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Welcome to WEST!

RECORD STUDENT NUMBERS!
The 2009-10 year started with a new student intake of 60. Two-thirds of them are training for initial ministry. In its second year, the Binary Course has attracted 12 men - double the number last year. All are British, have a good first degree and are training for the preaching ministry. Given the weakened state of Welsh-speaking churches, it is particularly encouraging to welcome 4 Welsh speakers among them. All but 3 of the 40 new undergraduates are UK citizens, including 15 who are Welsh. The other new students are studying taught master courses or engaged in theological research. They come from a wider span of countries, including UK, USA and South Korea. Overall student numbers have risen to 160. But numbers aren't everything - what is particularly gratifying is the commitment, humility and prayerfulness that is a characteristic of so many. We thank God for the degree of unity that exists among WEST staff and students.

It was in 1999 when I became a Christian. I was in my first summer holidays studying law at Birmingham University. Coming from an Irish Catholic family meant my whole life changed dramatically. Over those first few years my friends changed, my life desires changed. Why? God had changed me.
Prior to coming to WEST I was with Birmingham City Mission. I worked and lived for 5 years just outside the city centre visiting door to door and, by God’s grace, establishing children and youth clubs. My desire to come to WEST was to know God’s word in greater depth for myself so I can explain it better to others. I hope to start a church for the everyday man in the street one day. Having attended a regional ministry training scheme in Birmingham I saw the God-given value, for the first time, of biblical handling skills. The Binary Course at WEST was designed for someone in my situation who had a previous degree and some ministry experience. WEST’s stated aims are to promote biblical thinking, personal godliness and God-honouring church related ministries worldwide. Having been here I can say this is the case.
Giles Coghlan, Binary Course student

INVEST IN WEST
Again this academic year, we are grateful to God for an increased number of September registrations on both our initial ministry training programmes. The Binary Course is proving to be as attractive and useful as we had hoped, with applications more than doubling for our second intake. Feedback from the Summer Season has been uniformly excellent and plans for next year’s line-up are well in hand.

But the economic recession has hit us hard – as churches, trusts and individuals have been forced to review their charitable giving. Ironically, our growth and development as a School over recent years may even have persuaded some potential donors that we are no longer quite so needy. This is far from the case! However, we believe our immediate financial needs are simply an indication of a far more profound issue – one which needs to be addressed by the constituency of churches we primarily seek to serve.

In the light of this, we are urging the leadership teams of independent churches to find the time to discuss two short but challenging papers: Reflections on Theological Education and The Future of Independency and Invest in WEST. We have already been greatly encouraged by the initial responses of church leaders in different parts of England and Wales to the expression of true gospel partnership embedded in the Invest in WEST proposals.

We very much hope that many Bible-centred churches will see the significance of participating in this venture. Your church may do so by downloading, completing and returning two copies of the Invest in WEST Partnership Agreement. Please contact Jonathan Stephen directly if you have any questions concerning this initiative .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Why WEST?
From its formation in 1985, the Evangelical Theological College of Wales soon established a reputation for providing sound theological training for Christian ministry. Today, numerous former students of many nationalities are engaged in frontline gospel work around the world.

The change of name to Wales Evangelical School of Theology in 2007 in no way signalled a break with our past but, rather, a renewed vision for our future. We are acutely aware of the potentially disastrous effects of 'equipment failure' in the spiritual field of battle. This leaflet indicates what WEST has to offer serious Christian warriors – those God is calling and gifting to become true leaders in tomorrow's Church.

The right doctrine
WEST is Reformed in its doctrinal stance – and so are all its lecturers. We believe in the glorious, sovereign grace of God – and wholeheartedly agree with the great Puritan confessions in their high assessment of the Word of God. Being utterly Bible-centred ensures a safe and secure environment in which to develop the sophisticated theological discernment church leaders now require. Also, our distinctively Welsh heritage of Calvinistic Methodism ensures that we are alert to the common tendency to divide Word and Spirit. This means that we are equally suspicious of both charismatic excess and arid intellectualism.

We look to establish an integrated framework of biblical, systematic and historical theology from which we can move on to consider the issues of the day – be they theories of the atonement, open theism, the 'new perspective', emerging church, covenant and law or whatever. Above all, we teach people to think biblically.

The right aims
Because WEST exists primarily to provide vocational training that is truly biblical, we know that we must encourage our students to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. Therefore we deliberately aim to integrate the academic, the practical and the spiritual. Churches need pastors who are competent theologians, who have learned what leading a church of real people is all about and who have a heart for mission! Above all, churches want godly, prayerful men who have been taught how to handle the Word of God accurately, how to preach it with passion and how to apply it closely to their hearers. Preparing gifted men to be able to preach effectively in a wide variety of contexts lies at the very heart of our agenda at WEST.

Our primary purpose is to serve Bible-centred churches. We do this not only by supplying the 'end product' of trained leaders but also by trying to cultivate the closest possible links with our students' home churches. We are also grateful for every opportunity to visit churches and discuss how prospective leaders in their midst might best be recognised, nurtured and supported.

The right people
There is no typical WEST student, although there are certain characteristics we are always looking for in our careful admissions procedure. Essentially, we want men and women with a clear testimony to the saving grace of God in their lives, who are keen to develop their gifts and are strongly committed to following the Lord's leading. Because such an ethos pervades the student body, the spiritual value of our campus-based fellowship is immense and lasting. That is why well over 90% of our students find employment in full-time Christian ministries – a fact that registers strongly with churches looking for future leaders.

WEST has been blessed with a faculty of the highest calibre, some with international reputations in their area of expertise (see website for details). Visiting lecturers bring a wealth of pastoral experience to the subjects they teach. We also benefit at regular intervals from the contributions of eminent theologians from far afield.

The right options
It is only possible to give an impression of the sheer variety of courses available at WEST. Beyond our basic Correspondence Course, we offer degree schemes at every level, as a Partner of the University of Wales. Students undertaking initial training generally follow the comprehensive three year BA (Hons) in Theology. Those who already possess a good non-theological degree may opt for our unique, and highly attractive, two year Binary Course (see separate leaflet). All courses, apart from the LTh, are delivered both on campus and by distance learning, and on a full or part-time basis. At Masters level, we offer an entirely new MA in Contemporary Church Leadership, while our highly regarded MTh continues to draw students not only from the UK but from the United States and other parts of the world.

WEST's stature in the field of theological research speaks for itself, with approximately fifty PhDs currently underway. Evangelical students are attracted by the knowledge that they can pursue their chosen topic with the constant support of a supervisor who shares their doctrinal perspective. All academic research conducted at WEST has to demonstrate its usefulness to the Church at large.

The right location
As our name suggests, WEST is not situated in the south-east of England, even though one of our local bays describes itself as 'the nearest surfing beach to London'! In fact, we are set in a beautiful part of South Wales, within easy reach of dramatic hills and valleys, ruined castles and a stunning coastline. Despite this, we enjoy excellent road, rail and air links with the rest of the country.

The School itself is located on a seven acre site in the delightful grounds of Bryntirion House. Library and IT facilities are everything you would expect of a front rank theological seminary. Every study bedroom has full internet access. All in all, we believe we provide an ideal lifestyle setting for serious theological training.

The right cost
Higher education is inevitably expensive, and those seeking to prepare for Christian ministry have little prospect of future financial compensation! This is yet another extremely practical reason why studying at WEST makes such good sense. All our fees are easily accessible on the website, and there are no hidden extras. We invite you to compare our prices with those of similar institutions. Please also bear in mind that the general cost of living in this part of South Wales is significantly lower than in many other parts of the UK.

The right plans
At WEST, we are constantly striving to improve the quality, relevance and delivery of our training. One recently established feature of the BA programme is the women’s studies track. Holding to complementarian principles, which recognise the biblical distinctions between the roles of men and women in the Church, this track offers a rare resource for women who wish to prepare for ministries which are governed by Scripture – though definitely not bound by tradition!

As the profile of WEST has grown higher and more distinct on the evangelical scene in the UK over recent years, we have been delighted to see that this has been reflected in student recruitment, both in terms of quantity and quality. We are deeply humbled and very grateful – but far from satisfied. Our longing is that God will give us an ever-growing number of men and women whose godliness, zeal and hunger to equip themselves for Word-centred ministry will soon lead to spiritual transformation in our land.

We have many plans to develop our faculty and facilities – which we must surely do, if the Lord continues to encourage and use us. Please pray along with us that these plans may be fulfilled, as faithful churches increasingly come to recognise the strategic nature of our work, endorse the vision and invest in WEST!

I rejoice in the increasing partnership between Reformed Anglican and Free churches. But if biblical non-conformity should shortsightedly refuse to support and invest in its own training institutions, then it will soon discover that it has colluded in its own demise. I believe that WEST is superbly placed in every respect to help meet the dire need for fully-trained preachers and pastors within our constituency. That is why I am here. If you share this passion, then I would love to hear from you. If you are sensing that WEST may be 'the right direction' for you, then come and spend a day with us and find out more.

Jonathan Stephen
Principal
Wales Evangelical School of Theology

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