Campus Update: New York campus renovations.

The New York campus was in the midst of a mini-makeover this summer. Here’s a look at some of the changes:

• South America dorm: new bathrooms, carpet, fixtures, and furnishings
• Hungary dorm: interior painting and all new flooring
• Chile and Turkey dorms: new furnishings
• Scotland dorm: roof replacement
• Council Hall: new windows and ventilation system
• Fieldhouse: interior repainting
• Student lounge: new furnishings, carpet, and fireplace
• Snak Shak: new furnishings, wood flooring, large-screen TVs
• Kitchen and Snak Shak: equipment upgrades
• Jack Wyrtzen center: parking lot resealing
• Dorm security upgrades
• Emergency electrical backup improvements

Be Praying: January Ministries Schedule.

The New York campus is in the thick of winter ministry. See what's happening in January, and pray along with us. 

Snow Camp
Jan. 17-19: Snow Camp Weekend 1
Jan. 24-26: Snow Camp Weekend 2
Jan. 31-Feb. 2: Snow Camp Weekend 3 

Church Support Ministry
Each week students travel to local churches to help with children’s ministry, youth ministry, and other aspects of the church. Students help at these churches on a weekly basis:

Cornerstone Alliance Church in Ticonderoga, N.Y.
Faith Bible Church in Chestertown, N.Y.
Grace Bible Fellowship in Olmstedville, N.Y.
Grace Fellowship in Latham, N.Y.
Horicon Baptist Church in Horicon, N.Y.
Lake Champlain Bible Fellowship in Port Henry, N.Y
Lakeside Regional Church in Hague, N.Y.
Maranatha Bible Church in Glens Falls, N.Y.
NorthStar Church in Clifton Park, N.Y.
Perth Bible Church in Amsterdam, N.Y.
Pine Knolls Alliance Church in South Glens Falls, N.Y.
Saranac Lake Baptist Church in Saranac Lake, N.Y.

Where Are They Now? Dr. John Whitcomb.

About Dr. John Whitcomb:
*Taught from 1981-2012 on the New York campus
*Also taught in Florida, Owen Sound, Philippines, Brazil, Germany, Argentina

Get to Know Dr. John Whitcomb:

What did you enjoy most about teaching at the Bible Institute?
The enthusiastic response of the students to the teaching of the Word of God.

What are some of your favorite memories from the Bible Institute?
Young people being illuminated, encouraged, and enlightened to take the message of God’s Word all over the world, and international students coming to the Bible Institute who then took God’s Word to their country.

What makes the Bible Institute different from other schools?
It’s very biblical and not compromised in any area — creation, eschatology, and everything in between! God is Alpha and Omega and everything in between.

What has been your favorite part about teaching God's Word throughout your lifetime?
The fact I don’t have to prove the Bible. The Holy Spirit does the work.

What do you enjoy most about your current time of life?
Staying at home a little bit more to catch up on my desk work. Being able to do radio and the writing of articles and books from home.

Who are some people who have been an encouragement to you? Why? What have they done?
Tom Davis and Marshall Wicks, who were former students of mine. They are now staff at the Bible Institute, and they encourage me every time I see them. Can I mention one more? Jack Wyrtzen! (big chuckle) He was bubbly, glowing, and loved sharing the Gospel. He acted like he loved Jesus!

What is one thing you want to leave with the next generation of Bible students and future Bible teachers?
My life verse, 2 Timothy 2:2: “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Dr. Whitcomb is considered a key spokesman for the modern biblical creationism movement, a pursuit that began after he was brought up learning the theory of evolution but was convicted that those teachings did not line up with the Bible. He used his breadth of knowledge in history and the Old Testament to teach and write extensively on the topic, including his books The Early Earth, The World that Perished, Esther: The Triumph of God’s Sovereignty, The Genesis Flood, and Coming to Grips with Genesis: Biblical Authority and the Age of the Earth, which was written in his honor.

Dr. Whitcomb also has a particular passion for global ministry, stemming from a childhood in Asia and service in World War II. He helped establish a church in Puerto Rico and did missions work in Peru and China. He was president of the Board of Spanish World Gospel Missions for more than 40 years.

After earning his bachelors at Princeton University, Dr. Whitcomb received his masters and doctorate at Grace Theological Seminary, where he also taught theology for nearly 40 years. He is the founder and president of Whitcomb Ministries.

Click here for some memories of Dr. Whitcomb from the associate academic dean at the Bible Institute's Owen Sound campus, Doug Reider. 

Dr. Whitcomb: Leaving an impression on the Owen Sound campus.

Memories about Dr. John Whitcomb from Doug Reider, associate academic dean of the Bible Institute's Owen Sound campus

*Dr. Whitcomb taught Genesis 1-11 for eight years.

*Even during the SARS outbreak, while he was still recovering from chemotherapy, he was willing to come to Ontario.

*He greeted students from foreign countries in their own language, showing his amazing ability to remember languages.

*At one point, I discussed with him that I had been looking to read Darius the Mede, which was out of print and very hard to find but is universally referenced when discussing the book of Daniel. He jokingly said it was the worst-selling book that Zondervan ever published. The next year, he brought his last copy for me to read. For as technical a book as it was, it was amazingly good to read.

*Dr. Whitcomb’s fantastic ability to remember people and details really set him apart. Many Owen Sound alumni would comment to me that he remembered them when he saw them at second year in New York. Clearly, he would get to know the students in Owen Sound a bit better due to the class size, but he would also ask me about certain students the next year. He might not have immediately recalled the name, but he would remember the people.

Click here to read The Victory Journal's "Where Are They Now?" with Dr. John Whitcomb.

On the road again: A message from the chancellor.

Remember the words from the popular 1980s song, “On the road again — I just can’t wait to get on the road again?” While this song came long after the Apostle Paul’s time, he certainly would have identified with the lyrics. If such a thing existed, Paul would have qualified as a charter member of AAA or even as a platinum frequent flyer.

Paul covered more than 9,000 miles on his missionary journeys. Venues like synagogues, markets, and even Mars Hill provided him with a platform to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He did not wait for people to come to him — he went to them.

Following Paul’s example, Word of Life is increasing our road presence. Our goal is to leverage new opportunities to join with you and with local churches across America in getting the Gospel out. If you attended Word of Life rallies or traveled on tours with Jack and Harry, you know the value and impact of “hitting the road” and reaching people where they live.

This December we launched our brand-new Christmas production Magi.

Also, after a wildly successful pilot phase, Intersect Camps are now preparing for a new season of impacting thousands of young people in major cities across the Northeast. These one-day events are designed to take Word of Life camp to the cities of America. We have already seen more than 160 people trust Christ at these events. Check our website for more details and dates on these road initiatives. Get involved with us!

As we take some big steps forward, we can hardly wait to see you “on the road again.” In the meantime, thank you for your faithful prayers and friendship.

Bible Institute: Stay Up-to-Date.

Wondering what's happening at the Bible Institute around the world? Take a look at wordoflife.edu. The website has been greatly enhanced, including everything a prospective student needs to know, as well as a page that shows all the key dates for each of the four campuses.

Victory Journal Issue 8: Online.

You can find all the articles from the latest Victory Journal on this blog, but if you'd like to see a PDF version of the actual magazine, click here.

Also, if you are not receiving the print copy, please send us your updated contact info at alumni@wol.org, and we'll get you on our mailing list.