A new center designed to aid individuals with their study of the scriptures has opened in Kansas City. The Center for Biblical Studies at Midwestern Seminary opened October 3, offering another significant resource for academic advancement in service to the Christian community.
The Center’s primary focus will be on exhibiting scholarly excellence and biblical fidelity in ways that keep with historic Christianity.
“The vision of the Center for Biblical Studies is to engage in biblical scholarship for the church—for pastors and serious students of Scripture committed to the authority of God’s Word,” said President Jason Allen. “We are an institution that is serious about serving the local church. To do that, we must be serious about biblical studies as well, and that’s why I’m thrilled for the opportunities ahead for current and potential students to engage with the Center for Biblical Studies.
Dr. Andreas Köstenberge
“I can’t think of anyone more qualified to lead our Center for Biblical Studies than Dr. Andreas Köstenberger, who is among the most accomplished New Testament scholars in the greater evangelical world today. I am confident that he will impactfully lead and mentor our students to make significant scholarly contributions to the field of biblical studies for years to come.”
Highlights of the CBS’s contributions include facilitating academic discussions in the fields of biblical studies via the podcast “Biblical Foundations,” featuring blog posts, articles, and other resources that are helpful to students, pastors, and ministry leaders; and sponsoring events that exhibit both scholarly excellence and fidelity to Scripture.
Köstenberger, who serves at Midwestern Seminary as research professor of New Testament and biblical theology, has been at the school since 2018. He also oversees his personal ministry website, Biblical Foundations (www.biblicalfoundations.org), which he’s developed over the last 15 years.
“Regrettably, there is often a divide between the academic world and the church, between biblical scholars and people in our churches,” Köstenberger shared. “Rightly understood, however, biblical scholarship exists for the church. At the Center for Biblical Studies at Midwestern Seminary, we will attempt to recapture the true purpose of biblical scholarship: to serve the church and to help God’s people grow in their knowledge of God and live for his glory.”
As for goals in assisting pastors and ministry leaders, Köstenberger explained, “We hope to equip them to preach and teach God’s word more knowledgeably and competently. We hope to strengthen their grasp of hermeneutics and biblical theology so they can preach God’s word contextually and theologically. We also desire to serve the church and God’s people by disseminating trustworthy resources that are grounded in a high view of Scripture and accessible to the non-scholar.”
These materials will include Köstenberger’s work on various subjects including biblical interpretation, biblical theology, John’s Gospel, Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, marriage and family, mission, and much more.
Köstenberger added that one of the most exciting facets of the new Center is that it’s more than a mere website, internet blog, or discussion forum. Rather, the Center will be grounded in the work of MBTS and actively engage our students, faculty, alumni, local-area pastors, and others both locally and globally. In pursuit of this mission, the CBS will sponsor events such as the Sizemore Lectures and For the Church Workshops as well as hosting the “Biblical Foundations” podcast.
“My team and I, through the CBS, desire to meet the genuine need for faithful, Bible-centered resources, especially for those in Christian ministry,” Köstenberger said. “We want to be responsive to any gaps in available resources and felt needs among those whom we hope to serve.”
To learn more about or become involved with the Center for Biblical Studies, visit cbs.mbts.edu.
