I have been reading through the gospel of Luke in my quiet times recently. I love the sense of urgency in Jesus’ teaching and ministry. There are so many themes that he taught that are relevant for today’s chaotic world, and we need to have that same sense of urgency. Do not be anxious. God knows what you need and will provide. Do not fear for the kingdom of God is at hand. Do not focus on worldly success and possessions but follow Jesus into a life of profound meaning and purpose. Repent of your sins and follow Jesus with an authentic relationship. Stay ready for action and shine your light into the darkness. Be bold and courageous. Go out and compel people to come in. There is a great cost to following Jesus, but it is all worth it to live a life that is yielded to God’s purposes.

God’s truths are timeless. They apply to our individual lives, and I believe that they apply to us collectively who are following Jesus. Together, we are active participants in God’s redemptive mission to reach every person and place in this world from generation to generation. As a leader at Bakke Graduate University, I am simply a steward of the amazing vision that God has given to us. God is in control of the mission. God provides the resources. God provides the students. God provides the creativity. In this edition of the BGU newsletter, we will catch a small glimpse of the powerful journey of transformation that our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are undertaking as the Lord leads the way to engage the world through business, theology, and urban studies.

I recently visited Berlin and Amsterdam to explore ways to expand our BGU partnerships and initiatives in Europe. I will be traveling to Addis Ababa in a couple weeks to join students, faculty, and alumni at our city immersion course there and to celebrate the launching of exciting new partnerships with civic leaders and local organizations to help fuel transformational impact in Ethiopia. One of my favorite events of the year is our annual BGU alumni gathering which will take place on April 22-23. The planning team has put together an amazing program for that virtual time together.

We will be celebrating a new wave of BGU graduates at our upcoming commencement ceremony in Dallas, Texas, in June. I am excited to share that the pieces are all coming together for a world-class city immersion course in Los Angeles, California from October 23 to November 1. Our new BGU Mandarin program is ready to go with significant interest from new students already. I believe that God is calling BGU to be a community of advanced leaders who are bold and courageous. The Lord is in control and will provide all that is needed to move into a new season of impact across the globe. Thank you for joining me for the adventure! And who in your networks could you invite to be a part of the BGU global family during this upcoming season of impact?

Dr. Bryan McCabe

President