Inner City Church Planting Class & Missions Trip 2024

Heartland students had the opportunity to visit New York City over their spring break to attend the Inner City Church Planting Class. Bro. Pete Montoro, NYC church planter for over 30 years, has hosted and taught the class since 2004. We asked two of the students a few questions about their experience.

Ally Evans

Why did you want to go? | “I wanted to go on this trip because I love the Montoro family and wanted to be able to not only spend time with them but also to see their heart for the people of New York. Bro Montoro has planted two churches in New York which is an incredible miracle of God and I wanted to be able to see how God has worked in their church.”

What did you do? | “Throughout the Inner City Missions Trip to New York City, our group was able to gain wisdom from both Bro and Mrs. Montoro during our classes. Mrs. Montoro taught the women, and Bro Montoro taught the men as well as the two groups together for combined sessions. We discussed everything from knowing God’s will to the practical side of planting a new church. Mrs. Montoro specifically spoke about how to be the right wife for a husband who is called to plant a church. We were also able to use the skills they taught us immediately as we went out on the streets and invited people to church. Finally, we were given a tour around New York City to end our trip.”

What was the most valuable thing you learned? | “The most valuable thing I learned was that no matter where God takes you, He will always be with you and that you need to be fully surrendered to do God’s will. No matter where God tells you to go, He will be with you to help you when you need Him, you just need to be fully surrendered to His will. People need the Gospel now more than ever, and if our generation has any hope of spreading the Gospel, we have to be fully surrendered to do God’s will. God’s will is different for all of us, but it is so important that we are completely surrendered.”

Would you recommend this class to fellow Heartland students? If so, why? | “I would recommend this class to everyone who knows they will be going into ministry somewhere. Even if you don’t plan on planting a church somewhere, going and experiencing the people of New York City will truly give you a heart for people. Ministry is all about people, and there are so many needy and desperate people in New York.”

Grant Patrick

Why did you want to go? | “I didn’t initially have any desire to attend the class, but I felt God’s leadership to do so many months after the class was initially proposed. God brought it to my mind and I asked if I could still sign up even though it was already February. There was one slot left for me and I ended up being able to go. It was clear to me the whole way that God wanted me to go, even though I had reservations about going to a large, politically liberal city.”

What did you do? | “During the trip, we got to experience a little taste of what it is like to minister in an inner city. We spent about 30 hours in class being taught by Brother Montoro, passed out tracts in different areas (the response to which was surprisingly different based on the neighborhood we found ourselves in), saw many different sights in NYC, traveled around the city on the subway, and attended services at some “miracle churches” like Open Door Bible Baptist Church and Union Baptist Church that God has planted in the city.”

What was the most valuable thing you learned? | “I think the most valuable thing that I learned during the trip was that you cannot go wrong trusting God. Hearing the testimonies of Brother Montoro about the miraculous purchase of Open Door Bible Baptist Church for 700,000 dollars and no interest, or the salvage of Union Baptist Church and its building from 1863 were examples of what Bro. Montoro called “ridiculous faith.” Learning to trust God and step out in faith according to His will was the best lesson I learned.”

Would you recommend this class to fellow Heartland students? If so, why? | “Absolutely. The class time with Brother Montoro was worth it even if we didn’t get to experience sightseeing and traveling in the city. Just getting to sit under his many years of experience ministering in a very difficult area was so beneficial. I walked away with a completely different perspective on cities and on ministry. To be completely honest, I hated NYC before the trip, but now I want to go back!”

The Benefits of Bible College

This article contains excerpts from Ryan Rench’s book A Case For Bible College. Many young people have enjoyed and benefited from his writings, and it has become our desire to share some of this helpful information with you.

Bible College Provides a Solid Bible Foundation for Life.

My brother is working on building his own little house right now. He and my dad went through the phase of digging ditches, setting rebar and pouring concrete. That was lots of work! Those footer ditches had to be deep and wide! That was no fun digging those footers by hand… they won’t even be seen!

Imagine if my brother just got sick of digging and quit.

“No one will see these dumb holes. We are just going to fill them up with concrete anyway. What’s the point! I just want to start building, man!”

Imagine him grabbing a 2×4, whipping it above his head with a scream of war (trying to summon the powers), and smashing it into the ground, hoping it pierces the topsoil enough to stand upright.

“Hey! It worked! All that rage and fury helped! I’ve got my wall started!”

So he thinks.

Now, imagine him doing that over and over until he has a row of these 2x4s pierced into the ground, standing upright like fence posts. “I’m sure my wall will be sturdy once I add the siding. Hey, at least something shows, man! I’ve got a wall up! Forget these dumb ditches and footers or whatever. I like these dirt floors anyway. I’m rustic. Yeah. That’s it. Rustic—like a log cabin in the pioneer days.”

Sure bud. Whatever you say. You’re cool.

That is, until the first bugs come through the walls and floors. Or until the first rain. Bye-bye house.

Bible college is like a concrete foundation.

You see, a concrete foundation seals out the bugs and the rain. It holds strong against the wind. It is unmovable. It is stable. You can build on it without fear of the building collapsing.

Bible college is like a concrete foundation for the rest of your adult life. Since the only sure foundation is God’s timeless Word, Bible college is a place that tries to anchor every part of your life to the Bible.

Imagine a place that teaches and preaches the Bible every day. Imagine classes that focus on studying the Bible. Imagine living with hundreds of people whose passion is to know the Bible—immersed in an environment where peers and mentors are all pushing you toward a deeper relationship with God and His Word. This is Bible college.

While some people might have had godly parents and a good church to give them a solid childhood foundation, a lot changes after high school. When a graduate is presented for the first time with much more freedom than he has ever had, he should strengthen his foundation rather than launch straight into building his life.

You still have room for improvement.

Is it possible to “make it” in life without Bible college? Of course! But at what other time in life will a person go through an intensive lifestyle of being immersed in the Bible? Was that level of foundation laid at home?

In most cases, it was not. Even in the best-case scenarios that I have seen where the Bible is central to a family and the kids have been raised in a solid, Bible-preaching church, the kids who grow up in that home still have room for improvement.

To be clear, no one is ever ready for life. I get that. The point here is not that a person is inept at life and has no foundation if he does not attend Bible college. The point is that Bible college is a powerful tool to form or strengthen a solid foundation for the remainder of one’s adult life.

What God used in my life was Bible college.

My wife had a roommate in college who was saved months before starting her freshman year. She did not have a childhood foundation and came to Bible college hardly knowing anything about the Bible. Everything she learned was new. The Bible Survey classes she attended were not review to her… they were foundational! She is now a missionary in Australia.

My best friend, John, was saved in Washington under Pastor Dave Brown’s ministry. He was a senior in high school with a mop of hair on his head. After high school graduation, he decided to attend Bible college, cut his hair and move halfway across the country.

God used Bible college to build a solid foundation for the rest of John’s life. He grew in God’s Word. He learned to read, study, live and love God’s Word. He became truly passionate about knowing and obeying God’s Word. He allowed God’s Word to be his only foundation. At first, he would sit through Bible college classes not knowing much of anything. The professor would say, “Turn to the book of Job” and he thought that book was a story of employment (“How To Get a Job”). Bible college was his first solid foundation, and it set him on the right course for a fruitful Christian life. John Lande is now the college director at the church he attended through Bible college, and he is using his life to train others to build their lives on the foundation of God’s Word.

Bible college was a foundation to the rest of my adult life.

My story is different. I was saved when I was 5, was raised in church and I knew all the Bible lessons. I memorized portions of Scripture, competed in Bible quizzes and could sing the books of the Bible. I was in Bible classes all through my Christian and home school life and was ever growing in the Lord.

While I was developing my own personal convictions through high school and had already received a solid foundation in my childhood years, I still had plenty to learn. Without realizing it at the time, I had no real answers as to why I believed what I believed. I had been taught correctly and I believed it, but I did not always retain it.

Bible college, for me, was as much a foundation to the rest of my adult life as it was to those who did not have the same upbringing as I did. Sure, I knew more Bible stories than they knew, but I still needed to know more than just the facts of the stories in order to have a truly solid foundation. I needed to know the truths of the Bible and make them mean something to me.

Yes, I knew much of the Bible already. Yes, I had been raised in a Christian home (a pastor’s home, at that)! Yes, God absolutely used my childhood years to mold and begin my life’s foundation.

However, I see now that I needed much more than my childhood foundation in order to give me the tools to build my own foundation. What God used in my life was Bible college.

Bible college is completely focused on providing a solid Bible foundation for life.

Most Bible colleges are structured in a way that the student’s freshman year is packed with basic, but foundational, Bible truths. Many Bible colleges offer a one-year Bible certificate that will immerse the student in Bible classes primarily, and allow him to experience one year of this intensive study.

Whether you believe Bible college is for you or not, you cannot overlook the fact that probably no other place on the planet will be more intensive about building your life on the foundation of God’s Word. From the dorm life, to the classes, to the chapels, to the mentors and examples all around you—Bible college is completely focused on providing a solid Bible foundation for life.

Why have Room Meetings?

The Need for Room Meetings

Why does Heartland have residence hall “room meetings”? One resident likes the lights on, but another wants to have the curtains drawn to keep the room as dark as possible. People may be early risers or “night owls.” Some students use earbuds, while others prefer speakers. One student’s desk is cluttered, but their roommate must keep things organized. This young lady orders a Coke, but that one asks for soda. Oklahomans bunk alongside Texans. Loud chewers snack, while their friends try to concentrate and study. The list could go on indefinitely. None of us is “perfect.” With all these differences, the potential for conflict within the residence halls is always present.

This is why we have room meetings that are distinct to Heartland. Room meetings were designed to help students grow in biblical unity and practice God’s design for resolving conflict. Time is set aside throughout the semester for each room to sit down and purposefully share blessings, address problems, and pray together.

Unity Requires Effort

God created us in His image, and yet each person is unique. Our uniqueness, combined with our sin nature, can lead us to erroneously believe that spiritual unity is unattainable. We can also mistakenly believe unity is something that “just happens”, requiring minimal effort.

However, God’s Word tells us differently: Psalm 133:1 declares, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Romans 12:18 states, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Unity is possible, but it takes work.

Clear Biblical Direction

Our human nature generally wants to avoid conflict and confrontation; however, God gave believers the ministry of reconciliation. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus Christ reconciled us to God. He then gave us the responsibility to model that attribute in our daily lives (2 Corinthians 5:18). Sticking our head in the sand and avoiding all conflict would be disobedient to God’s command. When there is an offense, we have clear, biblical direction on how to bring restoration to a relationship (Matthew 18:15).

Students lead busy lives. Sometimes, because of contrasting schedules, they do not see their roommates regularly. Room meetings provide an opportunity for roommates to connect and share what God is doing in their lives, reach out for accountability, and draw closer together in the Spirit. Reading Scripture and praying together facilitates a spiritual “greenhouse” for unity.

Without room meetings, roommates can sometimes become disjointed with a selfish focus. Also, when structured time is not set aside for room meetings, care for each other can be disregarded.

Looking back on my time, living in the residence hall as a student, the benefits of room meetings in my own life astound me. I love each of my former roommates, but I have a special connection with some of them. Room meetings were especially important to developing that connection. We shared what was on our hearts, prayed for each other, and “sharpened” each other (Proverbs 27:17). The result was life-long friendships built on a solid foundation.

Kari Quinlan, Dean of Women

Why Does HBBC Have College Days?

A picture is worth a thousand words

Have you ever had someone try to describe an amazing trip they took to see the Grand Canyon? They might talk for hours about its breathtaking beauty, the colors of the various rock formations, the miles of hiking trails, and the enormity of the canyon itself. After they do their best to describe what they experienced, they recall the hundreds of pictures they took during the trip and then start to show you some images of the canyon’s awe-inspiring beauty.

You may be totally impressed with all that the person shows and tells you, but if the old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words” is true, then to actually be at the Grand Canyon and experience it for yourself is probably worth ten thousand words (or more)! In reality, for you to really absorb the splendor of The Grand Canyon, words and pictures are not enough. You really need to go and experience it for yourself.

What is the real purpose behind College Days at Heartland Baptist Bible College? This is a fair question. Does Heartland have College Days primarily to recruit students? The answer is both “No” and “Yes”; let me explain.

Words and pictures can only reveal a small portion

My initial response would be “No” because Heartland does not “recruit” individuals to become students. Instead, we allow the Lord to do the recruiting for us. I know that sounds cliché, but if God wants you here at Heartland, so do we!

Heartland has College Days because we want you to learn about the college and we realize words and pictures can only reveal a small portion of it to you. When you come and experience a sample of what we teach in classes, fellowship with Heartland students, staff, and faculty, and see the amazing things God is doing at Heartland, then you will truly experience Heartland Baptist Bible College for yourself.

Training laborers

My second response to the question would be “Yes,” Heartland really does have College Days to recruit students. We do want more students here at Heartland, and Luke 10:2 explains why. It states, “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send fourth labourers into his harvest.”

If the Lord has a harvest, and He does, and if He wants His harvest to be reaped, and He does, then He needs laborers to do that. Jesus pointed out the need and then gave us the solution to the problem – pray! That is exactly what we have been doing here at Heartland – praying that the Lord would “…send forth labourers into his harvest.” Naturally, if we are going to pray for that to happen, we also hope He will send those laborers to Heartland to train to be sent out as laborers in His harvest field.

Preaching to help you hear from God

Another reason Heartland has College Days is to encourage believers. Hundreds of people, who believe like you do, are also trying to determine God’s will for their lives. During College Days you will experience preaching which is directed to help you hear from God in order to help you to discern the next step He wants you to take in following Him.

Consider HBBC as the place where you will be trained

College Days will be here soon and we really hope to see you here. If God is calling you to be a laborer for Him, we have been praying for you. Would you seriously consider Heartland Baptist Bible College as the place where you will be trained? Would you consider coming to College Days so you can experience, firsthand, the breath-taking things that God is doing here for His name’s sake? If so, come and see for yourself!

Jason Spivey | Admissions Director

(more…)

The Complete College Student

A life of emptiness or a life of fulfillment?

Have you ever played the game “Would You Rather”? Often, on a road trip, my 12-year-old son will start coming up with strange scenarios.

“Would you rather have a flying carpet or a car that can drive underwater? Would you rather have unlimited sushi for life or unlimited tacos for life?” In a game like that, the possibilities are endless and there is room for differing opinions, but, when you start asking real-world questions, the correct choices should be clear.

Would you rather live a life of emptiness or a life of fulfillment? Would you rather be insecure without Christ or secure in Christ? Even though we know some choices in life should be “no-brainers”, oftentimes, our behavior reveals our confusion about the choices we make. Sometimes, what we say we desire is contrary to our actual behavior. Our behavior will reveal what we truly want.

Beware! Lookout! Pay attention!

It shouldn’t shock us that those who are outside of Christ struggle with the idea of significance. What’s unfortunate is that many believers struggle as well. Most of us have felt, at times, like we don’t measure up, but how should we respond to those feelings? Every Bible college student will benefit when they “come to grips” with a biblical perspective about significance.

Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

Paul says, “Beware, . . .” take caution, look out, “ . . . lest any man spoil you.” The idea of the word “spoil” is to take captive or take possession of something, as in an army taking the spoils of war. We are in danger of being spoiled, or being taken captive—not in a physical battle, but in the spiritual battle for our minds.

Don’t be deceived! People will try to tell you that philosophy will bring spiritual enlightenment or that traditions of men are the key to fulfillment. Paul says in Colossians 2:9, “For in him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily”. Everything that God desires for us to have is found in Christ. You are not completed by philosophy, traditions of men, religious activity, dietary laws, peer acceptance, or by following holy days, but, rather, you are complete in Christ! Everything in your life depends upon your relationship with Christ; He needs to be the central focus of your life.

Understanding Who You Are In Christ

If Christ is sufficient to meet the greatest need of your life – reconciliation with God – He is also sufficient to give you fulfillment. He is sufficient to save you AND complete you.

Being at Bible college can cause some to think that they have to live up to man’s ideas, traditions, rules, and religious activities to be complete, but, the truth is, if you’ve been born again, your completion is not in any of these things, but, rather, in Christ. This shouldn’t cause us to be self-confident. We shouldn’t say, “Oh, yeah, I can handle this,” but, rather, we should simply rest in Him. If you weren’t perfect when Christ saved you, you don’t need to be perfect for Him to love you now.

I can fully rest in the fact that I am right before God—not because of who I am, but because of Who Christ is.

Rest in Christ

Rest in the confidence of who you are in Christ. If you think, “I’m not good enough, I can’t measure up.”; you’re right! The world would say you’re good enough and that you have goodness inside of you, but the Bible says you have no goodness inside of you. However, we can have a righteousness that is not our own. I have righteousness that was given to me when I was placed in Christ on the day I was saved. When I understand that I am in Christ, and that I have the righteousness of Christ, which no one can take away, in me, then I can fully rest in the fact that I am right before God—not because of who I am, but because of Who Christ is.

You Are Accepted In Him

You can rightfully say, “I’m okay with not being good enough. I’m alright with that.” Why? Because, Christ is all you need. You don’t need to measure up to man’s standards if you have done what Christ has demanded of you and are accepted in Him.

It sounds strange, but we waste hours looking for moments of fulfillment, moments of acceptance, and moments of approval. Those moments become idols that keep us from what truly satisfies. When Christ is given the “leftovers” of our lives, the result is emptiness.

Are you content in your relationship with Christ? Are you finding fulfillment and significance through your relationship with Him? Your relationships, accomplishments, and performance in life will not provide lasting fulfillment or complete you. Lasting fulfillment will only come through your relationship with Christ as you understand that you are complete in Him. Everything you need is in Christ – delight in Him!

Making Godly Friendships

Take a look at our third installment of The Benefits of Bible College, taken from Ryan Rench’s book, A Case for Bible College.

Looking Back

Parents, have you ever thought back to your college days? Remember all the friends and all the fun you had?

Most people have fond memories of college. They have stories that make them cry, blush, or laugh; and, for the most part, all these stories involved others.

I look back on my photo albums from college and think of all the crazy things we did. The night before my friend’s wedding we bought wax strips and tried pinning him down. No such luck. The best we could do was slap one strip on his chest and rip it off. Have a happy marriage!

Dorm life was always interesting. Once, I walked into our hall only to be welcomed with a shout, a WHIZZ past my face, and a stinging sensation in my leg. I looked down to see what I had been hit with—a bite sized snickers. A few guys had raided the VBS candy stash, found a box of snickers, scrounged up a 4-man water balloon launcher and they were hurdling handfuls of these snickers at all who entered.

What did I do after I got hit?

I said, “OW!… Cool! Hey, I want to try!” And I joined in the fun. Only one guy got stiches that day. College memories with friends are such fun memories!

Godly Friendships Share a Common Direction

Not all my friendships are based on the fun we had together, though. In fact, I would consider plenty of people friends whom I never spent any time “hanging out” with. These friends are not based on shared experiences but on a shared spirit.

I have scores of friends who are going the same direction that I am going in life. They have the same dreams and goals for their lives. They have similar jobs and lifestyles. They have a spirit to serve others and a heart for God. That is what binds so many friendships… a common direction.

I lived across the hall from a man who is now a missionary in Venezuela. I graduated with several men who are now serving all over America as youth directors, doing the same thing that I am doing. I looked up to several upperclassmen in my dorm who are now church planters, pastors and missionaries. I consider them all my friends.

My friends helped me as much as my teachers helped me. Older students who were passionate about the Lord took me “under their wing” and taught me how to be a godly young man. I learned from fellow students—not the preachers—how to love preaching. I learned from fellow students—not always from the teachers—how to be a young man who loved the timeless Word. I saw great examples all around me, and I was able to live with men whom I consider my friends.

Where else but Bible college will you combine hundreds of people who are generally in the same walk of life, with the same goals? Bible college is a wonderful place to make lasting, godly friendships.

Godly Friendships Last.

Because we are human, not all Bible college students are perfect, nor are they all attending for the right reasons. As a general rule, however, scorners are the exception and not the rule. Scorners always find scorners, anyway, so people who desire to do right will still have plenty of friends.

You might think, “Sure, I’ve heard that before. BFF! Best friends forever! College friendships won’t last.”

I know the feeling. I’ve read the high school yearbooks too. “I’ll never forget you. I’ll think about you every day. You were the greatest friend to me…” You might think that with the passing of time, friendships kind of disappear.

Obviously, life goes on and people take separate paths of life. Obviously, life changes things. Day-to-day friendships change because these friendships are no longer “day-to-day” when friends move away from one another.

Although lifestyles change, a friendship that is based on common biblical values will last as long as both friends remain true to those values. When both people are committed to the Bible, a decade can go by and it can seem like no time at all when they meet face to face again.

Godly Friendships are Bible Based

My parents have been in the ministry since graduating Bible college in the 1970’s. I grew up meeting my dad’s friends in the ministry. Many of the people that we as kids visited on trips, sat next to in restaurants, saw at conferences and had in our home were his old college buddies. I remember thinking that my dad must have been quite the “social butterfly” to have so many friends. Really, he probably did not “hang out” with these men every day. Rather, they were (and are still today) friends based on the Bible. Those types of friendships last a long time.

Friendships last a long time when they are based on the Bible, but they also form quickly when they are based on the Bible. Have you ever met someone you immediately knew you liked? You know what I am talking about—someone who seems to have a similar spirit and similar goals in life.

We have missionaries come through our church all the time and it seems like every one of them are our immediate friends. Why? How? Is it that our personalities mesh? Is it because we have similar hobbies or that we’ve had all these fun memories together?

No. Immediate friendships can go very deep not because they are based on shared experiences. They are based on truth. They are based on God’s Word. They are based on the same goal and direction of life.

Bible college, more than any other place in the world, is a place that aligns hundreds of individuals around a common goal. What better place to make lasting friendships?

About the Author

Ryan Rench serves at Calvary Baptist Church in Temecula, CA. He earned his Master’s Degree in Ministry from Heartland Baptist Bible College in 2010. Ryan Rench married his wife, Jamie, in 2008, and they have three children: Abe, Charlotte, and Gwen. Ryan blogs at RyanRench.com and has published several books, including A Case For Bible College and One Youth Pastor’s Toolbox, available from Heartland Baptist Bookstore.

Bible College Is a Safe Environment

Another good reason to consider Bible college is that you will be immersed in a safe environment.

When I think of safe environments, I think of clean-rooms where everything is white and germ-free. Or, I think of an overprotective mom who has wrapped her child in bubble wrap so he won’t get any bumps or bruises.

No, Bible college is not exactly that… but it’s close.

Most Bible college students are entering college right out of high school. It is their first time away from home. It is their first taste of “freedom.”

For a parent, giving a child any freedom is terrifying. “What will my child do? Will he make the right choice? Will she follow what we taught her to do?”

Scary thought.

Now, imagine if she was in a situation where everything she had been taught her whole life was being turned on its head. Imagine, for instance, that your child goes to a secular university as a biology major. All her life, all she has known is the Bible and creation. Now, she is immersed in a hostile, Bible-hating environment. She is taught every day and by everyone that creation is a myth and evolution is true science. In essence, she is taught that everything she has ever known is wrong. Her whole world is intensely attacked. From the classroom to the dorm room, from the textbook to the internet chatter—everything is against her.

Safe environment? Hardly. No matter how strong she is, she has to be at least a little bit affected by it all, right?

Now imagine a boy who has been taught that the Bible is God’s Word and that it is absolute truth. Perhaps he does not know all the depths of theology or perhaps he is not able to defend every point of Christianity, but he has a solid grasp of basic Bible doctrines. He has always been taught to use the King James Bible and serve in a local, Independent Baptist church. While he may not completely understand all the reasons, he knows that is what he believes. Imagine, now, that he goes to Bible college. At Bible college, instead of everything he has ever believed being turned on its head, it is reinforced! Rather than hearing all the objections to his core beliefs, he is receiving systematic reasons as to why, in fact, he should believe that way.

Bible college reinforces

Bible college is a safe environment because it reinforces rather than breaks down everything a child has learned in a godly home and in church. At a good Bible college (one recommended by your pastor), the student receives encouragement to follow the Bible. Any prospective student should be wary of any institution that will cause doubts about whether the Bible is God’s Word.

Will a child fail at life if he does not attend Bible college? Of course not. But Bible college can only help reinforce what has always been taught at home and in the home church.

Bible college in general is safer

Not only is Bible college a safe place for a person’s beliefs, but life in general is safer. I do not necessarily mean that driving conditions are safer or the weather is milder; rather, I mean that living in a structured environment with rules similar to home will help in this transition time of life.

For many students, their first time away from home is when they attend college. Should we automatically assume that they are grown up and can make godly decisions all the time? I don’t even assume that about myself now!

Bible college is regulated, scheduled, strict, and clean

Bible college provides a safe environment because it is regulated, scheduled, strict, and clean. Students are required to sign in and out rather than just given complete freedom to come and go as they please. Having a curfew and lights out rather than allowing an open free-for-all until late into the night. Students are monitored on their ministry involvement, class attendance, workload, academic excellence, church attendance, chapel attendance, and more.

“That’s so strict!” you might think.

Safety always has boundaries and limits. Freedom is never the absence of limitations. Rather, it is an understanding and compliance to those boundaries.

A Bible college student will have much more freedom than he had in high school, no doubt; especially if he is away from home for the first time. However, without unlimited freedom, Bible college is a safer environment than almost any other environment in the world.

Bible college provides a safe environment for all areas of life

Parents, are you worried about what will happen to your child after graduation? Are you battling the internal conflict of wanting them to grow up… but not wanting them to grow up? Are you concerned that no place will be as safe as home? Are you worried they will not be taught well? Or that they will not find good friends? Or that everything they have ever known will be undermined?

Bible college is the safest place you could put them, most likely. As much as humanly possible, Bible college provides a safe environment for teaching, for socializing, and for all areas of life.

About the Author

Ryan Rench serves as the youth director and associate pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Temecula, CA, under his father’s leadership, Pastor W. M. Rench. Ryan’s family moved to Temecula in 1987 to plant the church where Ryan was reared and is now on staff. He earned his Master’s Degree in Ministry from Heartland Baptist Bible College in 2010. Ryan Rench married his wife, Jamie, in 2008, and they have three children: Abe, Charlotte, and Gwen. Ryan blogs at RyanRench.com and has published several books, including, A Case For Bible College and One Youth Pastor’s Toolbox, available from Calvary Baptist Publications.

You Want Me To Go… There?!

You Want Me To Go Where?!

When I was a kid, we used to have Bible college students spend every weekend with us. They would help out in the church, sing specials, teach classes and do whatever needed to be done.

I remember watching Muppet Treasure Island with them almost every Friday night when they would come into town and stay at our house. I loved having them around.

They all seemed so godly—and so fun!

I made up my mind as a young boy that their college was going to be my college.

Then, a couple years later, the college moved. No more Bible college kids on the weekends. No more Muppet Treasure Island. Bummer.

I loved my area of Southern California. It was all I knew. It was comfortable. The weather was great! I did not want to lose all that just for college.

But… I also remember the impact those college students had on me. Their spirit was contagious. Their attitudes were always happy. They served. They loved God. They simply wanted to be a blessing in any way that they could, and I liked that.

I wanted my life to be like that.

So, I figured if that’s how I wanted to turn out, I had better go through the same process. I decided that my decision as a young boy would stand. I would still go to that college, even though it was now in another state.

“God, are you sure you want me to go… there?!”

Yep. No doubt.

So I packed up after high school and went. I did not know anyone and I did not know what I was doing, but I knew that God’s calling on my life as a boy still stood.

No Regrets

Now I am on the other side. I graduated college and I am now a youth director encouraging others to spend at least a year in Bible college.

I have no regrets. The state I lived in for a few years wasn’t so bad after all. God gives a special love for the places He calls you to, and as long as you are obedient to Him, life is good, no matter the circumstances.

I Want It For Everyone

My life has been great, and I want God to bless everyone like He has blessed me! If you want God’s blessings, all I can say is this: obey God. He will make your life more full than you can even imagine!

Is Bible college for everyone? No way!

There were times I thought, “This is terrible… I’m sick of this… This is not what I was expecting… What about all the fun stories everyone else has… It’s a lot of work!” At those times, though, I never even considered leaving because I knew I was where God wanted me to be. I was in a blessed place in life, and I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else.

Don’t Refuse What You’ve Never Really Considered.

Is Bible college for you? I don’t know. Maybe. Don’t rule it out. Don’t ignore Bible college just because someone you know doesn’t like the idea. Don’t refuse what you’ve never really considered.

Bible college is definitely not for everyone, but it might be for you. Too many people ignore or disobey God’s call. I daresay He calls many people who never answer His call. I don’t want that to be you.

The next few chapters will give some benefits, some objections and some general principles on why Bible college is something that you might consider.

Ryan Rench, Calvary Baptist Church of Temecula, CA

Prepare to Thrive not Just Survive

This fall, thousands of young people across the country will begin their journey in higher education. Many of these young people will take the step to enroll at a Bible college. As young people prepare to enter into their new lives as a Bible college student, it is good for them to take time now to prepare themselves for this new stage of life. If you are one of those young people, prepare to thrive at Bible college: think past registration, classes, textbooks, and room decorations. Are you taking necessary steps to prepare yourself spiritually? The nine tips below are intended to help you prepare to thrive, not just survive at Bible college.

Make Bible reading a priority

If you have been in church any length of time, you have heard much about Bible reading. Preachers are regularly stressing the importance of reading your Bible. Bible reading is a vital part of Christian growth; however, many Bible college students find the demands of college to be a hindrance to their personal Bible reading. If you wait until you get to Bible college to develop a habit of consistent Bible reading, you may find the struggle of classes, work, ministry, dorm life, and countless other responsibilities too great a hurdle to overcome. Start now to set aside time each day to read your Bible.

Start developing a strong prayer life

Prayer is one of the most underused tools in the Christian’s tool belt. The danger exists that a student can attend four years of Bible college and never develop a consistent prayer life. How could that happen? When pressures mount and time is short, we often neglect those things that are not as noticeable to others. People notice when you don’t go to class, so you don’t skip. People notice when you don’t go to church, so you faithfully attend every service. However, people don’t see when you skip prayer time because you overslept. A consistent prayer life before you come to Bible college will better prepare you to meet the demands of college life.

Start studying the Bible now

Bible college is about Bible study, but don’t wait until you arrive at college to start diving into the Bible. The sooner you begin forming good habits of Bible study, the better. The Word of God is supposed to be read, but it is also to be studied and rightly applied. [2 Timothy 2:15] You may not know a lot about how to study the Bible right now, and that’s okay. That is one of the reasons you are coming to Bible college, to learn how to study the Bible. Start now to do more than a casual reading of the Bible. It will reap huge rewards in college and in life.

Be active in church ministry

A key part of Bible college training is local church ministry. Each student at Heartland is required to be involved in a ministry and visitation. Involvement in local church ministry should not begin at Bible college. While you are still at home, ask your pastor if there is an area you can serve in right now. It could be anything from cleaning, straightening chairs, shaking visitors’ hands, helping set out music for choir practice, to teaching a Sunday School class. Just get involved. No small or insignificant ministry exists in the church! Make it a point to be around when work is going on at church. Stay late to help clean up after a fellowship. In short, be a servant!

Adjusting to a new place

As great as Bible college is, and as hard as the students and staff try to make you feel welcome, college is not the same as home. At home you have your schedule, the food you like to eat, and hobbies that occupy your time. You may walk out your front door and see beautiful mountains in the distance. You may live in a major metropolitan area with high rise buildings all around. Your comfort zone may be normal everyday America. It’s amazing how many students arrive at college and are surprised that things are different than they were back home. Just remember that different is not always bad. Different is just different. If God has led you to Bible college, understand that God knows the difference between where you are from and where you are going. Prepare yourself now by trusting God’s work in moving you to Bible college.

Adjusting to a new church

A great blessing at Heartland is the relationship that exists between Heartland and Southwest Baptist Church. The members have welcomed the students and actively invest time and money into their lives. Remember though, Southwest Baptist is different than your home church. More than likely you will experience a time of adjustment. The size of Southwest may be different than your home church. Your level of ministry involvement may be different.

The type of ministries you were a part of at home may be different. The best way for you to prepare for membership at a new church while at college is to purpose now to get involved. God has you at college to learn and to prepare. If you sit in the shadows and regularly think about how things are different, you will likely miss the lessons God is trying to teach you.

Adjusting to new people

People are different! Everyone who has ever attended Bible college, or any college, has a story or two about some of the more “unique” people that are found at college. When you take several hundred young people from all over the world and put them on one campus, differences are evident. People come from different places, different churches, different family situations, have different standards and are at different stages in their spiritual growth.

Coming with the understanding that everyone did not grow up like you will help in the adjustment process. Even though Bible college is filled with students that differ one from another, we do have one thing that cuts through all the differences, our mutual faith in Christ. Our salvation should be the thing that binds us together greater than any cultural or personality differences that try to divide us.

Adjusting to new demands

College by nature will be, and should be, demanding. You will be expected to be faithful to classes, work, church, ministries, personal time with God, homework, bills, relationships, roommates and the list goes on and on. At times, it may seem like these things are competing against each other. How will you handle all the new demands that you are facing? Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Keep your priorities in order
Keep a schedule
Be wise with your spare time
Ask others for help
Remember you are not the first to face these demands

Adjusting to new liberties

Some may look at a Bible College Student Handbook and think they have no liberty. It’s a sad fact, but some students come to Bible college and fail to succeed because they did not know how to rightly manage their new-found freedom. College students are at a stage in their lives where they are making their own decisions. Boundaries will help in making right decisions, but ultimately, the choice is up to you. Will you study for that test with the hour and half you have free, or will you go with your roommate to satisfy that afternoon Chick-fil-A craving? Are you going use that hour break to take a nap or catch up on your reading in Old Testament Survey?

At college you will make decisions that have heavy consequences. How do you respond? Start now by purposing to make the right decisions. We are good at making decisions that are easy, fun, or self-serving. Determine by the grace of God to do what is right and a lot of the decisions will be simplified.

Being mindful of these areas will help in adjusting to life as a college student. The goal of each student should be to successfully complete the course God has set for him or her. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the staff and faculty for additional help in adjusting to the everyday demands of college life. The Dean of Students’ Office is the place to go for all things relating to a student’s personal life. The entire staff at Heartland is willing to help you not just survive Bible college but thrive.