Dear friends and ministry partners,

The new semester is up and running and going well! We’ve had a total of five full-time students leave IBC over the last four months, but two new students started in January, so our full-time enrollment is 32. We seemed to be too full last semester, so this semester is a little better. Great things are happening in students’ lives! We also have an extension class going in Tuba City again this semester.

Over the last month I (and my family) have really been feeling the strain of covering the Academic Dean position. I have talked to several prospects for the position, but either they aren’t a good fit for IBC or they don’t want to raise support. Please keep praying; we have to fill this position by summer or we will be in trouble for our accreditation progress. I am looking at options to fill the position with a qualified person in a one-year interim capacity.

Would you pray for two ministry opportunities happening this month?

  • This coming week (February 15-16) I will be leading the Southwest Regional of the Association of North American Missions (https://www.anamissions.org/wp/) in Phoenix. Seven other organizations are a part of this regional, including five other ministries serving Native Americans. Fifteen IBC staff and students will be present to serve and connect with these other ministries. Please pray for the Lord to bless our time together to challenge and sharpen these ministries for effective service.
  • The following week I am traveling to Orlando (February 19-23) for the annual convention of our accrediting body, the Association for Biblical Higher Education (https://www.abhe.org/). I am taking three of our Native staff (Coreen Esplin, Ammie Palmer, and Joshua Ortiz) to help me lead our first workshop at the convention! I hope this is just the first of many contributions that we get to make to the association—I am especially passionate about contributing to the conversation on transformational education. See the details of the workshop copied below. Please pray that the Lord would help us participate in a very significant workshop, that the workshop would be well-attended by a diverse audience, and that it builds IBC’s reputation as an important voice in the Bible college movement.

Thank you for standing with us in prayer; the knowledge that you are with us supporting us in the trenches here makes an incredible difference!

Jason & family

Accreditation Challenges for Serving Under-Prepared/Resourced Minority Students – A Roundtable Discussion

Panelists: Jason Koppen, Indian Bible College, Marty Harris, Latin American Bible Institute, Kevin Cosby, Simmons College of Kentucky
Location: Salon 8
Target Audience: Presidents, Academic officers, Institutional Effectiveness Officers, Student Development Leaders

Overview: What are the unique issues and challenges facing institutions serving minority students? What insights have been learned and systems developed to enhance the effectiveness of institutional programs and services? Learn from each other during this invigorating discussion of these pertinent issues including . . .

  • Student preparedness and remedial assistance
  • Retention initiatives that make a difference
  • Campus environment initiatives that enrich student life.
  • Measuring outcomes assessment within a minority culture