Seminar for Biblical Theology Beatenberg

sbt Beatenberg
legal form	Registered cultural association
founding	1945
founder	Saturnin and Gertrud Wasserzug
Seat	Beatenberg , Switzerland
motto	Study with foresight
main emphasis	Theological training for church and mission
Action space	Over 2000 graduates worldwide
people	Felix Aeschlimann (Director)
Website	www.sbt-beatenberg.ch

The Seminar for biblical theology Beatenberg (formerly Bible School Beatenberg , in its own abbreviation also: sbt or sbt Beatenberg ) is an evangelical theological training facility in Beatenberg in the canton of Bern of Switzerland with interdenominationellem and international character. The sbt Beatenberg was founded in 1945 by Saturnin and Gertrud Wasserzug under the name “Bibelheim und Bibelschule Beatenberg” . Its lecturers and students come from various Protestant and free churches . The sbt Beatenberg offers theological training with the aim of preparing Christians for full or part-time service in churches at home and abroad.

Biblical Theology Seminar, Guest House

Aerial view of the campus

Training offer and areas of activity

The sbt offers a three-year theology course leading to a Bachelor of Theology as well as a one- or six-month discipleship program ("Practical Christianity", SPC). In addition to e-learning -courses offered: a bibelkundlicher course for adults as well as a Bible course for children (kids connected) .

Another branch of the sbt is a hotel with 150 beds.

The sbt employs around 25 people and over 20 lecturers. Since it was founded in 1945, around 2500 students have completed their training at the sbt who are active in church and social-diaconal services on all continents.

aims

The aim of the sbt is to teach and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and to prepare young people for the various areas of Christian ministry.

The training takes place on the following three levels:

1. Theological knowledge: in the fields of Old Testament, New Testament, Systematic Theology, Historical Theology and Practical Theology and Mission Studies.
2. Personality development: living together on campus should promote personal spiritual character formation, intercultural and interdenominational communication and the ability to relate among the students.
3. Service practice: internships in church and social work at home and abroad, regular service in the churches in the region or Christian ministries.

courses

• SGM - 3-year bachelor's degree «Church and Mission»
• SPC - a 1-year "Practical Christianity" course designed as a discipleship school
• SPC - a semi-annual course "Practical Christianity" designed as a discipleship school
• E-learning - Bible studies

Memberships

• European Evangelical Accrediting Association (EEAA)
• Swiss Evangelical Alliance (SEA)
• Working Group of Evangelical Missions (AEM)
• Conference of Biblical Training Centers (KBA)
• Association of Christian Hotels (VCH)

history

Founding couple of the Beatenberg Bible School, Gertrud and Saturnin Wasserzug

In the middle of the 20th century, a new missionary movement emerged in Europe. The couple Saturnin and Gertrud Wasserzug began training and guest work in the Chalet Berghalde in Beatenberg in 1934 . In 1935 the first major "International Conference for the Bible, Prayer and World Evangelization" took place in Beatenberg. Ruth Paxson (former missionary of the China Inland Mission ), Johannes de Heer and René Pache attended. Further international “Conferences for Bible Study and Prayer” in Thun and Beatenberg followed from 1937 to 1939. Various evangelistic campaigns were carried out all over Switzerland.

In 1945 the "Verein Bibelheim und Bibelschule Beatenberg" was founded as the start of the mission and Bible seminar in the old "Kurhaus" in Beatenberg. In 1947, under the direction of Alma Neighbor, he created his own publishing work, “Grosse Freude” - the German-language branch of the American Good News Publishers . From then on, many publications appeared in the “Verlag Bibelschule Beatenberg”.

In 1948 the "International Youth for Christ Conference" took place in Beatenberg with 500 participants. Billy Graham , Oswald Smith, Harold Ockenga , Ralph Freed, Robert Cook, Bob Jones II and Bill Bright attended, among others . As a result, the Swiss Mission Association (SMG) was founded in 1949 , Trans World Radio in 1954 , various mission organizations such as the United Sudan Mission (now the Swiss Alliance Mission ) and the "German Mission Community" (now DMG interpersonal ), the children's evangelization movement (KEB) in Switzerland and Germany. In addition, theological training centers were founded in Europe as a result of the impulses of international conferences: the Bergstrasse Bible School (today BibelStudienKolleg), the Kalkar Bible School (today Brake Bible School ) and the Istituto Biblico Evangelico Italiano etc.

The Beatenberg Bible School developed into one of the leading evangelical training centers in Europe. It was not until the end of the 1950s that Bible and mission schools with similar orientations emerged in Germany.

Saturnin Wasserzug died in 1950 at the age of 88. Stanley Clark became the director of the Bible School and Bible Home. A subsidiary institution was founded in 1954: “Biblical Home and Biblical School Böblingen” was created with integrated nursing training. From 1969 this became the "Haus Felsengrund" bible home in Zavelstein near Bad Teinach . 1957 was the foundation of the Beatenberger Missionswerke in Italy (Centro Evangelico Isola) and in France (Institut Biblique Marseille) .

The Concours Biblique began in 1961. This work resulted in today's children's online course kids-connected.ch.

In 1962 Gertrud Wasserzug took over the overall management of the Bible School and the Bible Home. Five years later, Peter Mayer took over the overall management. In 1993 he handed over the management to Samuel van der Maas.

In 2002 Felix Aeschlimann took over the overall management of the Bible School and the guest house. Comprehensive study reforms (beginning of a three-year bachelor's degree) and restructuring of all branches of work were carried out in 2003 and a new concept for the guest house was designed. The total revision of the statutes provided for a separation between operational and strategic management.

In 2008 the "Biblical School Beatenberg" became the "Seminar for Biblical Theology Beatenberg". The sbt was founded in 2009 by the European Evangelical Accrediting Association at level Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) accredited .

literature

• Mayer Peter: ... the richer the grace. 50 years of the Beatenberg Bible School. 60 years of Gästehaus Beatenberg. Verlag Bibelschule Beatenberg. Beatenberg 1995, ISBN 3-85576-037-3 .
• Wasserzug Gertrud Wasserzug: Miracles of God's grace - 50 years of the "Bibelheim Beatenberg" / 30 years of the "Bibelheim Böblingen". Scripture Mission Bible Home Böblingen. Boeblingen 1984.
• Publications of the sbt ( Beatenberg perspective and Beatenberg info )

Web links

• Website of the sbt Beatenberg in Switzerland

Discography

The tape mission of the Beatenberg Bible School initially published in-house music productions on tape under the Biblophon label and later under the successor label Evangelium .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Congregation and Mission (SGM) course, 3 years
2. ↑ Study course Practical Christianity (SPC), annual course
3. ↑ half-year rate
4. ↑ e-learning - the well-founded distance Bible study
5. ↑ History of sbt Beatenberg Profile Statement
6. ↑ Stephan Holthaus:  Wasserzug, Gertrud Margarete Elisabeth. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 16, Bautz, Herzberg 1999, ISBN 3-88309-079-4 , Sp. 1515-1522.

Coordinates: 46 ° 41 ′ 49 "  N , 7 ° 47 ′ 37.1"  E ; CH1903:  627,153  /  171808