16 May was a full day for WEST staff and students as the morning saw an Open Day for prospective students and the afternoon the end of term Thanksgiving Service.
The service was led by the principal, Jonathan Stephen, and Mike Reeves read Ephesians 3. 7-13 and 4.25 – 5.5 and prayed. Jonathan commented on the happy atmosphere and the pleasing spiritual development of the students. He noted recent trends in training that had seen the closure of three campuses of mainstream theological colleges and declining numbers. It was not the case that fewer men were being called to preach but that the system for their training needed reforming.
Learning in local churches
Union had been WEST’s response to that need for change which saw distance learning concentrated within ‘Learning Communities’ of local churches. WEST was the hub for training the leaders needed to lead churches in this post-Christian age. Prayer was needed for the WEST staff and the hugely supportive Sarang Church.
