School Overview

October is just around the corner but summer is very much alive and “hot” down here in Redding with temperatures remaining in the upper nineties.  As you can see from the picture we’re still rocking the pool in the backyard (I’m so glad we brought it!).

I realize I have yet to write anything about my schooling other than “it’s begun.”  I’m two-and-a-half weeks into it now and this experience has been so much to take in.  The Lord is doing such a powerful work in me through the gentle moving of his Holy Spirit in my life.  He is affirming so many things in me through so many different ways through so many different people. 

Picture of the main building from across the parking lost 

The school is comprised of first, second and third-year students (interns).  There is over nine-hundred first-year students, over one-third of which are internationals.  First-year students all have the same lecture sequence and course-work curriculum, but get to choose “Activation Groups,” where first-year students are combined with second and third-year students who facilitate a variety of weekly, community-wide outreach programs that integrate the classwork with hands-on experience to see God release the supernatural in the lives of people through ministry in the marketplace.  There are over five-hundred second-year students and a hundred-some interns who have separate classes but work directly with the first-year students as part of their leadership development training.  Bethel has a discipleship school over on the coast, but the school we are a part of here is specifically designed for leader development for ministry deployment.

We meet corporately, all nine-hundred first year students for general sessions four days a week, Monday through Thursday.  We always start with worship, which every time is the most incredible concerts you’ve ever experienced!  Imagine nine-hundred people, whom most have sold and left everything to travel half-way around the world, who are desperately hungry to see the Lord move in power ways all gathered together praising the God of the universe, all led by some of the most talented musicians you’ve ever heard… it’s worth the tuition right there!

The general sessions are lecture style classes with time allocated questions at the end.  We have a rich variety of really top-notch teachers including senior leaders Bill Johnson,Kris Vallotton, Danny Silk, Paul Manwaring and many others (you can google their names to learn more about them).

We also are assigned to “Revival Groups” of about sixty to seventy people who are overseen by a Revival Group Pastor and an intern.  We meet with our revival group twice a week.  Even in the short amount of time we’ve been together we’ve got to know each other really well. 

I hope to “unpack” some of what I’m learning along the way through this blog. 

This is a picture of the "Alabaster House" which is a 24 hour prayer chapel on the property