extension centers around the world. It was an honor to be with them – to train their students, encourage their leaders, and network with national leaders from across their network of churches.
Gateway is a missions-immersed seminary with a global focus – not just on sending graduates to other places but involving our faculty and staff as well. We are committed to doing our part, as one of the largest seminaries in the world, to strengthen global efforts at training kingdom leaders.
By the way, mark your calendar for our annual Missions Conference on Feb. 23-25, featuring the IMB’s Mission College for training local church leaders on how to expand their international missions impact. Paul Chitwood, President of the International Mission Board, will be our special guest. We will also be announcing a major new initiative related to shaping future mission leaders. Gateway global is more than a catchphrase – it’s who we are and what we do!
Read More
People Who Believed in Me – Part Two
Dr. Iorg reflects on the humble families who made his seminary education possible.
People Who Believed in Me – Part One
Dr. Iorg reflects on the humble families who made his seminary education possible. He encourages others to invest in the church’s future leaders.
Listen
Stepping Away from the Edge — Avoiding Moral and Ethical Drift
Dr. Iorg cautions leaders against slowly drifting away from their moral and ethical principles. He describes some warning signs to watch out for and ways that leaders can better guard themselves.
Peter’s Confession
The confession of Peter begins with the question; who is Jesus? This is the first time in Mark’s Gospel that someone admits Jesus is the Christ. Jesus then defines who the Christ is and what He does. What does Peter’s reaction and the context of this passage mean for
Watch
Jonathan Edwards and the Asbury Revival
Chris Chun and Chris Woznicki discuss the signs of true revival, signs of the work of the Holy Spirit, and why it is important to critically assess the characteristics of revival in a spirit of charity.
Jonathan Edwards and the Baptists | Douglas Sweeney, Nathan Finn and Chris Chun
Dr. Douglas Sweeney and Dr. Nathan Finn joined Dr. Chris Chun for a panel discussion on Jonathan Edwards, recorded live at the SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim.