Largest Enrollment Ever at AC
Amarillo College has set a new record with more students now than ever before. The final enrollment for Fall 2009 was 11,100, the highest number in the 80-year history of the College. The previous record was set in 2004 when there were 10,701 students. The new high represents a 9.7 percent increase compared to this time last year.
Robert Austin, dean of enrollment management for AC, says that at least one reason for the upsurge is the recent decision by the College to freeze tuition and other student expenses. At the same time, AC has maintained its overall quality and has even expanded some of its programs.
Naturally, we’ve sensed the growth here at the Bible Chair. One of our classes, The New Testament, reached the maximum enrollment of 30 long before the semester began. Our World Religions class has 21 students. There are 14 in The Old Testament, and 6 students are taking the Gospel of John class.
Those are not all of our classes. At the September 18th meeting of the Academic Affairs Committee, our request to add two classes to the Amarillo College course inventory was approved. The new class schedule will include Biblical Hebrew I (RELG 2311) and Biblical Hebrew II (RELG 2312). Currently, as many as 45 students are studying Hebrew language at the Bible Chair. We expect several of them to enroll in the new courses as credit students.
When Christianity Came to Corinth
The message of the gospel first came to the ancient city of Roman Corinth when Paul the Apostle and his co-workers Silas and Timothy traveled there during what we call the second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-17). What did they find there?
First, because of its strategic location, the Corinth of that day was a large, bustling, diverse city. The city was situated on a thin neck of land that had natural harbors on either side. In the ancient world, ships traveling to the east or west of Greece were often at risk when they went around the southern tip of the peninsula. There the winds were unpredictable and dangerous. The ancient geographer Strabo quotes a proverb about the conditions.
According to him, the sailors would say, "But when you double Maleae (the southwest coast of Greece), forget your home." It was much safer for ships to avoid going that way and, instead, cross from the port on one side of Corinth to the port on the other side. In ancient times, to do this, they would actually unload ships, and haul the cargo about 4 miles from one side to the other. In modern times a canal has been dug, connecting the two harbors.
Because of its position, Corinth became a large city. How large? Scholars are not certain, but it seems likely that there were well over 100,000 people there, with some estimates ranging as high as 600,000.
Corinth was also a prosperous city. Again, it was a shipping center and a crossroads of the ancient world. People would typically pass through Corinth going west toward Rome. And if Romans were traveling east, they likely also went through Corinth.
As it is in many port cities, the population of Corinth came from all over the known world. To some extent, the Christian congregation that Paul helped to establish at Corinth naturally reflected the diversity of the city. We get a taste of the diversity of the Corinthian congregation in 1 Corinthians 12:13, where Paul writes:
“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”
Second, like many modern port cities Corinth had earned the reputation of being a place that was morally loose. Because there were many sailors constantly traveling through, Corinth had no shortage of prostitutes. Back in the days of Greek Corinth—centuries before the time of Paul—someone had invented the Greek verb Corinthiazomai, which means “to be a Corinthian.” It wasn’t a flattering term. The word meant “to be lewd or promiscuous.” The expression “Corinthian girl” was just another euphemism for a prostitute. Again, we would expect that the congregation in that city would reflect some of its character. Evidently, it did:
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11).
Third, the city of Corinth was host to the Isthmian Games. This major sports event was held every two years, and was second in size and popularity only to the Olympic Games. This local fact makes 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 all the more interesting:
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
It seems clear that when Paul preached the gospel, and wrote letters to churches that he helped to establish, he paid attention to the backgrounds, customs, and to the traditional ways of his hearers. The culture of Corinth needed to be redeemed and changed by God. That would happen only when the people of that place heard the message of Christ in words that made sense to them. Paul’s mission met that challenge and was successful. Now it’s our turn.
BIBLE CHAIR MEMORIALS
The following books have been placed in the Amarillo Bible Chair library during the month of January.
IN MEMORY OF: June Hollingsworth.
The Koran (Penguin Classics) & Buddhist Scriptures (Penguin Classics), given by Fred & Thelma Ingram.
IN MEMORY OF: Jodie Phillips.
Message of the New Testament, by F. F. Bruce. Given by Fred & Thelma Ingram.
The following books have been placed in the Bible Chair library during the month of February.
IN MEMORY OF: Tollie Pence.
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, by F. L. Cross & E. A. Livingstone. Given by Charles & Coleen Guyer, James & Lynn Duncan, Kenneth & Lawanda Moore, James & Jean Harris, Estalene Morrell, Nadine Sanders, and John & Maxine Dannelley.
IN MEMORY OF: Jodie Phillips.
World Religions (Edition 4), by Warren Matthews. Given by Charles & Coleen Guyer.
IN MEMORY OF: Marvin Morrell.
The New Testament Documents, by F. F. Bruce. Given by Charles & Coleen Guyer.
Library Memorials during the month of April, 2009.
IN MEMORY OF: Margaret Miller.
A donation from the Burlingame family.
IN MEMORY OF: Herman Wilson.
Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, by Craig L Blomberg adn Mariam J Kamell. Given by Bill & Brenda Warren.
Library Memorials during the month of May, 2009.
IN MEMORY OF: Jan Lening.
Given by Bud & Bonnie Connally.
IN MEMORY OF: Marvin Morrell.
Given by the Morrell family.
IN MEMORY OF: Evelyn Keeney.
Given by John & Maxine Dannelley, Colleen Gibson, Mike & Brenda DeBons, Gary & Lynnette Ward, Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Beck, Bill Zoller Family, David & Diane Robnett, Mert & Freda Keeney, George & Rebecca Gwyn, Bud & Bonnie Connally, Joe & Sue Hershey, Bill & Barbara Boone.
Library Memorials during the month of June, 2009.
IN MEMORY OF: Evelyn Keeney.
Given by Fred & Thelma Ingram, and Nadine Sanders.
Library Memorials during the month of September, 2009.
IN MEMORY OF: Everett Vernon Carter.
Given by: Joe & Sue Hershey
IN MEMORY OF: Edra Wilson.
Given by Joe & Sue Hershey
