Up Close with Roger Swets

U P C L O S E W I T H ROGER SWETS

HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED WITH WSC? I was first introduced to WSC through two of my college roommates, Rev. C.J. den Dulk and Rev. Tom Groelsema, who came to study at WSC after we graduated from college. While I went to study law in snowy Michigan, they enjoyed studying theology in sunny Escondido, a fact that was impressed on me when I visited in January! I was impressed with what I saw at the school at the time, and their enthusiasm for their seminary training made a lasting impression on me. My experience with the seminary since that time has only confirmed for me that the training received at WSC is something really special.

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PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE SERVING AS A WSC TRUSTEE. Serving on the board has been a humbling and enriching experience. For me personally, playing my small part on the board has exposed me to teaching that is not only benefitting the churches around the world but has helped me to see the gospel more clearly and helped me to grow in grace as I have come to more fully understand what Christ has done for me. As I have served, I have seen all of the work that is needed to run a seminary and I have seen how blessed WSC is to have so many capable people serving the seminary.

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WHAT MAKES WSC EDUCATION IMPORTANT IN TODAY’S CULTURE? There are so many reasons that seminary training is important today and especially a WSC education. First and foremost is our need to know Christ. WSC’s strong commitment to proclaiming Christ is invaluable in a world that grows ever more secular, and where even the church grows ever more confused about the gospel. So much of modern evangelicalism is defined by culture or politics or some other agenda. The gospel is confused with self-help or self-improvement. At WSC, students are equipped to declare the clear message of the gospel.

Even more than this, I have learned over many years of sit

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"PLAYING MY SMALL PART ON THE BOARD HAS EXPOSED ME TO TEACHING THAT IS NOT ONLY BENEFITTING THE CHURCHES AROUND THE WORLD BUT HAS HELPED

ME TO SEE THE GOSPEL MORE CLEARLY."

ting in the church pew that an educated ministry is vital. The ablest ministers are those that have a deep understanding of scripture and theology. So much in the church today is centered on emotional manipulation and entertainment. Whether we need spiritual milk or solid food, that nourishment needs to change our hearts and our minds. Not to mention that today, as much as ever, a minister must be able to identify and resist the errors that permeate society and the church. Solid training in the scriptures and theology is essential to equip a pastor for this task. This is what students are given at WSC!

While there are many other reasons I could recount, one final reason I will mention is WSC’s uncompromising commitment to training ministers to work with the original languages of the Bible. While we have good translations of the Bible, that is no substitute for making the understanding of the translation of the text your own. When a pastor works his way through a text from the original language, his understanding becomes much deeper. The failure to do so definitely shows in preaching.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT SEMINARY EDUCATION? I suppose this question is pretty simple to answer, and yet it is easy to overlook. Was there a minister that played an important role in your spiritual life? Where did that minister come from? They don’t grow on trees! While we need good seminaries to train and equip good ministers, seminaries are often not the first cause we think of when we make our giving decisions. I would challenge everyone to think twice about that. Without strong ministers, all of the other kingdom causes to which we give would suffer. Whether it is preaching in your local church or missionary efforts at home or abroad, “how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

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FACULTY BOOKS AVAILABLE NOW NEW!

With All Your Heart

Orienting Your Mind, Desires, and Will Toward Christ by A. Craig Troxel (Crossway, 2020)

Politics After Christendom

Political Theology in a Fractured World by David VanDrunen (Zondervan, 2020)

What is the Priesthood of Believers?

Basics of Faith Series by A. Craig Troxel (P&R, 2019)

What is Man?

Basics of Faith Series by A. Craig Troxel (P&R, 2010)

Saving the Reformation

The Pastoral Theology of the Canons of Dort by W. Robert Godfrey (Reformation Trust Publishing, 2019)

Justification

2-Volume Series, New Studies in Dogmatics by Michael S. Horton (Zondervan, 2018)

The Spiritual Life

by Campegius Vitringa, translated and edited by Charles K. Telfer (Reformation Heritage, 2018)

Journeys with Jesus Every Path in the Bible Leads Us to Christ

by Dennis E. Johnson (P&R, 2018)

Echoes of Exodus

Tracing a Biblical Motif

by Bryan D. Estelle (IVP Academic, 2018)

Aquinas Among the Protestants

Edited by David VanDrunen (Wiley-Blackwell, 2017)

The Majesty on High

Introduction to the Kingdom of God in the New Testament

by S. M. Baugh (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017)

Learning to Love the Psalms

by W. Robert Godfrey (Reformation Trust, 2017)

Rediscovering the Holy Spirit

God's Perfecting Presence in Creation, Redemption, and Everyday Life

Ephesians Evangelical Exegetical

Commentary by S. M. Baugh (Lexham Press, 2016)

Core Christianity

Finding Yourself in God's Story by Michael S. Horton (Zondervan, 2016)

God's Glory Alone

The Majestic Heart of Christian

Faith and Life by David VanDrunen (Zondervan, 2015)

Preaching the Whole

Counsel of God Design and Deliver Gospel

Centered Sermons by Julius J. Kim (Zondervan, 2015)

Calvin on the Christian Life

Glorifying and Enjoying God Forever by Michael S. Horton (Crossway Books, 2014)

1725 BEAR VALLEY PARKWAY ESCONDIDO, CA 92027 WWW.WSCAL.EDU

2021 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

WSC CAMPUS

JANUARY 15-16, 2021

W S C A L . E D U / C O N F E R E N C E

DETAILS COMING SOON