Listening to student testimonies, hearing what God is calling them to do.
Personal Touch - Answering God's Call Together
What do a 70+-year-old retired engineer and an 18-year-old recent high school graduate have in common? They have both responded to God’s call by seeking training at Nazarene Bible College.
According to Admissions Specialist Katie Finn, the man in his 70s retired after a successful career at a technology and engineering firm and felt a call to ministry. “He and his wife faithfully stepped into God’s call,” she recalls, “and are now pastoring in a rural area – an area that, at the time of their calling, didn’t even have running water or electricity. Through their obedience, they brought not only the message of Christ but also practical resources like solar power.”
We see testimonies like this all the time! God wants to work through His people – from teens to retirees.
“Working in Admissions,” says Admissions Lead Stephen Edwards, “means you wind up being that first person to help students refine their vision for ministry training.” Newly called ministers often come to NBC praying for confirmation of their call and guidance on ministry training. Our Enrollment Team is prepared to help with that!
The Admissions team members take the time to listen to their testimonies, hear what God is calling them to do, and begin to explain all the possibilities at NBC.
Still, there are challenges to any type of higher education, especially for the non-traditional age students. After Admissions has welcomed them into the NBC family, Advising steps in to support them to completion.
Most of our students are not retired. Our average student has a career, has family to care for, and is already active with ministry responsibilities. That can make college the fourth highest priority!
“I’m proud to be able to assist students in their journey toward ordination,” says Advising Lead Aaron Hoffman. “We have the biggest impact when we advocate for students,” he says, as ministry students often need help navigating the processes, contacting the right person in authority, or being represented to the Scholarship Committee. This advocacy lasts through the full journey at NBC.
According to Vice President for Enrollment Management Will Mackey, “Much of this comes in the form of working with students to remove obstacles.” The issues that get in the way may be financial, academic, or personal, but the advisors stand ready to listen carefully, identify what needs to change, and guide them through to a good learning environment.
Of course, serving on the Scholarship Committee can be an especially rewarding endeavor for Advisors. The committee meets several times throughout the year, requiring members to keep up-to-date on students who need assistance during their years at NBC. As a result, advocacy is on the schedule regularly.
The Enrollment Management Team is often the first and most regular contact for students at NBC as they move from class to class and professor to professor. This may sometimes feel like being a “cog in the wheel of what God is doing,” as Stephen Edwards says, but it is an essential part of guiding students – of any age – in their ministry training journey. Thanks to the work of this team, students can remain focused on answering God’s call to ministry.