October 2019

IBC’s school year is off to a good start!  We are halfway through the semester and we are seeing significant growth in student lives!  The spiritual warfare I referred to in the previous email is still going on, but we are experiencing God’s goodness and protection–thanks in part to your prayers!

All the students (and some of the staff) went away to the Kickoff Kampout the end of September and had an amazing weekend connecting with the Lord and with each other; see the group picture above.

My wife Sarah went on the trip with the three young ladies she is mentoring, and was able to visit the famous Antelope Canyon for the first time.  The second picture is of (left to right): Brina (Navajo), JerryLne (White Mountain Apache), Karly (Navajo) and Sarah.  Please pray for Sarah’s ministry with these precious ladies.

• Accreditation Visit–the Director of Accreditation for ABHE (our accrediting body; https://www.abhe.org/) visits campus this Thursday (the 17th) to help us prepare our upcoming self-study, which we will be turning in by December 1st.  Please pray for a productive day-long meeting.
• State Authorization–18 months ago we got the state law changed so that IBC could be state authorized and get the full benefits of accreditation (specifically the Pell Grant). On October 24th myself and five other staff go before the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education to present the case for our authorization; this was rescheduled from May.  Please pray for favor and approval of the authorization.
• Enrollment is down this semester; would you pray for next week’s Preview Days?  This is a once-a-semester opportunity for prospective students to check out the school, and we currently have a dozen people signed up.
• Personal travel–After preaching at out-of-town churches the last four weekends, I am headed to Kansas City October 29-31 for the board meeting of this:  https://www.anamissions.org/wp/, then back to Oregon to perform a wedding of two dear Native Christians friends on November 3rd, and then over to Dallas November 5-9 to speak at this:  https://www.mosaix2019.com/ .  Please pray for safety in travel and effective ministry over these two very busy weeks.

Finally, at the encouragement of the IBC Board of Trustees, my family will be taking a ministry sabbatical next semester.  I am scheduled to teach a class at Pacific Rim University in Honolulu from January to May 2020.  Sarah and the kids will be with me as we recover from the exhaustion of the first 11 years as President and prepare for the next decade of ministry at IBC.  We are so excited to spend months praying and playing together on the beaches of Hawaii, while seeking the Lord about the future of the school!  Please pray for our efforts to prepare the school for our absence and for the Lord’s provision of housing and finances for our stay on Oahu.

The Fall Newsletter is at the printers, and will be in your hands (or inboxes) in a few weeks!

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support,