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Church of God Fund Shrinking for Seminary Students

11-03-2009

In June 1974, the General Assembly of the Church of God adopted a resolution directing the church's Division of World Service to annually raise funds from the church to assist Church of God ministerial students with the cost of graduate training at the Anderson University School of Theology.

The fund was established in honor of the late Dr. Boyce W. Blackwelder, a member of the seminary faculty and long-time Church of God minister and author. For years, awards from this fund have made it possible for potential Church of God leaders to attend seminary.

In the last few years, Church of God attendance at the School of Theology has grown while giving to the Blackwelder fund has decreased, creating a potential crisis for Church of God seminarians during this and future school years.

According to Dr. David Sebastian, dean of the SOT, the seminary at AU has always been able to provide a higher percentage of financial aid in comparison to other seminaries. “In the past our church really has invested in our Church of God students,” he said.

Connie Allbaugh, coordinator of student services at the SOT, added that the Blackwelder Fund has not only meant financial aid for seminary students, but it also has demonstrated that the Church of God is committed to future leadership of the church.

In the past, the Blackwelder Fund covered a certain percentage of the tuition for Church of God students based on the number of hours each student was enrolled in our seminary. With the funds shrinking, this year each Church of God student received a flat award at the beginning of the school year for first semester, based on the number of hours they were each taking. Second semester awards will have to be reassessed as it draws closer.

Sebastian estimates that more than 50 percent of Church of God students at the seminary would not be able to continue their graduate studies without the Blackwelder Fund. Student Xen Riggs agreed that this is true for him. Riggs comes from the Beaverton Church of God in Michigan and is now active in ministry at Maple Grove Church of God in Anderson. “If I did not have the Blackwelder Fund and God provided no other assistance of that kind, I would not be in seminary,” he said. “The debt that I have accrued from undergraduate school remains and it would be too much to handle that and a greater increase in debt from seminary tuition.”

Allbaugh and Sebastian know that it is not practical for students to increase their student loan debt to replace Blackwelder funds. “Students can get the government loans,” admitted Allbaugh, “but these have to be paid back. Students can really dig themselves into quite a hole.”

“And we know,” added Sebastian, “that our graduates go into ministry assignments where they’re not going to be making a lot of money. So we try to encourage them to keep their debt as low as possible.”

Married couple Kirsten Streit and Ethan Harting were drawn to the School of Theology in part because of the Blackwelder Fund. Both from Church of God backgrounds, Kirsten came to the undergraduate school from Williamsport, Pa., and Ethan, from Noblesville, Ind. By the time they are finished with seminary, they will be facing a combined student loan debt of $100,000. “But without the Blackwelder Fund, we’d be even deeper in debt,” said Kirsten.

While in Anderson, Kirsten and Ethan have been active at Park Place Church of God. After graduation, they hope to remain in Anderson for a few years and “invest in our community in whatever capacity God allows us,” Kirsten said.

Riggs feels he is called to enter ministry as a worship pastor. “Beyond that, it is in the Lord’s hands. That is what it means to be a servant of God’s call.”

To donate to the Blackwelder Fund, send checks payable to Anderson University to the Office of Development, Anderson University, 1100 E. Fifth St., Anderson, IN 46012. To ensure that your donation is placed in the correct fund, please indicate on your check that it is for the Blackwelder Fund.

—Article and photo courtesy of Signatures magazine

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