| Ellerslie Training offers an in-depth examination and analysis of the Bible as the foundation of its current program. In a recent conversation with Oceans 2003, the staff at Ellerslie Training shared about the enormous possibilities unfolded in Scripture.
Oceans 2003: Thank you for accepting our invitation, and welcome. Ellerslie Training: Absolutely. We would not pass up the opportunity to talk about Scripture! |
Oceans 2003: What is it about Scripture that Ellerslie is most passionate about?
Ellerslie Training: To us, Scripture is not merely literature, it is a living book, built by the Creator of the Universe. When you start from that premise then every word immediately holds more weight and every thought has more gravity. This supernaturally-crafted book is the purest and most perfect revelation of both God’s holy nature and His extraordinary love for us.
Oceans 2003: What sets Scripture a part from the works of other religions?
Ellerslie Training: Scripture’s Divine inspiration, of course, is the biggest thing that sets the Bible apart from all other books. But, also its supernaturally coordinated construction over near two millennia, wielding 40 different authors – from paupers to prophets to kings – who all say the same thing, and describe the same great rescue strategy of God – this is truly amazing and different from every other form of writing. It is a timeless work, that has proven utterly trustworthy and truthful. There is no other work that even comes close to its epic construction and truth. Empires have attempted to destroy this anthology of 66 books, and been unable to silence its influence and its heavenly authority.
Oceans 2003: How do you practically center your training around the Bible?
Ellerslie Training: It’s important to note that we believe that the Bible all speaks of one very distinct and specific thing . . . Jesus Christ. The Apostle John expresses this beautiful mystery in the first chapter of his Gospel account, saying that Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. So, technically, the centerpiece of Ellerslie Training is the Person of Jesus Christ not just the text of Scripture. But, since the entirety of Scriptural text points to Jesus Christ’s magnificence – to know Christ as we ought – we make it our priority to know and understand the Scriptural text.
Oceans 2003: So, the Bible is like your key textbook to understand the subject of Jesus Christ?
Ellerslie Training: I guess you could say that the Bible is like a treasure map. It is not, in and of itself, the treasure, but it is the lone thing on earth that can show you how to access the treasure. We build all our training around the practical pursuit and discovery of the treasure, Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh. But the only way to find Him is to heed the Word of God in text.
Oceans 2003: How do you introduce the Bible to new students arriving at Ellerslie Training?
Ellerslie Training: We are quite frank about our stance on Scripture. We lay out its supernatural heritage and pedigree, and we let all our students know that this is what we believe. And where its words seem to contradict our lives and experiences, we declare that it is not the Scripture that is at fault, but us. In other words, we hold that God is right and anyone that would seek to refute His perfect enunciations is wrong (even if he be unwittingly so).
Oceans 2003: Does your school welcome students that do not hold to your position on the Bible?
Ellerslie Training: We love training students – students from all backgrounds, heritages, nationalities, and denominational biases. And whereas, we don’t make attendance at Ellerslie dependent upon certain doctrinal persuasions, we also would say that a student would be likely quite miserable at Ellerslie Training for nine-weeks if he/she arrived here to study the Bible and had low thoughts of the Book.
Oceans 2003: Beyond the Bible, are outside sources used to impress the importance of Christianity upon these students?
Ellerslie Training: Of course. Though we establish the preeminence of the Bible as the lone source of authority and the only divine guide for the Christian, we also happily use other books and material that support this historic framework of the Biblically-fashioned life.
Oceans 2003: Does Ellerslie use a set curriculum?
Ellerslie Training: Yes. We have a curriculum that is built specifically for our Ellerslie Training program.
Oceans 2003: How did you implement your passion for the centrality of Scripture into your curriculum for the Ellerslie Training program?
Ellerslie Training: On the first day, Ellerslie Training students receive a pair of spiral-bound notebooks that contain all the information necessary for their 9-week course of study. This is over 1,000 pages of session notes that we journey through over a 63-day stretch. In other words, it’s a lot of material. And these 1,000 pages are almost solid Scripture. Our curriculum is basically Scripture organized to help a student understand the grand themes of the Bible and to clearly see the Person of Jesus Christ.
Oceans 2003: I’m guessing that you believe that a student can’t be exposed to too much Scripture?
Ellerslie Training: You can never have too much of God. When you approach Scripture in order to know Jesus, it always breeds life.
Oceans 2003: What a remarkable introduction to your inspirational program. We wish you the best of luck!
Ellerslie Training: It’s much appreciated. Thank you for this great opportunity to share about Ellerslie with a new audience.
Ellerslie Training in Windsor, Colorado was created and developed by longtime pastor, Eric Ludy.