From the President July 2019

Two Are Better Than One

The Preacher declared, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” (Ecc. 4:9; NIV) When Jesus sent out his disciples, he “called the twelve and began to send them out two by two.” (Mark 6:7; ESV) It seems clear to me that to do well in both life and on mission with God we need partners. I know from my experience that I have done nothing exceptional on my own. Any goal reached or lasting accomplishment achieved was done with the partnership with others. Being a disciple of Jesus is not a solo sport. It is more similar to playing on a sports team like football (American or World Cup) than a pro tennis player. Living life in partnership is both a natural and spiritual principle. The same is true for the mission of B. H. Carroll Theological Institute. Our partners like you make it possible to live out the God-sized calling on our lives.

We recently entered into a new partnership with Stark College & Seminary in Corpus Christi, Texas. Dr. Tony Celelli, President of Stark, and I, along with Dr. Stan Moore, Senior Fellow of Carroll, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would allow undergraduate and graduate students from Stark to enter several accredited Master’s and doctoral degree programs at Carroll with credit from their work at Stark. I encourage you to read the details here. Both schools will benefit from the breadth of certificates and degrees accessible to students of both schools. I am grateful for the desire of Dr. Celelli to serve in partnership with us to equip men and women called to serve Christ and his church, and for the tireless work of Dr. Moore, Carroll’s Registrar, and Dr. Jena Dunn, Stark’s Provost, that made this possible. Please see our Organizations & Partners page on our website to see others with whom we share similar missions. 

Coming Soon

I want you to know about two upcoming events for you to save the dates. 

• The first event is our annual North Texas Giving Day. This one-day giving opportunity has provided almost $200,000 in a single day for the on-going mission of Carroll. This year NTXGD is Thursday, September 19; 9/19/19. To view and save our NTGD link, click here. To learn more about our participation in this incredible event, click here. 
• The second event is the Frank and Pauline Patterson Fall Colloquy, November 18 and 19. Dr. Bruce Corley, a Founding Senior Fellow and first President of Carroll will be our guest lecturer and will speak on “A Journey in the Ways of Paul.” You will want to hear Dr. Corley’s insights from a life of study and teaching on the Apostle Paul.  We will have a fellowship meal the evening of the 18th. Mark your calendar and watch for more details!

Family

I recently returned from a short vacation where my family joined families we have known since college days. The total number of friends, their children, and their children’s children totaled 46 this year! What started with three couples in the 80’s has grown to a close-knit group of friends and families who meet every other year in the small mountain town of Red River to share life together. Those friendships are members of a larger family in which I live my life. My Carroll family is another group of friendships in which I live out God’s call on my life. If “two is better than one,” then these families of friends and partners is even better! I pray you have similar “families” in your life.