It seems that one story is at the forefront of every news report—the economic bailout bill. After companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac went bankrupt, the economy began to falter. In order to stabilize it, the President and many Congressmen and women want to pass a bailout bill that would give $700 billion to help these companies, Wall Street, and the economy recover.

Whether you believe the bailout bill should be passed or not, one thing is for sure: our country is facing tough times financially. From property values decreasing, gas prices rising, and companies bankrupting, it seems as if there’s no hope of recovery. But through the years, history has shown that during tough times, people often turn to Christ.

More than we need $700 billion dollars to bailout the economy, we need Americans to turn back to Christ. The only true “bailout” of the mess sin has created in our nation will be when people realize their sins and return to God.

Even in times like these, God is always faithful. Whether the economy has a good day or bad day, we can be sure our heavenly treasure is secure when we spend our lives serving Christ.

It seems that one story is at the forefront of every news report—the economic bailout bill. After companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac went bankrupt, the economy began to falter. In order to stabilize it, the President and many Congressmen and women want to pass a bailout bill that would give $700 billion to help these companies, Wall Street, and the economy recover.

Whether you believe the bailout bill should be passed or not, one thing is for sure: our country is facing tough times financially. From property values decreasing, gas prices rising, and companies bankrupting, it seems as if there’s no hope of recovery. But through the years, history has shown that during tough times, people often turn to Christ.

More than we need $700 billion dollars to bailout the economy, we need Americans to turn back to Christ. The only true “bailout” of the mess sin has created in our nation will be when people realize their sins and return to God.

Even in times like these, God is always faithful. Whether the economy has a good day or bad day, we can be sure our heavenly treasure is secure when we spend our lives serving Christ.

Praise the Lord for the great start He has given to us this year at Lancaster Baptist School. One exciting new development for our high school was the addition of an eight-man tackle football team.

For several months now, the high school boys have been practicing and conditioning for their inaugural tackle football season.  Our  head coach, Brother Chris Hale, along with many others, have done a tremendous job working with our team to prepare them for the season ahead.

This past week, the LBS varsity football team suited up for their first game against the San Diego Admirals.  Being that this was their first tackle football game, we were all curious as to how well they would play.  As I watched from the sidelines, it was obvious to me that the months of training were paying off. The Eagles played a great game! After four quarters of solid defense and offense, the Eagles defeated the Admirals 65 to 20!

I am extremely proud of our players. I am especially proud of the testimony that our team has kept on and off the field. Dr. Manual Salazar, our school principal, told me just yesterday that these players have raised the bar spiritually in our school.

Thank you players, coaches, and fans for a great start to the LBS football season!

One of my dear pastor friends has been in the hospital for the last week with heart trouble and has had a pacemaker installed.  Brother Dan Hampton has pastored the Barstow Baptist Temple for many years and has truly been faithful to the Lord.  The soulwinning spirit and compassion of this man have truly made a difference in his city for Christ.

Last Thursday after college chapel, Dr. David Gibbs and I had the privilege of visiting Brother Hampton at the Loma Linda Medical Center, near Riverside, California.  We had an amazing time of fellowship and prayer with him.  I was overwhelmed by the fact that his greatest longing was to be out of the hospital, that he might preach the Gospel of Christ.

Brother Hampton is a decorated Vietnam War hero and a favorite preacher of our students at Lancaster Baptist High School.  Please pray for his full recovery and for his church family during this time.

Today began the opening week of West Coast Baptist College. We are truly thankful for the number of students the Lord has brought to us this year.

We are thankful to the Lord for His blessings and the privilege we have to enter into the labors of hundreds of pastors across America as we train the next generation of Christian leaders for the glory of God. We are praying that God will bless our fall season of ministry with His power and with many souls for the harvest!

I recently spent some time reflecting on some of the basic core values that were important as we established West Coast Baptist College.

A college is a place for learning. We have done our best to develop strong academic standards, but I am convinced that without a Bible-based philosophy of education, academics alone will never bring revival to our land.

As you pray for the ministry of West Coast Baptist College or consider sending young people to this place, it is our heart’s desire to communicate to you the values and principles that are emphasized here for the purpose of glorifying God.

The Ten Pillars of West Coast Baptist College are as follows:

1. We Must Uplift Sound Doctrine
1 Corinthians 14:8-“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?”

We are committed to rightly dividing the Word of Truth in the pulpit and in the classroom. We believe biblical preaching will present strong doctrinal content in a fashion which is not confusing. Furthermore, we will not follow the current trends that diminish doctrine in order to make the truth palatable to the unregenerate man. It is vital that we teach and preach sound doctrine, which includes our biblical Baptist distinctives and the biblical principles for ecclesiastical separation.

2. We Must Emphasize Servant Leadership
2 Corinthians 4:5-“For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

We believe in the biblical role of the pastor as the overseer of the church. We also believe that godly pastors should follow the example of our Lord Jesus (Philippians 2:6-7), by modeling servant leadership in their congregation and in their communities.

3. We Must Model Christian Teamwork
Philippians 1:27-“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

It is imperative that we recognize God’s desire for us to strive together, as a team, for the faith of the Gospel.

As a college we must strive together with the home pastor. It is our belief that we are entering into the labor of the home pastor. We will not attempt to replace his role in the lives of the students. We are privileged to have great influence on the lives of the college students, but we are not the only influence.

Furthermore, we must have a spirit of teamwork with the parents of the students. The parents who send students to this college deserve to hear from us when their students excel or have a trial.

Finally, it is our desire that the students will observe, in our faculty and church family, the joy of serving together as a team in ministry.

4. We Must Strive for Biblical Balance in Ministry
Proverbs 11:1-“A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.”

All of us have observed the tragedies of imbalanced lives. We believe that Jesus Christ must be at the center of all Christian ministry. It is our desire that the Word of God will bring a proper balance into the lives of our students. We will do our best to balance grace and truth, rules and relationships, holiness and helpfulness, and doctrine with obedience.

5. We Must Maintain Sincere Approachability
Titus 1:7-“For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre.”

Self-willed leadership is limiting and unapproachable. We believe spiritual leaders in this era must be easily approached. It is our desire that pastors know we want their input, and we welcome their phone calls. Furthermore, we want students to sense that they can come and ask questions or seek counsel throughout their years at West Coast Baptist College.

6. We Must Model Consistent Soulwinning and Discipleship
Matthew 28:19-20-“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

We believe soulwinning is not only to be “taught,” but it must also be “caught” as the leadership provides the example in faithfulness. Therefore, as a college it is our philosophy that the faculty will model soulwinning through their faithful, weekly involvement in reaching others. We have no interest in lifting up musicians or theologians who are not actively involved in reaching the lost. It is our desire that instructors be soulwinnners who bear fruit that remains. Furthermore, it is our prayer that these soulwinners be motivated by the Holy Spirit as He develops a disposition of compassion and faithfulness within their hearts for the Saviour.

7. We Must Cultivate Hearts for God
Psalm 57:7-“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.”

While we do not apologize for the old-fashioned guidelines and rules that exist on our Bible college campus, we also must not be so foolish as to believe that outward conformity will lead to a spiritual heart. Our primary goal is not outward conformity. Our primary goal for West Coast students is that they would have yielded hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is our prayer that they would leave West Coast Baptist College “doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6).

8. We Must Model Christian Living before our Students
Philippians 4:9-“Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”

We believe in the necessity of modeling the Christian life and mentoring our students in the service for the Lord. It is vital that our students observe the leadership around them “doing the work of God.”

9. We Must Lovingly Lead our Families
1 Timothy 3:4-5-“One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)”

Ephesians 5:25-“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”

We want our college students to see that God requires ministry families to be spiritually healthy and vibrant. Let us remember that our first ministry is in the home, to our spouses and children. We do not believe the concepts of a vibrant, growing church and a loving family are mutually exclusive.

10. We Must Walk in the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-25-“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

We cannot, by ourselves, produce the fruit that evidences mature Christianity. Each of us must yield to the Holy Spirit. The Christian life is a holy life, and as we endeavor to take the “high road” in the Christian life, we will only find true success in the power and leadership of the Holy Spirit. We must be dead to self in order to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit. We will walk in the Spirit as we die to self, yield to God’s Holy Spirit, and emphasize the necessity of spiritual music in our lives.

This list is not intended to be exhaustive, but I do believe it shares the heart and core values of the ministry at West Coast Baptist College. This is a local church Bible college. It is a place where students learn the truths of God’s eternal Word and then experience those truths in the local body of one of America’s dynamic, soulwinning churches.