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| RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA–General John Gowans has recently approved the West’s recommendation to establish Crestmont College, which will incorporate all training and education functions of the territory.
CFOT Principal Major Douglas O’Brien will serve as president. Under the principal will be a dean for the School for Officer Training, a dean for the School for Continuing Education, and a dean for Business. There will also be a provost, responsible for insuring the quality and relevance of the curricula. A vice provost for Cross-Cultural Studies will ensure that the educational and leadership training needs of those ministering in all cultural contexts within the territory will be met. The Crestmont College concept has been developed by a special Crestmont steering team comprised of officers, soldiers, educators, and members of the CFOT board of advisors. The college will be launched this fall on smaller scale, and its curricula will develop over the following years. The intention is for the college to offer both training and education for all Army personnel across the territory and to restore as requested other training and educational ventures on regional, divisional, and field levels. The first two educational ventures will be a bachelor’s degree program for lieutenants, which will eventually be made available to officers and lay persons, and L.E.A.D.S., a residential intensive training program for those interested in youth ministry leadership. |
LIGHTING A FIRE
BY CAPTAIN KEILAH TOY –
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire,” said William Butler Yates. Education has always been, and continues to be, the answer to opening new portals of progress into the future.
Travel with me in your mind’s eye into the future of God’s Army in the Western Territory, and picture an inspirational center for lifelong learning by the sea.
Imagine a center for lifelong learning which aggressively educates and equips Salvationists to infiltrate new cultural territory. An Army inspired and enabled in our efforts to reach the diverse races, languages, generations, lifestyles, and economic levels of America today.
Imagine a center which trains our youth to be people of God, armed with a Christian worldview, prepared to step into vital leadership roles and positions, making a strong Christian impact in our society and culture.
Imagine a center where our future officers are trained and equipped for spiritual warfare alongside lay persons, pooling their thoughts, talents and experience for the building of the future Army; where believers come to rest and be refreshed, practice and master spiritual disciplines, where one’s calling fire is rekindled. Spiritual formation and discipling of the individual is the lesson plan, transformation of the heart and refreshment of the spirit is the goal.
Imagine a center for life-long learning where ministry skills and gifts of all Army personnel may be honed and tempered to excellence.
Imagine a center for life-long learning where Salvationists may pursue higher education and earn credits and/or a Bachelor of Arts Degree.
Imagine a center for life-long learning that is just a ‘click’ away on your web browser. Where you can take classes online and do away with travel time; where you study at your own pace any time of the day; and where you have the Army’s best available resources at your fingertips.
All this is merely a part of the dream of Crestmont College: A Center for Life-Long Learning.
Take part in the building of a dream. Pray with me that the dream of Crestmont College will be the ‘lighting of a fire’ in each Salvationist.
May every one of us continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, pursuing godliness of character and action, and may we learn to exercise that knowledge in whole-hearted service for him.