Summer 1986
Pinecrest a School with a Difference
Wade E Taylor

John the Baptist was the "voice of one crying in the wilderness". Mark 1:3. This speaks of John as being in such a level of relationship with the Lord that he became the expression of the heart of the Lord for his day.

We live in a very critical time. As never before, a "voice" which can both exhibit and express the heart and mind of the Lord is desperately needed in our day.

The Lord brought Pinecrest into existence as a "School of the Spirit" to prepare this "voice" for His purposes. It is our intense desire and prayer to see this calling come to its full fruition and development in the lives of each of the students who come to Pinecrest to make their lives available to the Lord.

At this time, the Lord is bringing us into a greater understanding of Divine anointing and impartation. Thus, the Lord has begun to stir both the staff and the students here at Pinecrest with a fresh new desire for an increase in the quality of our Worship, and for His abiding presence and working in each of our classes. "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." I Cor 2:4.

God always pours new wine into new wine skins; therefore, the most far- reaching development in lives and ministry can be found in a School such as Pinecrest that is not bound to the traditions of educational patterns.

One of the principles that the Word teaches us about the development of ministry is set forth by the example of the Church at Antioch. For two years, Paul and Barnabas developed effective ministries as they ministered there with others. The Holy Spirit developed them to the place where they could be set in the Body as Ministers of the Gospel and then be sent forth by the Church to other areas of need.

How often have we seen a young person, on fire for God, sent off to a Bible College to come back a cold, professional theologian, totally ineffective to minister the anointed Word. In the New Testament, ministry was not trained in a professional manner, but arose through the ministry of the Church under the assistance and direction of the local ministry and eldership. This does not discount Bible schools, but rather challenges them to return to the pattern of the local church in training lives for ministry.

Pinecrest, as a "School of the Spirit" is fulfilling this Scriptural pattern of a teaching Church in which each Chapel and Class function as a Spiritual Service. Here, in His presence, we learn of Him and are trained and made ready for the outworking of His will for our lives.

Pinecrest is moving away from the concept of an institutional Bible College and toward that of a resident teaching Church. Instead of instructors teaching in an academic format, we seek that of teaching elders imparting the Word in an anointed atmosphere of worship and spiritual receptivity. We still have classes, schedules and homework, but we do all this as active members of a functioning local Church. Since we really learn best by doing, this brings about a further development in the lives of those who come to Pinecrest to meet the Lord and to learn of Him.

The Lord's people desperately need to hear what the Lord is saying to His Church. As John the Baptist was the voice of one crying in the wilderness of his day, so a people are being trained at Pinecrest to become a voice for the Lord to express Himself through in our day.

Thus, our goal at Pinecrest is to exalt and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ and by His grace, bring each one into a closer love relationship with Him. As we adhere to this pattern, many will be equipped for ministry and will be sent forth to the Nations for His purposes.

It is our intense desire and prayer to see this come to its full fruition and development in the lives of each one who comes to Pinecrest. Pray with us that all those whom the Lord would have here for this purpose will come. There are openings yet for the fall term.