I'd be interested in hearing of the denominational backgrounds and ministerial affiliations of the Bethany student body. I'd also like to hear about your various ministries that you are either involved in or preparing for. Why did you choose Bethany?

-- Mark Jones (mark_jones@peachnet.campus.mci.net), September 25, 1998

Answers

I am a member of Open Door Bible Baptist Church. I am currently involved in both the Christian Education and Christian Counseling programs through Bethany. I don't know yet whether or not I will ever use my degrees professionally, but I would like to be qualified to home school my children should I ever get married (I am 18 years old). Also, I think an education in Christian Counseling will be helpful no matter where the Lord leads me in my lifeime.

-- Tiffany D.Cornish (tweety1998@juno.com), September 30, 1998.

PS-Sorry! I misspelled lifetime! Also, I didn't answer the question fully. I am currently my church organist. I also sing in several different groups at church, teach four piano students, and help in a monthly nursing home ministry.

-- Tiffany D.Cornish (tweety1998@juno.com), September 30, 1998.

My name is Mark Jones, I live in Watkinsville, GA (right outside Athens, GA-Home of the Georgia Bulldogs). I work for Georgia State University in Atlanta in Information Technology. I'm 36, married for almost 10 years with two beautiful girls, ages 4 and 6.

I currently attend Grace Fellowship Church of God in Watkinsville, GA. We are affiliated with the Church of God-Cleveland TN. We are a church plant of Mt. Paran Church of God in Atlanta.

I've worked in youth ministry for years, was a youth pastor for a time, and I'd say youth and children still burn deep in my heart. A few years ago, the Lord brought me into the prison ministry, and for about three years I have ministered in prisons and Youth Development (juvenile detention) centers. My regular ministry is at the Athens Regional Youth Development where I lead a team that goes in bi-weekly and for special crusade-type events to minister to boys from 11-17 years of age.

I teach, preach, and lead worship with guitar everywhere God opens a door. The Lord has given me the heart of a pastor, and as He opens the doors I hope to pursue this calling.

I prayed for years for the right opportunity to receive a seminary education. As the provider for a one-earner home-schooling family, there was no way short of a miracle that I could pull up stakes and go to school. I watched Bethany for about five years before enrolling in the Master of Arts in Religion (concentration Bible) program, and saw a school that was continuously improving, and very stable. The programs are based around texts that are standards in conservative Christian theology. The tuition is the absolute best value I found after looking at opportunities in conservative Christian distance education for years, and looking at dozens of institutions. Bethany, in my opinion is the finest its field.

I look forward to hearing ministry profiles from my fellow students. May the Lord bless you.

-- J. Mark Jones (mark_jones@peachnet.campus.mci.net), September 30, 1998.

I am a D.Min. graduate of Bethany. I attend a "Sovereign Grace" independent Baptist church in Cocoa, Florida. Sovereign grace is not a denomination, but a description of our beliefs. We are Reformed (Calvinistic) in our view of salvation, and dispensational in our view of ecclesiology and eschatology. We believe in the full sovereignty of God in all matters. I serve as a missionary in a multi-denominational missions organization called Good News Jail & Prison Ministry.

-- Dr. Douglas Paul Pruiett (pruiett@sprintmail.com), October 01, 1998.

I attend Calvary Baptist Church, a Regular Baptist church, in Huron, South Dakota. I trusted Christ at age 13 and began going there when I was 15, when I obeyed the Lord in baptism and joined the church. I am now 23, and have attended Northland Baptist Bible College. I am currently serving as a Pastoral Intern at my home church while I am taking classes at Bethany and working a full time job. I consider myself a fundamentalist through and through, and have made Bible study my first passion. I'm preparing for service through the internship and Bethany's Pastoral classes, in the hope that the Lord will use me in the Pastoral area of church ministry. I recommend a good fundamental education to anyone serious about learning the Bible.

-- Duane H. Wallenstein (kswallenstein@basec.net), March 11, 1999.

I am a "dependent" Baptist. I belong to an independent Baptist church but we fellowship with anyone who holds fast to the fundamental Christian faith. Since moving to Cincinnati, my family and I have been attending a Southern Baptist church.

I am helped by my wife in our ministry. We have been working under the label of "Out of Season" ministries as an outreach of our local church for about 6 years. We are involved in local church revival meetings, tent revivals, street preaching, internet ministry including http://www.outofseason.com

I chose Bethany because

1. I could not find a school within driving distance that was worth the money they were wanting to stick me for.

2. I was not impressed with the agendas and overall structure of other schools.

3. Bethany is solidly Biblical and I trust the men that run the school and create the cirriculum.

-- Greg "Fudge" Miller (fudge@outofseason.com), March 11, 1999.

I'm a 1993 D.Min graduate of Bethany and I'm a pastor in the church of the Nazarene. I found Bethany solidly Biblical and loyal to the fundamental tenets of the Christian faith.

-- Robert P. Fulton (rfulton2@juno.com), May 15, 1999.

I did Grad. From Bethany with a B.A.,M.A.,D.R.E. At this Moment I'm a Southern Baptist Pastor in Charlotte, NC. Before became a fulltime pastor i was working a Mental Health Worker in Orlando Florida. They never questioned my degree from Bethany. I'm also an adjunct faculty member of a Theological Seminary who is very accredited with Bethany Bible College & Theological Seminary Degree. I do Praise the Lord for Bethany....

Rev.,Dr. David Caraballo,B.A.,M.A.,D.R.E.,Ph.D.

-- Rev.,Dr. David Caraballo,D.R.E.,Ph.D. (pastordc@bellsouth.net), July 06, 1999.

I am a newly licenced preacher, I have been also looking at Bethany for almost five years. Could someone please give me some advice asto the best program of study. I am amember of a Baptist church and I havesome training through the local extenstion of American Baptist College,Nashville Tenn.

-- Min.P.R.OWEN (petowe@aol.com), July 08, 1999.

I am a M.Div. and Ph.D. graduate of Bethany Seminary in 1989. I also hold a BA from Arlington Baptist College and a MA in Counseling from Liberty University. I am a minister with the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) and am currently pastoring a Mission Parish in Weatherford, Texas. I am also a faculty member of Cranmer Theological House, one of three seminaries in the REC, where I teach Pastoral Counseling.

If any of you would like to read of my journey through the ministry, I have posted it at http://homepages.infoseek.com/~vicarrec/testimony.htm

God bless you all, Robert+

The REC and the seminary where I teach had no problem accepting my studies at Bethany, even without accreditation. And I deeply value my Biblical education recieved through Bethany Seminary, and frequently recommend Bethany to my Baptist brethren.

-- Rev'd Dr. Robert Himes (lrhimes@netscape.net), August 20, 1999.

New E-mail: DcBoricua4@cs.com

-- Rev.,Dr. David Caraballo, D.R.E.,Ph.D. (DcBoricua@cs.com), October 07, 1999.

My name is Devin Johnstone, and I am currently serving as Minister of Christian Education and Music at the West Lane United Baptist Church, Moncton, NB (Canada). I graduated after studying for three years at the New Brunswick Bible Institute, then, while serving in pastoral ministry, completed the necessary studies for a Bachelor of Arts degree, which I received in June 1999. I am currently studying part-time at two ATS accredited seminaries here in Atlantic Canada, the Atlantic School of Theology and at the Acadia Divinity College (Graduate School of Theology of Acadia University).

Denominationally, we are affiliated with the United Baptist Convention of the Atlantic Provinces (UBCAP), which is in turn affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance (comprised of numerous other Baptist Conventions - including SBC, ABC, etc.). I really appreciated my Bethany training, partially because of the flexibility, but also because I truly felt that it enhanced my ministry skills. It also bridged the gap between Bible institute, ministry, and the seminary that I eventually hoped to attend. I'd like to hear of anyone else's positive experiences with Bethany.

-- Devin Johnstone (djohnstone@aries.ccca), November 24, 1999.

I am a member of Union Bible Church in Old Bridge, NJ. Our denomination is non-denom but we teach and preach the doctrines of grace. www.scionofzion.com/ubc.htm

I am the Sunday School teacher there and an itinerant speaker. www.scionofzion.com/ministries.htm

-- Dr. Ken Matto (class of 90') (kmatto@earthlink.net), March 21, 2000.

I wanted to let you know that I have started on a new ministry venture since leaving the military. My ministry is:

Pilgrim's Way Ministries http://members.xoom.com/xenos_min/index.htm

I welcome you to take a look at my web page!

This weekend (March 25th) I am presenting my first workshop under the auspices of my new ministry.

(Bachelor of Biblical Studies, Master of Ministry, Doctor of Ministry (1999), all from Bethany)

-- Dr. Jon F. Dewey (jdewey6299@aol.com), March 23, 2000.