Births. Baptisms. Banquets. Weddings. Much of pastoral ministry revolves around these special events.
With our three living parents, two married children, four siblings and spouses, five grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews, seldom does a month arrive in which my wife and I are not celebrating someone’s special occasion in our family. Celebrations are not only enjoyable, they are reminders about important relationships.
Jesus enjoys celebrations. His first public miracle was at a celebration. He regularly encouraged His closest followers to celebrate. In His famous parable in Luke 15, He teaches about the rightness of Kingdom celebration and how our heavenly Father celebrates whenever a prodigal returns.
This certainly is a time of celebration for our alma mater. A centennial comes only … well, only once every hundred years! And we are celebrating one hundred years since students entered the very first classes of this new Bible and missionary training school located in the heart of the Gulf South – New Orleans. The primary assignment was clear – share the Good News about Jesus to as many people as possible. Talk about Jesus. Learn about Jesus. Preach about Jesus. Live like Jesus. Teach like Jesus. Love like Jesus.
Jesus is certainly worthy of a celebration. And our alma mater with alumni around the world who have been pursuing faithfulness to His Great Commission and Great Commandments for a hundred years is something worth celebrating.
So join the party! When we celebrate our alma mater’s centennial, we are celebrating Jesus, we are celebrating your faithfulness in His Kingdom service, and we are celebrating NOBTS’s focus to our divine assignment and anticipating our Lord’s work in the next one hundred years, unless He returns! If this first centennial is any indication, buckle your seat belt and hold on tight because the next years are going to be amazing!
With gratitude to God and pride in our alumni . . .
Dr. Dennis Phelps
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The Centennial Celebration at NOBTS continues at NOBTS Oct. 2-3 – Dr. Chuck Kelley and Dr. David Platt will speak Oct. 2 and the seminary’s state historical marker will be dedicated Oct. 3. Click here to learn more.
