Seminary celebrates; offers distance degree

More than 250 alumni, students, faculty, staff and supporters from across North America commemorated MB Biblical Seminary’s first 50 years at a celebration dinner and program Oct. 29, in Fresno.

Local city council president Mike Dages highlighted the seminary’s influence in the Fresno area. A video, “Celebrating the Legacy: Our First 50 Years,” as well as a slide show featuring alumni and a question-and-answer time with five past presidents, highlighted the school’s history.

Professors Tim Geddert and Ray Bystrom introduced a major faculty contribution to the anniversary, the book Out of the Strange Silence: The Challenge of Being Christian in the 21st Century. President Jim Holm closed the celebration with a statement of vision for the seminary’s future.

Relocation not required

This fall, MB Biblical Seminary began offering a Master of Arts in Christian Studies degree in a configuration that does not require students to relocate to one of the seminary’s three campuses (Fresno, Cal.; Langley, B.C.; Winnipeg). The stream, called ACTSess, is offered through the Langley campus, where MBBS is a member of ACTS, a consortium of six denominational seminaries.

ACTSess allows a student to complete the MA program in three to five years with as few as six one-week study visits to the Langley campus. Learning options include online, correspondence and transfer courses accented by in-class, bundled modular courses. Students take two courses per semester.

Promotion

Ray Bystrom

In November, Raymond Bystrom was promoted from associate professor to professor. Bystrom has served as a faculty member since 1991, teaching primarily in pastoral ministries and directing the Supervised Ministry Experience program. Before that, he served as a pastor in Cedar Park MB Church, Delta, B.C. and Killarney Park Church, Vancouver. He earned a doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, Cal.

—MBBS release