The Principal, Mark Dickson, is taking a well-deserved sabbatical over the first term in order to complete a writing project. As Acting Principal, I have had the privilege recently of meeting with representatives from a number of organizations and institutions scattered across the globe. I have met with Christians from Australia, China, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and the United States to talk about and plan different partnerships through which GWC and their respective organizations might encourage and strengthen one another. As we have met, I have been struck by the profoundly Christian nature of what we are doing as we build these partnerships.
Paul starts his letter to the Philippians by giving thanks to God for their “partnership in the gospel” (1:5). The strong emotions he feels towards them are a result of their sharing in God’s grace with him (1:7). Partnerships are always built around a common element or goal. Very often, this goal is simply that both parties benefit from the partnership in some way. But as Paul writes in Philippians, Christian partnerships are built primarily on the grace of God, on the gospel, on the fact that through Christ’s death and resurrection we experience a profound unity because we are drawn together in glorifying God.
At GWC we are deeply grateful for all those partners through whom, jointly, we are able to express this unity: academic partners with thousands of students and individuals who pray regularly for us; organizations which provide multiple scholarships and individuals who give what little they have; sending churches, families, students, faculty, and staff. You will read about some of these partnerships in this newsletter and over the next few months, as these partnerships develop, we will say more about them. For now, invite you to join us in giving thanks to God for our partnerships in the gospel.
– Dr Jonathan More | Acting Principal