Church-integrated training that prepares you for ministry
IBCS firmly believes in the words of the Apostle Paul, when he spoke about the gifts that God gives to His children: “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
The college and seminary takes its responsibility very seriously when it comes to preparing its students. They are not only dedicated to training them in the practical skillsets of their calling but are also committed to mentoring every student to ministry.
President Nathan Mestler is very clear in who they serve: “We believe we're called to train people primarily for service to the church. So our programs are focused on people who really do have a heart to serve the church.”
Training that is practiced outside the classroom
IBCS has a two-pronged approach that shapes a student to effectively use their giftedness in a ministry setting. First, every course begins with the framework of the truth of scripture. Faculty are not only teaching the concepts in class but mentoring students in and out of class. Faculty and staff are helping students process what they are learning by asking questions such as “What does the Bible say about this topic?”
President Mestler knows how vital his faculty and staff are in the process: “The love for the Lord along with the experience and the mentorship of our faculty and staff - that package together is what equips students for effective and faithful service to the church.”
Second, students have the opportunity to take what they are learning in their classrooms and tangibly use those principles and skills in local churches and ministries outside the IBCS campus. Students have practical training for ministry that connects what they are learning in the classroom to a real-life biblical philosophy of ministry. Every student is involved with serving the people of a local church, whether that be teaching children, mentoring teens, or leading adult Sunday school classes. What is learned in the classroom is then put to practical use serving the body of Christ.
Ministry Practiced
Jesus said the two greatest commands were to love God and to love others. IBCS is helping its students understand these commands through teaching and mentoring on campus and then having students experience the joy of obeying these commands in helping fulfill the mission of the local church.
The church is more than simply a collection of people. In I Timothy 3:15, the author calls the local church “the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
IBCS is well-defined in its mission and what success looks like for its students. “The greatest thing that IBCS does,” says its president, “is to prepare its graduates for a local church ministry. If you could pick just one thing, that would be it.”