A Message from the Principal

There are times of the year when life here at WEST is quite serene and peaceful, providing the ideal retreat for the busy pastor working on his sabbatical project. But now is not one of them! As I write, our Second Semester is in full swing and the School is a hive of activity. As you’ll read below, we have been blessed with a large intake of students this year at undergraduate level, all of whom have dedicated themselves to preparing for serious gospel ministry. What a privilege it is for those of us who have been called to play our part in teaching, training and mentoring them.

At the moment, however, applications for September are coming in more slowly. So please pray that faithful churches will be eager to identify those God is calling to minister his Word, and that they will recognise the vital importance of ensuring that they are properly equipped for such a task.

Another serious and urgent matter for prayer concerns our prospective partnership with a large Reformed church in Korea. The Lord has greatly blessed this congregation which, in just thirty years, has grown to number tens of thousands of believers. Many of you will know something of the amazing spiritual connections between Wales and Korea, and it is for this reason that this church wishes substantially to assist the work of WEST on a long-term basis. Hopefully, we will be in a position to say much more as an agreement is fully worked out between us over the next few months. We depend on your prayers in this vital matter, as we seek to ensure the greater usefulness of the College to the greater glory of God.
With much gratitude for all you do to support and promote the work of WEST!

Jonathan Stephen
Principal 

2010 WEST Summer Season - 25 May-2 July

“PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD (EPHESIANS 6: 11) – EQUIPPING CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS FOR FRONTLINE DUTY”

25-28 May: Pastoring in the real world (Prepared for Service (PfS) FIEC pastors)
1-4 June: Standing for Christ in the public square (Simon Calvert et al, Christian Institute)
8-11 June: A mini pastoral theology (Dr Hywel R Jones, Westminster Theological Seminary, California, USA)
15-18 June: 'Visible words of God' (Augustine) – exploring the significance of the sacraments (Dr Bob Letham, WEST)
22-25 June: The rising challenge of Islam (Dr Anthony McRoy [WEST], Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, [Barnabas Fund] and others)
29 June-2 July: Fitness training for church planters and leaders (Wes Pastor et al, NETS Institute, Vermont, USA)

These 6 weeks are an integral part of WEST’s Binary Course. However, once again each week is available for church leaders to attend. For full details, including how to book, visit our website (www.west.org.uk).

2010 WEST Revival Conference

This is planned for 3-10 July 2010. It will follow a similar format to previous years with full-board accommodation available on site. The speakers are Michael Haykin (USA), Hywel R. Jones (Port Talbot), Andrew Davies (Newport), Gwyn Davies and Jonathan Stephen (WEST). Brochures and booking forms are available from WEST or by going on to our website. (www.west.org.uk)

We were sorry to learn recently of the death on 9th November 2009 of Dr Colin Peckham, former Principal, Faith Mission College, Edinburgh. He and his wife, Mary, spoke at a WEST Revival Conference a few years ago.

Record Student Numbers!

The 2009-10 year started with a new student intake of 60. Two-thirds of them are training for initial ministry. In its second year, the Binary Course has attracted 12 men - double the number last year. All are British, have a good first degree and are training for the preaching ministry. It is particularly encouraging to welcome 4 Welsh speakers among them. All but 3 of the 40 new undergraduates are UK citizens, including 15 from Wales. The other new students are studying taught masters courses or engaged in theological research. They come from a wider span of countries, including UK, USA and South Korea. Overall student numbers have risen to 170. We are also pleased to welcome 3 more new students beginning studies this February for Semester 2.

But numbers aren't everything - what is particularly gratifying is the commitment, humility and prayerfulness that is a characteristic of so many. We thank God for the degree of unity that exists among WEST staff and students.

Bernard Lewis

Bernard Lewis is both a former master's level WEST student and currently lectures here in Pastoral Theology and supervises student placements. He and is wife, Linda, were UFM missionaries in Papua New Guinea for many years and a pastor before that. Bernard has recently accepted a call from Emmanuel Evangelical Church, Newport, to be their pastor in succession to Rev Graham Harrison who retired at the end of January 2010 after 47 years at the church. Bernard was due to be inducted on Saturday 27 February but due to his wife's recent heart attack this may be postponed. He hopes to take up his ministry from Sunday 28 February . Please pray for Bernard and Linda at this difficult time and as they begin this new phase of their ministry and as they relocate from Bridgend to Newport. We are glad to learn that Bernard will continue to come to us to lecture part-time.

Dan LaGue

It was with profound regret that we learnt of the death of Dan LaGue on 14th July 2009. Dan had been battling bravely with cancer for a number of years. He had nearly completed his PhD thesis, which Dr Eryl Davies considered to be a fine piece of work. Our thoughts and prayers are with his widow and young family in Kansas City, Missouri.

PhD successes

Those who successfully completed PhD studies most recently are:

Rev Won Sang Lee, (USA): 'A critical exploration and conversation across the centuries of pastoral leadership principles in John Chrysostom's Antioch and Constantinople and Won Sang Lee's Washington's Korean Central Presbyterian Church'.

The Rev Shin Chul Lee (Korea): 'An Exploration and Identification of a Consistent Model for Presbyterian Church Planting in Korea'.

The Rev Paul Held, (USA) ‘An historical and theological analysis of the doctrine of perseverance in some Eastern European Baptist Unions between 1890 and 2000 A.D with special reference to Hungary'.

Rev Levente Horvath (Romania), 'The Concept of Mission in the Hungarian Reformed Church in Transylvania between 1895 and 1950'.

Rev Kyung-U Ra, (Korea) ‘An Investigation of the Influence of the Paschal-New Exodus Motif on the Description of Christ and His Work in the Gospel of John (Chapters One to Four)’.

Others who successfully completed PhD studies during the past year are:

Philip Ross (Scotland): The Right Use of the Law of God
Craig Sheppard (USA): American Church History
Roger Powell (England): The East African Revival and its Impact on English Evangelicalism

We warmly congratulate all these men on their success. Full details of the more recent successes can be found on our website (www.west.org.uk).

"The Westminster Assembly" by Dr Bob Letham (WEST)

"The Westminster Assembly: reading its theology in historical context" by Dr Bob Letham (P&R 2009)

"Typical of Letham's writings, The Westminster Assembly is comprehensive. . . appeal(s) to theological professors as an ideal seminary text, to ministers as a handy guide for preaching and teaching and to lay people as a tool to become historically and theologically informed." - Joel R. Beeke, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary

For more information visit our website (www.west.org.uk)

Gospel truth in Nepal

Dr Mark Pickett's book entitled "The King has come" has recently been published in Newari, the language of the Kathmandu Valley. It has previously appeared in English and Nepali. Apart from the New Testament and the Sri Khrist Ghita it is the only Christ-oriented book in Newari. Pray for good distribution and reading and that Newars would come to embrace the Lord Jesus as the true Saviour King. Mark is lecturer in Missiology at WEST.

Evangelical church in Rome

Former WEST student, Leonardo De Chirico, is now church planting in the Italian capital, Rome. He and his wife, Valeria, have moved there after 12 years in Ferrara. The church is in the city centre. Leonardo is vice-chairman of IFED - the Italian Evangelical Alliance. The move to Rome facilitates the opening of a new branch of IFED.

Dr Jonathan Burnside

Dr Jonathan Burnside has agreed to teach a new optional module on WEST’s MTh course from 2010-11 on the subject of Biblical Law and its Contemporary Application.

Dr. Burnside is Reader in Biblical Law at the School of Law, University of Bristol. He has degrees in Law and Criminology, both from the University of Cambridge, as well as a doctorate in Law from the University of Liverpool.

For more details visit our website (www.west.org.uk)

Research seminar programme

25th February 2010: The use of the Old Testament in the Letter to the Hebrews Peter O’Brien (Moore College)

10th March 2010: Contemporary Mass Movements in India Mark Pickett (WEST)

24th March 2010: Is ecclesiology a secondary and non-essential subject? Kevin Bidwell (WEST)

14th April 2010: ‘Can the enemy of my enemy be my friend’ theological foundation for co-belligerance with other faiths Dan Strange (Oak Hill)

The seminars will be held at 1-2pm in the chapel at WEST.
Attendance is free and a sandwich lunch will be available for purchase.
The seminars are of an academic nature and will be of interest to pastors with formal academic training.

For further information, please contact Ralph Cunnington (ralphcunnington@west.org.uk) or info@west.org.uk