Bear Valley Extension Centers
Training Men to Preach in Their Native Land
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In addition to the programs we offer in Denver, the Bear Valley Bible Institute is committed to training preachers and Christian workers in their own lands. Through our Extension Center program, we currently have schools in the Ukraine, Tanzania, Panama, Peru, Nigeria, Uganda, Cambodia and Columbia with more in the planning stages. These programs provide a valuable resource by training sound workers in these countries and help us to play a part in fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). These schools also offer campaign and foreign missions opportunities and experiences for our students and graduates. Our students often travel to these foreign fields with faculty members and together they teach and preach all over the world. Many times, this type of exposure to the mission field sets our graduates on a course as full-time missionaries.
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It is our desire to establish mission efforts that are self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating so that the works can continue with very little, or no dependence on American funding.
In order for a work to mature to this level, there must be extensive training through a curriculum designed to that end. Therefore, we teach our foreign students to be mission-minded themselves. We train them in crucial areas like church planting and church growth. As a result, new congregations are being established regularly and small congregations are being strengthened. Our graduates are able to teach congregations how to become independent of outside support, and how to develop their own church leaders.
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This training is accomplished in a minimum of two years with an opportunity to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies. The men that eventually graduate from the Bachelor’s program can further their education and earn a Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies. The most capable of these graduates are then given an opportunity to teach in the Extension School. This is how, over time, there will no longer be a need for American teachers. We’re following the principles of 2 Timothy 2:2!