[SuperJon]

Not freaking out, just don't like it.

Don't like what specifically? And please cite something that isn't someone else's conjecture.

Moving the seminary to the old TRBC. I think it takes away from a couple of things. Right off the top of my head:

No longer would the seminary feel connected to Liberty University. That may be a good thing in some people's minds, but in mine, it's not.

Right now it is very convenient for the seminary professors to bring in guest speakers who are currently working in ministry. A lot of the TRBC staff members add a lot to classes, especially in the practical majors (student ministry, evan/church planting, Christian leadership, church ministries, discipleship ministries, etc). Jonathan Falwell came into one of my classes the other day to do a Q&A about conflict resolution in the church. It was very easy for him to do that because it was a two minute walk down the hall and not a ten minute drive across town.

[Sly Fox]

I thought this was obvious to you guys last month. Put the pieces together. There is nothing sinister here.

How would you like to try and sell the ol TRBC campus even in the best of economies?

Who underwrote LU through its formative years?

[ALUmnus]

"OMG!!1! The internet people see a problem with this!!! No one else could possibly have thought of this prior to the announcement!!! Life as we know it is doomed, I tell you, DOOMED!!!"

You people freak out at the drop of a hat.

You know, with personal attacks being off-limits and all, it makes it REALLY hard to respond to some comments and have a civil discussion. I think someone important once said something like there's nothing new under the sun. Meh, might as well not talk about anything.

[Libertine]

Don't like what specifically? And please cite something that isn't someone else's conjecture.

Right now it is very convenient for the seminary professors to bring in guest speakers who are currently working in ministry. A lot of the TRBC staff members add a lot to classes, especially in the practical majors (student ministry, evan/church planting, Christian leadership, church ministries, discipleship ministries, etc). Jonathan Falwell came into one of my classes the other day to do a Q&A about conflict resolution in the church. It was very easy for him to do that because it was a two minute walk down the hall and not a ten minute drive across town.

Point taken.

You know, with personal attacks being off-limits and all, it makes it REALLY hard to respond to some comments and have a civil discussion.

If you don't know how to respond to comments without resorting to personal attacks, I don't know what to tell you.

[BJWilliams]

"If you cant say anything nice, don't say anything at all..."

[jcmanson]

I don't even know why your posts still make me laugh Beej...

[ALUmnus]

If you don't know how to respond to comments without resorting to personal attacks, I don't know what to tell you.

Keep your eye on the bouncing elephant, he has a surprise for you.

[mrmacphisto]

Jr. said "bought the OLD TRBC campus" in convo today. He may have meant lease or rent, but he said bought, FWIW.

Hmm. So LU buys the old TRBC for... oh, I don't know, somewhere around $20M? Just a guess.

[Cider Jim]

From the LU website:

Seminary plans move to old TRBC
December 10, 2009

University Advancement staff Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. announced in convocation Wednesday morning that LU’s Board of Trustees had recently voted to purchase the old Thomas Road Baptist Church property with intentions of establishing a new campus for Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He agreed with LU co-founder Dr. Elmer Towns, dean of the School of Religion, in saying that the move will help LBTS “establish its own identity and build credibility.”

Statement from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary President Ergun Caner:

“I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am about this move...Practically, this is a blessing beyond our dreams. With over 200,000 square feet and state-of-the art facilities at the original site, the seminary and the other ministries that are moving have been given an incredible gift. The Chancellor has given us this great opportunity, which is also a great responsibility. The Chancellor and I have met continuously over the past months, and the remodeling of the facility to house the Seminary is breath-taking. The plans are formidable, but so is our challenge. Pastor Jonathan Falwell has called us to plant 5,000 churches in the next decade, and we are already well on our way. Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. has commissioned us to historic growth, and we are already triple the size we were just five years ago. This move was practical in nature: we are out of room! But the move also has a spiritual dimension: we are going to send out thousands of ministers from the location where it all began"

.
http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=13807

[SuperJon]

Like I said, I'm not a huge fan, but I'm not above changing my opinion once I see what actually happens. I've seen plenty of things happen here that I wasn't a fan of that were done differently and better than I had originally thought they would be. I trust Caner and Jerry enough to think they're going to do a good job on this and change my opinion. I think it still might be a little inconvenient, but facilities wise it could be a great thing.

[matshark]

My question is this:

What are they going to do with the Elmer Towns Building (i.e. Religion Hall)? Didn't they recently renovate and add on to that in order to accommodate everything that the Seminary would need? Did it outgrow what they expected, or was it not enough in the first place?

[SuperJon]

Yeah, you really have no clue what that building is for, do you?

The new Towns Hall is for the School of Religion. The seminary doesn't have very many classes in there, if any at all.

The seminary, currently, is on the second floor of North Campus above Founders Food Court (the 2400s in terms of classrooms). We also had to move quite a few classes into the law school this semester because we ran out of room where the seminary is now.

[ALUmnus]

Yeah, you really have no clue what that building is for, do you?

You have a really hard time hiding your disdain for people, don't you.

[SuperJon]

I can hide it. I just choose not to at certain times, especially after just reading a thread by that person that really ticks me off.

[4everfsu]

The seminary moving back to the old TRBC building, everything comes around in full circle. It is the place where the seminary started. Welcome to my world back in the 1970s. I wish the seminary the best in the move. I think it is a good ideal.

[rogers3]

The seminary moving back to the old TRBC building, everything comes around in full circle. It is the place where the seminary started. Welcome to my world back in the 1970s. I wish the seminary the best in the move. I think it is a good ideal.

Logistical problem for sure, but I like the nostalgic aspect of the move; I had middle school classes in the old Seminary space when LCA expanded into the buildings on the hill. Back in the early '70s, my mom worked in the LBC bookstore and my dad was a student at the college, both of which were housed in those old buildings behind the Old Sanctuary. When I start teaching at LU, I'll say that it is full circle, indeed.

[ATrain]

Since everyone else has said something, I might as well add to it.

I'm indifferent

Ok, carry on

[BJWilliams]

As someone who will be in the seminary this fall I do have mixed feelings. Its certainly good to have more space for the seminary although I did like having everything all on one giant "campus".

[LUconn]

No, campus is literal.

[BJWilliams]

well with or without the quotation marks my point is having everything right there together was nice. WIth seminary at North Campus this upcoming semester all Id have to do is park my car and take the bus (or really just drive there) and I could get everything done at one time (especially if I had matters to attend to in other offices).

[Rocketfan]

I just want to know the cost......??

[4everfsu]

The seminary moving back to the old TRBC building, everything comes around in full circle. It is the place where the seminary started. Welcome to my world back in the 1970s. I wish the seminary the best in the move. I think it is a good ideal.

Logistical problem for sure, but I like the nostalgic aspect of the move; I had middle school classes in the old Seminary space when LCA expanded into the buildings on the hill. Back in the early '70s, my mom worked in the LBC bookstore and my dad was a student at the college, both of which were housed in those old buildings behind the Old Sanctuary. When I start teaching at LU, I'll say that it is full circle, indeed.

I remember the bookstore you are talking about. I may have known your father at the time. Feel free to send your family name thru email if you wish. At that time many spouses worked at TRBC or LBC. My wife and I worked in the mailroom for a time.

[SumItUp]

I don't even know why your posts still make me laugh Beej...

....and your followup posts make me laugh because you put my thoughts into words.

[jmdickens]

Is it true that TRBC is in the $20 million dollar range of debt?

I hope there is no truth to this. A church has no business going into debt.

A church is a business too...so yeah, it can go into debt. my church here is going after a 20 mil project. i understand the questioning of large props

[Sly Fox]

What church?

My wife & I were involved in start of Lake Hills Church.