The Inaugural Herman G. Johnson Lecture
Late August 2014 is a very significant time in the history of Trinity Bible College. It sees the launch of our first ever postgraduate program. At the time of writing this article we are delighted that 18 students have already been enrolled.
An important element of the launch of the new graduate program is the inaugural Herman G. Johnson lecture. It is common practice to name academic lecture series in honor of a prominent person, major benefactor or someone who has contributed significantly to an area of academic research. I could think of no one better to name an annual lecture after than Herman G. Johnson. This great man and his wife served churches in North Dakota for many decades starting in the 1920’s. He also served as the first AG District Superintendent of North Dakota, and his legacy lives on in the lives of his children and grandchildren.
The 2014 Herman G. Johnson lecture will be delivered by Prof. Dr. William Kay. Prof. Kay is one of the most prominent Pentecostal scholars in the world today. He holds two earned PhD degrees as well as the Doctor of Divinity degree – historically the highest qualification that can be offered by a British University. He was the founding Director of the Center for Pentecostal Studies at Bangor University in Wales, UK. More importantly, he is passionately committed to training the next generation of great leaders in ministry and mission.
We are also delighted that North Dakota’s Congressman Kevin Cramer (ND-AL) will be speaking at this inaugural event. Congressman Cramer has a long history of leadership in institutions of higher education and is a strong supporter of religious freedom.
I, along with the faculty of the Graduate School at Trinity warmly invite you to attend. Here are the details:
The Herman G. Johnson Lecture
Venue: The Chapel at Trinity Bible College, Ellendale, ND
Date: Thursday August 28, 2014
Time: 7:00 pm
There will be a reception immediately following the event.
I am looking forward to an exceptional evening with many friends and supporters.
As always, for His Kingdom,
Paul R. Alexander, PhD – President Trinity Bible College
*Go to www.trinitybiblecollege.edu to learn more about the college and graduate school*
What a Difference Volunteers Make!
Trinity Bible College has been the recipient of many kind gifts and donations in recent years. This is evident in the continued refurbishment of the campus, new buildings and, most importantly, the development and delivery of a world class education for our many students.
A Doubling of Donations
Especially noteworthy is the fact that these donations tend to go a lot further than in many similar institutions. The primary reason for this is the army of volunteers lined up to help us. Church groups from across the country have sent teams small and large to help us nearly double the value of every dollar donated. In recent months teams from Watertown, SD, Carthage, MO, Bolivar, MO and Norfolk, VA have invested hundreds and hundreds of volunteer hours. This translates to literally tens of thousands of dollars. We are very grateful to them all.
Then special mention must be made of the MAPS workers who drive their own RV’s to the campus, look after themselves with accommodation and food and then serve in the most amazing ways. Theirs is one of the most remarkable stories of servanthood I have encountered. In recent months these amazing men and women have served our college by installing a massive HVAC system in Davidson Hall, saving us several hundred thousand dollars. It seems inadequate but, from us all “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
This email comes with a challenge for you or a team from your church to come and join these remarkable people in helping us forge a great future for ministry and mission training in our region.
With a grateful heart,
Dr. Paul R. Alexander – President
TBC Alumni and Friends
Once a student…forever an alumnus! Whether you attended…
Lakewood Bible School Devil’s Lake, ND, Hub City Bible Institute Aberdeen, SD, Trinity Bible Institute Jamestown, ND or Trinity Bible College Ellendale, ND…
you are part of the community that connects us all!
While Trinity has operated on several campuses, under many different leaders and with countless faculty, staff and students, our mission has always been the same: to influence the world for Jesus Christ.
Vision, mission and legacy
Trinity alumni serve in many capacities around the world:
- Planting churches in rural America or in urban centers across the globe
- Playing a transformational role in the lives of young people through youth and children’s work & ministry, college & career ministry or Teen Challenge centers
- Speaking peace into servicemen and women’s lives as chaplains in the armed forces
- Solving problems in the workforce as committed business people
- Coaching competitive sports with a biblical approach.
The Alumni office looks forward to connecting you with classmates and the growing legacy of Lions around the world. We are currently updating our records and would love for you to stay connected by registering on our alumni website.
In case you missed it
Last week many of you received President Alexander’s important announcement of a new Prayer Chapel being built on Trinity’s campus. Through the extreme kindness of generous donors, this new building will replace the old Administrative building, which was demolished earlier this summer.
The Prayer Chapel will provide:
- A beautiful, tranquil prayer chapel providing a quiet, reflective place for prayer
- Three state-of-the-art classrooms, two of which are tiered lecture theaters
- A glass-fronted atrium that will be a bright center for conversation and small receptions
- Corridors joining the Student Life Center with Flemington Hall
Rejoice with us as this amazing addition is built!
I look forward to sharing more in the days to come and meeting with you as I travel across America as we celebrate the past and contribute to the future!
In Christ,
Dan Kuno – VP for Advancement & Alumni
*To Donate to Trinity Bible College CLICK HERE
Dreams Come True!
Two years ago Carol and I moved to Ellendale to assume the responsibility of leading Trinity Bible College. It has proved to be one of the best decisions we have ever made We stand amazed at how God has worked both in and through us during this time.
One of my greatest frustrations in coming to Trinity was the poor state of many of our buildings. Deferred maintenance had taken its toll and parts of our otherwise beautiful campus were embarrassing to look at. One of those parts was the old Administration building. This building is over a hundred years old and was initially built to accommodate training people in manual skills. Its conversion to offices and classrooms was obviously done on a budget, and the building then bit by bit it fell into disrepair.
I started by dreaming of replacing it with an open air plaza, flying the flags of the nations and calling students to missionary prayer. I was, of course, reminded that open air spaces are not very practical in North Dakota. So a vision for a small prayer chapel was birthed. Another suggestion was made to somehow connect this chapel to other buildings to enable access during the cold months of winter. Then came an idea for some new classrooms. And so the vision grew.
I am delighted to use this weekly email to announce that those dreams – and more – are now becoming a reality. Through the extreme kindness of generous donors, a new building will now replace the old. This new building will be incredibly valuable to the campus community. Here is a list of what it will provide:
- A beautiful, tranquil prayer chapel providing a quiet, reflective place for prayer
- Three state-of-the-art classrooms, two of which are tiered lecture theaters
- A glass-fronted atrium that will be a bright center for conversation and small receptions
- Corridors joining the Student Life Center with Flemington Hall
- A kitchenette, restrooms and storage
Rejoice with us as this amazing addition to our campus is built!
Over coming weeks we will be sharing ways in which our alumni and friends can add their support to ensure that this building is used to its full potential. A donor wall is being created to allow other generous friends to participate in the continued growth and wonderful future of this very special college.
With appreciation to our generous friends,
Paul R Alexander (PhD) – President
*To donate to Trinity Bible College please CLICK HERE to give completely online.
Can an Advanced Degree be Affordable?
Last week I wrote in this column and asked the question, “Can a college education be affordable?” I suggested a few ways to ensure that the privilege of a higher education remains accessible to all. I now want to ask the same question relating to a graduate education.
A Graduate Education
A graduate education is a rare privilege, and it is clearly shown that those who commit themselves to further study reap the rewards in their professions. But it can seem expensive. Federal aid is one option but with interest rates on student loans at an all-time high it is becoming less and less attractive.
This fall sees the introduction of Trinity’s first graduate program. The cohort is already almost at capacity, and it has all the potential of being a life changing experience for all those who have so boldly committed themselves to the rigors of postgraduate study. But how will they afford it? Because of our passion for offering an affordable education let me suggest some of our responses:
We have established conservative levels of remuneration for staff and faculty enabling us to offer the program at a lower cost than almost any comparative program.
We have made generous scholarships available to those in ministry.
We have taken the unusual yet positive step of offering a Trinity-funded deferred payment option. Qualifying students have the option of paying their fees over a five-year period at no interest.
At Trinity this is a partial expression of our deep passion to find ways to enable students who use their time well, remain disciplined in their studies and are wise stewards of their resources to graduate debt free. I invite you through your giving and your prayers to join us in this great pursuit.
Passionately committed to an affordable education,
Dr. Paul R. Alexander – President
Special note: We are still open for applications for the MA in Missional Leadership program this Fall. Check out the Trinity Graduate School on our website.
Can College Be Affordable?
People from almost every background and region of the country want to know if a college education is worth the money. Many ask if it is really in our best interest to place a huge debt burden on the next generation. For Trinity Bible College students the question is particularly pertinent, Trinity is fully committed to training people for ministry and mission. How can these individuals hope to go into ministry with a large debt burden hanging over them?
A Passionate Commitment
The answers are complex, but let me suggest a few:
- Families generally should share the burden of educating the next generation. Americans did this very thing for decades until the federal government began giving more and more enticing opportunities through federal aid and loans. I am of the opinion that every family – moms and dads, grandparents and children – should make College savings and contributions a normal part of household budgets.
- Students should be better informed and responsible. A surprisingly small proportion of students maximize their earning potentials during summers and with other work opportunities. Federal aid is increasingly used for non-essential items instead of for paying direct college expenses. This fact remains under-reported but is critical in understanding the cost of an education. Colleges and institutions of higher education must be more astute in guiding students through their education by providing better counseling to help avoid unnecessary course work and ensure students graduate in four years.
At Trinity providing an affordable education is a passion. Many, many conversations relate to ways we can reduce students’ reliance upon loans and the very expensive federal aid that is available. To this end we have become very aggressive in how we award scholarships. In fact this year we will commit about 42% of our potential tuition income to providing scholarships to deserving students. Importantly this includes scholarships of nearly 50% of tuition to the dependent children of ministers and missionaries who live on campus.
This would not be possible without the kind and faithful support of people just like you!
As always, for His Kingdom’s sake,
Dr. Paul R. Alexander – President
*To Donate to Trinity Bible College online please CLICK HERE
TBC Alumni
There has never been a greater day to be called an Alumnus of Trinity Bible College! You are part of a shared experience that dates back to 1948 — an experience that connects you to more than 8,000 TBC alumni.
Opportunities Abound
Without our valued alumni and students, Trinity would simply be a handful of buildings. Whether you just walked across the stage to receive your diploma in May or it is a distant memory, you are what continues to make Trinity a special place!
I want to invite all of our alumni and supporters to re-imagine ways you can stay actively engaged with Trinity:
- Sign up online for our monthly alumni newsletter and share your story
- Degree completion – not quite received your diploma? Here is your opportunity with our distance education program
- Further your education – get your Master’s degree through the new Missional Leadership program beginning this August!
- Share a monetary gift
- Set up a scholarship for a worthy student
- Volunteer some time to help with one of our many projects on campus
I would love to have you drop by, call or email any time. You can call me at 701.349.5770 or email at dkuno@trinitybiblecollege.edu. We want to hear your story and know how you want to stay involved with Trinity!
Looking forward to connecting with you soon!
Rev. Dan Kuno – VP for Advancement &Alumni
TBC Annual Audits & Accountability
For the next number of weeks various departments here at the college will be busy preparing for our annual financial audit. Each year for two weeks, auditors from an independent auditing firm come to campus to do an independent investigation, testing the accuracy of our financial records and reviewing our internal controls. Everything is open for their review. In the end, they produce a report giving their professional opinion of whether our financial statements accurately represent our financial position according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Last year, we received a wonderful report from our auditors. We are so grateful for the tremendous progress that has been made!
Our Commitment to Transparency & Excellence
An audit is costly and brings with it an incredible amount of preparation in time and manpower. So why does Trinity Bible College expend this kind of time, talent and finance?
I believe there are 3 reasons:
First of all, it is required of us. Like most colleges, we participate in federal programs – like Federal Student Aid (FSA) – which require an audit to participate.
Secondly, it is part of the normal business process of a healthy organization. It provides an objective benchmark to evaluate how well things are going and reviews policies and procedures to insure healthy protocols are being followed. This aids our efficiency, protects our organization, and provides important information for other organizations like banks and vendors. As a donor, an audit gives you the security of knowing that our finances are in order and the assurance that donations are being spent as you intended.
Thirdly, and honestly most importantly, we desire to see the Kingdom of God advanced. We believe that the Body of Christ is the Hope of the World and that Trinity Bible College is uniquely positioned to raise up the next generation of world changers. As such, we do not want our progress to be hindered by questionable practices that could bring dishonor to the Kingdom and to our God.
Our desire is to be transparent, honest and forthright in all we do. We want to maintain the trust of those we serve, the respect from the world around us and bring honor to our God. We thank you for your continued confidence and support of Trinity Bible College.
In His Service,
Winston G. Titus – Vice President of Administration
*If you would like to donate to Trinity Bible College please CLICK HERE to give online.
Trinity Placing Teachers
A Passion for Teaching
One of the greatest parts of being a faculty member at Trinity Bible College is getting to work with amazing young adults every day, especially when these young people share your love for teaching others. As you can see in the photos below this message, we work hard, implement and practice what we learn, build meaningful relationships, and have a fun time in the process!
Trinity’s Teacher Education Partnership
Trinity’s Teacher Education program, which offers a choice of major in either Elementary Education or Physical Education, is facilitated through our partnership with Valley City State University. When students complete the program, they graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from Trinity and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary or Physical Education from Valley City. It requires strength of character, stamina, and a lot of effort and hard work, but at the end of the journey, it is worth it!
In the picture, Jordan Nowell (Co-Chair of the Teacher Education department) and I are standing with four of our May 2014 graduates, all of whom have been hired to teach in various places around the Midwest for upcoming year. In fact, out of our seven teacher education graduates, six have already accepted teaching positions for the upcoming school year!
TBC teaching graduates
It is an honor and a privilege to serve the Lord through this educational training program. Thank you for your prayers. Please know that your support makes a difference!
Blessings to you!
Rachelle Springer, M.Ed. – Faculty & Co-Chair, Teacher Education Department
*If you would like to learn more about the Teacher Education degrees available through Trinity Bible College please CLICK HERE
Davidson Hall Renovations Underway!
An important part of ensuring a high quality education and training in the contemporary world remains the provision of excellent campus facilities. There is much evidence to show that a positive, on campus College experience does much to help determine the future success of a student. Despite the massive growth in on-line education, it is still very difficult to replace the rich rewards and impact of living within a campus community.
Maximizing Trinity’s Facilities
With this in mind I felt very strongly that we should maximize the Trinity facilities. The first great challenge was the full renovation and reoccupation of the iconic Davidson Hall. Towards the end of last year a substantial donation allowed us to undertake the renovation. The entire building has been completely gutted. We did find the evidence of previous residents’ misdemeanors in the form of graffiti and signatures inside doors and cupboards. Fortunately there was nothing that was incriminating in any way!
Tons of plaster and interior walls have been removed from the building as we have gone back to the studs. New sump pumps have been installed in the basement and a whole new concrete floor has been poured. Nearly two of the floors have now been framed and a whole new interior layout is emerging. The refurbished building will have a first floor dedicated to administration and advancement. On the second floor there will be academic offices including the Registrar, Vice President of Academics and the new Graduate School offices. This floor will also have the new offices of the President.
This month the new HVAC system will be installed. We are thrilled that over 130 volunteers are signed up to serve over the summer months. Great progress is being made at Trinity and we are grateful to God and you for all that is happening!
For His Kingdom’s sake,
Dr. Paul R. Alexander – President
*If you would like to donate to the Davidson Hall renovation project or to any other area of Trinity Bible College please CLICK HERE to do so online.
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