The Journal: News of the Churches of God

IBLC diversifies regents

CARROLLTON, Texas--As part of its goal of diversifying its board of regents, the International Bible Learning Center, formerly of Los Angeles but with a new Wisconsin mailing address, has added two members to the board: George Crow of Katy, Texas, and Richard Fox of Madison, Tenn.

Carolyn Scharpen of Mission Viejo, Calif., who has served on the board since June 1997, is leaving to pursue musical and other interests. Mrs. Scharpen has served as secretary-treasurer for the past year.

Both Mr. Crow, an attorney, and Mr. Fox, a businessman, have also served on the board of United Christian Ministries of Birmingham, Ala.

After deliberation, the board met by telephone conference call on a Sunday morning in December and decided to amend its bylaws to allow the chairman of the board to serve a two-year term (instead of only a year).

Because the IBLC is a volunteer educational organization with no employees, the regents decided they needed a greater degree of continuity in implementing and executing their strategy for reaching more people with course offerings, said Wes White, husband of of the chairman of the IBLC board.

Linda Hardy White of Carrollton will serve as chairman until December. John-Barry Skidmore of Aliso Viejo, Calif., will become secretary, and Mr. Fox will take on the role of treasurer. John Merritt of Oconomowoc, Wis., will continue to be the IBLC's chief liaison with the Sabbatarian community at large, with Mr. Crow to assist in this area.

In a related effort to provide cost-effective service to Church of God brethren who want college-level Bible courses, the regents of the IBLC have decided to split ordering and fulfillment between Wisconsin and Texas. The organization's new mailing address is 1340 N. Dousman Rd., Oconomowoc, Wis. 50366, U.S.A.

Marcie Merritt, wife of John, will answer the organization's new toll-free number, (877) 444-IBLC, and Wes and Linda White have volunteered to handle fulfillment from their home in Carrollton.

The board has also lowered prices on selected courses and intends to offer new courses throughout the remainder of 1999. It advertises courses through Connections, The Journal's advertising section, rather than through a monthly mailing. Through The Journal the IBLC can reach more people in the scattered Churches of God in the English-speaking world, said Mr. White.

"We are still committed to our mission of crossing organizational boundaries through Bible knowledge," said Dr. Merritt.

"We have tried very hard to distinguish ourselves from tape ministries by sticking to topics on which our instructors can provide in-depth, college-level discussions. We hope to have several new course offerings in the first half of 1999."

"We are also going to encourage independent congregations to use IBLC courses as a resource for pastoral training and educational development," said Mr. White. "This is an area where there is a significant unfulfilled need."

Instructors on tape include David Antion, Marriage and the Family; Gary Antion, World Religion; Mark Kaplan, Introduction to the Old Testament; Robert Coulter, History of the Church of God (Seventh Day): Facts and Fallacies; Ralph Levy, Jeremiah 31 and the New Covenant; Don Ward, Book of Revelation and Daniel; and Ray Wooten, Pastoral Leadership.

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