Our Purpose and Vision

(Ephesians 3-4)

The Cole Center for Biblical Studies exists to train followers of Christ to teach Scripture and love God and others so that they will equip disciples of Jesus Christ who grow in loving God, loving others, and impacting the world.

The Study Center’s purpose corresponds directly with Cole Community Church’s mission and vision and is one ministry where the church seeks to live out what God has called Cole to be. We are a church that seeks to equip the saints so that they can love God, love others and reach the world. The Holy Spirit has given his gifts to all of the saints for the purpose of building up Christ’s Body, and we desire that the Study Center be a place where leaders and their gifts may be developed for the sake of Christ’s Church.

All of God’s children are called and equipped to minister in the world. We desire to participate in equipping the next generation of leaders in the Body of Christ by raising up men and women who can use their gifts to equip and train others. We trust that God will use the leaders trained at the Study Center to participate in this equipping ministry wherever he calls them to serve, whether they are pastors in a local church, missionaries in other parts of the world, leaders in their businesses or communities, or leaders in their families.

We carry out this purpose in two ways. First, we want to train leaders who can study and teach Scripture. Roughly half of the courses in the internship program is dedicated to the study and interpretation of Scripture, so that graduates of the program can be equipped for expository Bible teaching ministries. This is based on our conviction that the teaching of Scripture is foundational to the life of the Church. Also, there are classes that help students to locate and explore the Christian worldview and offer it as an alternative to opposing worldviews. The ability to bring Christ to the world amidst competing viewpoints is an important function of preaching and teaching ministries.

Second, we want to train leaders who can effectively pastor others. We want to help our pastoral interns learn to nurture others with love and wisdom. The Study Center provides courses in counseling, spiritual life, practical ministries, and missions. In addition, the three-year ministry assignment gives interns ministry experience under the supervision of experienced pastors. We intend these courses and the ministry assignment to train the interns to locate and encourage the spiritual gifts of others, to respond with wisdom and compassion to those whom they lead, and to love others well.

We pray that God the Father will use the Cole Center for Biblical Studies to train leaders who can equip the saints for the building up of Christ’s Body through the power of the Holy Spirit, so that He might be glorified in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations.

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