By Dr. Bryan Chapell

“The Lord has changed me in numerous ways. One of the most significant of those is how he has given me a much greater appreciation of my need for other people and the corporate nature of the gospel.”

– Doug Kothe (MDiv ’11)

This is how Doug Kothe, one of our current students, describes his time at Covenant Seminary. Doug’s words reflect the experience of many who come to us each year to follow the call of God in preparing for ministry. His statement also reflects our firm belief that fully preparing pastors and other leaders for Christ’s church involves much more than mere classroom instruction. It involves, as we like to say, the shaping of the whole person-head, hands, and most especially, heart-within the context of a living, learning, worshipping community of grace. And, because we believe that God calls not just pastors, but also pastors’ wives and children into ministry, that shaping process must include not only the student who is taking classes, but also that student’s whole family. This is why we strive to make our campus a place where students, faculty, staff-and their families-can grow together in the gospel and be transformed by the power of God’s grace into the pastors and other ministry leaders our Lord has called them to be.

To this end we are seeking to raise funds for needed improvements to two elements of our campus that are vital to this kind of personal and spiritual growth: Edwards Hall Community Center and Rayburn Chapel. The only large gathering places on our campus, these two aging venues need to be renovated both to accommodate our increasing numbers of full-time students and to make it easier for seminary families to meet, worship, and enjoy fellowship with one another. We also hope to make some technological improvements that will better enable us to produce gospel-centered resources for use on campus and by the worldwide church. You can find out more about our plans here or through the 2011 WIC Love Gift promotional materials available here. Please consider how your church might be able to help.

We are exceedingly grateful to Women in the Church for their enthusiasm and support for our ministry and their heart for the men, women, and children whom God has called to Covenant Seminary. We look forward eagerly to seeing what our Lord will do through them and through our generous PCA churches as we seek to continue shaping a community of grace today for a stronger church tomorrow.

Many blessings to you in Christ,

Bryan Chapell

President, Covenant Theological Seminary

Please Pray for Us!

Here are a few ways in which you can be praying for Covenant Seminary during the next few months.

• Pray for the students who will graduate this spring and move on to serve in churches and other ministries. Pray for those who are still seeking a call, that God would quickly clarify their places of future service and give them a strong sense of his guidance in this process. Pray also that he would work mightily through each of these graduates to show his grace and mercy to others.

• Pray as we continue to navigate challenging economic waters that the Lord would continue to provide the funds we need to operate the Seminary and offer scholarships and other financial assistance to our students. Pray that the Lord would help us to continue building good relationships with our donors and that he would open doors to future friendships that would lead to even great financial health for the institution.

• Pray for us as we seek a replacement for Professor of World Mission Dr. Nelson Jennings, who will be leaving us at the end of this academic year to become Director of Program and Community life for Overseas Ministries Study Center (OSMC) in New Haven, Connecticut. Pray that the transition to his new role would go well for Dr. Jennings, and that our search for his successor would be blessed.