Denver Seminary

___________________________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Wilmer Ramirez | ASSOCIATE DEAN, DIVERSITY AND PROGRAMMING WITH ETHNIC COMMUNITIES; DIRECTOR OF HISPANIC INITIATIVES ___________________________________________________________________________________________ It is said that organizations today have an average lifespan of 18 years. Often, the loss of relevance, drastic contextual change, or their inability to meet the challenges of the new generations were among the causes for their death. Thus, the existence and health of a 70-year-old institution like Denver Seminary speaks of something truly special at its core. The world has changed substantially since 1950. We have seen the increase in ideological and religious polarization in America. Moreover, the issue of racism, the relativization of truth, and the way in which the economic system and beauty are idolized have eroded the foundations of our society. In the face of a new reality, the core commitments to which Denver Seminary adheres have become indispensable for the common good. If you think about it, in a world in which truth is relative and news creates alternative realities, a serious commitment to the authority of the Bible is more than necessary. Without it we become boats without anchor or destination. However, the Seminary's commitment to vigorous scholarship provides the foundation for not letting ourselves be carried away by superficialities. Serious reflection and search for the truth helps us engage the world more objectively. In a polarized context, the respect promoted by the Seminary's charitable orthodoxy is essential to engage in respectful and serious conversations about different areas of faith and life. Our commitment to redemptive relationships helps us empathize with people in need, even if our opinions differ. We know how broken we all are. We understand how alone we feel while carrying the burden of our failures. Thus, grace, reconciliation, and compassion are more than theological concepts within the Denver Seminary community. It is from this place of personal and corporate need that we identify with the needs of others around the world without distinction of race or social standing. We are committed to embracing the marvelous diversity of God's people and we will nurture meaningful partnerships with other like-minded schools and agencies in the work of the Kingdom around the globe. I am convinced that these core commitments are the key to Denver Seminary's successful continuation for decades to come. They have positioned Denver Seminary as an institution that can offer a gospel- centric, thoughtful, and compassionate response to the world in need. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Gordon MacDonald | FORMER CHANCELLOR OF DENVER SEMINARY ___________________________________________________________________________________________ What assures that a school like Denver Seminary will remain anchored to the call God gave it when it came to life seventy years ago? A wise and godly president is one answer to that question, and our school has him. Secondly, there's a faculty of scholars committed to knowing and teaching the Bible. Our school has them too. But there is a third answer to this question that some might not thoroughly appreciate. I'm thinking of a smallish group of men and women whose task is to visit the Seminary campus regularly and appraise the life and practices of our school from top to bottom. At Denver Seminary, we call this group the Board of Trustees and we refer to its activities as governance or, a word I like, anchoring. If this Board of Trustees does its anchoring work diligently (and it does), Denver Seminary will never have to worry about drifting from its call. When I became a pastor, I was fairly naïve about organizational processes. Among such immaturities was my perception that a Board of Trustees (or Elders) mainly existed to stymie a leader's best efforts. Then one day a wise man, having taken note of this misperception, rebuked me. "Pastor," he said, "your board wishes to assist you in discerning God's ways. They will support and protect you when you lead wisely. And they will lovingly correct you when you act foolishly. Now stop acting as if they were your enemy. They're not. They are your organizational angels." This gracious scolding was the beginning of my appreciation of the role that an anchoring board plays in ensuring that an organization remains in alignment with the purposes God has given it. That was when I began to learn that an anchoring board pursues two sets of commitments—a formal set and an informal one. ENGAGE 17

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