The following post is from Michelle & Bill Cayard, CBF field personnel serving in China. The Cayards are involved in church leader training and have facilitated the establishment of classes offered in Chengdu, China through the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute. This post first-appeared on the CBF Mission Communities website. Visit www.missioncommunities.org to learn more about CBF’s eight mission communities and get involved. 

At the beginning of October a long awaited dream came true.  The first master’s degree classes of the BH Carroll Theological Institute were held in Chengdu.  Many years ago, the local pastors identified the need for access to graduate level theological study.  If they wanted to do graduate study they had to relocate to Singapore, Hong Kong or Western countries, leaving their families and churches behind during their time of study.  Alternatively they could relocate to Nanjing in the eastern part of China; again this required that their families and churches do without them while they studied.

As Chinese society is becoming more highly educated, particularly large urban areas, the pastors feel under-equipped to lead their churches.  But the shortage of available, ordained pastors in Sichuan makes leaving the local church to study outside Sichuan a difficult choice.

In 2007 we began discussions with BH Carroll on how to offer graduate theological training to Sichuan pastors.  We explored various options and scenarios and for different reasons, none of them seemed the right way to proceed.  In January 2013, Dr. Spivey of BH Carroll Theological Institute contacted us to see if now might be the time to begin something in Sichuan.  After discussions with local partners here, we were thrilled to host the first cohort of 18 students taking 2 intensive courses in Church History and Christian Worship.  After years of prayer and planning, God prepared the way for this significant effort to take place.

All lectures were translated, all class materials and textbooks were given in Chinese.  All assignments, papers, reports, and projects will be completed in Chinese.  It is the philosophy and practice of B.H. Carroll to teach using the ministry language of the students, in the location where these folks minister!  What an effective approach to equipping these men and women for continued service.

Of the first 18 students, 9 are current pastors and preachers in Sichuan churches, and 9 are lay leaders, identified by their local churches for ministry responsibilities.  Together they represent churches in 5 major urban areas of Sichuan.  All 18 have passion for excellence in ministry and passion for reaching their communities with the good news of Christ!

Two of the students have master’s degrees in theology from schools in Hong Kong and Singapore.  This qualifies them to begin PhD study after completing a few leveling courses.  B.H. Carroll’s stated long-term goal for this program is that it eventually be taught, administered and duplicated locally with qualified local pastors and scholars at the PhD level.

The next I-terms are tentatively scheduled for April and July 2014.  In this first year the students will complete six courses and be on their way toward a master’s degree that will take four or five years to complete.  With each course, the students’ active ministries are being impacted and enhanced.

Pray for these first 18 students.  Pray for current ministry activities in their churches and also for their commitment to study, read, and write to complete course requirements.