Nick Bank (ThM, 14)

I am the associate preaching/teaching pastor of Country Bible Church (CBC) in Blair, Nebraska. I am privileged to share God’s Word in the context of Sunday morning messages alongside DTS graduate and longtime senior pastor (24 yrs.) Dr. Charles Larsen (ThM, 87; DMin, 09). It is an exciting time for my family and me as we adjust to life after seminary and engage in full-time vocational church ministry. One of the newest ventures we are working toward is the launch of a satellite campus for CBC in Bennington, Nebraska (roughly 20 miles south of Blair), which will meet for worship in the Fine Arts Center of Bennington High School. Preparing to reach this community with the Gospel is exciting, as it is one of the fastest growing areas in the state with a clear need for an evangelical presence in the community. We are prayerfully preparing for a public launch of CBC-Bennington by Easter of 2015!

Some of my fondest memories from my time at DTS include being greeted and encouraged by Dr. Pentecost in Swiss Tower as I made my way home from a long day of classes. I also remember feeling a bit intimidated to jump headlong into Greek exegesis, only to be met with the disarming and pleasantly reassuring wit of Dr. Fantin who, armed with his hilarious videos of The Many Adventures of Pingu the Penguin, kept my head in the game to do the work! But really my most fond memories are of the people I was privileged to meet and befriend. I loved learning their stories and watching God minister to me and others through them. I am not the same person I was when I first arrived at DTS because of the amazing people God put in my life during my time there. I am confident to say many of the friendships I acquired will last a lifetime!

It is difficult to choose the single greatest contribution DTS made to help prepare me to teach truth and love well as every area of study in the curriculum is integral to ministry. I must say that I was disproportionately and unexpectedly impacted by the rich exposure to church history I received. If there were a few courses I wish people in my congregation could sit in on, it would be these. The invaluable perspective and insight it has afforded me as a pastor, surprises and assists me every day to serve His church well. I am indebted to DTS for equipping me in so many areas (not the least of which is the languages for the preaching and teaching of His Word.) DTS’s commitment to training their students in the rich backdrop of church history has been overwhelmingly relevant to me as I tackle the ongoing challenges of preaching the Word accurately in today’s quickly changing cultural climate.

I greatly appreciate your prayers as we endeavor to teach truth and love well where God has planted us. May He enable you to represent Him well as you serve in the place where He has planted you.