Since becoming Dean, I have been repeatedly asked, “what is your vision for Talbot?”  The fundamental vision of Talbot is the same for that of all of Biola University, and that is: “The mission of Biola University is biblically centered education, scholarship and service — equipping men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.”  This statement captures well what we are all about.

In addition to this, I would put forth four crucial elements of what I would consider to be vital to the vision of Talbot School of Theology.  Each of these has been important in the history of Talbot and I would reaffirm them as we move into the future:

1. That Talbot would retain a firm commitment to the essentials of the Christian faith.

2. That Talbot would endeavor to foster the growth of faith in the lives of all its students.

3. That Talbot would continue to teach and proclaim the sudden climactic return of Christ.

4. That Talbot would be known by the deep love of the members of the community for one another and by its active love for the lost.

It is important for me to say that I cannot take credit for these four statements; they are not original with me.  In fact, they go back 2,000 years to the spread of the spread of the Gospel throughout the Mediterranean region.  They reflect the virtues that the Apostle Paul sought to instill in all of the churches that he planted.  Another way of referring to them is by the simple words faith, hope, and love.

The Apostle Paul’s regular and consistent strategy for assessing spiritual growth was in looking for concrete evidences of faith, hope, and love.   When he had to leave the Thessalonian church abruptly because of the local flareup of persecution, he was worried sick about the wellbeing of these dear people and sought to find out how they were doing.  What he looked for were concrete and tangible evidences of faith, hope, and love (1 Thess 1:2-3).  For him, these were also vital indicators of the authenticity of their conversion to Christ.

The importance of these markers of true Christianity is seen in all of his letters.  Perhaps his most quoted and memorable statement was to the Corinthian church, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor 13:13). 

󲹾ٳ: My vision for Talbot is that it continues to be a plac