Eleventh Year At Hopewell
With sincere thankfulness and great expectations, the fifteenth year of classes have begun at Heritage Baptist College.
Over the past summer, we were blessed with a fine crew of willing workers that helped repair some much needed areas in our main building. From roofing to plumbing to brickwork, God raised up some talented men who gave of their abilities.
As we start this eleventh year on the Hopewell Campus, we are thrilled at the wonderful potential. Improvements in facilities, remodeling, and the new dorm house continue to transform the Hopewell Campus. Thank you for your support.
We are excited to see how the Lord will use the staff, faculty, and students this year. The goal of Heritage Baptist College continues to be: Training Young Men and Women to fulfill the Great Commission.
The President’s Perspective
My father grew up in Indianapolis in the 1940’s. He would remind me that our city was greatly different back then, and so much safer for a teenage boy to enjoy. My Dad loved to boast of all the places that he had ridden his bicycle throughout the city: Crown Hill, northside, downtown, places today unsafe for a young man to wander.
As a teenager, my Dad enjoyed fixing up bikes. I will never forget the story he told me about one certain bicycle. Dad had gotten into his mind that he needed a new bike. The old ride had served its purpose, but things were going wrong, and it needed work.
Coming out of the depression era, Dad did not have lots of money. He knew that he needed to sell his old bike, so he would have added money for the change. To sell his old bike, Dad realized that he had to fix the worn parts. With that in mind, he launched into the repairs. Next he washed and waxed the bike until it sparkled.
As he looked at his now beautiful bike, all fixed and in great condition, Dad rethought his plan. Dad later told me: “I realized that I didn’t need a change. I had a wonderful bike, so I kept it instead.”
I have thought about this story many times.
Over the years, I have seen ministers leave their work for something they thought “better.” I have now lived long enough to hear some of them say...the best days of my ministry were at _______, I should never have left.
Growing up, I was in a thriving youth group, led by a young preacher boy just out of college. With my Dad’s guidance, and his energy, hundreds were saved, and the teen group grew in attendance. On one special Sunday we had 500 teenagers.
My youth leader was recognized and offered an opportunity in the big city. He then went on to pastor. Two decades later, I visited his church. That night he quietly took me aside and told me: “Russ, my most effective ministry was as a youth pastor in those early days.”
I truly believe that God moves people. I also believe that sometimes we need to “clean up the bike.” A little bit of work and prayer can help us to reevaluate our ministry.
And Who is Their Spiritual Leader?
On September 8th, Harvard University reached the 385th birthday of its founding. Harvard is the oldest college in America.
With 97 distinct undergraduate degrees in 57 areas of study, plus advance degrees and research, this Ivy League school usually commands respect. Harvard has the largest academic library in the world, consisting of multiple smaller libraries containing over 20 million items. Harvard University’s endowment of 41.9 billion dollars is the greatest of any academic institution.
Yet many do not know the humble beginnings of Harvard. The Puritans had not long been in America, when the General Court for Massachusetts Bay Colony voted to begin an institution for training the next generation of preachers. They penned these words: “dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to the churches, when our present min- isters shall lie in the dust.” The college chose its name for John Harvard, a preacher.
This year, as Harvard begins its new semester, there will be a first on campus. According to an August 26, 2021 article in the New York Times titled: “The New Chief Chaplain at Harvard? An Atheist” Harvard enters a new era. The NYT is very complementary to Chaplain Greg Epstein, 44 years old, the new President of the Chaplains of Harvard. Harvard has some 40 chaplains, and this summer they voted unanimously to elect Greg Epstein as their leader. Epstein authored the book Good Without God, and the NYT article quotes this humanistic chaplain as saying: “We don’t look to a god for answers, we are each other’s answers.” Epstein is an atheist.
One would ask how an open atheist would be elected to head the chaplaincy at such a prestigious university? The NYT article gives the answer...Epstein is such a good communicator. The main spiritual problem is that Epstein doesn’t communicate with God...or believe in Him.
A simple analogy would be of a large Ford Dealership hiring as the chief mechanic over their sprawling garage, a man who doesn’t even believe in cars...but he can communicate.
The motto of Harvard University is seen in Latin on the school’s crest: Veritas. In English the word is simply, Truth.
Harvard for years produced preachers that knew the truth of God’s Word (thy word is truth [John 17:17]). These ministers preached the truth about God. As Harvard slipped into error, other colleges were raised up instead to train the next generation of ministers in the Truth. This cycle has repeated itself in colleges down to this day.
The replacement schools, like Heritage Baptist College, start out small, as they hold forth the beacon of Truth unashamedly to their students.
Harvard University hasn’t produced any Bible-believing ministers in decades. For Harvard to make a proclaimed atheist as their leading chaplain, only shows the world how far this institution has turned from the ultimate Truth - God’s Word.
Meet Our Students
Coming back to school can be a good thing, and obeying God’s calling is always the best choice.
James Nogle was saved as a young man, and he grew up in a Christian home. At the age of 15 he felt the Lord’s call to the Ministry, and he attended Heritage and two other colleges, before stepping out to plan his life around the business world.
More than a decade did not extinguish the Lord’s tugging on James’ heart to follow His Will. It took time, and over a year of planning as James positioned his life to finish his training for a B.A. in Bible.
James returned to Heritage, because it felt like “home.” The faces of the students were new, but the teachers & Bible teaching remained the same.
A Call to Preach is a Call to Prepare.
James states, “I no longer seek perfection in one moment, but excellence over a lifetime. I begin, continue, and I will end with one single step at a time, serving Christ my Lord and Savior.”
Fall Banquet
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 5, 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Hopewell Campus
Speaker: Dr. David Martin