Behind the Scenes at NBC
Our students are our top priority. Our educational programs serve our students. The ministry skills and knowledge gained through the courses prepare students as pastors, deacons, counselors and educators. NBC administrators, faculty, and staff are dedicated to developing our students for service and leadership throughout the world.
Finding God’s “Called Ones” and connecting these “Called Ones” to NBC’s educational programs is a weekly, daily focus for those who work at NBC. Each time a student is admitted as a student to NBC, a bell is rung (really, a gong is struck!) which is to let staff members throughout the office know that a student has been accepted into an NBC program. This means that a connection has been made, and it is time to celebrate! Each administrator and staff member stop what they are doing, and clap, demonstrating their joy in this “triumph.” The clapping is a form of solidarity with our Enrollment Management department. The mission of NBC is being carried out!
One might think “triumph” is a strong word to use, but the enemy, Satan, does not like when a person called by God into Christian service gets connected to quality, theological education. There is opposition in the spiritual realm that is unseen. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). When the gong is struck and the clapping is heard, many NBC staff members also use that moment of celebration to pray for that new student.
Not unlike the gong tradition, is NBC’s weekly Chapel. This is a time to lift up our students in prayer, most often, for specific, current needs that are shared through conversations with our students. Requests for prayer come in all forms, like students experiencing the loss of a loved one, having surgeries, facing health problems, wrapping-up a term with final assignments and exams, requesting educational support, seeking career guidance, and needing spiritual counsel.
Today, our Enrollment Management Vice President, Dr. David Church, shared good news of increases in number of final-accepted students. Last week, NBC showed an increase of 24% from last year of final-accepted Degree students. There was also a 17% increase in final-accepted students in the Ministry Preparation Program (MPP) and the Spanish non-degree program, Programa de Preparación Ministerial (PPM). This increase in enrollment is encouraging and makes the jobs we do at NBC worthwhile.
We all are recruiters and coaches of some sort. NBC’s student population is diverse and is spread across the USA and around the world. NBC rejoices to read these encouraging statistics. I wonder what other “behind the scene” occurrences happen each day at NBC demonstrating that our students are our top priority.
Susan McKeithen, Executive Assistant to the President
Published: 02/03/2020
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