Support the Next Generation of Christian Disciples
Posted On September 21, 2023
A letter from our president, Dr. Stephen Nichols
Dear Friend of RBC,
You and I find ourselves in a moment of cultural upheaval, conflict, and hostility.
A battle rages for the minds and the worldviews of young Christians. Declarations that truth and morality are relative, emanating especially from college campuses across the country, bombard our youth constantly.
Dr. R.C. Sproul, the founder and first president of Reformation Bible College, foresaw this national decline, warning that “The present is an hour of non-faith for much of American culture.” He wrote that in 1973 on the first page of the first book he ever published. He went on to say, “If the church is to be the church, she must continue to be a confessing body.” What does this mean? It means doctrine matters. Theology is the lifeblood of the church, and it is the message we must proclaim to a world embroiled in confusion and strife.
What Dr. Sproul said fifty years ago is truer and even more urgent in 2023. RBC stands as a beachhead in this battleground, firmly rooted in the Word of God and fully committed to teaching theology. Our founder knew that the timeliest answer to challenges in the church and in society is an education in the timeless truth of God’s inerrant Word and discipleship in the old, trusted paths of the Reformed tradition.
I know you believe in the mission of RBC to educate and disciple the next generation. I am happy to share how you can continue to stand with us by contributing to our Every Generation campaign. A new chapter of the campaign has begun this year. Your financial support will be matched dollar for dollar to underwrite three key initiatives:
- Providing student scholarships
- Enhancing our Central Florida campus
- Expanding academic opportunities on campus and online
Dr. Sproul said he was not interested in developing a large university to train up general infantry troopers in the church militant. He wanted a college for the special forces in Christ’s kingdom. By God’s grace, that is what we have at RBC.
We count on generous donors such as you to fuel all that we are doing at Reformation Bible College. Thanks to our supporters, we now have more than 200 students on our campus in Sanford, and we have about 150 students joining us online. Opportunities are opening before us to take our online courses into prison systems, to Christian schools and homeschooling communities, and to countries around the world. We have tremendous opportunities to serve many more people with the curriculum that Dr. Sproul carefully crafted.
Through this campaign, your gift enables us to continue educating and discipling the next generation of Christians who will face a society that is hostile to their faith—perhaps more hostile than ever before in our nation’s history.
Our students are the best testament to the necessity of Reformation Bible College. Take Natalie, who turned down a full-ride scholarship at a top private institution and a promising music career to pursue a theological education at RBC. She writes, “Both in the classroom and in everyday interactions, it has been a blessing to experience the passing down of wisdom and knowledge as we are discipled by professors and staff.” And Mitch, a member of our senior class, writes, “Desiring to study Reformed theology, I knew I had to go to RBC. My time here has been the most beneficial study I have ever pursued.”
We are committed to the singular task of teaching God’s Word and producing knowledgeable and articulate students of conviction who will live before the Lord with confidence and joy. By God’s grace, we are building a college for the generations. Please pray for our students, including Natalie and Mitch, and for the impact their lives might have to the glory of God. Please pray for RBC.
We have a bold vision at RBC, and we have a bold vision for this next chapter of our Every Generation campaign launching this year. Over the next five years, we seek to raise $15 million. To that end, we are asking for your help this year. Several visionary donors have generously offered to match gifts to the campaign, dollar for dollar, up to $500,000. Every dollar you give will be matched, doubling your support, making it possible to raise $1 million for the Every Generation campaign.
Through this campaign, you can leave an enduring impact on students by ensuring that RBC’s tuition remains as affordable as possible. For example, although our students are charged $9,500 each year, the true cost of one year’s tuition is actually $29,500. Therefore, it takes $20,000 to subsidize a full year of a student’s education. By providing vital funding support, your gift can help qualified students focus on what matters most: studying God’s Word.
As we survey our society and, sadly, even the church, we recognize that the present is indeed a time of “non-faith” for so many. We know our hope can be found only in the promises of God as revealed in His Word. We know the gospel is the only true light that dispels darkness. We pray that the great truths recovered at the time of the Reformation will once again be the hallmarks of the church even as they continue to be the hallmarks of RBC.
Thank you for considering a gift to the Every Generation campaign.
Warm regards in Christ,
Stephen Nichols
President, Reformation Bible College