The College of Choice

issue 6

therecordNews, views and an update on life at Spurgeon’s College

After thirteen successful years, Nigel Wright is retiring as Principal of Spurgeon’s College this summer. So what are his plans for the

future? Pieter Lalleman asked him.

In July, after the end of the College year, Judy and I shall up stakes and move to Cheshire. We are buying a house in a place called Winsford (NB not Wilmslow!) near Middlewich. We will be about 15 miles east of Chester and about 25 miles from Manchester, quite near the Jodrell Bank space telescope. All of this is pretty much home territory for us.

Our son Jonathan lives in Edinburgh with Louise and our two grand-daughters Charis and Miriam. Hannah our daughter is in Walton on Thames. So we shall be roughly half-way between them.

You will still have study leave?Yes, the College is very generously allowing me some research leave on finishing as Principal. This means I shall still be connected to the College as a Senior Research Fellow. This is to make up for some leave I missed at Spurgeon’s because of the pressure of other things.

So are you planning to write books?I certainly am. At the moment I have in mind a book about Christian convictions. I hope to complete this during the research leave. I am also planning a book about Christian ministry. So you can imagine me (if you want to) diligently tapping away in a log cabin in the back garden in Winsford.

I don’t intend taking any more preaching engagements than I already have for about a year. This is to give me time to recover and to re-think my priorities in life generally and ministry in particular. I suppose I have to discover who I am without a church or a college to look after.

Looking back, what gave you most satisfaction?Working with excellent and dedicated colleagues and coming to know and love a multitude of students. I hope to enjoy these friendships for years to come.

Any wise advice for Roger? Most problems sort themselves out in time, so don’t get too stressed!

P ieter Lalleman asked the new Principal, Rev Dr Roger Standing, to introduce himself.

By birth and upbringing I am a Norfolk boy and the family home was on the edge of the Fens in Downham Market. However, I left home at 19 when I married Marion and went to work at Methodist Central Hall in Liverpool as an evangelist. From there we moved to Manchester where I trained for the Methodist ministry.

After College I was appointed to the Leeds (Horsforth & Bramley) Circuit, before transferring to the Baptist Union and moving first to West Croydon, where we were for eleven years; and then into Berkshire as the last appointed Area Superintendent prior to the changes that led to me becoming the Regional Minister/Team Leader of the Southern Counties Baptist Association.

So you are not originally a Baptist? No, my family were Methodists and I came to faith at my home church in my mid-teens and almost straightaway became a Methodist Local Preacher. My first preaching engagement was in the village of Marham when I was 16. However, I soon discovered the issue of baptism and was baptised as a believer at the Assembly of God church in Lakenheath.

Ultimately baptism was the issue that led me to seek to transfer my accreditation as a minister to the Baptist Union. So it was in September 1990 I was transferred between the denominations as a ‘minister in good standing’, albeit that I was required to do ‘Baptist History and Principles’ and attend a deacons’ meeting before it went ahead!

Can you describe your family?I’ve been married to Marion for 35 years and she is presently the head teacher of a primary school in Mitcham. We have three children and four grandchildren, but I want to make it clear that we did marry VERY young!

How long have you been at Spurgeon’s? I joined the staff of Spurgeon’s in September 2007. Although I never studied here, I had already been involved before: when I was a local minister,

Martin Selman invited me to join the Academic Board and Peter Stevenson recruited me as a tutor for the newly launched MTh courses in Applied Theology and Preaching.

Have you got any hobbies?Those who know me find it impossible to escape the fact that I am a ‘born again’ fan of Norwich City FC having rediscovered the passion of my youth about 10 years ago. I am also a shareholder in the club, but unlike Delia Smith who has millions of shares, I only have four!

I also enjoy music and have done since my teens when my ambition was a career as a DJ. At the moment I am enjoying listening to the American R&B artist India Arie and the jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal.

Passing the baton from Nigel to Roger

Not a very eye-catching headline, you are probably thinking. But far from being a

dry and dusty formality, the College’s Annual Report is in fact an entirely live document which serves a number of important purposes in our life together (quite apart from keeping the Charity Commission happy!).

First, it gives an opportunity to thank all the people who have worked with the College during the year – whether as staff, students, governors, Council or committee members, or as volunteers. What a blessing it is to have so many friends with such a

wide variety of giftings!

125 Next, we recall some of the highlights of the year – including the 125 students who graduated in 2012 with awards in theology or counselling. Perhaps even more importantly, Graduation Day provides a wonderful focus for celebrating all those who are being equipped for Christian mission and ministry in our contemporary culture.

Of course, the year was not without its challenges, notably the hard work that went into gaining Highly Trusted Sponsor status from the UK Border Agency. But our success there means we can now go on serving students from other countries, as well as a growing number from minority ethnic backgrounds

in and around London.

Grateful Financially, the shortfall of income against expenditure was somewhat less than in recent years, and there is every hope that next year’s accounts will see income and expenditure in balance for the first time for five years. We are truly grateful to all the churches, trusts and individual supporters who give and pray for our work, and to our Heavenly Father who knows how to encourage His people!

John Howes

issue 6

Annual Report & Accounts

Burning Bones for GodSome years ago I asked the CEO of a leading

charity what it took to be effective in such a responsible position. His response was telling: the charity’s cause needs to burn in your bones; if you are not passionate about what your charity does, you will fall at the first fence.

On Tuesdays in term time we have ‘Worship Hour’, giving more time to worship together than on other days of the week, with the opportunity to have a visiting speaker or one of the tutorial staff preach. This year we’ve worked through Colossians and I got chapter 4. I was struck by Paul’s passion; phrases like ‘devote yourselves’, ‘keeping alert’, ‘declare … as I should’, ‘making the most of the time’, ‘wrestling in his prayers’ and more, leap out from the text.

Persecution The cost of being so passionate in prayer, proclaiming the good news and living a radical gospel life, emerges as very high. Paul speaks here and throughout Colossians of imprisonment, chains and suffering; living a radical gospel life is risky to say the least. Some students here know this only too well, having suffered persecution and imprisonment for their faith in their own countries or being unable to return to them for fear of the same.

Living the Christian life as fully as Paul describes and at such cost means that the passion for Christ and his gospel needs to burn in our bones. Anyone actively living the life of faith, let alone anyone involved in Christian leadership, needs it. So it is a genuine joy and encouragement to see that passion in colleagues and students as we work side by side.

Equipped to Minister The participants on one of our most popular courses, Equipped to Minister, are in many ways typical of the range of people who come to study at Spurgeon’s. This course was co-founded by Nigel Wright back in 2003 and I have been responsible for it since 2005. It is a common story that participants bring remarkable gifts and passion with them and then see their skills, zeal and vision develop as they study. But as Nigel has often said, ‘No one said it would be easy’ and perhaps that’s why at the end of Colossians Paul needed to remind Archippus to finish the ministry he’d started. Christ and his gospel may burn in our bones, but just occasionally we grow a little dim and need some encouragement to strengthen our resolve and fan us back into flame. Dr Tony Rich Director of In-service Training

Accounts table 2011-2012

Serving the Growing Church

Living the Christian life as

fully as Paul describes and at such cost means

that the passion for Christ and his gospel

needs to burn in our bones.

£’000Total income 1,251Total expenditure 1,300Net deficit 49

£’000 Prev YrTuition 653 661Student Accommodation 180 181Premises 190 165Teaching Support Costs 229 222Other Costs 48 57 1,300 1,286

£’000 Prev YrStudent fees 901 861Rents 105 66Donations & grants 216 231Legacies 6 12Investments 15 10Other income 8 26 1,251 1,206

£’000General Fund 1,173Designated (Building) Fund 60Endowments 357Restricted Funds 150Total Assets 1,740

summary

income

general fund expenditure

college balance sheet

The figures quoted have been extracted from the full SORP accounts and exclude some capital-related items. Copies of the full Report and Accounts may be viewed on the College website or obtained on request from the Business Manager.

Donations& legacies

Other income

Deficit

Rents

Studentfees

issue 6

Equipping all God’s People

Spurgeon’s in the local churchOnline Learning is often a rather lonely

exercise but this article shows how it can be done together! Pieter Lalleman interviewed Rev Charlie Ingram, a minister of Bessels Green Baptist Church in Kent.

Charlie, please explain what you are doing. We are using Spurgeon’s College Online Learning material as the basis of an in house theology course which we’ve called ‘Going Deeper’. We advertised the course around the local community and currently have participants from three other local churches as well as a number of our own church members. Some of those participants are completing the assignments and gaining credits towards the Spurgeon’s Certificate in Theology, while others are just attending the session for their own spiritual growth and education. We have had about 17 people stay the course.

Did the church have contracts with Spurgeon’s College already? Yes, I studied for an MTh at Spurgeon’s College as part of my training for Baptist ministry, as did my colleague and team leader at Bessels Green, Neil Durling. We have also sent several others for training in recent years, both full-time and part-time.

What is the group’s response to the material and to the way you are offering it? The response has been positive; here’s a quote from a participant sent via email: ‘Coming home on Sunday evening I really want to thank you for running this course. My Bible knowledge and familiarity is not great. … However, it does (or at least some of it) sink in and gives me an opportunity to do further study at home. Only now am I beginning to appreciate what a fantastic (and complex) book the Bible is and I read it in a very different way and with a thirst to know more. The fortnightly meetings also give me an incentive to keep my studying in focus and find the time to keep up to date with each module (can be tricky to find the time when we are all so busy). Thank you so much for these evenings. It really is very much appreciated.’

What was the best experience so far? Seeing people engage with the Bible in a thoughtful, reflective way and starting to understand the importance of issues like translation or the historical and literary contexts when interpreting and applying the Bible. Learning to see the grand arc of God’s plan and not being afraid to question, even challenge their traditional interpretation as a result.

Into the ministry after allCaroline Rogers tells her story to Pieter

Lalleman.

My mum was a Christian and always volunteered in our local Anglican church, my auntie is a retired Anglican Priest, my uncle was a Chaplain in the Church Army and ... well I could go on!

For myself, from my early teens I felt that God might want to call me into ministry - but I wanted to join the army or the navy! Needless to say I didn’t do either. I thought I needed to reconcile everything I understood about Christianity before going deeper with God.

How was your time at school? I had a personal crisis aged 14: I was abused and turned away from Christ. I wish I could have told someone what happened but I couldn’t because I just felt too ashamed. The only way to cope was to become a rebel. I was supposed to be taking nine O’ levels (now you know I really am old) but ended up on daily report, skiving off school every day and coming back for detention! Needless to say I only achieved two O’ Levels.

How and why did you come to Spurgeon’s College? After much rebellion and at the age of about 27 I made a new Christian commitment and quickly felt

called into ministry. I started to help in the children’s ministry in my church, Muswell Hill Baptist Church (“MHBC”). Then, encouraged by MHBC, I completed a Youth and Children’s Ministry diploma and they called me as their Youth and Children’s minister.

In about my third year as Youth and Children’s Minister a friend asked me: ‘Where do you see yourself in a few years?’ I gulped and answered: ‘In ordained ministry!’ It felt like God had blown the suppressed thoughts into the open and it was time to test this call. Having lived in London for about 25 years and having become a Baptist by osmosis in Muswell Hill, Spurgeon’s was the natural choice.

What has Spurgeon’s meant to you? I have really enjoyed my time at Spurgeon’s, particularly the support, prayers and laughs with my pastoral group, friends and tutors. I’ve grown to really understand that my past prodigal life style isn’t my identity but enables me to minister in a particular way. Spurgeon’s has given me an opportunity to stretch my mind and I have achieved things I would never have thought possible! [Editor: Caroline will soon complete a Master’s degree in Theology.]

Editor: Needless to say that this pattern can be followed in any church where a capable tutor is available. Bring Spurgeon’s College to your church!

What are you going to do now? Being ordained has helped me to pull myself up to full height and to truly believe that God has called me; it has given me more confidence. My daughter, Erin, and I will be moving shortly as I have been called as the minister of Christ Church, New Southgate and Friern Barnet Baptist/URC LEP. I am excited and a little nervous but know that nothing is impossible for God and that I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Please pray for me, for Erin and the church!

Caroline (in blue) surrounded by fellow students and staff

Are you planning to continue in the future? We have just completed ‘Reading and Using the Bible’ and are about to start ‘Introduction to Theology’. So far 11 from the first module have signed up to continue and we have another 5 or so joining us.

issue 6

Spurgeon’s College, South Norwood Hill, London, SE25 6DJ www.spurgeons.ac.uk t: 020 8653 0850 e: enquiries@spurgeons.ac.uk

News in briefNew treasurer The 2013 AGM of the College Council saw the retirement of the College treasurer, Mr John Howes, after many years of knowledgeable and faithful service. His final contribution is elsewhere in this issue. We wish him well for the coming years.

As his successor the Governors proposed Mr David Jones, a chartered financial planner from Torquay, and the Council was happy to elect him. Semi-retired, David is a pastoral assistant at Upton Vale Baptist Church. He brings a real sense of calling to this important role, and his strengths in the areas of pensions and investments will serve the College well.

Serving the persecuted church

of other villagers, she laid hands on the woman and prayed. The next day the woman went to the hospital where the doctor said ‘You do not need this operation, your child is alive’.

Matt was a church minister in London for sixteen years before moving to the West Country. In spite of having many demands on his time, for the last five years he has made studying part-time at Spurgeon’s a priority. He says much of what he has gained from college is lived out and passed on to others in persecuted nations. While the end of his degree is drawing near, he is considering taking a master’s course at college.

[For obvious reasons Matt’s surname is withheld.]

June 2013

When Matt, a Spurgeon’s student and church planting trainer, leaves college

on a Tuesday night, he doesn’t always go home. Often he heads to Heathrow and flies to one of the world’s twelve nations where Christians are most persecuted.

On his recent trip to Iraq, 40 bold leaders from Baghdad and Mosul gathered for training in church planting. During the week 200 people were killed in their home cities. You can imagine the need for fellowship and equipping among these dear brothers and sisters as they head home to serve God.

Matt and his 3P team train leaders from the Middle East, Persian and Turkic worlds. They offer training in leadership, team life and principles of church planting to transform nations. Often the training venues are raided by secret police and trainees are arrested, and yet there is an unwavering commitment to grow in Christ and his Word.

Matt works closely with K***, an ethnic Iraqi follower of Jesus. She has been church planting for the last eight years and has planted over 200 house churches! She has a brave volunteer team who serve 4000 of the 3 ½ million orphans in Iraq. On Matt’s recent trip, K*** was asked by a woman from a village on the edge of Baghdad to pray for her in the midst of a personal tragedy. She had lost her child during pregnancy, and was too fearful to go to the hospital for the necessary operation. K*** took a doctor (one of the orphan volunteer team) to visit the woman, but she said ‘Please pray for me’. With courage, and in full view

Changes to the office staff Our Admissions Administrator, Ms Sarah Prior, has moved on, and we wish her well in her new job; as her successor we have appointed Ms Rosie Holley, a gifted graduate who lives locally. Rosie will often be the first voice you hear when phoning the College.

Already very familiar to our Online students but not yet mentioned in these columns is Ms Hannah Bingham, who is now our Online Learning administrator as successor to Emma George.

A temporary new position was created with the appointment of Ms Katie Walsh to assist with the administration of the research degrees; this will make the workload of our Academic Registrar, Mrs Nick Cameron, more manageable.

Highly trusted sponsor status Our Tier 4 licence to sponsor international students has been extended up to March 2017. In addition, our Highly Trusted Sponsor status has been retained for another year. This is great news for the College and we are openly seeking international students to add to the rich diversity at Spurgeon’s. In this way we can continue to serve the world church!

UCAS We are happy to have been admitted to the UCAS system for new students’ applications. This will enable us to recruit in a new market yet without giving up our identity as a warm, evangelical Baptist college.

Church Training Initiative (CTi) The number of packs available as part of the CTi has now risen to 16, with more in preparation. The CTi provides practical resource packs for churches and individuals in order to develop skills and insights useful in church settings. Simply go to the Spurgeon’s Online website, find Internal Courses and register to start your first pack!

Pieter J. Lalleman