A Little More

Someone asked me to say a little more about my new job. (Thanks, Larry, for two decades of being a friend to me). So here’s a part of what I said in a recent update: . . .

Acts chapter 19 recalls a golden age in the ministry of Paul. At Ephesus, in the lecture hall of Tyrannus, he hosted daily discussions about Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God.

Luke tells us the outcome: “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:10). Just think of it. As the result of steady teaching from a prime location in a prominent city, an entire region heard the Good News.

Now, I’m no Apostle Paul. But when I reflect on my new opportunities, I can’t help but draw a few comparisons:

1. As the director of Amarillo Bible Chair, I will have plenty of eager students. For several months before my recent move from Connecticut to Texas, the Chair was without a full-time director. Not much could be done to promote the classes. So a schedule of three courses for the spring semester was simply posted. That’s it. The total for those courses now stands at around fifty students. I wonder, How many more there will be once I’m able to establish some relationships and get settled into this new ministry?

2. I don’t know what “Tyrannus’ Lecture Hall” was like. But Amarillo Bible Chair owns an excellent facility, complete with a spacious classroom, useful library, a kitchen, student lounge, and plenty of office space. Best of all, it’s literally across the street from Amarillo College which serves more than 11,000 students. Who could ask for a better site?

3. Like ancient Ephesus, the city of Amarillo is the vital center of commerce and culture, education and entertainment for an entire region. What’s more, this primary city of the Texas Panhandle continues to grow. The most recent figures reveal that new housing starts have begun to slow down in most parts of the nation. But that’s not the case in Amarillo. With an increasing population and a heightened demand for more people with advanced training, the prospects for the College are bright.

The combination of those factors played a big part in my decision to accept the invitation to become Amarillo Bible Chair’s eighth director. I consider it a great opportunity and challenge.
But more than that, it’s also a big responsibility, one that I don’t take lightly.

I realize that for more than a third of a century now, area Churches of Christ and countless individuals have made sacrifices so that this ministry could begin and flourish. I recognize that standing behind me is a solid history, and I promise to do my best to honor that. I hope and pray that some of the best days for Amarillo Bible Chair lie ahead of us.