What God Does Through NBC Students
A handsome man in an ROTC uniform entered church on a hot May Sunday. He walked down the aisle and slipped into the seat by his grandmother. Not known for being impulsive, I remarked to a friend, “That’s the man I’m going to marry.” He returned to church that night with a girlfriend, but two years later, Ken and I were married and set off in a red Chevelle for Nazarene Theological Seminary.
Following two years in Kansas City, we enjoyed twelve years of ministry in Ohio. The summer of 1983, Ken’s doctoral work at Drew Theological Seminary took our family to Parsippany, New Jersey. Non-campers, we were the original Survivors, living for a month in a pop-up camper. Not knowing how to level the camper or that a box existed to reset fuses, we ate our meals on a sloped table and deliberated over which two devices to plug into the one working outlet. Somehow, we managed, but returning home, we faced a bigger challenge: whether to interview at a church near Pittsburgh. Feeling God’s gentle push, we met the Board.
September 1983 found us back in Pennsylvania, our home state. Little did we know that we would celebrate thirty-five years of ministry there. Though we have edged closer to retirement, we continue to serve on the district and share life with our church family and forever friends.
We are incredibly blessed by our children (Kelly and her husband Chuck, Derek and his wife Jessica, and Erin) and our grandkids (Noah, Kenna, Ethan, and Olivia) who all serve the Lord through ministries at church and in their workplaces and schools.
For fifteen years, I have been privileged to teach at Nazarene Bible College. I can testify that “distance learning” does not describe the close relationships built through NBC’s online classes. The conclusion of a course does not mean that friendships formed during class will end. Instead, I frequently receive emails from students who have become my sisters and brothers in Christ. I am privileged to share in their joys, sorrows, concerns, and answers to prayer as well as having them pray for and walk through life’s experiences with me.
A former student, now a dear friend, wrote to me recently about the work God is doing in their church. Although resources are limited, their vision is great. Their outreach ministry has expanded to Sunday Dinner at Dad’s, inviting those in need to join the church family for a hearty lunch after church. This student wrote, “When we started the first Sunday in June, we only had about 5–8 people on Sunday mornings, and we served 45 people. Last week, we had 20 people for worship, and we served 75! It’s incredible to see what God is doing here!”
What a joy it is to teach at NBC and share in the miracles God is doing around the world through current students and graduates of Nazarene Bible College.
Prof. Patricia Culbertson has been an adjunct professor at NBC since 2004.
Published: 03/16/2020
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