There was a strong emphasis in the churches on sending students to Bible college to become preachers. That is not the case today. That's not the case today. Without blaming or excusing, I am merely underscoring the changed situation that prevails among prospective students today. We have made numerous changes to maintain the preeminence of preaching.
Preachers have more specialized preparation today than ever before.
When I enrolled as a student in 1953, the only required course at JBC in preaching ministry was six hours in homiletics. Church administration and pastoral problems were elective courses for B.A. preaching students. At the present time, seven courses totaling twenty-one semester hours in preaching ministry are required on that program, with the number to be increased next year. When we reintroduced graduate studies a few years back, the program that we began with was an M.A. in New Testament and preaching. We have just completed an undergraduate curriculum revision for 2000 that will have a double major in Bible and preaching for the first time in the history of the College.