If ever I were asked to associate a Scripture passage to how Lancaster Bible College | Capital Seminary & Graduate School views the opportunity to engage in partnerships, it would be Romans 12:4-5:

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

This text resonates profoundly because at its core is the notion of being in union with Christ and, therefore, in union with others connected to Christ. Toward this end, LBC | Capital is compelled to work in harmony with other institutions, as God has uniquely gifted and fashioned us toward a greater good—a greater good that includes educating Christian students to think and live a biblical worldview and to proclaim Christ by serving Him in the Church and society. Especially as we celebrate 90 years “on mission” at LBC | Capital, this understanding is what causes us to nurture the relationships we are blessed to have with 84 active—and increasing all the time—Christ-centered partners focused on advancing the kingdom of God, locally and globally, through higher education.

I am excited to oversee partnerships at LBC | Capital where the process begins with each organizations representatives doing due diligence to determine if it is God’s will, at that time, for engagement. This decision is rooted in prayer and how the personal relationships of the respective team members unfold. This is a unique barometer since LBC | Capital endeavors to cultivate partnerships across a vast range of groups, employing a vast range of people with different personalities, denominational affiliations and contexts that shape how they view a relationship.

These groups range from individual churches like Bethel Deliverance Church in Philadelphia and Northridge Church in Rochester to church networks like Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware and Church United with more than 500 churches in Florida. We also engage with missions organizations like Love in Christ Global Missions based in Accra, Ghana and Caribbean Missionaries Association, which serves Caribbean countries but is headquartered in Chattanooga. One of the fastest-growing partnership groups for LBC | Capital are Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) schools that are aligned with LBC | Capital because of our accreditation. Currently, this population includes Cornerstone College of Virginia, Oak Hills Christian College in Minnesota and Montana Bible College in, you guessed it, Montana.

These partnerships, in addition to others like Sight & Sound, an internationally known theatre company with locations in Lancaster, Pa., and Branson, Mo., and Faculdade Teológica Sul Americana, a seminary educating Brazilian pastors, are what’s contributing to some 200 students pursuing degrees through LBC | Capital. My hope is that this number will increase as we look to continue strengthening the hand of kingdom-focused institutions that are not ashamed of the gospel.

In September 2022, LBC | Capital and the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCMD) met to officially sign a partnership agreement to equip BCMD leaders and members to further their education through the college. Representatives of BCMD, one of the leading Baptist organizations in Maryland, was represented by Dr. Michael Crawford, former Executive Director, seated third from left, and, next to him, Mark Dooley, Associate Executive Director. Standing behind Mr. Dooly is Randy Millwood, retired Church Services Consultant, and next to him, Vernon Lattimore, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Mount Rainier. LBC | Capital representatives included, seated left to right, Peter Beers, VP of Traditional Undergraduate Education, Tricia Wilson, Provost, standing left to right, Timothy Torres, College Pastor, and Zachary Ritvalsky, VP of Institutional Alignment.