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PASTOR GENERAL'S
REPORT
TO THE MINISTRY OF THE
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
VOL.4, N0.3
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
BIG SANDY TO REMAIN
TWO-YEAR COLLEGE
by Herbert W. Armstrong
JANUARY 15, 1982
After much consideration, counsel, fact-viewing and prayer, God has
revealed that the college at Big Sandy, Texas, must remain what He led us to
reopen--a two-year junior college.
There are many reasons for this decision. I know well it will come as
a disappointment to many, especially at Big Sandy. But it is the point of
wisdom, and it is the living Christ's decision.
Consider WHY Christ led me to open Ambassador College in the first
place. I was only Christ's instrument. He was preparing, through me, for
the Kingdom of God--a new world--a new civilization. He did not need any
more colleges or universities on this world's model.
But we did need an
educated ministry in a developing and growing church--beside other properly
educated personnel in God's Work. This world's educational system could
not supply this need. God's type of college was a necessity.
It started the smallest--four students and faculty of eight. But it
grew. As it grew and expanded into England and Texas campuses, even our own
graduate faculty members and administration people and ministers began to
liberalize. After 1968 it was becoming over-large and over-liberal. God
was not blessing it as He previously had.
The Bricket Wood campus was
closed and the property sold.
Then the Texas campus was closed.
The
property was sold but the deal fell through. We still had the campus. It
was costing about a million dollars a year just to maintain it and prevent
deterioration and overgrowing with weeds.
Why did Christ lead me to open Big Sandy again as a two-year junior
college? We had more than twice the number of qualified and acceptable
student applications as we could accept at the Pasadena campus, now once
again GOD'S college. Many were asking what other college or university we
could recommend if there was no room for them at Pasadena. We simply could
not recommend ANY.
And these prospective students were from our member
families.
If some of the Big Sandy two-year students appeared to be ministerial
material, they could complete the last two years at Pasadena. In any event,
after two years at Big Sandy they could become leaders back home in their
local churches.
But now, in the middle of a very successful first year of the re
established college at Big Sandy, intensive consideration has been given to
the question of establishing it as a full four-year college.