Charting the Future: Troy Jones
Every time I see our university listed in U.S. News & World Report as a top regional university, I think back to our 1934 origins as Northwest Bible Institute. We have done a wonderful job building a diverse set of excellent academic offerings, outranking many state universities in the West as a top 50 school. But one thing has never changed: We still offer excellent training for Christian ministers. Our graduates figure among the leading pastors in the West, serving in everything from faithful suburban megachurches to heroic urban missions to sacrificial rural pastorates. Some alumni lead worship with Nashville recording contracts while others use their musical expertise to benefit church planting teams. You will find many of our graduates on mission fields in every time zone on the planet and in every kind of ministry context.
If I could take the founders of Northwest Bible Institute on a worldwide tour to show them what our graduates are doing, I imagine this world could not contain the rejoicing and thanksgiving they would offer to God—and who knows, perhaps in the end there will be a highlight reel in heaven to show them the fruit of their visionary and sacrificial service.
Among the amazing stories that would come from our graduates, it seems none would resonate with the founders more than the testimony of Dr. Troy Jones, lead pastor of New Life Church in Renton and chancellor of the Northwest University College of Ministry. In addition to pastoring many thousands of people in our area, he inspires pastors around the world with his writing and coaching. His passion to extend our legacy of pastoral training until the return of Christ inspires him to stay closely related to his alma mater, as you hear in his testimony.
We are grateful to Troy Jones and to so many other alumni pastors who contribute to the training of our current ministry students by sponsoring ministry interns, serving on our Pastors Council, and perhaps, most importantly, sending their ministry candidates to study at Northwest. Anyone who would like to contribute financially toward their training can make a gift at northwestu.edu/give by selecting the “Ministry Scholarships Fund” tab.
Last Friday night during Homecoming & Family Weekend, we had a large worship service in the chapel composed of students, alumni, and parents. The passion for Christ that continues here at Northwest inspires me to believe our current students will follow the examples our alumni have set for many years to come.