Personnel Demographics-Within the staff on Bethany's campus we have over 200 years of missions experience. After doing this for over 60 years, you begin to build a great foundation of real missionaries and not just missiologists who have never done missions but only know how to talk about it.
Community-This is probably one of the best parts of Bethany College of Missions. Many college campuses talk of community, but we have yet to see a campus like ours when it comes to building unity with one another. This is essential to doing missions and doing Christianity, and we have held it as a high value within Bethany.
The most popular menu items served in the cafeteria, that have stood the test of time:
Honey Bran Muffins with Honey Butter
Brazilian Rice and Beans
Real Mashed Potatoes (no kidding – for up to 300 people!)
Swedish Pancakes
Macaroni and Cheese (with a side of stewed tomatoes!)
Egg Rolls and Fried Rice
Home-baked bread
Nanaimo bars
Furniture-Most of the wooden furniture found around campus, like the bookshelves, and desks in the dorms, and all of the tables and chairs in the dining rooms were made on campus by staff and students in the Bethany wood-working shop! Much of the oak used came from trees originally on the property and in the nearby neighborhoods when they were developed!
The Farm-The property Bethany is currently located on used to be a pumpkin farm before it was purchase by Bethany International in the late 1940s. Even as late as the 1970s neighborhood rodeos were held in what is now our main parking lot!
Bethany Church-Many Bethany alumni came to the college after having been part of the magnetic Bethany Church youth group on campus, during the baby boomer and buster era. Bethany Church is still on campus and still has a youth group with up to 100 kids at any given event.
Began In Brazil-The first mission field that Bethany sent missionaries to was Brazil. The original goal of Bethany was to train, send, and fully support 100 missionaries! That goal was reached in the 1970s, and Bethany International Ministries has continued growing over the years to now having missionaries in more than 25 fields around the globe.
Harold Carlson, one of the earliest staff members of Bethany International, is a master metal-worker and has custom-made or customized almost anything made of metal on the campus – including some of the motorized carts, and many of the items used in the kitchen. He is still working nearly full-time, though he’s in his 90’s! He also custom designed coffee roasting equipment for the national headquarters of Caribou Coffee just a few years ago!
Businesses-Bethany has started many businesses over the years: children’s toys, lefse griddles (still available today under the name, Bethany Housewares, though no longer operated by Bethany International), Bethany pop-up campers (there are still quite a few out there on the road); Bethany House Publishers (sold to Baker Book House); and our current businesses: Bethany Press International and La Puerta de la Fe.
Multiple Languages-Out of our full-time college staff (including volunteers and mentors) of 20, 9 are bilingual or trilingual!
Staff Heritage-Out of our full-time college staff (including volunteers and mentors) of 20, 4 are Canadian by birth and 1 is originally from Japan.
Countries Enrolled-We currently have students enrolled from the following countries: Canada, the U.S.(obviously), Tajikistan, Haiti, Poland, India, and Madagascar – they make up approximately 10% of our student body; new students coming this fall include students from Mexico, China, and Zambia as well!
Kingdom Business at Bethany-Business at Bethany is about business with a Kingdom of God perspective, purpose, and impact. Bethany believes in global business because business done by those transformed by Jesus is a powerful means to transform communities for Jesus and to achieve the fulfillment of the Great Commission. The proceeds from Bethany businesses provide support for the ministry of Bethany International.
Bethany Press International-Bethany Press is a Christian book manufacturer providing publishing solutions for design, production, printing, binding, fulfillment, and warehousing for publishers, ministries, and authors.
La Puerta de la Fe is the only nationwide Christian literature distributor in Mexico, this ministry is comprised of 8 retail stores.
