Guest Faculty Facts - Marcia Townsend

Issue 1 Vol. 17
A Publication of Cornerstone Bible Institute
Howard Friesen
Guest Faculty Facts - Marcia Townsend
President
Phillip Shively
Registrar
Ruth Haynie
Editor
Cornerstone Bible Institute
P.O. Box 1158
Hot Springs, SD 57747
Office:(605) 745-6878
Fax:(605) 745-4421
Email:[email protected]
www.cornerstonebibleinstitute.com
Student Mail Address:
Winter 2011
1441 Martin Street
Hot Springs, SD 57747-3085
Contents
Guest Faculty Facts........... 1
Alumni News..................... 2
Meet Our Students............ 3
In Context........................... 4
Kitchen Korner................... 5
Short-term Missionaries..... 6
Book Review...................... 8
Marcia
Townsend joined
the Cornerstone
guest faculty in
the fall of 2010 to
teach the freshman
English classes,
thus lightening the
schedule for Mrs.
Charles.
Marcia has
Marcia Townsend
been married
to Pastor Bob
Townsend, also a guest teacher at CBI,
for thirty-five years. They have four adult
daughters, three sons-in-law, and three
grandchildren (plus one in Heaven).
Marcia was born in San Antonio,
Texas, while her father was stationed there
in the Air Force. Born into a godly home
where church attendance was never optional, she learned to serve the Lord at an
early age, following the examples of her
parents, both of whom were Sunday school
teachers. Marcia’s dad was a deacon and
sang bass in a Southern Gospel Quartet for
fifty years.
After graduating from high school,
Marcia attended Tennessee Temple
University in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
After two years, she transferred to Hyles
Anderson Bible College near Crown
Point, Indiana, where she met Bob. Marcia
graduated with a Bachelor of Science
degree in Education and a triple minor in
Bible, Speech, and Psychology.
Along with teaching for twenty-five
years in Christian schools in California,
Texas, Missouri, and Nebraska, Marcia
also became an Emergency Medical
Technician, a Red Cross and American
Heart Association Instructor, and began
working in both private and volunteer
ambulance companies. She is currently a
certified Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) member and is called upon
to serve in EMS, Fire Department, and
Law Enforcement debriefings after violent or emotionally stressful situations.
Marcia says, “Teaching and being
in the ministry as a helpmeet to Bob, a
mother, and Nana has been the best life
has to offer here on earth. If God will
continue to use me, I am willing!” §
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Alumni News
Scott McClellen
Greetings
from Gregory
in south central
South Dakota.
Since Scott
graduated from
CBI in 2005,
we, Scott, Keri,
Kyle, and Erika
McClellen have
been living in
Gregory where
Scott and Keri
McClellen
Scott is the pastor of the Berean
Fundamental Church. The Berean
church family is made up of folks who
are directly or indirectly tied to agriculture, so Scott and Keri’s farming and
ranching backgrounds make the ministry
in Gregory a good fit.
The education and life experience
that we received at CBI have been used
extensively in the ministry in Gregory. Scott often looks back at class notes and
books that were used as textbooks at
CBI. Of course, the main textbook that
Scott studies is the Bible, but the classroom material from CBI has enhanced
and complimented Scott’s studies and
sermon preparation greatly. We still
look back at our time at CBI with fond
memories of the people we met, the instructors who impacted our lives, and the
church family at Calvary Baptist. We
truly enjoyed our time in Hot Springs
and know that it was a time of learning
and preparation for ministry.
Scott keeps busy with sermon
preparation, Bible study, hospital and
nursing home visitation. Keri has been
the first grade teacher at Gregory Elementary School for the past three years.
Kyle is a university sophomore where he
is studying nutrition and health sciences.
Erika is a university freshman beginning
her studies for a career in nursing.
Since moving to Gregory and to
2
the ministry at the Berean Church in
Gregory, we have helped the church start
an Awana program that draws children
from all over town, with many of them
having no church home at all. Scott has
directed the Berean Church choir in several Easter and Christmas cantatas, Keri
has taught several women’s Bible studies, and both Scott and Keri are active in
community activities and events. Please pray for us as we continue
our ministry. God is moving in the
hearts and lives of people in Gregory and
the surrounding area, and we are happy
to be a small part of what God is doing. Laurie Dyck Kroeker
Laurie (Dyck) Kroeker graduated
from CBI in May 1994. She and
her husband Walter live in Kenton,
Manitoba, Canada. They have three
children, Melody (11), Marita (5),
Jonathan (3), and their fourth is due
around Valentine’s Day.
Laurie is a stay-at-home mom who
homeschools her children. She says,
“I have been privileged to be called to
teach the young minds of our children
and to instruct them in the way that they
should go. I believe that this is the most
important ministry that I could have. My God-given responsibility is first to
my husband, then to my children, then
others, and in that order.”
Laurie’s children are learning about
God and how to explore life and love
learning. Their homeschool experience
has been enhanced by doing some
unusual things that were done in the old
days. Laurie shares, “We have been
grinding grain for flour. I have been
making cheese, and in the spring we
started collecting maple sap and trying
our hand at making syrup. We tried
some with whole grain pancakes and
fresh butter; it was really good! We will
do it again next year. We plan on trying
a few more new things next summer. We
are always looking for something new
and different to try.” The Kroekers also
have a Jersey milk cow which they hand
milk, a quarter horse, a dog, and some
cats.
In addition, Laurie is involved
with an online list of moms who are
homeschooling their ADHD children.
These ladies encourage each other.
Laurie listens to these mothers, shares
experiences with them, and points them
to helpful resources. She has also started
a Bible reading time online with a couple
of the mothers.
Laurie was impressed by the
counsel of three of her Bible school
instructors, who said, “Discard all your
preconceived ideas about God. Question
everything. Look into God’s Word to
find out if what you are hearing and
reading is really true or not – even from
commentaries and the instructors in the
school.” Laurie says, “If I could not let
go of these former ideas, it would taint
my understanding of who God is and
what the Bible truly says. This has been
part of what has guided my direction in
life and my decisions. It has taken me on
an unexpected journey. It is rewarding
and has revealed a lot of new things to
me.”
A verse that has impacted Laurie’s
life is James 4:17: “Therefore, to one
who knows the right thing to do, and
does not do it, to him it is sin.” §
Thank You!
We at Cornerstone would like to
extend our sincere thanks to those
of you who have sent money to support our staff members, to provide
work scholarships for students,
and to help with the building of
our new ladies’ dormitory. We are
also grateful for the supply of funds
for equipment in our kitchen and
dining hall and in our computer
lab. What a tremendous help and
blessing these gifts have been!
Thank you!
Meet our Students
Valerie Kruse
Hi my
name is Valerie
Kruse, and I
am a senior
here at CBI. I
was born and
reared in the
Badlands of
South Dakota on a cattle
ranch and am
Valerie Kruse
thankful that the
Lord placed me
into the home that He did.
I enjoy country life and love my
family very much. My family consists
of a wonderful dad, mom, and three
brothers. I grew up in a Christian
home, and my parents were instrumental in my coming to the Lord at
an early age. Family devotions, using
textbooks with a Biblical viewpoint
through home schooling, hearing missionary stories at Bible camp in the
summers, AWANA in the fall, and a
wide range of church activities the rest
of the time gave me the desire to serve
God and to learn more about Him.
Before graduating from high
school, I decided that I wanted to be
an elementary school teacher. As
soon as I graduated from high school
I was planning to go to college to start
toward my teaching degree. Some
people in my life suggested to me,
though, that I should try one year of
Bible college before starting toward
my teaching degree.
I heard about CBI from my
cousin Andrea Kruse Kunnari, who
had graduated from the school, but
I really did not consider it until two
students from Cornerstone came to my
home church. While visiting with the
students, I found out that Cornerstone
had some teaching classes. After visiting with them, I sent in an application
to Cornerstone and began to pray for
the Lord to direct me to wherever He
would have me to go.
The Lord brought me to CBI, and
that is why I am here. I have enjoyed
every year here and am amazed at how
the Lord has been working in my life!
My time here at CBI has been
priceless with all that the Lord is doing
in my life, all the lifetime friends I am
making, and, most importantly, learning
more about God through what He has
revealed in His written Word.
After CBI I am planning to work
on finishing my teaching degree and
then want to teach at an elementary
school in a small town in the Badlands.
Darren DeFord
I was the third
child born into
a loving family
living in a small
town in Pennsylvania. My parents
had a desire for
ministry; they
have always been
active in ministry
in the local church
Darren DeFord
for as long as I can
remember. When I
was four, my older brother led me to the
Lord. As you could imagine, a five year
old leading a four year old to the Lord
has the potential of being rather humorous. A year later my family moved to
Columbus, Montana, where my Dad
planted a church.
My parents thought it important
that we children be homeschooled.
We were also always in Awana and in
church. In 1996 we moved to Ekalaka,
Montana. Here God worked in my life
to prepare me for the steps He would
have me to take as I left home. I know
that my parents have never ceased to
pray for me. I have found that God likes
to remove me from my comfort zone to
stretch me. When I first left home, I attended a Christian college for two years.
Through the encouragement and counsel
of my Dad, I transferred to a different
college. After one year I dropped out and
worked in construction for two and a
half years, then I transferred to Cornerstone Bible Institute. While attending
CBI, I have been involved in helping
to start the Black Hills Bible Church,
leading the youth group and directing
music. For the future I have a desire to
start a camp and conference center as a
ministry to those in ministry. This camp
would provide rest and spiritual refreshment to those in the front lines. Please
pray with me as I finish school and work
on starting this ministry. Phil. 1:21
Philip Johnson
Hi, my name is Philip Johnson,
and I am a junior at CBI. I grew up as a
pastor’s son in
the small town
of Dix in western
Nebraska. I do
not remember
ever not knowing about Christ
and the Bible
as a child, but I
realized my need
to accept Christ’s
Philip Johnson
free gift of salvation at the age of
five. It is still amazing to me that God
would choose me to be His own. This
struck me recently when I was reading in
1 John and came across this verse, “See
what kind of love the Father has given
to us, that we should be called children
of God.” (1 John 3:! ESV). Think about
it! Even though I am a wicked person
“Students” continued on page 7
3
InContext
Cornerstone Bible Institute
By: Steve DeFord
The Cowtown Shepherd
(Outreach in a small Community)
A few years ago a pastor friend of
mine accepted a call to be the senior pastor of a rather large church in the Midwest. His new place of ministry came
equipped with a full staff of associate
pastors in various aspects of the ministry. In what was probably an over-simplified
analysis of his duties, I thought, “Wow,
all he has
to do is
study and
preach.” For a few
fleeting
moments
I was envious of my friend. I could just
picture myself mid-week with a tall glass
of lemonade in a hammock on a hot
summer day. I could really get into that,
just study and preach… hmm. Like many other pastors, I serve
a small rural, no, actually a frontier
community, a cowtown in Southeastern
Montana, the kind of place where everyone wears a half a dozen hats. How
many times I have prayed that the sun
would stand still so that I would have
the time I needed to do all that life and
ministry demanded. I remember once
fighting fire all night Saturday night, getting home just in time to shower before
church. The firemen did not expect me
to be there, but they were short handed
and needed the tanker that I brought
out that night. The sun did not stand
still, but God sharpened my mind and
strengthened my tired body, enabling me
to preach that Sunday. I also won the
respect of some firemen and ranchers
that day in a way I never expected. Sometimes we pastors forget that
we have ministry that goes beyond the
study and the pulpit. We like to define
our duties from Eph. 4:11, 12: “And He
Himself gave….pastors and teachers, for
equipping the saints for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ.…” Oh, how our hearts are stirred
when we read Paul’s imperative to
young pastor Timothy in II Timothy 4:2:
“Preach
the
Word! Be ready
in season and
out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort,
with all longsuffering and teaching.” Yes, I love that verse. Then just three
verses later Paul dumps me right out of
my hammock spilling lemonade all over
the place. “But you be watchful in all
things, endure afflictions, do the work
of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” That phrase “fulfill your ministry” means
“to fulfill the ministry in every part.” It is like
saying,
“practice
what you
preach.” We do not
just stir
up passion for the lost through the preaching
of the Word. We must “do the work of
an evangelist.” And, yes, the process of
carrying out this ministry requires that
we endure affliction. A very important
We must live and walk among the
sheep to be an effective watchman.
4
role of the
pastor is
the role of
watchman. Like
the Good
Shepherd,
we must
live and
walk
among
the sheep
Steve DeFord
to be an
effective
watchman. As a pastor very clearly I have a
responsibility to the flock of God. Many
good things could be said to define that
part of the ministry, but the intent of this
article is to address outreach to the community.
Larry Moyer of EvanTell always
says, “If you want to reach lost people
you have to spend time with lost
people.” This simple concept is most
basic to community outreach. It is not
hard to find doors of opportunity in a
small community. The hard part is limiting your involvement so as not to neglect
other aspects
of the ministry. Every
volunteer
organization
is overworked and
understaffed.
Become an EMT or firefighter, join the
Chamber of Commerce, volunteer at the
local senior citizens center, train with the
search and rescue, or join the Sheriff’s
reserve. You can get involved with 4-H
It is “a good testimony among
those who are outside” that
qualifies one for service.
clubs, school athletic events, Parent
Teachers Association, run for town council, or join a local political action committee. Over the years we have helped
out at brandings and cattle drives. These
last two activities often give opportunities to mix with unbelievers and believers alike. This can be a valuable time of
showing the believers how to reach out
to their neighbors. This is by no means a
comprehensive list, but it should get you
started.
This kind of involvement will bring
opportunities to be a testimony for
Christ, but it is also very easy to avoid or
to miss those opportunities. Just because
we are there does not mean we are having an outreach. Prepare your heart daily
in the Word and in prayer, and ask others
to pray for you. You are on a spiritual
battlefield. I regret that I have missed
Kitchen Korner
The kitchen at CBI is up and running for a new semester. The Lord has
blessed us in some special ways this
year. Just after Labor Day, Mae Merrill
volunteered to work in the kitchen. She
and her husband Don retired, moving
from Alaska to Hot Springs in May.
Through a series of events only the
Lord could have orchestrated, she is
now helping
four days a
week. Vivian
Couch has
been helping
in the kitchen
for many
years and is
still faithfully
serving every
Thursday.
Kay FriMarsha Luko
esen cooks the
Wednesday
evening meal. On Friday Bethany
many opportunities, but thank God for
what He has done in spite of me.
Being embedded in the daily grind
of the community, I have been astounded
at who has referred to me as their pastor. I have performed weddings and funerals
and done both formal and informal counseling as the result of relationships built
through community involvement. We
have seen people who were once afraid
of church now attending. Some have
come back to the Lord, and some have
confessed Him as Lord, in part because
we dared to get close enough for them to
see Christ. Yes, at times we are very vulnerable, and we risk rejection, but so did
our Lord Jesus. Right now I am serving
on the town council. I am learning that
there is a lot of risk in that position, but
there is opportunity to live Christ as well. I am reminded of the qualifications given
for a bishop in I Timothy 3:7: “Moreover he must have a good testimony
among those who are outside, lest he fall
into reproach and the snare of the devil.” It should be understood that not having a
bad testimony before the world is not the
same as having a good testimony. It is
easy to live before the church only, and
to keep the bad report at bay, but we do
not have that option. It is “a good testimony among those who are outside” that
qualifies one for service. We have our
job description: “But you be watchful in
all things, endure affliction, do the work
of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” So on to the work God has appointed for
us. Maybe there will be hammocks in
heaven? §
Franklin helps with the pizza, and,
when needed, other students pitch in.
Last semester during the Wednesday
noon meal, Curtis Smith, a CBI Junior,
barbecued for us. It was a great change
from the everyday fare. We also have
a wonderful dish crew and dining hall
crew, for which I am very grateful. Thirty-two dorm students eat three
meals a day in the dining hall (give
or take a meal here and there). We
also serve the staff one to two meals a
week, as well as special meals for the
entire school at different times during
the semester.
Thanks to some local (and not so
local) gardeners, the students enjoyed
a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables
last semester. Thank you to all who
helped in providing the extra special
fresh goodies.
With the help of some special
donations, we were able to purchase
some needed equipment last semester, including two new stainless steel
commercial stock pots, a commercial
can opener, and a deep fryer, as well as
upgrading some of the small stuff like
stainless steel measuring cups, spoons,
etc.
Last semester a faithful supporter
helped us get involved in the Lynn’s
Dakotamart “We Care” program and
the Our Family “Labels for Education”
program. So far the school has received
$200 from Lynn’s and $50 from Our
Family. Anyone can help with these
programs. Save Lynn’s receipts (including Dakotamart gas receipts) and the
bar codes from Our Family products,
then turn them into the school. All funds
received from
these programs have
been earmarked for the
kitchen.
A wish
list for the
kitchen includes a small
ice machine
and a commercial
dish
Mae Merrill
washer. §
For more information about Cornerstone’s calendar or events, please call (605) 745-6878.
5
Meet Our Shortterm Missionaries
Michael Jarvis is a junior this year at
Cornerstone. On Wednesdays he drives
to Harrison, Nebraska, and teaches the
junior high youth group at Harrison Bible Church. He has been teaching Sunday School and
has preached for
senior citizens
as well. Michael plans
to spend July
2011 in Vanuatu
(formerly New
Hebrides) in
the Solomon
Islands. He has
Michael Jarvis
just been accepted by Friends
In Action International as a short-term
missionary. The project that he will be
working on is clearing jungle and building roads so that the missionaries and
medical help will be able to reach the
villages. Michael requests your prayers. His e-mail address is michaeljarvis10@
gmail.com.
Keith Singer is a freshman who
spends Wednesday evenings ministering
to the Awana TNT boys at Calvary Baptist Church in Hot Springs. He has spent
a portion of several summers serving in
Canada and one in India. This summer
he will again be in Canada. This youth
ministry to children and teens will be in
Pine House Lake, Saskatchewan. This
year he is taking the Shively family
along with him. There are some CBI
students and others also considering becoming a part of this mission trip. Keith
can be contacted at skyscraper80751@
lycos.com.
Over spring break, March 17-21,
some of the CBI students are planning
to be involved in a ministry to Utah. Bethanne Busenitz, Nikki Casey, Peter
Coon, Bethany Franklin, John Harkins,
Michael Jarvis, Andrew and Philip
Johnson, Keith Singer, and Isaac Stanley
will be working with Dave Neufield of 6
Canada team
Tentmakers Bible Mission canvassing
the community door to door, inviting
people to church, and witnessing. The
students will get a good look at several
ministries in Northern Utah, from small
communities to metro areas. The team
will also participate in a church service
on Sunday, providing special music,
preaching, and giving testimonies. James Christensen, Stephen Clement, John Harkins, Sarah Henderson,
Hosanna Johnson, and Isaac Stanley
plan to minister at Camp Manaaiam
near Limoeiro, Ceara, Brazil this summer. Hosanna’s father, Jim Johnson,
has planted a number of churches in
this area, where less than one percent of
the population is Christian. Fifty percent
of the population of Brazil is under
twenty-one years of age. This retreat
is being built to meet the needs of the
nearby churches. It will provide Christian events for all ages, including youth,
families, and senior citizens. It will also
eventually house the Pearl of the Valley
Bible Institute. Right now the grounds
and facilities need to be developed. Matt
Chamberland of NTI (Nehemiah Teams
International) is taking this team down to
do construction. Specifically, they will
be putting a roof on a dorm and building
a water tower. §
Brazil team
“Students ” continued from page 3
and have nothing good outside of Christ,
God in His love calls me His child!
I have enjoyed my time at Cornerstone. Recently God has been challenging me to live my life completely for
His glory. When I am focused on Christ
and when I submit to His will, I become
a usable vessel for His service. That is
my desire for life. I have always desired
to be in ministry of some kind and have
enjoyed being able to develop talents in
various ministries here at Cornerstone,
as well as in area churches. While I
am still not sure what God has for me,
I want to be able to use what I have
learned at Cornerstone for God’s glory. I
proclaim with Paul, “I count everything
as loss because of the surpassing worth
of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…and
count them [all things] as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians
3:8). I count all as loss because “I have
been crucified with Christ. It is no longer
I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.
And the life I now live in the flesh I live
by faith in the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me” (Galatians
2:20).
Justin King
BIll Baxter
Rebekah Parker
I was born in
the hospital in Anchorage, Alaska. At
the time my family
was living in a little
town called Aniak. Since then we have
lived in various
places in Alaska and
in northern California. For a long
Justin King
time my older sister
Becky and I were the
only children in the family,
but when I was ten, Mom had
Jessica. Callie came a year
and a half later.
I was raised in a Christian home and have been in
church all my life. I do not
remember when I was saved,
but I know it was before
my fifth birthday. I do not
remember much about what
happened, either. I do know
that I believe that Jesus died
for my sins and rose again.
The first time I remember hearing
about Cornerstone was when a friend
of ours visited CBI and invited Becky
along. Two years later, Becky came to
school here, and I came the next year. I
came to learn more about God and His
Word, and grow closer to Him. I intend
to finish school here, and then get further
education to become an engineer. §
Utah team
Angie Lehrman and Nikki Casey in
teaching class
For more information about Cornerstone’s calendar or events, please call (605) 745-6878.
7
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Snowman students made in front of
administration building
Book Review
world-renowned magazine, Israel My Glory.
The fact that God has
By Phil Shively
a plan for the physical
nation of Israel is evident
ZVI: The Miraculous Story of
in Scripture. That God is
Triumph Over The Holocaust.
saving a remnant of Israel
Author: Elwood McQuaid
today is also evident in
Publisher: The Friends of Israel
Scripture and is made
Gospel Ministry
very practical in Zvi’s
This book came out in 2000
life. He was witnessed to,
and is now into its sixth printing.
Phil Shively
was
saved, and now to this
It was originally published as two
day
is
an unashamed witbooks: ZVI (1978) and ZVI and
ness
for
Christ. If
you
have not read this
the Next Generation (1988). Although
account,
I
would
encourage
you to do
it is not a new book, I consider it to be a
so. It
is
an
easy
read
that
will
not let you
classic! The author, Elwood McQuaid,
put
it
down. Zvi’s
story
is
also
available
served for thirteen years as the executive
in
Spanish
in
two
volumes. The
ISBN
director of The Friends of Israel Gospel
number
is
13:978-0-915540-66-2.
Ministry. He is the editor-in-chief of the
Sarah Henderson