There are times when personal expression in public places can sound hollow and fail to accomplish the purposes intended. How the apostles must have rejoiced when the Spirit of inspiration swept over them and allowed their words to be invested with eternal power. How they must have labored when there was no Divine inspiration to lead them. I find myself laboring to communicate with you without any hope of rendering an inspired document. As I have prayed for wisdom of expression, I would simply pray that God would give you wisdom of interpretation.
The Lord clearly led in my coming to Maranatha Baptist Bible College in the spring of 2007. The vote of the Board of Trustees was unanimous and was the voice of the Lord to me. Leaving a place that had been home to our family for eighteen years and that remains very dear to us was the hardest thing that God has ever asked of me. Nevertheless, I was convinced that the church was strong and that the opportunity to invest our lives in producing another generation of fundamental Baptist leaders was real. Thus, we found ourselves moving to Watertown and becoming active in a wonderful ministry with a very biblical heritage.
Over the past two years, we have seen the Lord’s hand at work in some very meaningful ways. We have enjoyed the gracious friendship of administrators, faculty, staff and students. The Lord has blessed financially and with wonderful enrollments during a time of economic downturn. Competent, committed men and women of conviction have been added to the faculty and staff. Most importantly, we have seen students making godly decisions and sent out to serve as leaders in local church ministries.
When I moved into the office of the president at Maranatha, I knew fewer than ten individuals on the campus. My wife had only been on the campus briefly and that quite a few years ago. We now have friends both on the campus and within the constituency of the Maranatha Baptist Bible College family who will be dear to us for the rest of our lives.
It has now become apparent during my time here that there are differences in perspective with Maranatha’s Board of Trustees. While such realizations may be confusing and even painful, I know that these are men who love the Lord as much as I do and may love this college more than I ever will. Further, I believe that as Paul and Barnabas were long used by the Lord after a disappointing and difficult separation, even so, other believers can remain true to God’s calling for them and see great days of fruitfulness when partings are unexpected.
While I will not be here to greet the students arriving for the fall of 2009, I can assure all who read this note that I will continue to pray for and support the wonderful work that God continues to do through His faithful servants at Maranatha Baptist Bible College while seeking an open door of service for the future (Rev. 3:8).
His Servant,
Charles R. Phelps
I Timothy 1:12