Many Things I Need to Know I Learned at BSOP
Perlita Tan (Class 1999)
I’ve always been grateful to God for leading me to undergo, and helping me to finish, formal training for full-time Christian ministry at BSOP. But after going into cross-cultural mission work, my attitude has changed! I became even more grateful!
Through Greek & Hebrew subjects, I was exposed to languages different from the ones I grew up with, and gained ideas on word formation & sentence construction. (These facilitated my language study!)
Through the dress code, I learned to readily follow unwritten “dress codes” in other cultures.
Through interactions with laundry women, maintenance personnel, and drivers, I learned to become friends with people from another culture and social status.
Through missions subjects, missionary chapel speakers, and missions books & journals in the library, I gained useful pre-field knowledge about missionary life and work.
Through serving with the Food Committee, I learned not to be embarrassed to take the initiative to serve individuals and groups in practical ways.
Through the thoughtfulness and generosity modeled by Christian individuals and groups who gave love gifts to BSOP people, I learned to share with others the material blessings God had given me.
Through the influence of good friends (from among the faculty, staffs, student body, and practicum contacts), I learned to be a good friend to people I minister to and to people who minister to me.
Through the school rules, I learned to submit to the missionary organization’s & local government’s leaders and follow the rules they set.
Through misunderstandings and conflicts, I learned to humbly initiate reconciliation and ask for forgiveness, and to extend true forgiveness whether it’s asked for or not.
Through dormitory living, I got a taste of the conveniences and inconveniences of living with others, and learned the necessity of giving to and taking from other people.
Through the precedent set by alumni and others who brought foods to share when they visited BSOP, I learned to bring “pasalubongs” or tokens of appreciation to people I’m thankful to God for.
Through hermeneutics, and comprehensive Bible and theology subjects, I learned how to study the Bible for myself and for my target students.
Through preaching and teaching subjects and weekend and summer practicum, I developed different ministry skills and learned to apply these skills to different age groups (thus preparing me to be an all-around missionary).
Through exposure to the library, librarians, and teachers & schoolmates who love to read, I learned about good books and authors (thus enabling me to choose which books to buy and read).
Through the Creative Teaching Methods class and through serving with the Program Committee, I learned to be creative—not just while teaching in the field, but also while sharing about God’s ministry in my home church.
Through godly examples witnessed and spiritual disciplines developed, essential virtues like faithfulness, industry, integrity, willingness to suffer, and love for God and people became more a part of me. And these really matter more than anything else I’ve learned or will ever learn as I seek to become the best missionary God will make me.
To GOD be ALL the glory!