Some SMBC love

I went to SMBC for two years, here are some of the reasons why I loved my time there (in no particular order).

 

Diversity within the student body at SMBC

Both in terms of social demographics (lawyers, doctors, carpenters, nurses, economists), as well as chuch background (still generally pretty conservative, but with charistmatic/pentecostal students who speak up in discussions if they feel the lecturer has charicatured pentecostals for example). I appreciate that there are a high percentage of people at SMBC who have spent at least a couple of years working and ministering overseas, it brings a breadth to discussions which wouldn't be there otherwise. There are also diverse educational backgrounds - university trained people do not have a monopoly on interpreting what God says.

 

Diversity in the faculty

There are teachers from different denominations, which helps us stay on track, as a college, focussing on the core issues of the gospel, and we're not very easily carried away by trying to define ourselves against another philosophy. (I was speaking to an American friend who works for a denominationally based mission and he said that he couldn't believe that a bible college could be both interdenominational, and evangelical/gospel focussed. Maybe not in his part of the states, but it definately works at SMBC, and I'd say it keeps us gospel focussed because we can see and embrace denominational differences, and also see the gospel truths that all hold.)

 

Some lecturers have lived overseas for a significant portion of their lives, this clearly influences their teaching of any subect and brings a cultural breadth to their teaching - it helps us see scripture in a more global perspective.

 

There are faculty members of different genders, I found this helpful, because no matter how approachable the male members of faculty are, I find it's different, and lovely, to be talking to a female lecturer -whether its about an assignment, or a discussion in the lecturer, or about a personal issue, it's wonderful to be able to choose to go to a female lecturer, to get her opinion.

 

Great teachers

Some of the lecturers are very skilled in the art of teaching (and not only in their subject matter). They teach to our minds, emotions, habits etc. I'm thinking specifically of Kirk Patson's OT lectures, and Stuart Coulton's "intro to degree theology" lectures (which are not as the title suggests, they're a whole year talking about how to be a well rounded student/pastor/christian and of Stuart pointing out aspects of human nature and how they will affect our ministry. Brilliant stuff.) and also of Bruce Dipples "Spiritual Formations for Cross Cultural ministry. Some of the assignments that they give are wonderfully practical too - equipping us for a future of discipleship and ministry.

 

Faculty spends every morning tea and lunch with the students

This is a great way to get to know the faculty, to see how their faith works out in their lives - and it's harder to critisise people that you know and like. Each lunch a member of faculty sits in the middle of each of the tables, so anyone sitting at that table who wants to talk to that faculty member is able to (without shouting across others).

 

The preaching subject

Teaches us in a very practical way how to preach - not just how to exegete a text, but also how to understand your audience, understand human nature in relation your subject, and to exhort people to change. People who are naturals at this don't need this type of training, but most of us do, and it helps to transform an exegetical observation, into a sermon that moves people to change.

 

Women preaching is left as a conscience issue.

Policy when we were there was that women could preach to the whole college if they chose, or they could elect to preach at the women only chapel. Now I believe things have changed slightly, so that when there is a woman preaching there is also another man preaching at the same time (so that the guys listening don't have to go against their conscience if they don't agree). I loved this policy, and it was one of the main reasons that I chose to go to SMBC. It shows that the faculty, overall, thinks that women preaching to mixed audiences is not a "gospel" issue (by which I mean that neither side is necessarily sinning in holding that opinion), but that they value that it is an issue which is important to both sides, and they have creatively come up with a solution that means that no woman need go against her conscience when she is fulfilling the terms of the preaching course assignment, but that also the college is not valuing one side of the debate over another. I apprecaite that flexibility of this policy and the dignity it gives to both sides of the debate.

 

Part time study is available and flexible

Some of our normal subjects are timetabled (in alternating years) to be in the evenings, so that part-time students are more able to get to the classes. We're encouraged to do at least some of our degree full time, so we can benefit from being part of the college community, but there is also a great amount of respect for ministry outside college, and flexibility in working around your outside-college activities.

 

Location

Croydon is a beautiful place to live. Close enough to churches that we're involved in (and cafes and video rental places, and maccas....). It's a quiet suburb that you can go for a walk or jog in without needing to sheld your ears from traffic noise and without breathing in too much pollution. The campus is lovely to look at too, and it's mostly centrally based around the courtyard so you know where people are likely to be if you run into someone. I've only seen photos of the new accomodation, but it also looks really good to my eyes.

 

Exegetical soundness

Of course. Need I say more?

 

Okay, I will say more on this point: I found that the SMBC is exegetically rigorous, evangelical and calvinist in it's viewpoint. Though the coursework is tough for many, we are not overwhelmed with information. The emphasis at SMBC is to apply the knowledge that we are gaining to our lives. The attitude seems to be, if we're learning something it shoud be changing us in some way. And time in given in the curriculum to applying the knowledge to ourselves and our current/future ministry.I remember a lecture on Romans (if memory serves) which ended in us (almost) spontaneously singing a few verses of Amazing Grace because what we were learning about was too amazing to not be sung about.

 

Mission focus

What SMBC is known for (I think that's partly because it's in the name!). We have visiting overseas-christian-workers come every week and speak to the college, and they're often available through the week to talk to as well. In addition, in the years I was there, we had a missio on leave present at the college for the whole year. Cross cultural issues are spontaneously raised in some of the classes as well, as we integrate what we've learned from the bible into our lives, not just our lives here in Australia, but we hear others integrate these truths into cultures very different from our own.  

 

One last thing

One less concrete thing that I really appreciate about SMBC is that encouragement is valued more highly than criticism. Whenever we are critical (when giving feedback for a sermon etc) we are encouraged both to spot flaws, but also to give concrete ideas as to how those flaws could be improved. We're also encouraged to be specific and thoughtful about what we liked as well. I think that the skill of positive criticism is a great thing to develop at college, so that we are more positive and encouraging people when leave and go into ministry positions.

One last thought (and this is slightly humorous...) 

Before I started SMBC I went to the open day to see what it was like, and one word that I got SICK of hearing was "community". Everyone talked about how they loved the college community. "What's the best thing about college?" "The community". "What are you going to miss when you leave college?" "The community" ... blah, blah, blah.

 

Well, fortunately (for my college experience) it was all true. The community was wonderful, and I do miss it.

 

What do you like about your college?