June 15, 2017
by Dr. John Neihof
During my 19 years of education in Christian schools, I learned the stories of faith. When I enrolled in the University of Kentucky at the age of 25, I encountered stories far different from the kind on which I’d been raised. Stories with labels like “science,” “subjectivism,” and “socialism.” For a time, I entertained these stories. But while they promised answers to all life’s questions, they left me questioning. Instead of wisdom, they brought confusion. Instead of truth, they offered lies. Instead of peace, they caused chaos.
Over the past 25 years, God has been sanctifying my mind through His story, the story of Scripture. The story that delivers what it promises.
As Christians, we have a story to tell: the thrilling story of Scripture, the inspired and inerrant Word of God. Our story teaches us where we come from, where we are now, and where we are headed in the dramatic culmination. It is the story of creation, humanity, sin, and salvation. It has moral virtue. It makes sense. It gives us answers. It follows through in delivering wisdom, truth, and peace.
A world in desperate need of hearing this story needs good storytellers. We are all called to tell the story, but some are called to lead the storytelling revolution. They are called to be the master storytellers.
That’s why Christian education—and seminary in particular—is important. In good seminaries, master storytellers apprentice others called to the storytelling mission. Students intimately learn the art of the story and how to tell it well so they can pass on the legacy of the greatest story ever told.
Wesley Biblical Seminary trains storytellers. In a world where some seminaries have fallen prey to the lure of science, subjectivism, and socialism, WBS refuses to dilute or distort the story. We remain committed to the inerrancy of the source: Scripture.
We also refuse to waiver on what the veracity of this story means for us now. We believe the story calls us to holy lives enabled by the grace of our triune God.
In the pages of this Compass, I pray you will see evidence of this commitment. That you will get to know some of our storytellers. I hope that you are excited about our graduates going into the world to tell the story and about our cooperative efforts in Oklahoma that will expand our storytelling mission.
Friends, thank you for supporting the legacy of the story. We cannot tell the story and make disciples without your generous giving and faithful prayers.
Seminary is important. Wesley Biblical Seminary is important. Please continue to pray about how God wants you to use your gifts to send storytellers around the world.
Telling the story,
Dr. John E. Neihof, Jr.