In a recent letter from Dr. Timothy C. Tennent, president of Asbury Theological Seminary he shared his heart about the recent death of Evangelist Billy Graham.
Let me construct his letter that I hold dear to my heart. You see I am a loyal graduate of this great seminary. I was there as a resident student from 1960-1963. Melvine taught school to help me, as well as to encourage me when I felt like quitting. She is a great motivator and the woman I love with all my heart. Dr. Julian C. McPheters was the president when I began my seminary journey. Dr. Frank Bateman Stanger was President Elect, and was inaugurated as the president while I was a student. They were great men and exceptional leaders. I admired them and held them in high esteem.
And now, for the letter from Dr. Timothy C. Tennent, president of Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, KY:
Dear Hugh and Melvine,
The world is mourning the loss of a true, faithful servant of God, Rev. Billy Graham. As I sat among his family and friends at his funeral, I imagined how wonderful his homecoming must be. I could hear the heavens ringing with the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant." But in the following days, I began to consider the void that his passing has created and I wondered:
"Who will rise up to preach the Gospel in his absence? Who will faithfully carry the Gospel to the continents of the world sharing the message of the cross and of salvation so clearly that many want to know Jesus?"
Today, as I walked through the hallways of Asbury Seminary, I was reminded that God is faithful, and He is calling this new generation to continue to spread the Gospel to the world.
That is what we are about: educating and forming these men and women to faithfully proclaim the Good News of Easter to a lost and hurting world! Over 1,600 students here at Asbury Seminary are doing just that. They have been called by God to preach His Word and they come here to prepared and to be formed in His image. Then they go out to the world to preach His message of redemption, mercy, and love.
Right now, we have over 11,700 alumni serving in 78 countries around the world. I have hope for the future!
Sometimes I wonder: who were the people that invested in Billy Graham's education? In Matthew 10 the Scripture tells us that if we welcome a prophet, or even give him a cup of cold water, we will share in the prophet's reward. I am trying to imagine all of the people who are sharing in Billy Graham's reward.
Will you invest in the lives and ministries of that are here preparing to go out into the world? Will you share in their reward?
Yours in Christ,
Timothy C. Tennent, Ph. D.
President
Professor of World Christianity
[Editor's Response: You betcha I will invest and send money to my alma mater. I went to Asbury Seminary without any money, Melvine, my bride of just a few weeks, went with me. We had no place to live, were without jobs. We went by faith believing that God called me to study for the ministry at Asbury and prepare me for a life totally given to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Little did I know how God was working behind the scenes. When I went to register I learned that a Methodist lady from Sebring, FL, was giving me a scholarship. She wanted to invest in a Pentecostal Preacher Boy, and I was that boy. She paid one half of my tuition for all three years. I had the privilege of meeting her and staying in her home with my roommate, David Finch, when we were there as singers in the Asbury Singers on tour to promote the seminary. She told me that God has promised her through His Word that she would get credit for every soul that would be saved, blessed, and healed.
Asbury Theological Seminary invested heavily in my education. The many times in class, in chapel services, or small prayer meetings were all a part of my spiritual formation as a servant of the Lord. So, now, I can continue to give back as God supplies my needs.]
Let me construct his letter that I hold dear to my heart. You see I am a loyal graduate of this great seminary. I was there as a resident student from 1960-1963. Melvine taught school to help me, as well as to encourage me when I felt like quitting. She is a great motivator and the woman I love with all my heart. Dr. Julian C. McPheters was the president when I began my seminary journey. Dr. Frank Bateman Stanger was President Elect, and was inaugurated as the president while I was a student. They were great men and exceptional leaders. I admired them and held them in high esteem.
And now, for the letter from Dr. Timothy C. Tennent, president of Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, KY:
Dear Hugh and Melvine,
The world is mourning the loss of a true, faithful servant of God, Rev. Billy Graham. As I sat among his family and friends at his funeral, I imagined how wonderful his homecoming must be. I could hear the heavens ringing with the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant." But in the following days, I began to consider the void that his passing has created and I wondered:
"Who will rise up to preach the Gospel in his absence? Who will faithfully carry the Gospel to the continents of the world sharing the message of the cross and of salvation so clearly that many want to know Jesus?"
Today, as I walked through the hallways of Asbury Seminary, I was reminded that God is faithful, and He is calling this new generation to continue to spread the Gospel to the world.
That is what we are about: educating and forming these men and women to faithfully proclaim the Good News of Easter to a lost and hurting world! Over 1,600 students here at Asbury Seminary are doing just that. They have been called by God to preach His Word and they come here to prepared and to be formed in His image. Then they go out to the world to preach His message of redemption, mercy, and love.
Right now, we have over 11,700 alumni serving in 78 countries around the world. I have hope for the future!
Sometimes I wonder: who were the people that invested in Billy Graham's education? In Matthew 10 the Scripture tells us that if we welcome a prophet, or even give him a cup of cold water, we will share in the prophet's reward. I am trying to imagine all of the people who are sharing in Billy Graham's reward.
Will you invest in the lives and ministries of that are here preparing to go out into the world? Will you share in their reward?
Yours in Christ,
Timothy C. Tennent, Ph. D.
President
Professor of World Christianity
[Editor's Response: You betcha I will invest and send money to my alma mater. I went to Asbury Seminary without any money, Melvine, my bride of just a few weeks, went with me. We had no place to live, were without jobs. We went by faith believing that God called me to study for the ministry at Asbury and prepare me for a life totally given to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Little did I know how God was working behind the scenes. When I went to register I learned that a Methodist lady from Sebring, FL, was giving me a scholarship. She wanted to invest in a Pentecostal Preacher Boy, and I was that boy. She paid one half of my tuition for all three years. I had the privilege of meeting her and staying in her home with my roommate, David Finch, when we were there as singers in the Asbury Singers on tour to promote the seminary. She told me that God has promised her through His Word that she would get credit for every soul that would be saved, blessed, and healed.
Asbury Theological Seminary invested heavily in my education. The many times in class, in chapel services, or small prayer meetings were all a part of my spiritual formation as a servant of the Lord. So, now, I can continue to give back as God supplies my needs.]