The Heritage News

Fall 2015 Edition

Fifth Year At Hopewell

Heritage Update

With sincere thankfulness and great expectations, the ninth year of classes have begun at Heritage Baptist College.

As we start this fifth year on the Hopewell Campus, we are thrilled at the wonderful potential. Improvements in facilities, remodeling, and added decor have helped to transform the interior of the Hopewell School building. Thank you to all those who helped.

We continue to raise money and work toward the building of the new dormitory. Requirements by the state and county have slowed the initial construction, but we hope in a few weeks to have everything ready to begin the foundation.

The goal of Heritage Baptist College continues to be: Training Young Men and Women to fulfill the Great Commission.

The Lord has blessed us with wonderful students and also with inquiries from new prospects. Without housing, some students are not able to attend. The dormitory is the next step for Heritage Baptist College to allow those from outside the area to receive a Christ-centered education.

The President's Perspective

Heritage Update

In our travels this summer, I went out of my way to visit a college that owns a historic symbol.

George Washington, the Father of our Country, left behind seven famous swords. Washington's War Sword is displayed at the Smithsonian, while most of the other swords are found at Mt. Vernon.

On William Jewel College, in Liberty, KS stands the 800+ seat auditorium known as John Gano Chapel. The chapel was built is 1926, and named for the Baptist preacher that was George Washington's chaplain. At the dedication of that building, a painting depicting John Gano baptizing George Washington was presented to the college by John Gano's great granddaughter.

After the Revolutionary War ended, George Washington asked to be baptized by his chaplain. With Washington's statement of faith, and in a private ceremony with only his officers present, John Gano baptized George Washington. Moments later, in a military gesture, Washington surrendered his Lafayette sword to Gano.

Heritage Update

The Gano relatives kept that sword in the family for over 200 years, and then in 1996 the great, great, great, great, granddaughter of John Gano offered the sword to William Jewel College where it is now displayed underneath the famous painting.

William Jewel College was founded by Baptists in 1849 to train preachers. The college remained as a Baptist school until 2003, when the leadership chose to identify with their liberal direction.

Heritage Update

This summer I wrote about the recent demise of 5 Bible colleges because of finances. Failed revenue is not always the reason. Sometimes colleges go secular because of affluence and a divergent leadership.

The future of Christian Education is made by those in the present.

How Do You Gauge Success?

Elmer Towns stated: The size of enrollment is not the gauge by which you judge the success of a school - but rather, by the product that the education produces. Heritage Baptist college is not a big school (yet), but don't misunderstand, we are always working toward a larger student body. I know when we get the dormitory built that there will be an increase in our enrollment.

Let me tell you about some of our graduates:

Justin Surface is the pastor of the Blue River Baptist Church in Edinburgh, Indiana. When he accepted the call, the church had only a handful of people meeting in a motel. In the past year, they have been able to buy a church auditorium and then the building next door for Sunday School classrooms. This month their attendance topped 100.

Ben Locke graduated this past May with his Master of Art degree in Bible. Over the summer he had the opportunity to act as interim pastor for the Landmark Baptist Church in Logansport, Indiana. Ben stated: As a young preacher boy with limited preaching experience, this was a great learning opportunity for me. The reports from Landmark Baptist Church were all positive, and they loved Brother Locke. Ben believes the Lord would have him serve in youth work.

Tim Lindsay II is a 2013 graduate, and he is the pastor of Life Line Baptist Church. Life Line is a very exciting and growing church, and they are in the planning stages of a new auditorium that will seat 500. This year Pastor Lindsay is assisting in our music department.

Russell Dennis, III is the educational pastor at Brownsburg Baptist Church. He worked nearly six years after graduation for Heartland Baptist Church in Ames, IA, before returning to Indianapolis to head up the college and educational ministry. Russ III's goal is to pastor, and plans are made for his ordination in January.

We are looking forward to the future and what it holds for Heritage Baptist College.

Meet Our Student

Heritage Update

This semester, we experienced a first in the Heritage Baptist College student family. That is, we saw the first child of a Heritage graduate enroll for classes. In 2008, David Voorhees moved from Kentucky and began classes as a student at Heritage. He received his education and became a pastor of Millgrove Bible Baptist Church in Quincy, IN.

The church was without a piano player, and so his young daughter, Adrian Voorhees began using her talent in the church services.

Adrian had accepted the Lord as her Savior at age six when her mother led her to the Lord. At eight years old she was learning to play the piano, and by twelve she was playing in church.

With a great dedication to do the Will of the Lord, Adrian enrolled as a freshman in Heritage Baptist College.

Adrian states, "I am thankful for God directing me to Heritage, and I can't wait to see what all He has in store for my life as well as for this college"

Fall Banquet

Heritage Update

Friends of Heritage Baptist College are invited to attend this year's Fall Banquet. Please set aside two hours for some great food, music, and fellowship. Seating is limited, so please call today for your reservation.

  • Date: Friday, November 6, 2015
  • Time: 7:00 p.m.
  • Place: Hopewell Campus
  • Speaker: Dr. David Price

Are You Ready to Take Your Next Step to Answer Your Calling?

Contact an Admissions Counselor TODAY and plan to visit Heritage. You can reach us at 317-738-3791