FLBCS leadership and the Board of Trustees presented reports to both the Schools Corporation and general assembly of the 2022 AFLC Annual Conference at the Association Retreat Center in Osceola, WI. in June.  

The conference opened to a rainstorm on Wednesday night, promising hot humid weather for the rest of the week. AFLC Annual Conferences have always been more than a set of business meetings. Each morning begins with singing, devotions, and prayer, and ends in a service with preaching from God’s Word. Throughout the week, the FLBC Ambassador team sang select special music numbers.  

The Schools Corporation, which legally owns FLBCS and elects the Board of Trustees, meets each year at the AFLC Annual Conference. This annual meeting of the Schools Corporation is an encouraging reminder of the great number of people who care about the mission of FLBCS and want the institution to succeed. FLBCS is blessed to have an engaged corporation standing behind it. Here are some highlights from that meeting: 

Rev. Todd Erickson presented strategies currently being implemented on the Board of Trustees. They are formulating succession plans for key offices like FLBCS President to ensure smooth transitions whenever they happen. He said the Board is also focusing on identifying key performance indicators to better evaluate the institution’s success.  

Rev. Adam Osier gave an update on Bible College curriculum. He talked about the curriculum review process, assuring the corporation that the vast majority of classes remain focused on exegetical study of scripture. He talked of instilling in students the value of the local congregation through study of the New Testament Church, along with FLBC’s continuing emphasis of student life and in-person instruction.

Dr. James Molstre gave an update on Seminary curriculum and student formation. He talked about the difficulty of “recruiting” as the Seminary instead places focus on the student’s God-given call to ministry. He explained that the Seminary has reduced the number of required credits to a more manageable load of 15 credits per semester, allowing students to better support themselves and engage in family life. He emphasized the fact that a pastor is never done learning.  

President Wade Mobley spoke on bringing learning resources to the congregation through regular livestreamed and archived lectures throughout the academic year. He made it clear that the institution does not desire to compete with local church Bible Studies or become an online program, but instead wants to provide training in subjects that will edify the congregation such as leadership and issues facing our culture. These lectures are just one of many ways that the new Student Life Center is being used. Over the past nine months, over 1000 families have been introduced to the campus through hosted events and partnerships.  

Larry Myhrer reviewed budgets and giving, expressing that the institution is in great shape according to its bank and financial oversight bodies. Despite inflation, FLBCS is one of the best deals in higher education, and most students graduate debt free. 

Board member Dr. Jason Gudim, in an effort to engage members of the Corporation, proposed that Corporation members must attend at least one annual meeting during their five-year term to be eligible for reelection. This change in by-laws will be voted on at next year’s annual Corporation meeting, which will be held in Sioux Falls, SD.

In an elective session later in the week, Dr. Molstre expressed the importance of maintaining high-quality education for pastors in our seminary, emphasizing that “bare-minimum” training is not good for the pastor or for the congregation—even if it were to initially get a higher number of pastors out into AFLC congregations.  

FLBCS remains dedicated to providing a quality Bible education that establishes students in the eternal and inerrant Word of God for a life of faith in Jesus Christ and faithful service in His Kingdom. FLBCS looks forward to hosting the 2024 Annual Conference, the 60^th year since the founding of the institution.

For more detailed information, please read the full FLBCS Report to the 2022 AFLC Annual Conference.

FLBCS Positions Elected at 2022 AFLC Annual Conference

• Stephen Quanbeck, New Hope, MN – Reelected Alumni Association President
• Tim Larson, Osakis, MN – Reelected Alumni Association Vice-President
• Phil Johnson, Esko, MN – Elected to 2^nd five year term, on the School’s Board of Trustees, Phil will also serve as board chairman.