DEVELOPMENT
What makes this a true partnership with the church? Not only do members of partner churches receive additional financial assistance when they decide to attend WJU, but more and more churches are hiring WJU grads as their senior pastors, youth pastors, worship leaders, and children’s directors as the need for great servant leaders in the church continues to increase. Almost half of our partner churches now
have an SJBC/SJCC/WJU alumni on staff. The number of church staff on the west coast and around the world that were educated and trained at WJU has increased dramatically over the last few years as our graduating classes have greatly increased in size. Recently an SJBC alum who is a senior
pastor in a coastal city of California called me looking for a young adults pastor to work with students at a nearby state college. A few days later, I got a call from a WJU alum that just finished his seminary studies and wanted to work in a church in California with young adults! Our ongoing relationships allowed me to put the two parties in touch and the match was perfect! This “match making” happens frequently
from the Church Relations office at WJU. What a joy it is to connect pastors who are searching for God’s call with churches in need of educated and trained leaders to further the cause of Christ. I have often referred to WJU as a
“Switzerland for churches” and I think the term is fitting. We truly attempt to keep the essentials of the faith, give freedom in non- essentials and extend charity in all things.
There are over 800 Christ-centered, Bible teaching, God fearing churches within a one hour drive of WJU, and 2000 more on our mailing list with whom we stay in touch. Last November we hosted, and will host
again this fall, a luncheon for pastors in the region to come together for fellowship and encouragement. Hundreds of senior pastors and over 100 youth pastors from many different Christ-centered backgrounds come together to pray and encourage one another in our common cause for Christ. In 2008 and then in 2009 I was asked to
assist in pastoral searches for senior pastors for two partner churches in Ceres, California. I encouraged two of our alums to consider the call and each accepted. 25 years prior, these two churches experienced a split. These autonomous churches both had the same love for God, the same mission to save the lost, and the same heart for WJU. I am so pleased to say these same two churches are now in discussions to reconcile and work together once again. This decision was greatly influenced by two alums that have each pastored with a heart of unity since their arrival in Ceres. By God’s grace, WJU is in the right place at
the right time to partner with The Church. The Church Relations office knows that WJU is not “a church” but we are a part of “The Church” as an educational extension of its mission. We are blessed to prepare pastors and leaders for the cause of Christ in partnership with many great churches who stand with WJU.
For more information on Church Partnership visit
jessup.edu/church-partnership or contact Church Relations Director Jim Jessup at
jjessup@jessup.edu.
22 JESSUP MAGAZINE
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