One of the signs of a healthy organization is growth. I am not talking about numerical growth (although that has happened). I am talking about spiritual growth. We have grown in our self-understanding; we have grown in our understanding of Scripture; and we have grown in compassion, grace, and love of God and neighbor. We have recommitted ourselves to metro Philadelphia—urban and suburban.
Nothing demonstrates that growth better than the missional turn nearly 20 years ago. Dr. David Dunbar led, what was then Biblical Seminary, to become one of the first seminaries in the US to embrace a full throttled missional theology. It has been my privilege to continue the missional emphasis by changing our name to reflect better our missional commitment and then to move into the city to live out God’s mission. We have tried our best to be strategic, wise, and faithful to the original vision of MacRae and Murray as we seek to serve Philadelphia and the North East corridor from New York City to Washington DC. It has been quite a ride even if it has been bumpy at times. Today, we still stand on the shoulders of remarkable leaders. And we intend to celebrate.
